Skywatcher refractor help

[peeceeTal2M]

Hi, i've been offered a Skywatcher 120 f/8.3 (1000mm f) refractor. It is the older type with the darker blue color. The present owner doesn't know how old it is but has owned it for the past couple of years. Does anyone know what the optics / coatings were like on these older models and how do they compare/differ from the newer models.

TIA

Phill

[FLO]

I still use one, it's one of the nicest achromat refractors available 8)

how do they compare/differ from the newer models.

I'm not sure whether there is a difference, though I haven't looked.

[centroid]

I can't comment specifically on the 120, but I have the blue ED80, and I'm 99.99% certain that the optics are identical to the later gold and white version.

Personallym, I much prefer the blue and black version to the more 'glitzy' looking gold and white one.

Dave

[trevboyd]

It looks identical to mine that I've had for almost a year now - no big complaints so far!

The only small problem is some fringing when imaging - almost all the images I've ever posted on here are from it, so you can see for yourself. Visually, its great.

HTH

Trev

[peeceeTal2M]

He's advertising it as a Startravel but i'm sure thats wrong, he's selling it as per photo's, ie ota, rings, 1.25 adaptor and finder and looks to be in good condition apart from a small scratch under one ring. He's looking for £95 delivered does this seem a fair secondhand price for this ota?

Phill

[trevboyd]

Yep - that's definitely the same as mine - EvoStar 120. The Startravel is shorter (600mm f/l instead of 1000mm). I paid about £330 for mine new with an EQ-5, so I guess £95 is reasonable. Only thing to check I guess is if it comes with a diagonal, as your post doesn't mention one?

Trev

[peeceeTal2M]

Hi Trev, there is no diagonal with the scope so its a case of do i pay £95 for secondhand scope delivered or about £190 for a new scope which would include delivery and a diagonal( standard skywatcher) i would still have to buy a dovetail bar either way. Descisions descisions

[John]

Hi Trev, there is no diagonal with the scope so its a case of do i pay £95 for secondhand scope delivered or about £190 for a new scope which would include delivery and a diagonal( standard skywatcher) i would still have to buy a dovetail bar either way. Descisions descisions

I think the older ones are just as good as the new ones. I had a black "Helios" version of one of these (pre-Skywatcher) and that performed very nicely - just as nicely as the metallic blue later version that I've had since.

I reckon £95 delivered is a very good price for a 4.7 inch refractor OTA - a diagonal will set you back another £20 I guess.

Looks exactly like the current one to me though (including the collimatable lens cell) it's probably only a couple of years old.

The only issue I had with mine was that it was nose heavy because the collimatable lens cell is quite massive wheras the Helios version had a non-ajustable lens cell which is lighter.

John

[GazOC]

95 pounds is very reasonable IMHO, a S/H diagonal will set you back a tenner. I don't think the quality of these type of scopes is getting any worse but I wouldn't worry about this 'vintage', they didn't stop making the blue models until pretty recently.