Completely stuck on my next move, could do with some advice

[Dan13]

Hi everyone,
I've been imaging with my 130pds for some time now,coupled with my 600 (modded) camera its given me a great entry level experience to AP and ive been on the whole happy with the scope.
That being said ive been saving up the last few months and now have a budget of roughly 1k to spend.

I really do like the 130pds its great but theirs something about a newt (that i cant pin point) that i find a chore...its never been pick up and go for me so for that reason ive been extensively looking at refractors.

Im aware that i will lose F/L and in some cases an F stop possibly,but that hasn't seemed to slow me down in my search.
Ive been looking very closely at 

WO ZS73 within the FLat73a (which are like rocking horse SH!# atm

Starwave 80ed-R 80mm with 1x flatner (love the look of this but cant see a single video review anywhere, which i find alarming) https://www.altairastro.com/starwave-80ed-r-ed-doublet-refractor-telescope-466-p.asp

RVO Horizon package (rother valley optics brand new refractor 72ed- UK retailer) https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/rvo-horizon-72-ed-doublet-refractor-full-imaging-package.html

Ive racked my brains for weeks on end 
- do i really want to change for something that will get me similar results but with wider views at a high cost
-is a refractor what im really after
-no more collimation
-crisp image with sharp lens
-no more diffraction spikes

and then today i thought oh sod it, why not keep the 130pds and invest in a cooled cmos cam!! 

AHHHH!! please, please any advice would be welcomed, im really struggling here and dont want to drop 1k on something i may later regret.

one thing i do know is i absolutely love this hobby.

thanks
 

[PeterCPC]

What about the Evostar 72ED - F4.9. No more collimation.

Peter

 

[Dan13]

Just now, PeterCPC said:

What about the Evostar 72ED - F4.9. No more collimation.

Peter

 

Hi Peter

I looked at this and the 80ed, ive read a fair few things regarding the 72's glass used and isn't the same quality as the 80 or the scopes above quoted. I wanted the 80ed for a while but im not to keen on the build quality compared the above either but i also know its in high regard by many for imaging. How do you find the 80ed? and what would you do in my situation? 

[PeterCPC]

I really like my 80ED. I can't really say what I would do but I do know that I hated having to collimate when I had a dodsonian. You can see some images taken with the 80ED if you click on my Astrobin link.

Peter

[CraigT82]

Whenever I find myself thinking "I can get better images if I just buy this new piece of kit", I look at astrobin and search for images done using the kit I already have. Inevitably I find amazing work which convinces me to try to make the most of the stuff I've already got.

Have a look at this 130pds image... 

https://www.astrobin.com/full/ppu1wv/0/?real=&mod=

Maybe treat the 130pds to a dedicated astro cam to really get the best out of it??

Edited June 14, 2020 by CraigT82

[Dan13]

2 minutes ago, PeterCPC said:

I really like my 80ED. I can't really say what I would do but I do know that I hated having to collimate when I had a dodsonian. You can see some images taken with the 80ED if you click on my Astrobin link.

Peter

Thats my gripe as well! but is it just a minor gripe for a good return?! i think i like the portability of a refractor, and the size factor. I just feel when ever i get the 130 out for an imaging session there is always something i need to do, maybe its just me  

[PeterCPC]

1 minute ago, Dan13 said:

Thats my gripe as well! but is it just a minor gripe for a good return?! i think i like the portability of a refractor, and the size factor. I just feel when ever i get the 130 out for an imaging session there is always something i need to do, maybe its just me  

All I can say is that the 80ED is ready to go after about 30mins cool down time.

Peter

[Dan13]

9 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Whenever I find myself thinking "I can get better images if I just buy this new piece of kit", I look at astrobin and search for images done using the kit I already have. Inevitably I find amazing work which convinces me to try to make the most of the stuff I've already got.

Have a look at this 130pds image... 

https://www.astrobin.com/full/ppu1wv/0/?real=&mod=

Maybe treat the 130pds to a dedicated astro cam to really get the best out of it??

A really good way to look at it, something ive thought of over and over and i myself have got some great images from the scope, i dont think in my case its about if a refractor will get me better images then what i already use i think its more portability, lack of maintenance and looks for me....and a wider fov

but yes, treating the 130 to a new cam could also be the answer. Dam im so torn. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by Dan13

[CraigT82]

14 minutes ago, Dan13 said:

A really good way to look at it, something ive thought of over and over and i myself have got some great images from the scope, i dont think in my case its about if a refractor will get me better images then what i already use i think its more portability, lack of maintenance and looks for me....and a wider fov

but yes, treating the 130 to a new cam could also be the answer. Dam im so torn. 

Yeah fair point! I think the 130pds has got great potential but needs a lot of user input. 

[Dan13]

5 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

Yeah fair point! I think the 130pds has got great potential but needs a lot of user input. 

Agreed Craig, in my mind if i could start again i would get a refractor and then move onto a cmos from my dslr, ive done it backwards and now paying the price  

[jambouk]

Just get any apo and a field flattener and if you don’t like it, sell it on, with minimal financial loss.

Put a wanted advert on astrobuyselluk if you can’t find what you are after. 

[FMA]

You’ve a telescope specialised in image and a camera who is not. You want other scope specialised in image and a camera specialised.

get the camera, see what you can get now with it, and next Christmas, when you hear Last Christmas I gave you my heart, if you’re not happy, go for the new scope.

 

[Dan13]

6 minutes ago, jambouk said:

Just get any apo and a field flattener and if you don’t like it, sell it on, with minimal financial loss.

Put a wanted advert on astrobuyselluk if you can’t find what you are after. 

ive tried this but with no luck, it seems im a small fish in a big APO wanted pond atm.,..

[Dan13]

Just now, FMA said:

You’ve a telescope specialised in image and a camera who is not. You want other scope specialised in image and a camera specialised.

get the camera, see what you can get now with it, and next Christmas, when you hear Last Christmas I gave you my heart, if you’re not happy, go for the new scope.

 

Cant agree with this im afraid, the 600d is more then capable of achieving great images,

[Astrosharkey]

I went from a 200p to the starwave ascent 80ed and a flattner / reducer and love it to bits, but the cooled cmos really changed things up a lot

[Dan13]

2 minutes ago, Astrosharkey said:

I went from a 200p to the starwave ascent 80ed and a flattner / reducer and love it to bits, but the cooled cmos really changed things up a lot

This is music to my Ears @Astrosharkey! i no there not the exact same scopes but thats great, i think the starwave 80ed-R looks like a great scope but cant find any info regarding it by users. your happy with the change up from a big newt to a smal frac then?

[Astrosharkey]

Yep, its a different world, much easier to use and a wide field for those bigger things out there (with my camera I get 2.5 degrees fov), no use at all on plantery or the moon really, but things like the rosette and California nebula just pop, although that said I am waiting to get outside and start setting my new edge 8 up to get back in close again, just remember no one scope does all

[Dan13]

1 hour ago, Astrosharkey said:

Yep, its a different world, much easier to use and a wide field for those bigger things out there (with my camera I get 2.5 degrees fov), no use at all on plantery or the moon really, but things like the rosette and California nebula just pop, although that said I am waiting to get outside and start setting my new edge 8 up to get back in close again, just remember no one scope does all

Appreciate it, yea that's very true! I'll probably keep the 130 anyway even if I get a frac. Or may sell the 130 and get a dob

[Skinnypuppy71]

Going to make you a bit envious....my WO zenithstar 73ii is coming tomorrow....but on the downside..I'm still having to wait for the field flattener and the eqm-35 pro mount....it could be well into July before these items come.doh.

[TerryMcK]

8 minutes ago, Skinnypuppy71 said:

Going to make you a bit envious....my WO zenithstar 73ii is coming tomorrow....but on the downside..I'm still having to wait for the field flattener and the eqm-35 pro mount....it could be well into July before these items come.doh.

Once you get your 73 flattener and mount you will love the ZS73. I liked it that much that I bought its bigger sister the ZS103 with Flat6AIII flattener too.

I asked WO if I could put the Flat6AIII flattener, that I have for the ZS103, onto the ZS73 to take advantage of the x0.8 reduction - same M63 threads. They said even though it is designed for wider aperture scopes they saw no reason why it wouldn't work and just set the adjuster to 8.7mm. I've not tried out that combo yet as I don't have any dark skies yet. I shall have to wait until a few weeks after solstice. Food for thought.

[Skinnypuppy71]

Had a look at the 103...and the 126....and the 132...lol....they're lovely looking scopes, it has to be said.