Skywatcher 80ED pro or Skywatcher 150PDS?

[ianpwilliams]

Presumably if I went for the "outfit" version, the 28mm eyepiece would give me quite a wide FOV, what with the scope giving a wide FOV anyway (being 80mm). So would it be worth buying another eye piece? When I was considering the 150PDS, I was considering getting an 1.25" 8mm BDT Starguider and a 2" 32mm Panaview. So I wondered if there might be something in closer to the 8mm seeing as the ED80 outfit comes with a 28mm. But because it's 2", there doesn't seem to be that option (short of using an adaptor). So would that not be worth looking at? And if not, would it be worth considering using a 2x Barlow with the 28mm?

[ollypenrice]

The version without the visual accessories is a bit of FLO kindness to those people already set up with that kind of stuff. If I remember correctly they said they'd take out the bits that many established imagers didn't want and sell them separately. It's important to see this as one dealer being particularly customer-conscious and helpful, not as some kind of rip off!

If you don't have the diagonal etc already I think you should buy them for sure.

Olly

http://ollypenrice.smugmug.com/Other/Best-of-Les-Granges/22435624_WLMPTM#!i=2266922474&k=Sc3kgzc

[lensman57]

Presumably if I went for the "outfit" version, the 28mm eyepiece would give me quite a wide FOV, what with the scope giving a wide FOV anyway (being 80mm). So would it be worth buying another eye piece? When I was considering the 150PDS, I was considering getting an 1.25" 8mm BDT Starguider and a 2" 32mm Panaview. So I wondered if there might be something in closer to the 8mm seeing as the ED80 outfit comes with a 28mm. But because it's 2", there doesn't seem to be that option (short of using an adaptor). So would that not be worth looking at? And if not, would it be worth considering using a 2x Barlow with the 28mm?

Get the outfit if u r starting from scratch. Even if u want the scope for imaging only you'd still need to visually align the scope_ mount before starting. If you already have the stuff then it is a different matter. The 0.85FF/ FR is necessary if you want to use a DSLR or a large sensor CCD for widefield imaging, it is not strictly necessary if you are going to use a small sensor for imaging atleast in the beginning. I bought the 150 PDS for fun TBH but fun I have not had yet. My Quattro 8s and the slow SW100 ED have been more useful so far.

A.G

[wxsatuser]

Presumably if I went for the "outfit" version, the 28mm eyepiece would give me quite a wide FOV, what with the scope giving a wide FOV anyway (being 80mm). So would it be worth buying another eye piece? When I was considering the 150PDS, I was considering getting an 1.25" 8mm BDT Starguider and a 2" 32mm Panaview. So I wondered if there might be something in closer to the 8mm seeing as the ED80 outfit comes with a 28mm. But because it's 2", there doesn't seem to be that option (short of using an adaptor). So would that not be worth looking at? And if not, would it be worth considering using a 2x Barlow with the 28mm?

I bought the Baader Hyperion zoom and matching zoom barlow via the FLO special offer.

Although I'm not really into visual observing I think it works well with the 80ED.

I do use it for some eyepiece projection for imaging doubles and the Moon.

[ianpwilliams]

Get the outfit if u r starting from scratch. Even if u want the scope for imaging only you'd still need to visually align the scope_ mount before starting. If you already have the stuff then it is a different matter. The 0.85FF/ FR is necessary if you want to use a DSLR or a large sensor CCD for widefield imaging, it is not strictly necessary if you are going to use a small sensor for imaging atleast in the beginning. I bought the 150 PDS for fun TBH but fun I have not had yet. My Quattro 8s and the slow SW100 ED have been more useful so far.

A.G

Why have you not had fun with the 150PDS may I ask?

I think if I go with the ED80, then I would hope to go second hand with the flattener/reducer, although I can imagine they must be hard to find second hand, because surely most people would be reluctant to spend £165 on such a little thing. I did have a look on Astro, and there is this reducer/flattener, which is also 0.85 (like the FLO one), but it says it's for the ED100:

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=82146

Would that one work with the ED80?

[lensman57]

Why have you not had fun with the 150PDS may I ask?

I think if I go with the ED80, then I would hope to go second hand with the flattener/reducer, although I can imagine they must be hard to find second hand, because surely most people would be reluctant to spend £165 on such a little thing. I did have a look on Astro, and there is this reducer/flattener, which is also 0.85 (like the FLO one), but it says it's for the ED100:

http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=82146

Would that FF/FRone work with the ED80?

The ED 80 FF/FR is different to the ED 100 DS Pro as these are usually optimised for a specific F ratio and Aperture. There is an Altair one which is considerably cheaper but I am not sure if it is matched to an ED 80. My 150 PDS is regretably a poor sample , with the benfit of hindsight I should have got off my backside and returned it as unfit for the purpose but it is too late now so I have to sort it out myself. My next scope, ever if I buy one would be another Apo and not a Mirror one.

Regards,

A.G

[ianpwilliams]

Oh ok, so it sounds like it was just bad luck rather than bad design.

I bought the outfit 80ED, it really is worth the money.

IMO it is a very good starting setup to learn AP plus it can be used for general observing.

Honestly it won't disappoint, yes it won't be great on some objects but no scope is good at everything.

With our skies you will find plenty to do with it.

Get the reducer a 48mm t-ring, fit a cheap guide camera.......stick a dslr on the reducer and away you go.

With a HEQ5 upto 20minute subs are easily obtainable, more than enough for the average UK skies.

Incidentally is there any such thing as a cheap guide camera? Because when I briefly looked into them (briefly because I don't even have a netbook yet), I was looking at the QHY5L-II, which is £300.

[VikN46]

Hi,

Don't know if it helps but my QHY5L-II (MONO) WAS £ 199.00 from Modern astronomy.

[lensman57]

Oh ok, so it sounds like it was just bad luck rather than bad design.

Incidentally is there any such thing as a cheap guide camera? Because when I briefly looked into them (briefly because I don't even have a netbook yet), I was looking at the QHY5L-II, which is £300.

You can find a used QHY5 for  just over a £100.00, the mono version of the QHY5Lii is about £230.00, the colour £184.00. With a decent mount that is properly polar aligned and balanced you can go up to 60~90s per sub unguided ( with a Modded DSLR @ iso 800 and a good 35~50 subs this is enough for M27 and likes ) , some folks claim  to go up to 120~180s unguided  .

A.G

[VikN46]

Hi no my fault it was £229..00 ! sorry

[ianpwilliams]

Yeah the plan was to go unguided to begin with (which should surely be possible if I was to put a nice light ED80 on my HEQ5), and then buy a guide cam and netbook later on (because that's another £500 gone!).

And as is happens, the ED80 and 150PDS work out at a similar price when including the various accessories that each one needs (coma corrector, 9x50 finder scope, eyepieces collimation tools, bag etc for 150PDS, and just FF/FR for the ED80, because the outfit includes an eyepiece, 9x50 finderscope, case etc).

[ianpwilliams]

No worries, the guide camera would no doubt be a second hand purchase also!