Skywatcher v Orion Optics

[riklaunim]

1 hour ago, Alkaid said:

What you get with OO that you don't get with SW is certified optics - you are paying for the certainty that you will get what you want.  No lottery. 

There is a lottery there as there are documented cases where OO mirror was really bad like here: http://interferometrie.blogspot.fr/2015/01/orion-optics-24-research-grade-sad-story.html?view=flipcard

[Alkaid]

Fair enough.  I have heard many bad things about OO's customer service.  I e-mailed them once with a question and got a rather poor reply....

Then you see reviews like this, which deliver high praise for the optics:

http://www.scopeviews.co.uk/OrionOptics200Dob.htm

I'm very happy with mine, but I am glad that I bought it on the used market, from someone with much experience who's opinion I respect.   It was a good price, and the gent who I bought it from said that the optics were excellent.  Having used the scope extensively for 3-4 years, I can echo that...they are!

[Peter Drew]

So there we have it, a disappointed review and a pleased review. I would no more condemn a manufacturer for a relatively one off "fail" (think Hubble) than I would extol a manufacturer for a one off good example. If the product of a manufacturer is generally good then that should be the reputation, how a "fail" is rectified is also a large part of that reputation.