£500-ish budget, which scope

[TheShape]

Hi, so I have decided on the EQ6 PRO SkyScan GOTO Mount & Tripod. I now need advice on a scope to go with that. I have a budget of about £500.00. It must be more than capable of being used for Deep space Astrophotography!
I seem spoilt for choice. Maybe I'm not. Either way I really don't know what is the best I can buy for the budget.

This being my second topic, I would like to say how welcome I have been made to feel already and I hope this carries on here too :-)

[gnomus]

On that budget, and with a requirement for astrophotography, the scope shouting out for your attention is the Skywatcher ED80.  For AP you will need the reducer/flattener.

[MartinFransson]

Or maybe a reflector? The Skywatcher 150-PDS gives great results. Collimation seemed a bit scary at first but I found it´s not really that big a deal.

[Putaendo Patrick]

Although the Skywatcher ED80 would be an excellent choice, you might also look at Altair Astro: https://www.altairastro.com/refractor-telescopes/

[steppenwolf]

If you want to achieve great astrophotography results straight away then I'd stick with the suggestion of the Sky-Watcher ED 80 and its matching field flattener/reducer - this combination cannot be beaten for the value for money versus image quality. You've already chosen the right mount (and given yourself some future-proofing), don't throw it away with the 'wrong' imaging telescope if AP is your main goal.

Be warned though, it doesn't stop here if you are serious about imaging - start saving up for an auto-guiding system, don't think this doesn't apply to you!

[gnomus]

Finally, if you serious about AP, then don't forget to get hold of 'Making Every Photon Count' by Steve Richards.  He occasionally posts on this forum.  Oh, I see he just did.  

[Uranium235]

+1 for the Skywatcher 80ED (plus FF/FR), its about as stress-free as it gets.

Or, if youre feeling a bit brave - the 130pds (plus Baader coma corrector) - quite a bit more fiddly than the above, but thats the price you pay for speed. However, you'd probably have change leftover for a decent LP filter.

130pds megathread:

 

 

[alacant]

Hi. I'd have a go with what you have to begin with. The mount is a good idea, but spend a while with just your camera and lens mounted upon it. If you want to spend money now, how about spending half your budget and getting the guiding stuff first? You may need it sooner than you think.

Or go against tradition; don't get the ed80 and try something different. There's a thread about e.g. 130mm reflectors and lots of us here are getting great results with modern refractors costing a fraction of the ed. Times change and modern gear has come a long way.

I wish someone had suggested a guided camera when I first started:

 

[Scott]

for me, no choice. the sw ed80 + reducer. I tried an Altair Astro triplet refractor and it has been relegated to a guide scope for my skywatcher. 

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, TheShape said:

Hi, so I have decided on the EQ6 PRO SkyScan GOTO Mount & Tripod. I now need advice on a scope to go with that. I have a budget of about £500.00. It must be more than capable of being used for Deep space Astrophotography!
I seem spoilt for choice. Maybe I'm not. Either way I really don't know what is the best I can buy for the budget.

This being my second topic, I would like to say how welcome I have been made to feel already and I hope this carries on here too :-)

There's a WO Megrez 90 up for sale on SGL classified for £450.

[MartinFransson]

The ED80, is that the Evostar ED80? Or are the other Skywatcher ED80:s?

[steppenwolf]

It's the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED DS-Pro OTA that we are recommending

[TheShape]

What about the skywatcher 200pds? 
 

I want to look at stuff too and not JUST do Astrophotography 

[Peter Drew]

9 minutes ago, TheShape said:

What about the skywatcher 200pds? 
 

I want to look at stuff too and not JUST do Astrophotography 

If you go the secondhand route you should be able to get both at around your budget.  

[MartinFransson]

32 minutes ago, TheShape said:

What about the skywatcher 200pds? 
 

I want to look at stuff too and not JUST do Astrophotography 

I have the 150-PDS and I think it´s a better choice. Not as heavy and sensitive to wind and for me, the field of view fits my choice of targets better than the 200-PDS.

[MartinFransson]

39 minutes ago, steppenwolf said:

It's the Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED DS-Pro OTA that we are recommending

I have no experience of this tube myself but it´s quite slow at f/7.5. It´s also a doublet, isn´t there a risk of CA? The price is almost the same as a TS 80 f/6 triplet, so it better be good

I´m asking since I might be getting a refractor myself some day.

[TheShape]

48 minutes ago, MartinFransson said:

I have the 150-PDS and I think it´s a better choice. Not as heavy and sensitive to wind and for me, the field of view fits my choice of targets better than the 200-PDS.

But isnt the 200 better as in its 8" and therefore lets in more light. Sorry, but I don't have a scooby about this, but thought from what I have (thought I had) learnt it will let in more light, ie better for DSO.

Still very new to this, so please correct m, as I am probably wrong!

[MartinFransson]

12 minutes ago, TheShape said:

But isnt the 200 better as in its 8" and therefore lets in more light. Sorry, but I don't have a scooby about this, but thought from what I have (thought I had) learnt it will let in more light, ie better for DSO.

Still very new to this, so please correct m, as I am probably wrong!

For visual use, yes. For photography, I´d say that the f-ratio is more important for light gathering. A 1 minute photo from each scope would be equally bright since they´re both f/5 but the 200-PDS would give a closer view since the focal length is 1000mm versus 750 for the 150-PDS. Someone might say I´m wrong but that´s my understanding from 20 years of "normal" photography

[steppenwolf]

Quote

isn´t there a risk of CA?

The SW ED 80 is not completely colour free and it is relatively slow at f7.5 but it is just such great value for money - just have a look around the Internet for images captured by this lovely telescope to see how good it is. 

Unlike the SW ED 80, I have no personal experience of the TS 80 f/6 triplet but the fact that it is a triplet is no guarantee that it produces the goods - there are plenty of triplets that are pretty dire but you should research this telescope too if it appeals to you!

[ollypenrice]

If you want to get into F ratio discussions in astrophotography you have to be up for it! Be warned. In daytime photography it is simple because aperture is the variable. More aperture is faster. Once you introduce focal reducers that simplicity vanishes. Aperture is no longer the variable and remains constant, so what does that say about exposure times? Are you sure you want to get into all this???

I'd keep it simple. You don't need aperture to do some kinds of AP. This was with 85mm.

I would go along with the advice already given. A flattened/reduced ED80 still takes some beating and the QC is good. A 130 PDS may well beat it in experienced hands. How experienced are your hands?

Olly

 

 

[TheShape]

Here's the updated basket so far. Astrophotography seems to be the way to go. According to reviews, I should be able to use this scope for observing too. 

[Alien 13]

The best instrument for AP in my view is the Samyang 135 mm F/2 lens  it can be used wide open but is only useful if you have tiny pixels and the camera/lens FOV is of interest to you.

Alan

[Uranium235]

On 18/11/2016 at 19:47, TheShape said:

What about the skywatcher 200pds? 
 

I want to look at stuff too and not JUST do Astrophotography 

If youve never done AP before, the 200 will be too much of a handfull for you.

Get the 80ED first, then get the 200 later when you have mastered all the other skills that imaging requires.

[ollypenrice]

14 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

The best instrument for AP in my view is the Samyang 135 mm F/2 lens  it can be used wide open but is only useful if you have tiny pixels and the camera/lens FOV is of interest to you.

Alan

Wide open? Seriously? I'm not doubting you but I'm pretty surprized.

Olly

[Uranium235]

Yes Olly, its that good   Beats the equivalent Canon by a country mile.