Skywatcher ED150 ?

[John]

There are rumours starting to circulate on other forums of a potential 150mm F/8 addition to the Skywatcher ED Pro line:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/600067-skywatcher-ed150-doublet-coming/

One of the posts in the above thread includes a link to a PDF of an Australian Skywatcher brochure that lists an ED150 Pro and gives a price of 2,899 Aussie Dollars which would be around £1,650.

There are just a couple of nagging doubts in my mind on this though:

- the brochure omits to list the Evostar 150mm F/8 achromat

- the brochure includes a solid tube version of the 300P dobsonian

It could be just a poorly quality controled brochure

 

[Peter Drew]

I can feel a 150mm ED binoscope somwhere in the air.  

[John]

Additional note: The US Skywatcher rep has just responded to the thread that I link to above on the Cloudynights forum. Apparently the ED150 Pro is in the pipeline as are some other interesting scopes. 2018 could be a very interesting year for the Skywatcher brand

[alan potts]

I don't know about the statement 2018 could be an interesting year, really John it has been interesting years for a long time now. When I think back to my 3 inch ref from Dixons back in 1974 and to my knowledge there was Fullerscopes and not much else, even though nice were dam expensive for me back then, and no doubt many others too. We have come a very long way since. Even our hobby scope size has change out of all proportions, back then 8 inch was considered a large scope, this is now more the norm. Great isn't it?

alan

[John]

3 hours ago, alan potts said:

I don't know about the statement 2018 could be an interesting year, really John it has been interesting years for a long time now. When I think back to my 3 inch ref from Dixons back in 1974 and to my knowledge there was Fullerscopes and not much else, even though nice were dam expensive for me back then, and no doubt many others too. We have come a very long way since. Even our hobby scope size has change out of all proportions, back then 8 inch was considered a large scope, this is now more the norm. Great isn't it?

alan

It is great - "we have never had it so good" as someone once said

A society buddy of mine has one of the old Fullerscopes 8 3/4 inch newtonians. It's good to look though with but very heavy to setup. He's owned it from new. His other scope is a 14" Meade SCT in a dome though - the Fullerscope is his "grab and go" !.

 

[alan potts]

John, the Fullerscopes scopes always seem to be somewhat odd sizes, this was long before the day the Uk used any form of metric measures, was the bigger model not 11 1/4 inch or something like. The mounts to me looked like they would survive an air attack for some time. Now look where we are, carbon fiber scope tubes and alloy everywhere, who knows how long the first carbon fiber mount is away, a light weight grab and go, not much use in a strong wind though.

Alan

[parallaxerr]

7 hours ago, John said:

Apparently the ED150 Pro is in the pipeline

I think I just heard my wallet yelp...

[Chris]

8 hours ago, John said:

Additional note: The US Skywatcher rep has just responded to the thread that I link to above on the Cloudynights forum. Apparently the ED150 Pro is in the pipeline as are some other interesting scopes. 2018 could be a very interesting year for the Skywatcher brand

Excellent. I've often thought of an ED150 has being Synta's missing scope. They have acrhomats upto 150mm, the Esprit triplet upto 150mm, and now hopefully an ED150 doublet.

[John]

Interesting further snippet of info from the US Skywatcher rep:

"...We are using a proprietary glass combo to make these. Optics were designed by the same optical engineer that designed our Esprit triplets..."

No Ohara FPL-53 element then.

[alan potts]

I still fancy a 150mm Espirit triplet but I imaging this will be way cheaper.

[DaveS]

From a thread on the TEC 140, it looks like Ohara are discontinuing FPL53 in favour of new FPL 55 which has (So I've heard) inferior specs, so maybe Synta are looking elsewhere long term.

[Alan White]

On 11/28/2017 at 00:39, John said:

There are rumours starting to circulate on other forums of a potential 150mm F/8 addition to the Skywatcher ED Pro line:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/600067-skywatcher-ed150-doublet-coming/

One of the posts in the above thread includes a link to a PDF of an Australian Skywatcher brochure that lists an ED150 Pro and gives a price of 2,899 Aussie Dollars which would be around £1,650.

There are just a couple of nagging doubts in my mind on this though:

- the brochure omits to list the Evostar 150mm F/8 achromat

- the brochure includes a solid tube version of the 300P dobsonian

It could be just a poorly quality controled brochure

 

Lets hope not a poor brochure.

I may start to stash my pennies in anticipation!!

[nightfisher]

I wish Skywatcher would produce a 150 Maksutov pro with a 1000mm focal length, i would be first in the Que for this if it happened

[Timebandit]

 

I have always wished that Skywatcher had done a 150mm Ed equinox. I am really happy with my 120ed Apo. And had always said to myself if I am going up in aperture in a frac then it would be in the region of 150mm. If only there was a 150 Ed Apo equinox ,I would be a very happy bunny. As the equinox is just a great quality double for sensible money. Now if Skywatcher was going to do a Ed at 150 mm which was the same quantity optics of the equinox, Ohara 53 and Scott crown then I would have my Christmas present all sorted. But then i would have to start saving for an upgrade mount. As I think my poor AZ4 would start bending under the strain. So ? if a 150mm ed is on the way with quality optics at sensible money?

 

 

[John]

2 hours ago, Timebandit said:

 

I have always wished that Skywatcher had done a 150mm Ed equinox. I am really happy with my 120ed Apo. And had always said to myself if I am going up in aperture in a frac then it would be in the region of 150mm. If only there was a 150 Ed Apo equinox ,I would be a very happy bunny. As the equinox is just a great quality double for sensible money. Now if Skywatcher was going to do a Ed at 150 mm which was the same quantity optics of the equinox, Ohara 53 and Scott crown then I would have my Christmas present all sorted. But then i would have to start saving for an upgrade mount. As I think my poor AZ4 would start bending under the strain. So ? if a 150mm ed is on the way with quality optics at sensible money?

 

 

The closest is probably the APM 140mm F/7 doublet which uses an FPL-53 element. Cost new is around £2,700 I think. 20mm is not a huge upgrade over 120 though. 150 would be better

[Timebandit]

15 minutes ago, John said:

The closest is probably the APM 140mm F/7 doublet which uses an FPL-53 element. Cost new is around £2,700 I think. 20mm is not a huge upgrade over 120 though. 150 would be better

 

Yes I agree John, 150mm would be better? . As they say a good big one is always better than a good little one. And as aperture is king in this hobby, as long as it has quality optics. Obviously the only thing that comes with big quality optics is size and weight and of course the overwhelming hold back with good big refractors is the cost big ££££ ?

 

 

[John]

My only hesitation with 6" refractors is that they have attained a physical size and length at that aperture to require a really serious mount. My ED120 is pretty much a "grab and go" instrument wheras the larger fracs I've owned have fallen into the next niche up in terms of ease of use, speed of setup etc, etc. Nothing wrong with that but I bear my previous experiences with 5 inch plus fracs in mind whenever I'm tempted.

(I still might weaken if Skywatcher can produce a 150 that is as good as the ED120 though )

[25585]

On 28/11/2017 at 08:07, John said:

It is great - "we have never had it so good" as someone once said

A society buddy of mine has one of the old Fullerscopes 8 3/4 inch newtonians. It's good to look though with but very heavy to setup. He's owned it from new. His other scope is a 14" Meade SCT in a dome though - the Fullerscope is his "grab and go" !.

 

John, is the Fullerscope F8 on a Mk3 mount?

Back to topic, how great an ED150 doublet would be depends on its glass. To keep the price as low as your figure, what quality sacrifices will be made? 

[John]

10 minutes ago, 25585 said:

John, is the Fullerscope F8 on a Mk3 mount?

Back to topic, how great an ED150 doublet would be depends on its glass. To keep the price as low as your figure, what quality sacrifices will be made? 

Yes, a black-crackle finished Mk3 complete with large perspex setting circles and long flexible slow motion rods. Bit of a classic

I don't think Skywatcher will market an ED150 that is not optically up to snuff. If they compromise it would be on the focuser and maybe opting for a reasonably plain finish. They know that they need to get the objective and it's cell to a high standard.

 

[25585]

1 minute ago, John said:

Yes, a black-crackle finished Mk3 complete with large perspex setting circles and long flexible slow motion rods. Bit of a classic

I don't think Skywatcher will market an ED150 that is not optically up to snuff. If they compromise it would be on the focuser and maybe opting for a reasonably plain finish. They know that they need to get the objective and it's cell to a high standard.

 

Like mine then apart from not having a motor drive. Those drives were not accurate but tough. I loved the setting circles, so easy to read in the dark, and large pointer. Heavy as you say, but solid.

Skywatcher are revising their range for 2018. Steve at FLO has advised me the Equinox ED120 PRO is being discontinued (I have bought one!) but I presume the standard will continue in production in the "sherbert fountain" colours.

Pitting a SW SMC 150 against any 150 refractor ED doublet will be interesting.

[25585]

On 28 November 2017 at 00:39, John said:

There are rumours starting to circulate on other forums of a potential 150mm F/8 addition to the Skywatcher ED Pro line:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/600067-skywatcher-ed150-doublet-coming/

One of the posts in the above thread includes a link to a PDF of an Australian Skywatcher brochure that lists an ED150 Pro and gives a price of 2,899 Aussie Dollars which would be around £1,650.

There are just a couple of nagging doubts in my mind on this though:

- the brochure omits to list the Evostar 150mm F/8 achromat

- the brochure includes a solid tube version of the 300P dobsonian

It could be just a poorly quality controled brochure

 

From the SW leaflet I got with my Equinox a week ago. 

BK15012EQ6

Hope the OTA will be sold on its own. 

[25585]

On 30 November 2017 at 15:36, Alan White said:

Lets hope not a poor brochure.

I may start to stash my pennies in anticipation!!

See brochure photo below. 

@FLO have a F5 1500 300P on their site also. 

[Owmuchonomy]

As long as they keep the focuser fitting the same as the 120 then my Moonlite will fit?  Deep joy!

[John]

This is a recent photo of the prototype ED150 which is currently being tested by a US based Skywatcher dealer. It might change shape again. I suspect the photos in the brochures are the Evostar 150 being used as a "place filler"

I recall something similar happening when the ED120 was due - some brochures carried a pic of the already launched ED100. When the ED120 did finally appear it was somewhat fatter !

[25585]

I hope you are right John. Such a scope as the 150 I think needs a better tube than the sherbert dip range. Equinoxes are beefier, but not as much as Esprits. 

If the 150 will be F8, such a length of tube required would need to be thicker IMO. Or have a longer rail & extra mounting ring for added rigidity.