Burgess Optical 91mm triplet - first thoughts

[PhilM]

Not a comprehensive review as I've only had a quick go with it and I know a review is being done for Guidescope, but...

I was a little bit nervous with this scope as there was a lot of excited comments around about it but there wasn't even a finished production run when I ordered. I was taking a gamble - but at the price, if the claims were true, it would be a bargain and with BO there's always a bit of uncertainty about how many will actually ever be made. So, encouraged by Ade Ashford's comments in a review (he also gave me a very nice reply when I emailed him about it as well) and comments from others I took the plunge and made the call to FLO. Hold ups at Burgess, Steve was brilliant as always and then this week it landed.

In short: Yes - no false colour. Yes - it's very solidly built. Yes - it's absolutely gorgeous and the views are stunning.

As I got back from Bristol quite late last night (the New Scope Curse tried to stop me getting a clear sky window with multiple traffic jams) I decided just to set it up on a Vixen Portamount and leave imaging for another night.

Packaging was outstanding - opening the outer box revealed polystyrene and 3 layers of bubble wrap encasing another box. More bubble wrap and foam and there it was. A good confidence booster to see the care over packaging.

Unfortunately the 40mm Parragon and MRF were sent separately by Royal Mail and were being held at the Post Office so will have to wait to try that out.

So, onto the Portamount in seconds, a 2" WO carbon fibre diagonal attached and I'm outside in minutes.

Had a little while before the moon totally spoiled things so straight onto M42. Was not expecting too much as despite my reasonably dark skies here I hadn't fully dark adapted. Views in my cheap 25mm plossl were ok. However, sticking a 15mm Lanthanum (x40) in and WOW - excellent amount of detail visible, bit more of a look and the Trapezium snaps into view very sharp indeed. Very pleased and the field of view is looking very good. M45 just squeezes into the field of the 15mm, looking very good, as did M44. With the moon coming up clusters seemed the way to go and this scope really does make them shine - the expression 'sprinklings of diamond dust on black velvet' was echoing in my head. The Owl / ET cluster looked glorious, the sharpness of stars made up for the impingement of the moon on the amount visible. On to planets and Mars which I really haven't made the most of this apparation. With a 8mm Televue Radian in a televue x2 barlow (approx x150) and some surface detail sporadically came into view despite poor seeing. Saturn, although low was sharp when seeing allowed, my the rings ain't half closing up now. Perhaps a better test for tonight was the moon - well, I'm not a moon man but contrast was absolutely superb, pitch black shadows with excellent contrast giving me a real sense of pulling out detail. Around the terminator the contrast between shadows and light reflecting off peaks was visually gripping. I'm pleased (and relieved!).

I heard one owner say movement with the course focusser felt a little gritty so I was expecting this but mine is very smooth and the fine focusser really is buttery smooth. The focusser seemes solid, better than I had expected. Same league as say a televue focusser? Hmm, not sure about that, but there was neglible image shift and did I mention about its smoothness

As for imaging - I thought I'd have a quick play and attached my Canon with t-ring and 2" extension tube and pointed the Portamount at the moon. Happy with results, no false colour there. Next clear sky it will be get a proper test at imaging on the GEM.

All in I'm very excited with this, it will be sit on the Portamount as a grab and go setup and transfered onto the imaging setup when required. Looking forward to trying out the Parragon. Will also hope to borrow a 0.8x Televue reducer at some point as this has been predicted to be a good match with the scope.

Will post some images in the pictures forum later...

Phil.

[Viking]

Phil,

Thanks for your review of the BO triplet.

John

[jgs001]

Phil. Thanks for the review, sounds like a very impressive bit of kit.

[Andrew*]

Confirms my feelings about it. If I could justify it, I would have it immediately.

In fact - new resolution: as soon as I get a POW, I'm getting that scope 8)

Nice review

Cheers

Andrew

[FLO]

Good review Phil

Can I just add that the Burgess Optical 91mm triplet is still in very short supply so if you are thinking of adding one to your collection, please phone first.