Finderscope on ST80 OTA

[idbvideo]

I am thinking of getting an ST80 as a grab n go / guidescope.

Could I fit a right angled 9 x 50 finder to it?

[mdhardy01]

Don't see why not

I've got the st80 piggybacked on my 200p for guiding and the finder shoe is the same as the one on my 200p and that got the 10x50 straight finder

Matt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RikM]

Yes you can, but with the short focal length of an ST80, its almost a big finder itself.

I don't use an optical finder with mine. I have stuck a Rigel QuikFinder onto the dew shield instead. Even with a 10mm eyepiece I don't miss having an optical finder.

[John]

I would have thought a red dot finder plus a low power eyepiece would be all you need. With a 32mm plossl the scope becomes a 12.5 x 80 finder with a 4 degree field of view - thats as much as some 8x50 finders have.

[brantuk]

I use the supplied rdf with mine - it's not brilliant and looks a bit naff - but it does work. I wouldn't waste my money if I were you unless you need a better finder to share with another more substantial scope - then you can just swap over depending which you're using at any one time.

[idbvideo]

Thanks folks. I hate red dot finders after the abysmal one on an Astromaster I bought a year ago and sold very soon after.

I have a spare 9 x 50. Still toying with making that into a finder/guider on the 200p or getting the ST80. Oh hum - choices ;-)

Then a spare scope is always a good idea anyways hehe.

My mind is almost made up :-)

[John]

....Thanks folks. I hate red dot finders after the abysmal one on an Astromaster I bought a year ago and sold very soon after....

Don't base your view of RDF's on that experience the the Astromaster ! - they are well known for having the worst RDF's around - almost unusable. Even the low cost Baader Skysurfer III RDF is in another league entirely compared to the Astromaster's poor excuse for an RDF.

[Herbig]

I'd go with the RDF. Get a good one like the WO multi reticule one or clone. I have one on my 80mm Equinox pro, never needed an optical finder on it.