Skywatcher 80ED Pro or 100ED Pro?

Discuss your refractor type scopes here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Jaq1967
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:13 am
4
Location: United Kingdom
Status:
Offline

Skywatcher 80ED Pro or 100ED Pro?

#1

Post by Jaq1967 »


Hello,

I am in the market for a Refractor for both visual and AP purposes, planetary and DSO. I currently have a Skywatcher Skymax 127, as well as a Skywatcher 150P Newton. I have a HEQ5 Pro mount.

I have been tossing up between one of the following:

Skywatcher Evostar 100ED DS Pro OTA (with 0.85 FR) @ £719.00
Skywatcher Evostar 80ED DS Pro OTA @ £464.00 - the FR is extra @ 179.00, bringing total cost up to £643.00

For the difference of £76.00 the 100ED sounds like a good deal. Yes, it would be 'slower' than the 80ED for imagining, but I would gain on the focal length as it would be somewhere in between what I already have with the 150P (150/750) and the Skymax 127 (127/1500). I am also looking to get away from Newtons as less bulky and less messing about setting up. Won't have the cool down period that one has with MAKs too.

So... which one??? Or... are there better options in the £500-£1000 price bracket???

Thanks

jaq1967
Telescopes: Altair Astro Starware 102ED-R, SW P150 reflector, SW SkyMax127 mak, Meade ETX90 mak, SW Startravel 80 Table Top Telescope
Mount: HEQ5-Pro, EQ3-2
Camera: Pentax K-50, Pentax K-70, Altair Hypercam 183C Pro TEC
Accessories: Various


Image
User avatar
jerrysykes United States of America
Jupiter Ambassador
Articles: 0
Online
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun May 19, 2019 5:30 pm
4
Location: Moneta Virginia
Status:
Online

TSS Photo of the Day

Re: Skywatcher 80ED Pro or 100ED Pro?

#2

Post by jerrysykes »


Hi jaq1967. I don't have an Evostar 100ED but I do have the 120ED and the 80ED. I picked up the 120 scope first and use it for AP. However, I wanted a scope that had a field of view large enough to image some of the larger DSOs such as M31. I found a used Skywatcher 80ED and .85 reducer which gives me a focal ratio of 6.3 and a much wider field of view than the 120 scope.

I have found that I tend to use the 80mm with or without the FR more than the 120mm. Both scopes are a lot of bang for the buck.

The 100mm as I recall has an F9 focal ratio and with the .85 reducer would be around F7.65 which is very close to the focal ratio of the 80mm without a reducer.
The 100mm scope with a 3x barlow should work nicely on planets.

As you know there is no perfect scope for every application but I think you would be very happy with either the 100ED or the 80ED.
I think if I were to have only one refractor I would go with the 100ED and reducer. Just my 2 cents worth.
Telescopes: Skywatcher120pro ED, Skywatcher80pro ED, Meade 8inch SCT, Orion ST80
Mounts: CGEM, AVX
Cameras: Atik 383 color, ZWO 224mc, Canon t5i,
Autoguider: Orion SSAG
Don Quixote
Articles: 0

Re: Skywatcher 80ED Pro or 100ED Pro?

#3

Post by Don Quixote »


I agree with Jerry here. Although I am not an "AP" guy I think that of the scopes you are looking at here the 100 is quite versatile. If it comes with the reducer at that price that sounds very good to me. It is equipped with AP attachments and has very generous focus parameters. You will need the camera adapter of course. The reducer will help for sure.
You will need longer exposure times than the 80.
I have the 100 and have found it to be well a corrected doublet.
DSO will take a bit more work. But if you are looking for a scope in this price point my experience is very good with the 100. It is a good "middle ground" for visual and basic AP.
I have shot the moon with a barlowed camera to good outcomes. It is very light and easy to balance.
That is my 2 cents regarding the choices you have presented.
User avatar
Jaq1967
Earth Ambassador
Articles: 0
Offline
Posts: 28
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2019 12:13 am
4
Location: United Kingdom
Status:
Offline

Re: Skywatcher 80ED Pro or 100ED Pro?

#4

Post by Jaq1967 »


Don Quixote wrote: Tue Aug 27, 2019 1:47 pm I agree with Jerry here. Although I am not an "AP" guy I think that of the scopes you are looking at here the 100 is quite versatile. If it comes with the reducer at that price that sounds very good to me. It is equipped with AP attachments and has very generous focus parameters. You will need the camera adapter of course. The reducer will help for sure.
You will need longer exposure times than the 80.
I have the 100 and have found it to be well a corrected doublet.
DSO will take a bit more work. But if you are looking for a scope in this price point my experience is very good with the 100. It is a good "middle ground" for visual and basic AP.
I have shot the moon with a barlowed camera to good outcomes. It is very light and easy to balance.
That is my 2 cents regarding the choices you have presented.
I have the Altair Astro Hypercam 183C Pro as my imager/camera with both the 2" and 1.25" nosepiece adaptors, so should be OK connecting to either one of these Refractors. I am definitely leaning towards the 100ED. As a package it seems very reasonable.
Telescopes: Altair Astro Starware 102ED-R, SW P150 reflector, SW SkyMax127 mak, Meade ETX90 mak, SW Startravel 80 Table Top Telescope
Mount: HEQ5-Pro, EQ3-2
Camera: Pentax K-50, Pentax K-70, Altair Hypercam 183C Pro TEC
Accessories: Various


Image
Post Reply

Create an account or sign in to join the discussion

You need to be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Not a member? register to join our community
Members can start their own topics & subscribe to topics
It’s free and only takes a minute

Register

Sign in

Return to “Refractor type Telescopes”