best "cheap'ish" small ED Refractor for a newbie imaging

[wesdon1]

Hi all, just throwing this out there to see what people recommend. I am after a new small refractor, preferably an ED or possibly Triplet Refractor, and was looking at this one. It's an ED Doublet, retailing in FLO for £325, which is the cheapest I can find it. To my newbie eyes it looks gorgeous and great quality. Am I mistaken? Is it worth the money? I am swaying towards small Refractors because they're much more forgiving with the tracking, being relatively wide-field FOV etc. Any advice will be very much appreciated! Thanks!

[StevieDvd]

Yes in person they are really good quality. For an SGL review see here. Just search for Evolux as there are other threads on the 82ED as well.

I have one but have not used it too much, a few visual sessions where it was sharp and clear, no chromatic fringe detected by me.

Cloudy nights seem to have decided this is not 'proper' glass as it's not listed in the specifications.  There is no rotator on the focuser, this comes with the expensive focal flatter/reducer, and the handle is extra.

I went for a William Optic Z61 with flattener for my imaging sessions, with the Evolux as visual standby (and possibly white light solar) duties.

[wesdon1]

23 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

Yes in person they are really good quality. For an SGL review see here. Just search for Evolux as there are other threads on the 82ED as well.

I have one but have not used it too much, a few visual sessions where it was sharp and clear, no chromatic fringe detected by me.

Cloudy nights seem to have decided this is not 'proper' glass as it's not listed in the specifications.  There is no rotator on the focuser, this comes with the expensive focal flatter/reducer, and the handle is extra.

I went for a William Optic Z61 with flattener for my imaging sessions, with the Evolux as visual standby (and possibly white light solar) duties.

Thank You for your excellent advice and links etc @StevieDvd  I actually noticed that the flattener was very expensive! And the rotator issue, that could be a problem too! So again thank you for pointing that out to me Steve! 

I am sure the Evolux 62ED does indeed have "proper" Glass? It definitely looks the part!

Those WO Refractors look amazing, like a work of art, I will look into them too, I had forgotten to include them in my search and considerations! 

Thanks again Steve! 

*I've just read the full review. The images look great, and one image was 600seconds, and the colour balance looks great. Before I make any final decisions, I want to explore the possibility of getting a WO though, for reasons above plus they're great quality optics etc.

Thanks again for your help and advice Steve! 

Wes

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by wesdon1
update

[StevieDvd]

Be aware that the prices of William Optics scopes seem to vary between dealers,  RVO & 365Astronomy seem to be cheaper at the moment, don't know if FLO are price matching them. I presume it's because of the price rises and the cost of the existing stock held by some were old prices.

For a triplet have a look at SharpStar 61EDPH Mk II ED Triplet

 

[mikeDnight]

I'm no imager but I'm sure there are several on SGL that might give a thumbs up for the SW 72ED. 

Pics attached were taken by holding my phone camera to the eyepiece, and looking through double glazing.

 

 

[wesdon1]

On 05/01/2023 at 13:59, mikeDnight said:

I'm no imager but I'm sure there are several on SGL that might give a thumbs up for the SW 72ED. 

Pics attached were taken by holding my phone camera to the eyepiece, and looking through double glazing.

 

 

Thanks for the comments and pics @mikeDnight. On another subject, the second I seen you had the 'scope setup at a window overlooking residential homes, I was reminded of the fun poked at me by friends and family, when I first got my big ( for me ) 8 inch reflector telescope, and I was testing it's optics during the day by looking out a window, and I could literally see the time on a clock on a living room wall, through the windows of a Highrise flat, roughly 1.5 - 2 miles away! They were teasing me saying "Oh c'mon Wes! You are looking at woman getting undressed aren't you!" haha I was totally mortified because I was extremely conscious of the fact I could accidentally see something I don't want to ( Honestly! lol ). What surprised me though, was almost anyone I told about the amazing optical abilities of my new scope, they would almost instantaneously bring up the subject of peeping toms, as they're called!? Are peeping toms much more prevalent than I naively believed!? lol. 

Anyway sorry for the short story, I just couldn't help but share that funny story! 

For the record, yes I DO still occasionally look at that clock in the living room of that flat in the distance, but I strictly limit it to a brief look, just to gauge my optics, and as yet I've never seen even a person through that window, never mind a woman, just the clock and wallpaper! ( maybe if and when I see a woman, or God forbid a naked woman, that would frighten me and drastically alter my calculous!? lol )

Wes, Liverpool ( Bortle 7 )

 

[mikeDnight]

51 minutes ago, wesdon1 said:

Thanks for the comments and pics @mikeDnight. On another subject, the second I seen you had the 'scope setup at a window overlooking residential homes, I was reminded of the fun poked at me by friends and family, when I first got my big ( for me ) 8 inch reflector telescope, and I was testing it's optics during the day by looking out a window, and I could literally see the time on a clock on a living room wall, through the windows of a Highrise flat, roughly 1.5 - 2 miles away! They were teasing me saying "Oh c'mon Wes! You are looking at woman getting undressed aren't you!" haha I was totally mortified because I was extremely conscious of the fact I could accidentally see something I don't want to ( Honestly! lol ). What surprised me though, was almost anyone I told about the amazing optical abilities of my new scope, they would almost instantaneously bring up the subject of peeping toms, as they're called!? Are peeping toms much more prevalent than I naively believed!? lol. 

Anyway sorry for the short story, I just couldn't help but share that funny story! 

For the record, yes I DO still occasionally look at that clock in the living room of that flat in the distance, but I strictly limit it to a brief look, just to gauge my optics, and as yet I've never seen even a person through that window, never mind a woman, just the clock and wallpaper! ( maybe if and when I see a woman, or God forbid a naked woman, that would frighten me and drastically alter my calculous!? lol )

Wes, Liverpool ( Bortle 7 )

 

I've never tried looking into people's houses except for focusing on the occasional light bulb. I have a great view of Pendle Hill from my home, and I like to count just how many crazy people walk along it's top on a bitterly cold winters day. I have wondered however, just how many astronomers might be looking at me, so to discourage that I'll often iron my clothes while stood in the window overlooking the town. Only the desperate or criminally insane would want to watch a 60 year old man ironing, while dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts.

[wesdon1]

1 minute ago, mikeDnight said:

I've never tried looking into people's houses except for focusing on the occasional light bulb. I have a great view of Pendle Hill from my home, and I like to count just how many crazy people walk along it's top on a bitterly cold winters day. I have wondered however, just how many astronomers might be looking at me, so to discourage that I'll often iron my clothes while stood in the window overlooking the town. Only the desperate or criminally insane would want to watch a 60 year old man ironing, while dressed in nothing but his boxer shorts.

Haha it honestly wouldn't surprise me if there was atleast ONE weirdo who likes to look at 60yr old men ironing!? haha! I like watching documentaries about crime, and it never ceases to astonish me what some nutters are into!? You lose your faith in humanity! lol. Back to more normal things, it does still amaze me the resolution you have with an 8 inch telescope, able to tell the time on a clock almost 2 miles away!? I read online that even with a 2 inch aperture telescope, you can resolve a 10p coin from hundreds of metres away!? Incredible!