APO scope - which one?

[Pip]

Hi all

Here's the problem, I'm off to a quite spot in Greece in the summer and I've often thought I'd like to take a small scope with me as they have great dark skies where I go. I've had a look around and found the following:

Equiniox 80

Evostar 80ED Pro 2

WO Megrez 72 FD

WO Zenithstar 66SD

I know nothing about this type of scope and having read the various specs I'm as baffled as I was at the start. My budget is £400 max any help would be gratefully received.

Cheers

Pip

PS I rather like the WO as I have one of the focusers on my SCT and it's got great build quality

[MartinB]

What are you going to put it on Pip

[GazOC]

The Evostar is probably a little big for your needs, it uses an oversized 100mm tube and doesn't have a retractable dew shield.

[Beyond_Vision]

The Williams Optics 66SD and the 72FD are great portable scopes they will give you good views of the Moon and large targets like the Seven Sisters (M45) or the Beehive Cluster (M44) or the Perseus Double Cluster. Because of there short focal length and hence low maginification they are not really suited for planetary work. Having said that with a barlow lens and small eyepieces you can get reasonable views of Saturn and Jupiter. Theses scopes really come into there own for imaging widefields of view.

The 72FD is very well corrected APO and is a great buy.

Regards

Kevin

[Pip]

I thought I'd try it on a normal photography tripod as they are reasonably light to carry, I know the WO ones will do that. At home it'll go on a CG5 GT tripod and in the long run I may try to use it as a guide scope.

I have the necessary eps and barlow to improve the options.

I think that a bit of widefield would suit me as I don't have anything along those lines.

I'm inclined towards the 72FD, have you got one Kevin?

Cheers

Pip

[Beyond_Vision]

No I first got a 80mm APO then wanted a wider field so decided to get the 66SD as 72mm was a bit close in size to the 80mm. If I was starting from scratch the 72FD would be the better scope as the 66SD is a semi-APO and the 72FD is a fluorite doublet APO. The finish is superb on the 72FD making it a great looking scope.

Regards

Kevin

[MartinB]

On a tripod like that Pip you don't want to go too long with the focal length. I have a ZS66SD doublet and the colour correction is superb, very portable and great for scans along the milky way.

[Beyond_Vision]

There is only £60 difference in price between the two at mo so its got to be worth it. Although you dont get the aluminium case with the 72FD. Maplins are doing some good flight cases at less than £30.

Regards

Kevin

[Ford Prefect]

Hi

I have the WO72 and I couldn't recommend it highly enough, especially at the £299 price tag. Its also quite light so great for slipping in the hand luggage.

Jon

[Helen]

I bought my 66 SD to take to Africa a couple of years ago. It was great. It fitted in my rucsac as carry-on, and got used with my husband's camera tripod (just OK). Cracking scope for wide fields etc.

Helen

[Pip]

Overall I think that the WO72FD is the winner for me at the current price. I already have a spare ally flight case from Maplins that I bought when they were on off at 14.99 sort thats sorted.

I must agree that it does rather pretty to boot.

Thanks to all