Evostar 80ED for a beginner ?

[SAW]

Hi,

I posted in the getting started with imaging page as I am looking for my first scope but I want to do imaging with it as well as general viewing. I don't want a dob due to the size. I have been looking at the Evostar 80ED DS Pro outfit or the 200P DS OTA. I presume I can use the 200P for general viewing and don't have to use a camera attached to all the time ? How do these scopes compare to each other when used for general viewing ? I'm more interested in DSO than planetary but thats not to say I want to use it to look at the moon etc. I understand that I need to buy the best mount I can afford and I'm looking at either the HEQ5 pro or EQ5 pro. I have ordered a couple of books from FLO, make every photon count and turn left at orion. Just trying decide on a scope and mount before I think about accessories, camera etc so I'll just be using the scope for viewing to start with. Will I be disappointed in the 80ED for general viewing, what can I expect to see with these scope ?

 

Thanks.

[Galen Gilmore]

I'm a total newbie at imaging as well, but it would help to know what your budget is.

[SAW]

I was looking to spend around 2K maximum to get me up and running for viewing including eyepieces and a few other accessories but NOT the camera, I'll get that later.

Edited May 29, 2017 by SAW

[Galen Gilmore]

Visual and photography don't mix very well, the best for visual (a dob) is terrible for photography. And a good imaging scope might only be mediocre for visual. But I have looked through an ED80 before, and they give very nice crisp views of planets despite the short focal length. But they would struggle on DSO's due to the smaller aperture. 

A 200p for astrophotography would cause you to have to blow most of your money on the mount. So I think the HEQ5 and an ED80 would be good to start. That also leaves money for eyepieces and other accessories you might want.

Of course I'm going off of what others have told me, not off of personal experience. I might have missed something or Mabye I'm completely wrong. But others can probobly help you with this more than me. 

[SAW]

I'm interested in this https://www.firstlightoptics.com/pro-series/skywatcher-evostar-80ed-pro-heq5-pro.html

[carastro]

The HEQ5 and SW ED80 you linked will be excellent for imaging and visual as well.  Perhaps not so great for planets.  

The 200PDS will be a smaller field of view, so planets will be a bit larger than the ED80, but you would need a bigger mount than the HEQ5 for that, such as the NEQ6.

CArole 

[SAW]

Will I be disappointed in using the ED80 for viewing with ? 

For planets I presume the 100ED would be better as it has a larger focal length ? but not so good for DSO ?

Would the 120ED be good for both planets and DSO ? probably going way over budget though ! 

[TareqPhoto]

If i were you then i will go with one of those options:

1. Mount:

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-az-eq5-gt-geq-alt-az-mount.html

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-neq6-pro-synscan.html

2. Telescope:

http://www.highpointscientific.com/telescopes/refracting-telescopes/stellarvue-sv80-access-refractor-telescope-with-2-5inch-sv-focuser-sv080a-25sv

http://www.highpointscientific.com/telescopes/refracting-telescopes/william-optics-gt71-f-5-9-gold-triplet-apo-refractor-a-f71gt

 

Combination of each will put you at around 2K, not sure if that is dollar or Pound, but the prices i was looking at with dollars and it is between $1800-2200, so if it is $1800 then it is definitely less than 2K pound, it will be only VAT that you need to pay if from FLO in UK.

Evostar 80ED is a nice scope, but i will choose one of above i posted over Evo, but you are free to choose whatever, try to get better mount which will give you more doors or options in the future than one you just want to use for now, i even didn't posted AZ-EQ6 like mine, AZ-EQ5 is like a little brother[or sister] of that AZ-EQ6, but if you can manage to get AZ-EQ6 then go for it, it has AZ which will help for visual later, and EQ is always for imaging, and i bought that AZ-EQ6 from FLO for about $1500 without VAT, i just ended up paying the customs anyway which is fine, nearly $150, same this mount i found it another sites for over $1800 without shipping, so i can imagine will pay over $2000 for the mount alone.

 

[jbrazio]

A word of advise from a fellow newb, go for the ED80 or similar as it is a more forgiving scope due to it's wide FOV. At the begging you will be fighting every bit of your equipment, having a 250 newt like I did (with it's narrower FOV) was making thing even worse; trivial thing you will need to learn such as focusing was a real PITA on the 250. I am now much less frustrated with the ED80 while learning astronomy. ;-)

[darknight]

well, I would say spend your money on a good mount like an eq6, get a good secondhand one for around 500=650ish, they are bulletproof,

then you could afford an ed80, for ease of use, imaging and visual, and poss a 200p for visual, now you can image with a 200p, I have many lovely pictures with one, you will get diffraction spikes on bright stars (love or hate) personal thing, but it will give you not only a good range of scopes but allow you to try most things, (or even a 150p)

[carastro]

Quote

go for the ED80 or similar as it is a more forgiving scope due to it's wide FOV. At the begging you will be fighting every bit of your equipment

I think this is wise advice, imaging is challenging to start with and a smaller telescope places less demands on you and guiding than one with a smaller FOV.  However as you are keen to do planetary as well, why not compromise with an ED100 half way between the ED80 and ED120.

I regularly use an ED120 at Astro camp with a finderguider (this lessens the weight) and it works just fine.  So should be good for an ED100.  If you are getting a Skywatcher scope buy the Skywatcher focal reducer with it too.  

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/reducersflatteners/skywatcher-85x-reducerflattener-for-ed100.html

Not cheap but nothing is in imaging.  

This increases the FOV for imaging and speeds up the optics and keeps everything nicely centred. 

HTH

Carole 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by carastro

[carastro]

Sorry, I meant to say I regularly use the ED120 at Astro camps with my HEQ5 and it works OK.   So an HEQ5 should be fine for an ED100.

An NEQ6 will only be necessary if you plan to get a heavier scope at some point.  

Carole 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by carastro

[SAW]

The 120ED is out of my price range to be honest as I'm just getting started. Is the 80ED going to be better for imaging than the 100ED as it's slightly faster ? Although the 100ED would be better for planetary ?

How will the 80 perform when used for general viewing of dso and planets ? would a barlow help ?

Going for the 80 and HEQ5 does keep me well within budget with money left over for eyepieces and accessories, but will I be happy with it ???

Edited May 30, 2017 by SAW

[carastro]

I had not realised the ED100 was slower than the ED80.  In that case definitely go for the ED80 (make sure you buy the APOchromatic version).  Buy one that has a 9 x 50 finderscope as this can be converted into a guidescope, nice and light, no hassle with mounting and cheap to do.  I use one all the time.  If you buy the SW focal reducer @ x 0.85 will bring the focal ratio down to F6.37

Imaging and viewing DSO and the Moon with this scope you will not be disappointed (most DSOs are faint in any scope), but with a larger FOV - depending on what camera you are going to use, you'll get larger targets into the FOV such as the whole of Andromeda galaxy and M42, The Heart Nebula etc etc.  If you get a more powerful scope you'll end up not getting the whole of a target in and having to do a mosaic.

To be honest you're not going to be able to completely combine planetary with DSO when it comes to scopes, they need different scopes and you will just have to decide which is the most important to you.  Most people have more than one scope for DSOs and planets.

If you want to put your mind at rest take a look at this website, you can input the telescope and camera and select various targets to see what you can get in the FOV and how big things are.   You can also use it for inputting eyepieces. 

http://www.12dstring.me.uk/fovcalc.php

The ED80 is much recommended for people starting out and is tried and tested.

Carole 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2017 by carastro

[SAW]

Ok real beginners question, when I'm on the site you linked and select the 80ED with say an Canon 300D why is he image so small ?

Firstlightoptics sell the 80ED on it's own or as an outfit, is it better to get the outfit or buy the basic unit and add my own diagonal eyepiece and finder scope ?

Do I need a finder scope or would a guiding camera take it's place ?

[jbrazio]

The guide camera needs a scope or a standard skywatcher type finder.

[carastro]

Quote

Do I need a finder scope or would a guiding camera take it's place ?

The guide camera goes in the back of the 9 x 50 finderscope (with a cheap adapter).  This removes the finderscope as a "see through" finderscope, but if you use a laptop to capture images you can look at what the finderscope is looking at on screen and this is much more comfortable than all the awkward positions you might have to get into to look through it.  

As regards the 12D string link, I think they use standard images which enlarge and decrease according to the kit used, so am assuming that the box they are sitting in is the size of the FOV, I must say that has confused me a bit at times, but I find this an invaluable tool when planning targets and imaging sessions.  Planets will be small in an ED80 (as stated above), but input the barlow on the left side as x 2.  

Quote

Firstlightoptics sell the 80ED on it's own or as an outfit, is it better to get the outfit or buy the basic unit and add my own diagonal eyepiece and finder scope ?

I'd get the outfit which comes with the eyepiece and diagonal and an aluminium case.  It's a decent eyepiece and if you buy the finderscope on it's own it could set you back around £80 and the eyepiece about £30, which in the end is going to cost about the same, plus you get a 2" diagonal and aluminium case as well.  

I re-sold my aluminium case as I didn't use it because of space storing and transporting, so re-couped some of my expenditure.

HTH

Carole 

 

 

[scitmon]

For imaging, definitely go for one of the eq6's if you can.  I was in your shoes not so long ago and went with the ED80 DS-pro and have no regrets so far.  I have yet to really see what it can do personally DSO wise because I don't have and eq mount yet, but you can see what can be done with it in a thread like this:

 To say that it would struggle on DSO's is a little unfair imo!

Also buy this: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/books/making-every-photon-count-steve-richards.html

Edited May 31, 2017 by scitmon

[xtreemchaos]

I have the ed80 on a heq5 and it works wonderfull, I also use a duel rig and do vis and imaging at the sametime from indoors too, I don't belive that the word carnt applys in astro just wont "excluding solar safety of course". goodluck , charl.

 

Edited May 31, 2017 by xtreemchaos
added text

[SAW]

Thanks for everyone's advice definitely the the ED80 is the way for me to go for starting out. 

Just need to decide on the the mount , the 6 is A LOT more money than the HEQ5Pro so I may have to start with that. 

[scitmon]

On FLO, the NEQ6 is only £223 more than the HEQ5 Pro? 

[Davesellars]

If you get the mount and 80ED with a 2k budget you'll have money left over for an OTA more aperture for visual observation.  Personally I think you'll be disappointed with 80mm visually for DSOs unless you live somewhere extraordinarily dark.

[SAW]

Thought about going for the 80ED and NEQ5 Pro package then if I got say a 200P for viewing I could use the NEQ5 mount and upgrade my imaging set up :-D

[jbrazio]

Depends on your budget.. but the general principle is: buy the better mount you can upfront.

[SAW]

I'm confused with the differences between the EQ5, HEQ5 Pro & EQ5 GT like wise with the NEQ6 Pro, EQ6 R Pro & EQ6 GT ? :-( Is there some sort of comparison chart somewhere ?

Edited June 1, 2017 by SAW