AOE 80mm ED refractor question

[dugnsuz]

Hello all,
Visited the AOE site last night and saw their new 80mm ED refractor.
http://www.aoe.com.au/ed80.html

Looks like a chinese clone I've seen offered by other dealers around the traps. I emailed to enquire about a package without the EP and diagonal and was promptly emailed back by Raff.
AOE are offering the scope, rings/dovetail and case for $565!! Sounds good to me.(...that price isn't on their site yet)

I wondered if anyone has had any experience with this particular scope - pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.

Would the WO P-Flat 2 0.8x flattener/reducer work well with this scope??

All the best
Doug:thumbsup:

[cookie8]

Sounds very attractive.Even cheaper without the case?

[dugnsuz]

Not too sure - haven't enquired
Doug

[mick pinner]

l assume the reducer/flattener would work but the term extra low dispersion glass could mean anything, would be good to clarify exactly what glass it has.

[dugnsuz]

True Mick...
The AOE scope looks the same as this one for sale at My Astro Shop,

ProStar 80mm f/7 ED Apochromat OTA
http://www.myastroshop.com.au/products/details.asp?id=MAS-198

Nothing on their site specifying if it's FLP51 or 53 glass - any ideas?

Doug:thumbsup:

[mick pinner]

if they don't specify FLP-53 it is probably 51. l have been researching refractors in the 70-110mm range for a while and the majority seem reluctent to specify glass types but l have realised that FPL-53/51 is not straight forward, apparently the quality of both vary from one scope to another.
how you work around this l'm not sure.

[TrevorW]

Dougie

Visually spotting the difference between FPL-51 and 53 to us amatuers is miniscule also quality often depends on where the optics are made. The range of ED80's available is significant, personally if your budget can stretch go for a well known brand such as WO, Mergz, Borg, Stellarvue etc

or http://www.astronomics.com/main/product.asp/catalog_name/Astronomics/category_name/New%20Products/product_id/AT80LE

Cheers

:thumbsup:

[dugnsuz]

FYI
Received this from AOE re the glass used in these scopes...

"The glass used is actually FK61, theoretically the closest would be its
similar to the FPL51, but its performance is actually considered better
than scopes that use FPL51.
The closest example for your reference would be that these scopes are very
similar to the William Optics units."

Cheers
Doug

[TrevorW]

Some would argue that FK61 is not as good as Ohara FPL-51 but there is more to a scope than purely the optics, overall construction, fit, finish and reliability are issues to consider but whatever makes you happy in the end

:D

[dugnsuz]

This discussion is a bit academic for me now as I've just blown $400 on a Hutech IDAS LPS Front Filter for the 40D and crayford focuser for the guidescope:P, so a refractor will have to wait a little longer!
Doug:thumbsup:

[TrevorW]

$400 for a filter :eyepop:

:thumbsup:

[dugnsuz]

$300 for the filter
$100 for the crayford focuser
Doug:thumbsup: