Revelation 16inch Dobsonian

[Paul73]

I should perhaps add that if they had discussed (or made sensible) on their website what SGL had discussed for me, I might well have considered the price worth the punt,

but the doubt had been sown by then

and now my thoughts have turned to other possibilities.

Likewise, I am leaning towards the safer SW option. The general view seems to be - Good for the money; but...... This is yet another "But", and it is a but that I care about.

I've pretty much decided on the SW350p although I have yet to fully kill off that little voice that keeps whispering "Get the 16. You know you want to...".

Paul

[Daniel-K]

tbh though you don't buy a 16" scope to look at planets. these scopes are made for those faint fuzzies and resolving globs to the core! I think this scope is a bargain and if you buy it this weekend get 10% off aswell that's stupid price for a full 16" scope.  the rest of the revelation range are spot on so why would they make a 16" scope that's going to be pants? doesn't really make any sense  this is as good as your going to get without spend 2K that's where the quality comes into play.so if your o a budget and want a big scope id go for it, but be careful once you've had a big scope its hard to downsize

[ollypenrice]

tbh though you don't buy a 16" scope to look at planets. these scopes are made for those faint fuzzies and resolving globs to the core! I think this scope is a bargain and if you buy it this weekend get 10% off aswell that's stupid price for a full 16" scope.  the rest of the revelation range are spot on so why would they make a 16" scope that's going to be pants? doesn't really make any sense  this is as good as your going to get without spend 2K that's where the quality comes into play.so if your o a budget and want a big scope id go for it, but be careful once you've had a big scope its hard to downsize

I agree. I have a big, not quite diff limited F4 Dob and it is great fun on deep sky. I look at the planets in something more suitable. Something that tracks, for a start.

Olly

[John]

tbh though you don't buy a 16" scope to look at planets. these scopes are made for those faint fuzzies and resolving globs to the core! I think this scope is a bargain and if you buy it this weekend get 10% off aswell that's stupid price for a full 16" scope.  the rest of the revelation range are spot on so why would they make a 16" scope that's going to be pants? doesn't really make any sense  this is as good as your going to get without spend 2K that's where the quality comes into play.so if your o a budget and want a big scope id go for it, but be careful once you've had a big scope its hard to downsize

I've no problem with this or low cost dobsonians for that matter. Cheap aperture is great

I just feel that the way TH describe the optics could be more realistic and they should qualify the measurement used, where it's used. With the recently introduced ES dobsonians at least the main EU dealer was honest enough to tell prospective buyers to expect optics around 1/4 wave PV.

[Daniel-K]

I've no problem with this or low cost dobsonians for that matter. Cheap aperture is great

I just feel that the way TH describe the optics could be more realistic and they should qualify the measurement used, where it's used. With the recently introduced ES dobsonians at least the main EU dealer was honest enough to tell prospective buyers to expect optics around 1/4 wave PV.

yup I agree that it is some what misleading but people must realise that 1/4pv is perfectly acceptable and only when viewing planets at high mags will they see a small difference against 1/10th

[John]

yup I agree that it is some what misleading but people must realise that 1/4pv is perfectly acceptable and only when viewing planets at high mags will they see a small difference against 1/10th

Agreed - so why don't TH say that ?. They know a fair bit about astronomy I'd have thought. Perhaps a little more about marketing though !

[alan potts]

John,

The Telescope house 16 inch has the mirror made by GSO, so I believe. I have seen these spec advertised as 1/12 RMS , my old 6 inch RC was the same, what is RMS when it's up and running. I know in PV 1/6 is nice and your scope John is at least 1/8 PV which is the way I myself would go if I step into the Dobsonian breach. I am not sure I would go so far as 1/10 PV but respect those who have but to agree with you there is some dealing from the bottom of the pack by some of the manufacturers and dealers. 

I mean to side track slightly the recent review I did, the 14mm S Plossl marketed as "Tack Sharp", ok at F 10 I wouldn't start an arguement but put it in a faster scope and the wheels came off.  People, me included believed this stuff.

I all honesty if this 16 inch scope from TH gets any cheaper I will have to buy one just to see if it is any good, it's almost in the expensive eyepiece area.

Alan

[Ptarmigan]

yup I agree that it is some what misleading but people must realise that 1/4pv is perfectly acceptable and only when viewing planets at high mags will they see a small difference against 1/10th

Yup I agree with all that,

but the prob is with the description (the copy&paste? blurb) and the perception we get of the sellers.

You come away from this one with the impression that the blurb is describing a silk purse.

Even the use of BK7, the way it is slipped into the "isnt it good" presentation without comment/qualification.

Well BK7 is fine for optical properties for lens and prism but are they implying it is the beeskneesbiz for base material for mirrors, seemed like that to me and I think at least one other poster here.

But then thanks to Q.'s post and link we see that it may not be so !

As John says, they ought to be knowledgable, I'm not saying otherwise, all I am saying is that traders depend upon their websites as their shop windows and they need to have care in how it may be interpreted, and then discussed in fora.

Anyway I think we laboured that one enough   >>

PS Alan posted while I was typing  > "gets any cheaper I will have to buy one just to see if it is any good"

LOL I was having some similar thoughts :) , , Nurse, nurse, help !

[scarp15]

I think that it is great to expose the really information on here. Telescope House, as with other astro retailers are simply using the official marketing statement / blurb for the products that they sell. Would be nice is they elaborated a little bit though in this case perhaps. Telescope House though are a top retailer, I have made numerous purchases, mainly TV eyepieces, discount wk-ends are so tempting, though I will be 'window shopping' only this time.