Recommended diagonal for C6-S SCT?

[Jarndyce]

I've been told the supplied diagonal with the C6-S SCT is a bit ropey.

Seems to do the job, but if it improves the optics then I might consider getting a better quality one.

Can anyone tell me :

1). Is it worth upgarding?

2). What benefits would I see? Will it make a lot of difference?

3). Any recommendations for a replacement?

Thanks!

[ian_d]

I just got a Williams Optics 2" diagonal for my C6-S and it's terrific. Comes with the required SCT adaptor, so you can use it both on this scope and a refractor if you want to.

Makes the supplied diagonal look like a cheap toy, and makes an appreciable difference to the brightness of the images (I think at least!)

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/proddetail.php?prod=WOcfDielectric

Ian

[Jarndyce]

Cheers Ian

Sounds good.

I guess I'm resigned to handing over all my cash to the nice folks at FLO...

[John]

The William Optics ones are nice but there are a number of others about which are just as good IMHO and will save you a few £££'s, for example:

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Diagonal_Dielectric_99__Quartz_LX.html

I've used several brands of quality diagonals over the years including WO, Tele Vue Everbright and Revelation (who used to do a WO clone) and I've not noticed a performance difference between them TBH.

John

[Jarndyce]

Cheers John.

I want to use mine with both scopes, so I'm not sure I can do that with the revelation diagonal as it comes in either SCT threaded or 2" versions. The WO one can do both.

Will I notice a significant difference over my existing diagonal?

[John]

Will I notice a significant difference over my existing diagonal?

Probably not much TBH. I tested an expensive (£150) Tele Vue Everbright Dielectric diagonal back to back with a 20 quid diagonal a while back and the optical difference was almost undetectable to me at least. The Tele Vue was a lovely piece of engineering though - beautifully machined out of a single block of aluminum

Many people would advise that there are better things to spend big bucks on than high end diagonals.

Personally I do use a Tele Vue again now as I want a secure "home" for my heavy and expensive eyepieces. The brass compression rings that the better quality diagonals use hold eyepieces securely and don't mark the eyepiece barrels as much.

I used to use an Antares 2" SCT threaded diagonal on my old C8 SCT and that worked very well - they cost around £40 I think.

John