Any thoughts on the SW 80ED and SW EvoStar ED 72/420.

[Stellaris]

Hi, I own a SW 150P with a NEQ3-2 Pro (Goto). I’m still rather new to imaging but I find that it’s a pretty good beginner/intermediate imaging scope. However the long focal length does limit my FOV and composition quite a bit, so i’ve been looking at shorter focal length refractors for wider field imaging. Any opinions, feedback, or reviews on these two scopes (or other that are less than 800€) would really come a long way.
Thanks to all

[Ouroboros]

My experience of using the Evostar 80ED plus reducer/flattener (you’ll need one of those) for imaging with APS-C sized sensors in DSLR and later a ZWO2600 OSC camera has been mainly good.  The only real problem initially was with the focuser. It wasn’t beefy enough to support the weight of the reducer and camera when the scope was pointed at steeper angles. A bit of fettling on my part, and the addition of a SW motor drive cured that.

If I was buying a scope of similar spec and price range now I’d look into more recent offerings like the scopes made by  StellaMira for example. 

[Stellaris]

@Ouroboros thanks for the reply. Quick follow ups, what kind of targets did you manage to shoot at this focal length ? Also is your name a nod to Lego Ninjago XD?

[Ouroboros]

33 minutes ago, Stellaris said:

@Ouroboros thanks for the reply. Quick follow ups, what kind of targets did you manage to shoot at this focal length ? Also is your name a nod to Lego Ninjago XD?

The 510mm focal length (with reducer/flattener) and APS-C sized sensor is good for targets up to M31 galaxy (just) and the great nebula in Orion (easily).  It has a field of view of 2.64° x 1.76°.  It’s not good for really wide-field shots or specific targets like the Veil Nebulae, Heart and Soul Nebulae etc.   

You didn’t say what camera you have.  I wonder a slightly shorter focal length might complement the 750mm fl of your SW150P rather better than the ED80.

As for Lego Ninjago XD never heard of it, sorry.  The Ouroborus is the ancient symbol of infinity, the cycle of life, eternal renewal etc. represented as  a snake eating its tail.  I feel sometimes I’m chasing my own tail. 

[Stellaris]

@Ouroboros I have a Fujifilm x-t2

[Ouroboros]

OK. APS-C sized sensor then.  Do you see coma in the stars towards the edge of your images with that scope?  I do with my 200P. 

[Stellaris]

I’m not entirely sure what “coma” is. I’m still new to Astrophotography and have only taken a few shots of andromeda, the hercules globular cluster, and the North America nebula. (I’m still having trouble finding targets in the northern hemisphere than can fit in the composition of my scope).

 

[carastro]

I use both those scopes on a dual rig.

Work well.

[Ouroboros]

52 minutes ago, Stellaris said:

I’m not entirely sure what “coma” is. I’m still new to Astrophotography and have only taken a few shots of andromeda, the hercules globular cluster, and the North America nebula. (I’m still having trouble finding targets in the northern hemisphere than can fit in the composition of my scope).

 

It’s a common form of optical aberration with Newtonian reflectors in which stars appear elongated in the corners of the image. Zoom in to your images and see what the stars look like towards the edges and corners. You can get coma correctors for Newtonians.  Whether one is available for your telescope I’m not sure.

I use the planetarium App SkySafari to look for suitable targets on a night. You can input your equipment for the  app to display  a rectangular field of view over the target to see if it fits.
 

[Zermelo]

3 hours ago, Stellaris said:

I’m not entirely sure what “coma” is. I’m still new to Astrophotography and have only taken a few shots of andromeda, the hercules globular cluster, and the North America nebula. (I’m still having trouble finding targets in the northern hemisphere than can fit in the composition of my scope).

 

This page has pictures of some common aberrations:

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/understanding-optical-aberrations/

 

For a more technical explanation:

https://www.telescope-optics.net/coma.htm

[PhilB61]

I mainly use a 72ed with a aps-c sensor, with flattener but not reducer works really well, good framing of Horsehead and Flame, North Amercan Nebula, M42, Rosette M31 Plaides etc, as previously mentioned focuser only just able to hold when pointing straight up but does work and once focus set it can be locked. In last month I have just fitted a ZWO EAF, which has transformed the ease of accurate focusing using NINA auto focus routine.