Small refractor as grab n go /travelscope

[Joacim]

Hello,

I have been thinking about a complement to my 8" dobsonian.

The useage would be for visual only and be used for 2 things.

1. Grab and go at home. Quick unplanned observation at home, it often quite cold where I live and the dob take awhile to cool down.

2. to bring to my parents home when going there with the family, they live in bortle 2 sky and with the family packed in the car there is no room for the dobsonian.

I would most likely never fly with the scope so it don't have to been super small.

 

I have been thinking about a 72 mm or 80 mm apo refractor on a alt az mount.

 

I started to look at the Skywatcher Evostar line with the 72 mm ED and 80 ED.

The 72 mm is just 377 Euro and the 80 ED 889 euro, but then found the TS optics 80 mm for 489 euro.

Anyone got experience with the TS optics? It seems to be Telescope-Express own brand but cost 620 euro at their own site(?)

 

There is also this Vixen ed80sf for a bit cheaper then the Skywatcher 80.

https://www.astroart-store.com/product/4/sky-watcher-evostar-72ed-ds-pro-ota

https://www.astroart-store.com/product/1542/ts-optics-ed-apo-80-mm-f7-refractor-with-25-rp-focuser

https://www.astroart-store.com/product/873/vixen-ed80sf-refractor-telescope

https://www.astroart-store.com/product/9/sky-watcher-evostar-80ed

 

For mount I have been looking at the Vixen Porta II for 280 euro, any ideas?

 

Clear Sky's

 

 

[Pixies]

Ed Ting suggests the Vixen 80 and the Evostar 80 are the same scope:

 

I'm sure owners will comment below.

[KP82]

The reason that the TS Optics 80ED is cheaper on the website you listed than their own site is because you were looking at two different models. The cheaper one is a FPL51 doublet (also available under other brands including Altair, AT and Tecnosky) whereas the other is FPL53. According to most reviews I've read so far, the FPL51 should be colour free for visual. So if you've got no plan for imaging in the future, going with the cheaper model can save you substantial amount of money with no obvious loss of quality.

That particular model of vixen 80ed is produced in the factory as the SW 80ED I believe. If you want the "made in Japan" vixen, take a look at the SD81S which is quite a bit more expensive.

For the mount Scopetech Zero is another good option if you've got the budget for the Porta II, or AZ5 to save even more money.

[vlaiv]

1 hour ago, Joacim said:

but then found the TS optics 80 mm for 489 euro.

Anyone got experience with the TS optics? It seems to be Telescope-Express own brand but cost 620 euro at their own site(?)

I have their 80mm F/6 Apo and it is great little scope - I use it for imaging.

Do be careful - they have two different scopes - both called Photoline 80mm F/7.

One is with FPL51 and other is FPL53 glass. Both are doublet scopes.

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7169_TS-Optics-ED-APO-80-mm-f-7-Refractor-with-2-5--R-P-focuser.html

(500e without VAT)

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p8637_TS-Optics-Doublet-SD-Apo-80-mm-f-7---FPL-53---Lanthanum-Objective.html

(587e without VAT)

FPL53 is supposed to have better color correction - but I'm not sure how much of it you'll actually see if you use scope for visual. Difference can be seen when imaging, and there neither scopes is truly color free, but FPL53 version does have less blue halo around stars (almost none).

If you want very cheap 80mm ED doublet scope - then have a look at this:

https://www.svbony.com/sv503-80ed-f7-doublet-telescope/

I think it is the same glass as that TS80 FPL51 one (might be the same scope branded differently).

 

[davhei]

I have the TS 80mm f6 triplet with fpl53 glass and use it solely for visual to complement my 10” dob.  Have it on a SW AZ5 mount and Berlebach Report 212 tripod.

Really like the setup and how it complements the larger scope. It provides surprisingly satisfying views when used from a good dark site.

Edit: I considered the doublets that @vlaiv mentions but went with the triplet in the end. Main reason was the focal length and my criterion to be able to fit the east and west veil in the same field of view using my existing eyepieces. Which it does. Barely.

Edited December 30, 2021 by davhei

[RobertI]

If the 8” dob and the G&G refractor are to be your only scopes (sorry I can’t see your sig in mobile view)  I’d be tempted to go for something a bit bigger than 80mm if you can. The 102ED with FPL51 glass is a great buy IMO and would sit nicely on the AZ4 for example. Total price less than £700 but may be above your budget? My 102 cools very quickly and is extremely versatile, able to fit in the whole Veil complex and do high viewing of planets moon and sun. 

[Louis D]

It's going to depend on your tolerance of false color which way to go.  A regular short tube achromat is okay for dim DSOs but terrible for bright solar system objects.  An FPL-51 doublet would be the most cost effective G&G scope.  It will be nearly color free except at high powers.  An FPL-53 doublet will improve this a bit, but at a cost.  I would avoid triplets because of their extended cool down time.  Going from 70/72mm to 100/102mm greatly increases the tube size and mounting requirements, so be aware of this.

[Joacim]

On 30/12/2021 at 16:11, KP82 said:

The reason that the TS Optics 80ED is cheaper on the website you listed than their own site is because you were looking at two different models. The cheaper one is a FPL51 doublet (also available under other brands including Altair, AT and Tecnosky) whereas the other is FPL53. According to most reviews I've read so far, the FPL51 should be colour free for visual. So if you've got no plan for imaging in the future, going with the cheaper model can save you substantial amount of money with no obvious loss of quality.

That particular model of vixen 80ed is produced in the factory as the SW 80ED I believe. If you want the "made in Japan" vixen, take a look at the SD81S which is quite a bit more expensive.

For the mount Scopetech Zero is another good option if you've got the budget for the Porta II, or AZ5 to save even more money.

Thanks for the clarification, I looked really hard at the specs but couldn't see the difference.

I'n not going to buy another scope just yet, but all your input is really helpful, thanks