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To Esprit or not to Esprit - that is the dilemma!


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Hi all,

As above - I have been having very bad thoughts as of late re: pressing the button to buy an Esprit 100ed.

My only reservation is my mount which is an unmodded HEQ5 Pro. Looking at my current accessories, with the Esprit I think i will be comfortably under the recommended max imaging payload of 11kg.....however I have read so many conflicting articles.

Currently my HEQ5 Pro is comfortably handling a 150PDS, evoguide 50ed, zwo120mm mini, zwo533mc Pro and asiair pro.

Can someone talk some sense into me - whether that is to man-up and buy the Esprit, or tell me that it is a ridiculous idea and walk away 😉

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Thanks for the responses.

Would it be beneficial to do the belt mod if I were to go down the esprit route? Note the mount isn't that old (purchased last year). Or shall I just wait and see how it reacts (again on the basis that i do buy the esprit).

Thanks,

Jon

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Just to throw a spanner in the works on this one. Another potential candidate is the 80ED DS Pro. Coming in at nearly £1,300 cheaper than the 100ED - are you getting £1,300's worth of better scope with the 100ED? 

Hmmmm......? 🤔

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11 minutes ago, Jonny_H said:

Just to throw a spanner in the works on this one. Another potential candidate is the 80ED DS Pro. Coming in at nearly £1,300 cheaper than the 100ED - are you getting £1,300's worth of better scope with the 100ED? 

Hmmmm......? 🤔

I’m currently in the process of upgrading from an ED80 DS-Pro.  It’s a fantastic scope for the money, and I think you’d be hard pushed to show the difference at first glance. But with more and more use I believe you would start to see the differences, whether that’s worth £1300 more is a matter of personal choice! 

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33 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I’m currently in the process of upgrading from an ED80 DS-Pro.  It’s a fantastic scope for the money, and I think you’d be hard pushed to show the difference at first glance. But with more and more use I believe you would start to see the differences, whether that’s worth £1300 more is a matter of personal choice! 

Yes absolutely down to personal choice....and more importantly funds 😉

In my mind I am thinking that the Esprit 100 would likely be a 'forever scope' whereas the 80ED despite being a very good scope, would be upgraded at some point in the future (I guess similar to what you are doing).

Just out of curiosity what are you looking to upgrade to?

Edited by Jonny_H
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19 minutes ago, SamAndrew said:

80ED would be begging for a focuser upgrade pretty quickly.

I always find this very much controversial.  I’ve found my ED80 focusers to be very adequate, as long as a motor focuser is fitted to the shaft and the focuser is well tensioned. At F6.3 it’s very tolerant to slight tilt, and mine held 1.8kg imaging kit.  Spending £300 on a focuser doesn’t make sense on a scope of this price.

 

21 minutes ago, Jonny_H said:

In my mind I am thinking that the Esprit 100 would likely be a 'forever scope' whereas the 80ED despite being a very good scope, would be upgraded at some point in the future (I guess similar to what you are doing).

Just out of curiosity what are you looking to upgrade to?

My daughter wanted a gold telescope so i gave her my ED80(!) but i suppose I just fancied a change anyway.  I got the ED80 new in 2009.

Im looking at a few options - Esprit 100 with flattener or APM 107/700 with 0.75 reducer.  The APM is a little more money but like you I’m considering this as a permanent addition. 

Edited by tooth_dr
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27 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Im looking at a few options - Esprit 100 with flattener or APM 107/700 with 0.75 reducer.  The APM is a little more money but like you I’m considering this as a permanent addition. 

The APM 107 is a very nice scope made by Sharpstar. I've had mine for about 2 years. Solid construction, robust lens cell, fairly compact (580mm with dew shield retracted) and a quite beefy 3" R&P focuser. The new version now comes with a 2.5" R&P focuser instead but should be able to hold the same amount of payload. I've read Sharpstar have recently discontinued it in favour of their new EDPH lineup (The AL-107PH has been on the market for a very long time).

Edited by KP82
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23 minutes ago, KP82 said:

The APM 107 is a very nice scope made by Sharpstar. I've had mine for about 2 years. Solid construction, robust lens cell, fairly compact (580mm with dew shield retracted) and a quite beefy 3" R&P focuser. The new version now comes with a 2.5" R&P focuser instead but should be able to hold the same amount of payload. I've read Sharpstar have recently discontinued it in favour of their new EDPH lineup (The AL-107PH has been on the market for a very long time).

Thanks for that info.  I briefly owned a 94 EDPH.  Is this an upgrade or a cost cutting measure by SharpStar , moving to EDPH?

Edited by tooth_dr
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49 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I always find this very much controversial.  I’ve found my ED80 focusers to be very adequate, as long as a motor focuser is fitted to the shaft and the focuser is well tensioned. At F6.3 it’s very tolerant to slight tilt, and mine held 1.8kg imaging kit.  Spending £300 on a focuser doesn’t make sense on a scope of this price.

 

My daughter wanted a gold telescope so i gave her my ED80(!) but i suppose I just fancied a change anyway.  I got the ED80 new in 2009.

Im looking at a few options - Esprit 100 with flattener or APM 107/700 with 0.75 reducer.  The APM is a little more money but like you I’m considering this as a permanent addition. 

Ooo the APM looks like a lovely scope. That coupled with the model 1 field flattener for imaging 🤑

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30 minutes ago, KP82 said:

The APM 107 is a very nice scope made by Sharpstar. I've had mine for about 2 years. Solid construction, robust lens cell, fairly compact (580mm with dew shield retracted) and a quite beefy 3" R&P focuser. The new version now comes with a 2.5" R&P focuser instead but should be able to hold the same amount of payload. I've read Sharpstar have recently discontinued it in favour of their new EDPH lineup (The AL-107PH has been on the market for a very long time).

How much does the APM weigh? I've seen a huge difference depending on which site you look at - from 5.7kg to 8.1kg 😲

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I have an HEQ5 and an Esprit 100.  It's fine on it's own with a finderguider Atik CCD camera and EFW. 

But if I try to mount anything else on top, it's overweight.  i.e. I tried adding my Samyang lens and CCD and EFW on top and that was too much.

Carole 

 

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4 minutes ago, carastro said:

I have an HEQ5 and an Esprit 100.  It's fine on it's own with a finderguider Atik CCD camera and EFW. 

But if I try to mount anything else on top, it's overweight.  i.e. I tried adding my Samyang lens and CCD and EFW on top and that was too much.

Carole 

 

Thanks Carole,

So assuming I would be fine with my evoguide 50ed, zwo120mm and zwo533mc pro therefore?

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20 minutes ago, carastro said:

I have an HEQ5 and an Esprit 100.  It's fine on it's own with a finderguider Atik CCD camera and EFW. 

But if I try to mount anything else on top, it's overweight.  i.e. I tried adding my Samyang lens and CCD and EFW on top and that was too much.

Carole 

 

I can confirm that the 100ED with usual astro gear is right on the limit. but useable.
When I bought mine and replaced my WO73 I could not balance with the CW right at end of the CW post and bought an extension which is not ideal.
I did not like the extension so ended up removing a few bits of extras that took it over the weight at which I could balance (mainy the adjustable SW Guidescope mount which is a great piece of kit but pretty weighty and not really needed for AP).

When I was getting the weight down I actually weighed everything myself so if of any use:

What is on top of mount:-

New Geoptic saddle and puck (replaces old saddle & puck so not too much difference) ------------    1.02 Kg

Losmandy Dovetail --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.67 Kg

Primaluce clamp used on Losmandy at top for safety  to stop rig sliding down when fitting to mount  0.29 Kg

Supplied Scope Clamps (420g each x2) ----------------------------------------------------------------      0.84 Kg

Esprit 100ED + Flattener + 20 mm spacer --------------------------------------------------------------     6.30 Kg

SX Filter wheel + filters ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.78 Kg

ASI 1600 MM Camera -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.43 Kg

Vixen Dovetail on top of Main Scope rings to mount guidescope to ---------------------------------      0.47 Kg

Guidescope, guidescope mount & Altair Guidescope -------------------------------------------------      0.85 Kg

TOTAL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     11.65 Kg

I didn't weight the dew bands and controller for these but they are not much.

This was after removing the adjustable SW guidescope mount.

Steve

 

Edited by teoria_del_big_bang
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45 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

I can confirm that the 100ED with usual astro gear is right on the limit. but useable.
When I bought mine and replaced my WO73 I could not balance with the CW right at end of the CW post and bought an extension which is not ideal.
I did not like the extension so ended up removing a few bits of extras that took it over the weight at which I could balance (mainy the adjustable SW Guidescope mount which is a great piece of kit but pretty weighty and not really needed for AP).

When I was getting the weight down I actually weighed everything myself so if of any use:

What is on top of mount:-

New Geoptic saddle and puck (replaces old saddle & puck so not too much difference) ------------    1.02 Kg

Losmandy Dovetail --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.67 Kg

Primaluce clamp used on Losmandy at top for safety  to stop rig sliding down when fitting to mount  0.29 Kg

Supplied Scope Clamps (420g each x2) ----------------------------------------------------------------      0.84 Kg

Esprit 100ED + Flattener + 20 mm spacer --------------------------------------------------------------     6.30 Kg

SX Filter wheel + filters ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.78 Kg

ASI 1600 MM Camera -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     0.43 Kg

Vixen Dovetail on top of Main Scope rings to mount guidescope to ---------------------------------      0.47 Kg

Guidescope, guidescope mount & Altair Guidescope -------------------------------------------------      0.85 Kg

TOTAL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     11.65 Kg

I didn't weight the dew bands and controller for these but they are not much.

This was after removing the adjustable SW guidescope mount.

Steve

 

Thanks Steve.

In my situation then I guess I will be roughly the same minus the primeluce clamps and filter wheel + filters so I should be just shy of the max payload. 

Oooo I don't know what to do! I think I need to stop over thinking it! 😆

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3 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Thanks for that info.  I briefly owned a 94 EDPH.  Is this an upgrade or a cost cutting measure by SharpStar , moving to EDPH?

Not quite sure. The only thing I've noticed is that the 107 is a FPL53 triplet whereas the glass types are no longer disclosed for the EDPH lineups.

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1 hour ago, Jonny_H said:

Thanks Steve.

In my situation then I guess I will be roughly the same minus the primeluce clamps and filter wheel + filters so I should be just shy of the max payload. 

Oooo I don't know what to do! I think I need to stop over thinking it! 😆

Its a great scope, and in years to come if looked after will command a good resale price.
And, I think without those bits you mention it will be well in.

I guess it's a matter of whether you think you will never upgrade your HEQ5. If you think you might (and also these are easily re-sellable bits of kit) then you can't go wrong.
It he HEQ5 is your forever mount (and for many it is as it is a great mount for AP) then still no reason not to but yo will have to just watch the other added bits but that's not difficult and perhaps not a bad thing. 

Also when I buy expensive bits of kit I think how sought after are they, if it is a bit of kit that many people would happily have then I always think that what I am actually spending is about 1/3 of the actual cost as it should hold around 2/3's their value (as things currently stand - of course could change) so instead of thinking I am spending £1,800 I would think of it as spending £600 and putting the rest to one side for now. 
I am not saying that is right but helps me feel a bit easier about the big spends.

Also most of all think can you afford it, really? 
If it is beyond what you can afford really then maybe wait till you can but for sure do not buy something and then wish you had waited and saved or just spent that extra bit of cash.  I have in the past and I always ended up buying what I really wanted eventually and then ended up loosing on the one I bought to begin with.

Hope it all works out 🙂 

Steve

Edited by teoria_del_big_bang
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3 hours ago, Jonny_H said:

How much does the APM weigh? I've seen a huge difference depending on which site you look at - from 5.7kg to 8.1kg 😲

Mine weighs about 6kg. The 5.7kg might be for the 2.5" version. I'm not quite sure about 8.1kg because even with the FTF3035 (it used to be an option), the difference can't be 2kg. Maybe APM have reduced the weight of the optical tube itself and the 8.1kg is the original version? I remember some of the older APM models were like bricks.

Edited by KP82
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2 minutes ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

Its a great scope, and in years to come if looked after will command a good resale price.

I guess it's a matter of whether you think you will never upgrade your HEQ5. If you think you might (and also these are easily re-sellable bits of kit) then you can't go wrong.
It he HEQ5 is your forever mount (and for many it is as it is a great mount for AP) then still no reason not to but yo will have to just watch the other added bits but that's not difficult and perhaps not a bad thing. 

Also when I buy expensive bits of kit I think how sought after are they, if it is a bit of kit that many people would happily have then I always think that what I am actually spending is about 1/3 of the actual cost as it should hold around 2/3's their value (as things currently stand - of course could change) so instead of thinking I am spending £1,800 I would think of it as spending £600 and putting the rest to one side for now. 
I am not saying that is right but helps me feel a bit easier about the big spends.

Also most of all think can you afford it, really? 
If it is beyond what you can afford really then maybe wait till you can but for sure do not buy something and then wish you had waited and saved or just spent that extra bit of cash.  I have in the past and I always ended up buying what I really wanted eventually and then ended up loosing on the one I bought to begin with.

Hope it all works out 🙂 

Steve

Thanks Steve,

I can't say I will never upgrade my HEQ5 Pro but for the time being I am going to keep it and use it.

My only reservation about upgrading the mount is the weight.......one of the reasons I picked the heq5 over the others was that I felt it hit the sweet spot between being light enough to lug about and sturdy enough to future proof me (to a degree).

Re: the cost - I have around the £2k mark so the 100ed + flattener comes in at just under that figure (I should have purchased before brexit) 😩

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On 03/03/2021 at 19:36, Jonny_H said:

Hi all,

As above - I have been having very bad thoughts as of late re: pressing the button to buy an Esprit 100ed.

My only reservation is my mount which is an unmodded HEQ5 Pro. Looking at my current accessories, with the Esprit I think i will be comfortably under the recommended max imaging payload of 11kg.....however I have read so many conflicting articles.

Currently my HEQ5 Pro is comfortably handling a 150PDS, evoguide 50ed, zwo120mm mini, zwo533mc Pro and asiair pro.

Can someone talk some sense into me - whether that is to man-up and buy the Esprit, or tell me that it is a ridiculous idea and walk away 😉

I tried running my esprit 100 on my heq5 pro, it did not work out for me and I get a used AZ eq6 GT to replace it with. I found it was limiting my exposure length and that I could not consistently guide under 1 arcsecond like I could with the 130pds on it. That resulted in stars slightly out or round, so it depends on how fussy you are and the size of your pixels. 

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10 hours ago, Adam J said:

I tried running my esprit 100 on my heq5 pro, it did not work out for me and I get a used AZ eq6 GT to replace it with. I found it was limiting my exposure length and that I could not consistently guide under 1 arcsecond like I could with the 130pds on it. That resulted in stars slightly out or round, so it depends on how fussy you are and the size of your pixels. 

Thanks Adam.

What equipment were you using on the HEQ5? Were you close to the maximum imaging payload, over it etc....?

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