Skywatcher ED72

[smr]

Hi,

At the moment I'm trying to decide which refractor to buy. I think it's going to be between the SW72ED or SW80ED. At the moment I'm leaning towards the 72 as I quite like the more widefield image, various nebulas aren't so tightly framed such as the Rosette Nebula and Orion Nebula. I'm still undecided though.

The SW80ED is well recommended though whereas the 72 is relatively new and therefore it's difficult to try and gauge how well it performs for astrophotography. I wonder if my Canon 80D with battery grip may be too heavy for it, for instance, and how the optics compare to the 80ED. 

Anyone got one and imaged with it ?

[scitmon]

This thread is worth a read before you make your decision: 

 

[alexbb]

There are quite a few topics started around this scope. The topic with the latest activity:

 

[souls33k3r]

Our very own @RayD has done some videos on ED72 on his excellent Youtube channel which can be found Here , Here & Here

Be sure to check them and keep an eye out for more. The guy has got a talent for explaining things excellently.

Hope this helps.

 

[smr]

Thanks, it sounds as though I may be better off with a different 72 then, any recommendations for some within the same sort of price, or budget around £500-600.

[Adam J]

8 minutes ago, smr said:

Thanks, it sounds as though I may be better off with a different 72 then, any recommendations for some within the same sort of price, or budget around £500-600.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/william-optics/william-optics-zenithstar-73-apo.html

although you will need to account for the cost of a flattner. 

I think that someone is selling one on astro buy sell uk at the moment too. 

[smr]

Thanks, better than the Altair Astro 72EDF ?

[smr]

When comparing the fovs between the 80ED and the 72s on blackwaterskies imaging toolbox the 432mm focal length of the EDF 72 for instance isn't that much different at all when the 0.85 reducer is on the ED80. Focal length hardly changes and you could just crop in ever so slightly anyway. The advantages of the 80 are that it is cheaper though and comes with all accessories needed I guess. 

For imaging which things wouldn't I need? Am I right in thinking that I wouldn't need a diagonal ?

[Adam J]

23 minutes ago, smr said:

When comparing the fovs between the 80ED and the 72s on blackwaterskies imaging toolbox the 432mm focal length of the EDF 72 for instance isn't that much different at all when the 0.85 reducer is on the ED80. Focal length hardly changes and you could just crop in ever so slightly anyway. The advantages of the 80 are that it is cheaper though and comes with all accessories needed I guess. 

For imaging which things wouldn't I need? Am I right in thinking that I wouldn't need a diagonal ?

I would say that the WO is a better build quality. Its also smaller so is more portable and optically slightly faster....but not significantly so. 

The Altair Astro equivalent is likely on par with the WO and the slightly more expensive offering with the optical test report is probably superior. 

However, unless you want the portability and if you can live with the focuser on the SW ED80 then optically its a fine scope.

It also depends on what mount you are going to be putting it on. 

Adam  

 

 

[smr]

44 minutes ago, Adam J said:

I would say that the WO is a better build quality. Its also smaller so is more portable and optically slightly faster....but not significantly so. 

The Altair Astro equivalent is likely on par with the WO and the slightly more expensive offering with the optical test report is probably superior. 

However, unless you want the portability and if you can live with the focuser on the SW ED80 then optically its a fine scope.

It also depends on what mount you are going to be putting it on. 

Adam  

 

 

That's another thing which concerns me a little with the ED80, it sounds 50/50 whether people get on with the focuser or not. I have no idea how focusing works on a telescope as I've never owned one before (well I do have one actually but it's boxed up in storage and I've not used it since I was a kid)...

What is it specifically about the ED80's focuser which can be a problem? I'd be using a Canon 80D DSLR with battery grip on it. Mount wise I have an HEQ5Pro, belt modded.

[Adam J]

2 hours ago, smr said:

That's another thing which concerns me a little with the ED80, it sounds 50/50 whether people get on with the focuser or not. I have no idea how focusing works on a telescope as I've never owned one before (well I do have one actually but it's boxed up in storage and I've not used it since I was a kid)...

What is it specifically about the ED80's focuser which can be a problem? I'd be using a Canon 80D DSLR with battery grip on it. Mount wise I have an HEQ5Pro, belt modded.

Its very similar to the focuser on my 130PDS the most common complaint as far as I can tell is that sags when you put large loads on it causing tilt, it can also slip. Its sufficient but not great some people replace them...but whats the point in buying a cheap scope and them putting a feather touch focuser on it?

Also in terms of portability its long and the dew shield does not retract.

Its good for the price but its just not up to the quality of the more expensive scopes...you get what you pay for.

Adam

 

 

 

[smr]

1 hour ago, Adam J said:

Its very similar to the focuser on my 130PDS the most common complaint as far as I can tell is that sags when you put large loads on it causing tilt, it can also slip. Its sufficient but not great some people replace them...but whats the point in buying a cheap scope and them putting a feather touch focuser on it?

Also in terms of portability its long and the dew shield does not retract.

Its good for the price but its just not up to the quality of the more expensive scopes...you get what you pay for.

Adam

 

 

 

I know it's on the cheaper side relatively speaking but £600 is still a lot of money for a scope which may do that. So if you're in an imaging session for a couple of hours half way through it can start slipping and you wouldn't realise it ? Think that would be quite annoying. Portability isn't too much of a problem really as it'll be used at home mainly and I'd only buy the telescope new, I know people are selling them second hand now and again but asking prices are generally not much lower than retail prices new and I'd just rather know that the optics are as good as they can possibly be. That said and with the needed flattener it'd be around £600, so I'm wondering if I'm going to spend that which other scopes have a focuser which won't slip and tilt. 

I think 60 is too wide for what I'd like to image so I'd be looking at 70 - 80.

[Adam J]

10 minutes ago, smr said:

I know it's on the cheaper side relatively speaking but £600 is still a lot of money for a scope which may do that. So if you're in an imaging session for a couple of hours half way through it can start slipping and you wouldn't realise it ? Think that would be quite annoying. Portability isn't too much of a problem really as it'll be used at home mainly and I'd only buy the telescope new, I know people are selling them second hand now and again but asking prices are generally not much lower than retail prices new and I'd just rather know that the optics are as good as they can possibly be. That said and with the needed flattener it'd be around £600, so I'm wondering if I'm going to spend that which other scopes have a focuser which won't slip and tilt. 

I think 60 is too wide for what I'd like to image so I'd be looking at 70 - 80.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8866_TS-Optics-Photoline-72mm-f-6-FPL53-und-Lanthanum-Apo---2-5--R-P-focuser.html

that is an attractive option.

[smr]

3 minutes ago, Adam J said:

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8866_TS-Optics-Photoline-72mm-f-6-FPL53-und-Lanthanum-Apo---2-5--R-P-focuser.html

that is an attractive option.

Thanks, it does look a nice scope but they recommend the reducer for aps-c sensors which is what I have. Which would mean the focal length reduced to 331mm.

[Marky1973]

Don't be too put off by the focuser on the ED80, I never had any trouble and you can adjust the tension. I also fitted a skywatcher autofocuser which kind of doubled up as an additional focus lock. It's a pain if you want to focus manually for any reason but, if just using for imaging it is a cheap upgrade.

I've "down upgraded" to an ED72 now, which appears to be a lovely scope, I've just not had a chance to use it much! 

[Adam J]

9 hours ago, smr said:

Thanks, it does look a nice scope but they recommend the reducer for aps-c sensors which is what I have. Which would mean the focal length reduced to 331mm.

No your reading it wrong the TSFLAT72 is what you want it does not change the focal length. When they say it works with full frame sensors they mean it works with everything up to a full frame sensor so that includes a APS-C in fact it will work even better with an APS-C.

[tooth_dr]

2 hours ago, Marky1973 said:

Don't be too put off by the focuser on the ED80, I never had any trouble and you can adjust the tension. I also fitted a skywatcher autofocuser which kind of doubled up as an additional focus lock.

Also, in my case the actual focus drawtube was slipping, even though the focus knob wasnt moving.

[Marky1973]

4 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Also, in my case the actual focus drawtube was slipping, even though the focus knob wasnt moving.

Ah, Gremlins....nothing you can do about them.....

[smr]

6 hours ago, Marky1973 said:

Don't be too put off by the focuser on the ED80, I never had any trouble and you can adjust the tension. I also fitted a skywatcher autofocuser which kind of doubled up as an additional focus lock. It's a pain if you want to focus manually for any reason but, if just using for imaging it is a cheap upgrade.

I've "down upgraded" to an ED72 now, which appears to be a lovely scope, I've just not had a chance to use it much! 

Did you get the 72 for the wider field of view?

[smr]

5 hours ago, Adam J said:

No your reading it wrong the TSFLAT72 is what you want it does not change the focal length. When they say it works with full frame sensors they mean it works with everything up to a full frame sensor so that includes a APS-C in fact it will work even better with an APS-C.

Great, it's worth thinking about then. There aren't too many images on astrobin for it from what I can see though and customer service is in Germany as opposed to UK if I were to buy a Skywatcher telescope. 

But then it has the R&P focuser... having said that, I've heard there are different qualities of R&P focusers, some cheaper made than others? If I wanted to buy a case I'd have to factor that in too... SW pretty much comes with everything. Speaking of which what would I need for imaging? I wouldn't be doing visual, so say for instance I did decide on the SW80 would it be cheaper to buy the OTA only and then add the accessories that I need?

[smr]

It's either going to be the Skywatcher ED80 or the WO Z73 or similar. The Z73 a bit pricier all added up but not by hundreds.... focal length I don't think is that much of a big difference. I'd be happy with either but if I had to choose I think it'd be the 432mm focal length as opposed to the 510mm focal length of the SW (with the flattener). 

So focal length not really an issue
Optical quality - I'm guessing the WO would be superior? But enough to really notice unless being really picky?
R&P focuser on the Z73 better than the SW and able to securely hold heavier loads better?

Has anyone bought an SWED80 and used a mid range Canon DSLR on it such as a 70D/80D with battery grip? Did you have focusing problems? I don't fancy buying the scope for £600 and then finding I've got to buy additional accessories to make focusing work properly.

 

[RolandKol]

30 minutes ago, smr said:

It's either going to be the Skywatcher ED80 or the WO Z73 or similar. The Z73 a bit pricier all added up but not by hundreds.... focal length I don't think is that much of a big difference. I'd be happy with either but if I had to choose I think it'd be the 432mm focal length as opposed to the 510mm focal length of the SW (with the flattener). 

So focal length not really an issue
Optical quality - I'm guessing the WO would be superior? But enough to really notice unless being really picky?
R&P focuser on the Z73 better than the SW and able to securely hold heavier loads better?

Has anyone bought an SWED80 and used a mid range Canon DSLR on it such as a 70D/80D with battery grip? Did you have focusing problems? I don't fancy buying the scope for £600 and then finding I've got to buy additional accessories to make focusing work properly.

 

As @Xiga and @graemlourenstold, check youtube also
I hope, they will even reply and give you some inside info
 

and this one

 

 

[Marky1973]

2 hours ago, smr said:

Did you get the 72 for the wider field of view?

Yep! My ED80/ATIK 414EX combo was a pretty narrow view and I wanted to try some wider, narrowband imaging, so now have ED72 and Arik Horizon.

[Adam J]

4 hours ago, smr said:

Great, it's worth thinking about then. There aren't too many images on astrobin for it from what I can see though and customer service is in Germany as opposed to UK if I were to buy a Skywatcher telescope. 

But then it has the R&P focuser... having said that, I've heard there are different qualities of R&P focusers, some cheaper made than others? If I wanted to buy a case I'd have to factor that in too... SW pretty much comes with everything. Speaking of which what would I need for imaging? I wouldn't be doing visual, so say for instance I did decide on the SW80 would it be cheaper to buy the OTA only and then add the accessories that I need?

Its the same rack and pinion focuser as used on the WO Star71. Also probably the same objective lens as used on the Z73 in a different lens cell.

Lots of these scopes are made of modular parts that a OEM purchases and puts their own name to. You will note that the TSFLAT72 looks remarkably similar to the WO FLAT73

There may also be different grades of lens though.

 

[smr]

Assuming I buy one or the other are these all the items I'd need to get them connected to my DSLR? (Not thinking about guiding just yet)

£200 price difference if so, optically the Z73 should be expected to be better too? not just a better focuser? and the slightly wider fov appeal, I think I could maybe justify the price differential if so.