Equipment Dilema?

[beamer3.6m]

I am very confused on what to buy, here are my issues:

I have a 200p on an HEQ5 with synscan upgrade so my main scope is sorted and I am very pleased with it.

I visited the Widescreen Centre yesterday in London as I was in the area and managed to have a good look at a couple of scope in which I am interested, as follows:

1. Skywatcher ST80

2. Skywatcher ED80

3. WO 66

4. WO 72

My usuage of this scope will be as a guide scope with the QHY5 camera (which I am also to purchase unless other options are suggested, but not the DSI as I was not impressed when I saw it in action on anothers scope).

The camera is £150.00 and this will need to come out of my budget of ideally £250.00.

Obviously with this budget I can only afford the ST80 at £105 online and I think I would be happy with this scope as it was very very light, portable and I have seen good reviews of it as a guidescope.

However the ED80, although more expensive (only the £234 model by the way not the new black one) would double as a guidescope and a scope to attach the DSLR to for wide field so may be better value in the long run.

I ruled out the WO scopes due to price and the 66 felt very heavy to me.

I am so confused. Should I stick to the budget and go for the ST80 and QHY5 or the ED80 to save money in the long run.

Will the ST80 do anything less than the ED80 and will the images be any less impressive.

I am only looking at this for photography means by the way as visual observing is not my thing at all to be honest.

The question is will the ST80 leave me wanting more or will it tick all the boxes.

By the way is the focuser 1.25" or 2" on the ST80 and if it is the smaller how would you attach my 400d which has a 2" adapter at the moment.

Confused.

[steppenwolf]

I am so confused. Should I stick to the budget and go for the ST80 and QHY5 or the ED80 to save money in the long run.

Will the ST80 do anything less than the ED80 and will the images be any less impressive.

I am only looking at this for photography means by the way as visual observing is not my thing at all to be honest.

The question is will the ST80 leave me wanting more or will it tick all the boxes.

By the way is the focuser 1.25" or 2" on the ST80 and if it is the smaller how would you attach my 400d which has a 2" adapter at the moment.

Confused.

Dear Confused,

We're so glad you have had the courage to write to us - this is the first positive step in resolving your problem.

Your plan is a good one but go for the ED80 as this will be a very very good dual purpose instrument - autoguider and wide field imaging instrument.

I have both the ED80 and the ST80 and use the ST80 purely for guiding - it is a lovely little 'scope but really not good enough for imaging as it will generate purple halos around bright stars.

The QHY5 is an excellent choice.

Regards,

Uncle Steve

[FLO]

... However the ED80, although more expensive (only the £234 model by the way not the new black one)

If they still have an original ED80 PRO at that price then you should snap it up! A ridiculously good telescope at a seriously low price - you won't regret it!

[Parallax]

I have the ST80 as guidescope on the Explorer 8". As a guidescope, with an SPC900 webcam, I am very happy with it. The rack and pinion focuser (1.25" by the way) is a bit iffy and I wouldn't be happy with attaching a DSLR to it. I have imaged through it and was surprised at the result, given the price, but...

So, if you only intend to guide then go for the ST80, otherwise it's more cash I'm afraid!

HTH

Steve

[beamish]

I'd follow Steve's lead and snap that hand off at 249.00 !!!

[Psychobilly]

There area lot of large interesting objects up there and you will ultimately end up imaging through the "guidescope" at some time in the future so it makes very good sense to buy a dual purpose one...so as the guys have said snap up the ED80 at that price...I hardly ever image throught the 8" anymore but it does make a very good guidescope for the Megrez 72...

QHY looks excellent VFM .. I used DSI's as guide cams and find them OK with PHDGuide but if you have to buy then go for the QHY.

Billy...

BIlly...

[MartinB]

If you are to use an ED80 for imaging (and it would be a superb choice for that you will probably need to factor in the cost of a field flattener such as the WO 0.8 type III. You can image without one but the outer stars will be pretty distorted.

[beamer3.6m]

Unfortunately it appears that the ED80 is now out of stock and I have been unable to find one.

Therefore my choice now falls to the ST80 or WO 66 which is £239.00 from FLO.

I am not that keen on the WO66 as it is heavy and I would not want to push the HEQ5 to the limit.

It is a shame that the ED80 has gone but never mind.

SO would you now buy the ST80 and QHY5 combo or would you do something else.

Remember imaging is my thing and I already have a DSLR and 200p on an HEQ5 synscan.

Cheers guys.

[Psychobilly]

Pity about the ED80'sa s it would have been a Very good option...

I have upgraded from a Skywatcher Equinox-66 to a WO Megrez72 and the difference is amazing...as Martins said though you will ultimately need a Field Flattner and the Megrez 72 FF III gives very good results with a DSLR... OK it's more money again but if imaging is your thing then your probably better waiting a while longer and getting suitable kit...

If it's only guiding your interested in then the ST80 QHY would get you up and running whilst imaging the smaller targets through the newt...

Billy....

[beamish]

Beamer, I'm pretty sure Ant images with a 200,and an ED80 on a HEQ5

[beamer3.6m]

Good advice guys.

I think the main purpose would always have been guiding so I may opt for the ST80.

Would the ST102 be a better choice?

[Psychobilly]

80 should be fine...

[Whippy]

Surely the ST102 and the ED80 are heavier then the ZS66?

Tony..

[MartinB]

Just one thing, I'm not sure where this idea comes from about a ZS66 being heavy. I have a ZS66 and an ED80. The ED80 is both heavier and more unweildy (esp with it's oversized tube). A ZS66 won't cause any problems weight wise, it is a lovely little scope.

[beamer3.6m]

I will bow to your knowledge of the weight.

I only got a chance to lift the WO66 and the ST80 but the ED80 did look heavier to me.

However, as I would be using it as an imaging scope also and maybe standalone then I would not mind.

Lets forget the wieght issue.

This is all so confusing.

[Reggie]

WO 66 is 1.76KG if that helps, that's unloaded weight. HEQ5 pro happily holds that and a celestron 6" SCT (about 10KG I believe) + dslr(0.5KG) + FFII + guide rings/bar.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Personally I'd stick with the 70/700 guidescope listed in your sig, along with the modded toucam also there. That leaves some more dosh for the new toy. The ST80 only has a 400mm focal length so would be less accurate than the 700mm one you have already, and its a bit fringey for imaging. The ED80 is a super imaging 'scope with a DSLR and would work with the 200 f/5 with either one guiding and the other carrying the imaging camera. A guide camera doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, I often use a standard Toucam if the target allows a bright guide star to be used. The WO 'scopes are reported as excellent equipment but they're not something I've played with so I can't help there.

Kaptain Klevtsov

[glennbech]

Dear confused.

I have the same equipment as you have. I'm also a proud owner of the WO Megrez 90. I can assure you that weight will not be an issue. The HEQ5 easily carries the M90, an old and battered second hand ST80, Guide rings, guide cam, side by side bar, Canon 10D (Heavy!) and the WO III 0.8 focal reducer. I say "easily" and mean it. I've also loaded the HEQ5 *unbalanced* with the 200p and all the guiding stuff. I virtually "drags" the stuff around and tracks perfectly for at least 3-4 minutes. (Haven't tried longer subs)

I read from your wish list that you're keen on entering the arena of wide DSLR field imaging? Why not go the other way? Next on my shopping list is ;

- Moonlite low profile focuser for newtonians.

- Baader MPCC.

This way you could use the bresser scope to guide the 200p and get real up close and personal with small targets

[beamish]

Sounds like a plan Glennbech