johninderby

I like the Starguider line of eyepieces. Very good eyepieces but not too expensive. The 26mm eyepiece that comes with the Bresser is actualy fairly good and quite usable.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/search/for/starguider/

A variable polarising filter is good for the moon and also helps a lot with Venus.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/moon-neutral-density-filters/astro-essentials-variable-polarising-moon-filter.html

Good idea to check the for sale section on the forum. Some good buys and good people to deal with.

Think of the Skywatcher as a basic but good value scope that has been a favourite for many, many years and given good service but things have moved on and the new Bresser is a a step up in quality and better equipped. 

The Bresser dob is aboit £100.00 more but you getting a lot more than £100.00 worth of improvements including a great focuser, proper alt bearings, 6 point mirror cell etc. etc. and being mounted using tube rings can be moved up or down for balance or the tube can be rotated so the eyepiece is in the most comfortable position. Great fit and finish.

Being mounted on tube rings means you can simply remove the alt bearings and screw on a dovetail bar and fit it to an EQ mount so gives you more options.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

The Skyliner 200p is in stock in German shops but works out to about £370.00 delivered to the UK so not worth it. For a few pounds more you could move up to a better spec dob like the  Bresser 8” which is in stock in the UK.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

The Bresser finder shoe has wider spaced holes than the Skywatcher finder shoe so you would need to drill one new mounting hole to fit the Skywatcher shoe or get a shoe like this that allows for wider hole spacing.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/baader-universal-quick-release-finder-shoe-base.html

The 1/10 focuser upgade is the one from Bresser for this focuser.

https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/bresser-messier-1-10-gear.html#SID=1690

And this finder is ideal.

https://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/skywatcher-9x50-right-angled-erect-image-finder--bracket.html#SID=22

No need to remove the primary. Get some thin acetate sheet to make a liner for the tube and then apply the flocking while the acetate sheet is laying flat on the table. Makes a much neater job and can just be slid into the tube. The acetate sheet is trimed so that when slid into the tube the edges just meet. Will hold itself in place with no need for tape, glue etc. 

Here’s a couple of photos from a dob I recently flocked that will help explain. First with the acetate liner cut to fit then with the flocking applied and slid into place.

Pity SCTs don’t fit baffles like the Classical Cassegrain. 🤔

It does help improve contrast a bit particularily reduces stray light coming from the side. I have done a few SCTs and Maks and find it worthwhile. And it can’t hurt.

Few pics of a C8 being flocked.

The stock finder isn’t bad actually and quite usable except it is straight though and a right angle one is just much easier to use. Never bothered with a dew shield, just didn’t need one. Some fit a dew shield if they have bright lights and need a bit extra shielding to stop light shining into the tube. 

The Bresser finder shoe is the same as a Meade one which is why I replaced mine with a standard Synta type whicth most brands of scope use.

Two other things to budget for would be a Skywatcher 9x50 right angle errect image finder and the dual speed unit for the focuser. For the finder you’ll need a Synta type SCT finder shoe to replace the Bresser finder shoe.

13 minutes ago, Stardaze said:

I think that looks just the job John and will give me plenty of ‘scope’ for along time to find my way around. What EP’s have you coupled the with?

I really like the Nirvana eyepieces. Very nearly as good as a Nagler in an f/5 dob and an absolute bargain at that price. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/ovl-nirvana-es-uwa-82-ultrawide-eyepieces.html

I use the 7mm and 16 mm a lot and for lunar viewing the Nagler 3-6 zoom is really nice but £££££££. The Nirvana 4mm would be a fine high power eyepiece though. A cheaper alternaive would be the BST Starguiders.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/search/for/starguider/

Better be sitting down when you see thevprice of a Nagler zoom. 🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/tele-vue-eyepieces/tele-vue-3-6mm-nagler-50-degree-zoom-eyepiece.html

Love my 10” Bresser. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

The big alt bearings make great carry handles and you just drop the OTA onto the base and you are ready to go. Nothing to screw in or mess about with.

Definately prefer the Bresser over the solid tube SW dobs.

The focuser on the flextube dob is nowhere near the quality of the Bresser focuser though but yes better than the focuser on the regular SW

For me it would be a choice between the Bresser and the flextube but one thing most fail to realise the flextube is heavier than a solid tube as the collapsing mechanism is heavier than the equivelant length of solid tube. 

4 hours ago, Stardaze said:

Ah, my apologies, I see. My concern with a dob is the moving of it and uneven ground. Both the spots at home I favour aren't very level. Maybe I'll look into a diy fix as these do offer the best bang for money there is. 

The SW 200p is a good basic dob but there other choices. The SW dob has been around for ages and been a well deserved favourite but things have moved on a bit and there now are other choices depending on your budget.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/skywatcher-skyliner-200p-dobsonian.html

The Bresser dob is aboit £100.00 more but you getting a lot more than £100.00 worth of improvements including a great focuser, proper alt bearings, 6 point mirror cell etc. etc. and being mounted using tube rings can be moved up or down for balance or the tube can be rotated so the eyepiece is in the most comfortable position. Great fit and finish.

Being mounted on tube rings means you can simply remove the alt bearings and screw on a dovetail bar and fit it to an EQ mount so gives you more options.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/bresser-telescopes/bresser-messier-8-dobsonian-telescope.html

The TS zoom has 15mm eye relief and 40 to 53 degrees so perhaps not quite the same as the OVL after all.

I have been impressed by the optics. Compared to the Skywatcher doublets it is noticeably better with sharper images and more contrast which given the difference in cost perhaps isn’t too surprising. Can take very high magnification as well. All round couldn’t be happier with it. 

Bit on the heavy side but then it does feel very solidly built. 👍🏻

Think once more of the StellaMira scopes get out there they are gping to build a good reputation.🙂

First thing is have you colimated the scope? Does need collimating when you first get it as shipping will knock it out of colimation but being a small SCT holds collimation pretty well.

Another one worth considering. Not a bad price at the moment and a good R&P focuser.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1151_TS-Optics-70-mm-F6-ED-Travel-Refractor-with-modern-2--RAP-Focuser.html

Can’t wait to see what imaging results you get. Think it will surprise a few people. 👍🏻

I find the fit and finish of mine to be as good as WO etc. The one exception was the finder shoe which while not bad I know FLO is looking for an upgrade to match the rest of the scope or perhaps they have now sorted it on yours. Replaced mine with a Primaluce one which while a different shade of red still looks nice.

Yes unfortunately they have changed the colimation. The primary mirror is now fixed and colimation is done by adjusting the secondary mirror.

Review of the 130ps on a different mount.

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/reviews/telescopes/sky-watcher-explorer-130ps-telescope-and-az-eq-avant-mount/

Still think the AZ5 130PS could be a good option and within budget.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az5-deluxe/sky-watcher-explorer-130ps-az5-deluxe.html

If it wasn’t a bit over your budget would suggest a Skytee II alt-az mount with a 150p ota.

Or cheaper would be the AZ5 alt-az mount with 130p ota.

The HYPERFLEX-7E1 7.2MM-21.5MM zoom is identical to the Lunt. I have the TS version and it is a very good zoom for solar. Not the very best but good though.

The Baader zoom is a little bit better but not a lot of difference. 

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

I see what you did there Gerry 😉😉👍👍

Yes he’s “pushing” it a bit.    🙄😁😀

Mentioning used CPC800s

https://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=160318

18 minutes ago, gasdoc said:

Thanks John, looks like a beautiful scope but for that money I think I'd get the Esprit 120......hmmm, now there's another option to consider!

@Lockie I'm not sure I'm discerning enough to notice the CA - and surely I can edit this out with photoshop?

 

Thanks for the opinions though! I'm sure I'll be very happy with either - just want to know whether the price gap is justified in real world images.

 

I call it Scope Creep. Thare is always something a bit better for a bit more money and can be easy to blow your budget. Problem is there is too much choice nowadays. 😁😁😁