OOUK new Newtonian Range

[Alan White]

I was glancing on the OOUK website and note a new arrival, odd colour but a nice revision on the cell design perhaps.

Anyone seen one in the wild?

[ONIKKINEN]

Quote from the site:
 

Quote

An aluminium tube allows the IDEAL telescopes to be fitted to mounts easily because of the lower weight involved.

Cant say i like that. To my eyes this looks like a VX scope with a new coat of paint, and a new focuser (which is a welcome addition, if better than the VX one that is). The aluminium tube in the VX series is quite frankly awful, and i will argue the worst component of the scope so if this is the same tube with another coat of paint then its not "ideal" (sorry, had to).

Also looking at the pictures posted on the site the mirror cell appears to be very similar to the VX cell, differing only in the way its attached to the tube (VX is held from the side with 3 screws with the mirror cell being completely inside the tube, this appears to be screwed to the back - otherwise, the actual mirror holding part looks the same). The flimsy and narrowly spaced tube rings are also the same as in the VX scopes. So just the focuser is brand new then? I will be cynical and say that this seems like an attempt at re-marketing the generally not well received VX series.

[Alan White]

Clearly Newts or OOUK are not of interest folks or bad timing on my post.
I will wait to see one at the PAS if OOUK are attending.

[Ags]

I am interested! Not in the market to buy one now though.

I note the optics are "smoother"?

Edited March 4 by Ags

[Stu]

It’s interesting to a degree, although the cynic in me thinks it’s likely more marketing driven than actual improvements. Not taken by the ‘Ideal’ branding either, I preferred the VX naming. Hope to be proved wrong when we see them in the wild.