New Orion Optics OMC 185 announced

[Space Hopper]

Info below, and taking pre-orders.

Coming 2024. Sounds interesting......and the price is a lot closer to the OMC 140 than the OMC 200 thankfully.

https://www.orionoptics.co.uk/product/omc185-de-luxe-tube-assembly/

[John]

24 minutes ago, Space Hopper said:

Info below, and taking pre-orders.

Coming 2024. Sounds interesting......and the price is a lot closer to the OMC 140 than the OMC 200 thankfully.

https://www.orionoptics.co.uk/product/omc185-de-luxe-tube-assembly/

That could give a 160mm apo refractor a run for it's money at about 25% of the cost 🙂

Edited October 18, 2023 by John

[Mr Spock]

Looks very promising.

[Space Hopper]

Theres been a '200' model on ABS for getting on for 6 months now. Nobody wants to buy it so it seems. But a very niche type of telescope, with a 4 metre focal length.

I'm wondering if this new 185 model will have any active cooling or a provision to fit it ?

 

[JeremyS]

I wonder what Focusing method – Zero shift Vernier thumb scale

is exactly. I presume moves the mirror. It says it can be replace by R&P focuser.

[Stu]

26 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

I wonder what Focusing method – Zero shift Vernier thumb scale

is exactly. I presume moves the mirror. It says it can be replace by R&P focuser.

I owned an OMC200 for a while, and the focusing was by moving the mirror. There was no image shift at all, it worked very well if a little slow.

[Stu]

10 hours ago, Space Hopper said:

Theres been a '200' model on ABS for getting on for 6 months now. Nobody wants to buy it so it seems. But a very niche type of telescope, with a 4 metre focal length.

I'm wondering if this new 185 model will have any active cooling or a provision to fit it ?

 

Having had one yes, very niche. I never got the best out of mine for reasons I won’t go into here. This one looks less extreme and certainly much better priced.

[DirkSteele]

I note the two inch visual back is optional. Wonder if it vignettes using the full 2” field stop?

if it is usable that gives just shy of a max 1-degree field which isn’t terrible though not sure what the off axis performance would be like.

[Louis D]

3 hours ago, DirkSteele said:

I note the two inch visual back is optional. Wonder if it vignettes using the full 2” field stop?

Probably.  It would depend on the baffle sizes as well as the secondary size.  However, visually, you probably wouldn't notice it.

I would think cool down time would be an issue with using this scope as a G&G planetary scope when the clouds suddenly open up for a few minutes.  The description didn't mention anything about built in cooling fans and filtered ventilation ports.

[Mr Spock]

My old OMC-140 would just vignette with the 42mm LVW which has the largest field stop of any 2" eyepiece.

As this is primarily a planetary scope does it really matter?

[knobby]

looks very interesting but so does a Skywatcher 180 Mak for £1000, or am I missing something ? Build quality maybe ?

[dweller25]

Hmmmm, priced between the Skywatcher 180 pro and the Mewlon 180.

Take your pick ……

Or should that be pick your Tak 🤣

Edited October 19, 2023 by dweller25

[Concordia000]

On 19/10/2023 at 15:26, dweller25 said:

Hmmmm, priced between the Skywatcher 180 pro and the Mewlon 180.

Take your pick ……

Or should that be pick your Tak 🤣

With VAT included it should cost just as much as a Tak.

If the optics are equal, it might need less collimation vs the Tak, but on the flip side I can absolutely see that corrector plate defiled by the UK’s dew-happy weather.

[dweller25]

1 hour ago, Concordia000 said:

With VAT included it should cost just as much as a Tak.

If the optics are equal, it might need less collimation vs the Tak, but on the flip side I can absolutely see that corrector plate defiled by the UK’s dew-happy weather.

Oh yes, I forgot OO don’t include VAT, that’s advantage Mewlon then as they don’t dew up.

The collimation on my Mewlon 180 is still perfect at x308 - it’s been over two years since I last collimated it 👍

[JeremyS]

14 hours ago, Concordia000 said:

With VAT included it should cost just as much as a Tak.

If the optics are equal, it might need less collimation vs the Tak, but on the flip side I can absolutely see that corrector plate defiled by the UK’s dew-happy weather.

Mewlons hold their collimation very well. 

[Space Hopper]

Reactivating this thread again after a 6 month pause.....

 

I've not heard much more about the OMC 185, things seem to have gone a bit quiet there.

But what has caught my eye is that Orion optics are having a summer sale, with a 25% discount on their OMC, CT Newtonians & AG + ODK astrographs running from now till the end of June.

So a good saving on the new OMC 185.

Food for thought............

[John]

Summer sale, delivery ..... when ???? 

 

[stuy]

Hmmm 🤔 f14  35% obstruction? 

[Space Hopper]

47 minutes ago, John said:

Summer sale, delivery ..... when ???? 

 

Now till the end of June, John, i believe.

Put the coupon code in, and it will show the discount, which equates to roughly the vat and a bit more.

[Space Hopper]

40 minutes ago, stuy said:

Hmmm 🤔 f14  35% obstruction? 

Isn't that typical of a Gregory Mak design ? I'm not too sure , i'm no expert, but i think its comparable with the Synta 7" Maks, and als othe smaller OMC 140.

You could always opt for the OMC 200, which has a 22% secondary obstruction.........£££ 😵

[Stephenstargazer]

If the design, build quality and focuser are as good as the originsl OMC 140 then it may have promise. The Rumak Maksutov is very good at what it does well, but not exactly an all rounder. This never hurt the 7" Questar but there are a lot more Cassegrain competitors now!!!