Skywatcher 300p flex tube

[markse68]

Looking forward to hearing your first impressions Baz- once the clouds clear! That’s a big step up in aperture! 

[Barry-W-Fenner]

14 hours ago, Ships and Stars said:

Good call on the 300p! Welcome to the '300p club' haha.

I bought a 300p flextube (non-GOTO) from FLO as well back in January I think. I love it, and that's from someone who also has a Stargate 500p. The 500p is no doubt pretty awesome, but for setting up quickly, the 300p is a doddle and not having to do an alignment etc, you are up and running quickly in minutes. It's also a doddle to 'steer' by hand with light pressure. I have also 'detected' the Horsehead from a fairly dark site with the 300p, so it is no doubt a capable scope. My best lunar views are with the 300p and binoviewers. Oh and the trusses have two presets, you'll notice them catching or clicking once on the way up before it's fully extended, that's the binoviewer preset so you don't need a barlow or glass path corrector with binoviewers and can get the full field of view - a really nice touch.

Just to complicate things on the eyepiece front, I am a big fan (fairly certain most everyone on SGL has figured that out by now 🤣) of the APM XWA 100 degree range and have the 20mm/13mm and 9mm. They are an absolute bargain compared to the other 100 degree eyepiece offerings out there and are compact with excellent optical quality for the price. I rarely use any other eyepieces now in my case and that includes the 17.5mm Morpheus which I keep mainly for the Horsehead or smaller Hb targets like the Cocoon. If I didn't go APM, I'd go Morpheus though, really happy with mine. The Tele Vue stuff is brilliant too, but getting seriously pricey as we all know and there's some good competition out there now from Baader, APM etc.

PS make sure you've put the 2" (or 1.25") extension tube into the focuser - that may cause you to not reach focus depending on which eyepiece you are using. Most eyepieces need it from my experience.

Have fun!

Afternoon SaS!

Hope you are keeping well.

coming from someone who is experienced with a 500p It is really encouraging to hear you hold the 300p in high regard!

I have not been fortunate enough to use it yet as the weather has tuned awful, We are not forecast a clear night until Saturday now. All I can do is look at it and tinker for the time being! 1st impressions of the scope itself are great, The fit and finish are to a very high standard. When you extend the scope it has a very positive solid feel to it and it all locks into place very nicely with a reassuring "click"

You have actually answered one of my questions before I could ask it! I was wondering what the 1st "Position"  I gathered that for viewing through the focuser you needed to pull the scope to maximum length but had no idea it had a preset for binoviewing! Next to the locking screws each extension tube has a black adjuster attached to them, Is that to adjust the tension of each tube?

I have also heard goo things about the APM Eye piece range. After some use with my current eye piece I will certainly be looking to purchase some glass that is better suited for the 300p. APM & Baader will both be high on my list to research!

I have just double checked and i have got the 1.25 extension in my focuser, I think as pointed out above I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing (very tired by then 🙂 ) and I tried to focus on something way to close. I dont really have much else thats further away to try and focus on mind. I guess I might have to wait until the Stars are out then have another go.

 

Thanks SAS

Regards

 

Baz

 

[Barry-W-Fenner]

13 hours ago, markse68 said:

Looking forward to hearing your first impressions Baz- once the clouds clear! That’s a big step up in aperture! 

I am looking forward to it to Mark! Unfortunately it looks like Saturday is the next clear night here now 😞 

The 300p Is just sitting in the lounge at the moment for me to tinker and poke around with 🙂

Baz

[Barry-W-Fenner]

Oh my days the ultimate frustration. A beautiful scope sitting in the lounge looking at me just waiting to be used.

The weather doesn't want to play though.

[bomberbaz]

45 minutes ago, Barry-W-Fenner said:

Oh my days the ultimate frustration. A beautiful scope sitting in the lounge looking at me just waiting to be used.

The weather doesn't want to play though.

been there, done that on several occasions baz. Currently waiting to test out a variation on my mak with a spotting scope plus ZWO camera. 

Inability to do thins because of the weather is sohhhh frustrating

[Pitch Black Skies]

Hi Barry,

I was wondering if you could give an update on your experience with the 300p.

How does it compare to the 200p now that you've had time to test it?

It helps others in a similar situation.

Thanks!

Edited August 18, 2021 by Pitch Black Skies
Typo