Bresser telescopes

[Fey]

Does anyone have any experience with Breeser telescopes?

I am still looking to buy my first telescope, and was looking to buy the Skywatcher Heritage 100p dobsonian.

I have recently come across a Bresser 114/500 compact telescope (dobsonian) and was wondering if anyone has an thoughts on this scope.  It is in the same price bracket as the Skywatcher, but has the larger 114mm aperture rather than the 100mm of the Heritage.

Any thoughts or experiences will be greatly appreciated.

[Fey]

Forgot to add link to the scope

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A7SSZKM?keywords=bresser%20telescope&qid=1450629932&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3

[bambuko]

Anything with "National Geographic" logo on it, is bound to be "not very good"

(stronger language avoided so as not to corrupt minors in keeping with this forum's CofC ).

For that kind of money you'd get a lot more out of pair of binoculars...

I would start by reading What can I expect to see before deciding...

[happy-kat]

It does have a bigger mirror but I would be wary of a telescope that fast f4.3 that was not parabolic.

[Putaendo Patrick]

Generally, my first instinct with anything branded National Geographic would be, like Bambuko, to run fast in the oposite direction.

This said the seems to be little information on the Bresser scope you are considering. So either it is new on the market or has been overlooked by amateur astronomers. Maybe it's an unrecognised gem (although I doubt it) or it's pure rubbish.

However, two points. Firstly, thirty or forty years ago there were a number of telescope manufacturers in both Europe and the USA. More recently however the majority of these have become little more than brand names for two large Chinese companies. The biggest is Synta which owns Celestron and Skywatcher, while the second is Jinghua Optics & Electronics which distributes through the Meade, Bresser and Explore Scientific labels. Sort of like CocaCola and Pepsi!

Secondly, the telescope market is complex and fiercely competative. Telescopes can be divided into price brackets, each very specifically aimed at a particular type of consumer. Both Synta and Jingua have similar strategies. At the lower end, there are telescopes designed to be sold by department stores and marketing operations like Nat Geo - their public might best be defined as casual impulse astronomers (wow, I'll be able to see images like the Hubble, or this will help my little boy to become a great scientist!). The next level is entry into astronomy as a serious hobby, then telescopes for dedicated amateur astronomers, and finally at the top a very small area of exceptional quality telescopes bought by universities etc. for research. Part of the marketing strategy is to sell cheap telescopes based on the reputation of telescopes higher up in the chain.

The Bresser brand does include good telescopes in the 500 to 1000 pound range - but this certainly does not mean that a Bresser at under 100 pounds is anything like a close relation! However I have seen several offers for Meade/Bresser lower end telescopes which appear to be cheaper in terms of similar specifications than equivilent Celestron models. So perhaps Meade/Bresser are trying to undercut Celestron prices to gain a larger segment of this end of the market. I emphasise perhaps...

So, all told, maybe worth the risk but maybe not. You decide, but don't expect too much!

[Fey]

Thanks for the reply Putaendo Patrick.  I wasn't sure about the scope, looked too good to be true.  I am still leaning towards the Skywatcher Heritage, as several people who have responded to other posts of mine have used, or are still using, either the Heritage 100p, or the 130p.  I wasn't able to find any reviews for the Bresser, so I was hoping someone here had tried one.

At the moment I am at the level of entry into astronomy as a serious hobby, so I wold like a decent scope, but not spend hundreds of pounds.

Many thanks,

​

Fey.​

[Putaendo Patrick]

If you can go the extra mile price-wise, the 150p dobsonian is a scope that will keep you well happy for a good number of years:

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-skyliner-150p-dobsonian.html

That said, both Heritage scopes are good options but the 150 should give you more room to grow into.

[Ricochet]

Is it me or do the eps supplied with the national geographic look like 0.965" bin jobs? Best to avoid that scope.

[happy-kat]

The heritage 130p will have legs to last longer I think of the two being a bigger mirror. It's weak point is the focuser but used for what it is intended an eyepiece it's fine.

If you are not in an absolute rush keep an eye out for clearance items on FLO can be some very good savings.

Revisiting your other thread there were some great suggestions there to like the evostar 90. It is really down to where you stick the pin for budget :-)

[LukeSkywatcher]

Is it me or do the eps supplied with the national geographic look like 0.965" bin jobs? Best to avoid that scope.

Doesnt matter.......the Nat Geo scopes are to be avoided at all cost.

[Alan64]

Fey,

Go ahead and give this one a whirl... http://www.firstlightoptics.com/dobsonians/skywatcher-heritage-130p-flextube.html

It's priced right, folds up for easy storage, travels most easily, and comes with the imperative parabolic primary mirror.  Its sister, the AWB OneSky sold in the States, is very popular among amateurs, and seemingly to the point of a cult-like following.

[Fey]

Hi aeajr,  thanks for the reply.

I have been interested in the stars for as long as I can remember, but have always thought of it as too difficult, especially recognising individual stars and constellations.

I decided about 8 months ago to give it a try and I bought a pair of Celestron 10-30 x 50 binoculars.  since then I have been hooked.

I have seen some of the easier Messier objects, such as the Orion Nebula.  I now want to see these in more detail, especially Jupiter and Saturn.

For the short-term I want to get an easy to use, easy to transport telescope.  I am not sure whether to get a dobsonian style mount such as the Heritage 100p, which I am more inclined to buy at the moment, or a tripod mounted telescope which can be easily used anywhere without having to take a table with me.

Longer term I want to be able to see more DSOs and also get into astrophotography, but I know this is an expensive project.

I guess being a newbie to telescopes I am looking at too many and getting confused around the whole issue.  That is why I came to this forum to hopefully get impartial and friendly advice, which I have to this point.

I am wary of buying a scope with an aperture that is too small to be useful.  I like the idea of a tripod mounted scope, by is a 70mm aperture enough to see Jupiter, Saturn etc. as well as more detailed images of things like the Orion nebula.

[Putaendo Patrick]

A few points to consider:

Where will you store your telescope? Where will you do your observing? This will help you to determine size/weight/portabilty etc. Do you have a patio or garden, or will you want to put your scope in the car? Will you have to carry it up and down stairs?

Dobsonian mounts are the simplest and cheapest - which means more money goes on the telescope. Cheap equatorial mounts are generally very shakey, alt-azimuth mounts are generally better at the lower end of the market, if you go for a tripod-mounted telescope.

You can certainly see the planets and major nebula etc with a small scope - but you will see more and better with a wider aperture. And this makes for a much more rewarding and interesting experience in the long term.

Bottom-end scope have very little resale value. However better scopes can generally be resold quite easily if and when you chose to upgrade.

I would hold off on astrophotography for a while, at least until you begin to become familiar with the night sky. Meanwhile you can get some limited photographic results on objects like the Moon just holding a phone camera to the eyepiece. There are some webcams which can also easily and cheaply be modified. But don't expect stunning magazine quality photos until you win the national lottery!

Again, I would recommend a 6 inch Dobsonian reflector as a very good launch into telescope observing!

[Fey]

One of the biggest problems is that if I ask 100 people, there seems to be at least 75 different opinions a,, of which are valid.  I am aware that the biggest factor at the moment is y budget, which unfortunately is only around the £100 mark.

I need the scope to be flexible.  I will be using it in the garden and also will need to pack it in the car and get out and about.  For this reason I am leaning more and more towards the Skywatcher Heritage 100p, which will give the best match for what I need.  Having read the reviews, specifications and description, I noticed that this scope can be tripod mounted, which will give it a longer life for me.  My next, and final, question for now is - what wold be a suitable tripod for this scope.

People on this forum must love newbies like me.

Many thanks for the advice.

[Alan64]

The Orion(U.S.) version of the Heritage 100mm, the SkyScanner 100mm, is sold with a tripod in the States in addition to the telescope without a tripod.  This illustration may give you an idea of the type of tripod you would need, and it appears to be a photo-type tripod... http://www.skyandtelescope.com/wp-content/uploads/skyscanner-on-tripod-205px.jpg

[happy-kat]

The heritage 130p can also be tripod mounted. The telescope removed from the base can be tripod mounted.

Either heritage can be used on an upturned bucket which is what I use mine on as I don't have a table in the garden.

100p there is A 3/8" thread located on the base allows it to also be fitted to a suitable field tripod such as a reasonable photo tripod.

The heritage 130p fits using a telescope tripod. Members wrote. 'The Heritage 130p dovetail bar that is already fixed to the tube will directly attach to the AZ4'

'I've used my Heritage 130p in the aluminium legged AZ4. It's lovely and solid.'

This thread shows it on an equatorial tripod.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/217716-skywatcher-heritage-130p-flexitube-how-do-you-use-yours/?fromsearch=1

The 100p could always add tube rings and then treat it like any other newtonian on a tripod.

I'm going to be using my heritage 130p on a tracking mount.

Lots of of otions for either.

[Dave In Vermont]

The 130p has tons of reviews in SGL by end-users, in other words: by owners with experience, rather than advertisers. And the word is that they are excellent, multi-use instruments. So I'd aim my money that way. I, too, would avoid the National Geo-Toy. There are many other options with better reviews out there and in here.

My 2¢

Dave

[williamallen]

Fey,

Also new to this as a serious hobby, so experience limited but I can tell you what has been really useful for me.

Kit wise I started with a small 50mm refractor picked up from a auction for £3.50, by Tasco, more for the fun of restoring it than using it.  The aluminium tube and rack and pinion focuser worked surprisingly well although the tripod was truly rubbish.  Not recommended at all but just shows how little you have to spend to start.  Then picked up a 127mm Bresser refractor on Ebay, Just over £200 and just beginning to get used to it.  Allways a risk second hand I guess but you can I think get more for your money.   Its a shame there is no "beginners" buy and sell area on this site.  Thing about my Bresser is it is a long tube and quite heavy, seems to me you have already had some good advice on the Dobs.

Finding stuff initially I found quite hard, some reading helps, as well as Turn Left at Orion you could try Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson, there is a lot more very interesting background, advice on equipment and I find the star charts and navigation advice really easy to get your head around.  Also a Rigel Quick finder, a small piece of kit that lets you take in a large slice of sky when pointing your telescope works a lot better than the finderscopes on the barrel of either my toy Tasco or the Bresser.

Last point I recently bought some 10x50 binoculars, and for finding your way around and some great views of clusters and then like, where taking in a bigger slice of sky really helps, they are great.  Should really have started with them at the beginning.

Good luck and good hunting!

Jim

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nightwatch-Practical-Guide-Viewing-Universe/dp/0713679395

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/finders/rigel-quikfinder-compact-reflex-sight.html