Orion Express 80 - what a little beast

h0ughy (David) · #1 26-11-2005, 03:51 PM

Firstly I will give Kudos where Kudos is deserved

. The company that manufactures the WO and the Orion versions of these has done a beautiful Job on them. They are beautiful!! And as a package wit hthe case etc, its worth every penny. Mick P has the WO version and if you have read his report on his you will get value and bang for bucks out of the Orion version. I picked up a 2" 97% WO diagonal for 95 US.
It as smooth focusing, that is rotatable, it looks fantastic and last Night I gave it its first light after 10.30.

Sinmply

awesome!! I had a WO 97% diagonal, and a russian 2" 25mm 82 degree field of view eyepiece. It is awesome (can I say that word enough

).

The M45 was a treat, and I could have fitted it twice in the field of view, Orion, well the three stars at the bottom of the belt were in the field of view, and the view of the great neb was breathtaking, but given the apature size, not sprawling swirls of nebulousity (its no 12" SCT). i sized up some brighter stars and they were pinpoint, no hint of any halos and I observed no false colour! i will add here I am not colour blind nor do i wear my glasses all the itme either

. Venus was unfortunately out of my view even though it was stil up.

Mars was very red definite disc, the SMC and the LMC were breathtaking, even in the city skies

.

I will post some pictures later, but this is a must have scope. You would not be complete without this little beauty. i will do some photography through it later, I still have to adjust the mount bar on the EQ6, Oh and its my wedding anniversary night, so its bound to be black as with clear skies and excellent seeing

Bye dear

also note I got a great deal and price from BINTEL

so ask them nicely and go and buy one for chrissy!

33South (Chris) · #2 26-11-2005, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

also note I got a great deal and price from BINTEL so ask them nicely and go and buy one for chrissy!

Sounds good value, I spent quite a time trying to decide between the express and the ED80, settled for the ED80 in the end. It would be interesting to compare photos between them using the same high quality camera, oh say a Pentax *istDS

P.S. I dont mind being called chrissy - honestly

Chris

acropolite (Phil) · #3 26-11-2005, 04:16 PM

h0ughy, is it a heavy scope, how would it piggyback on an LX???

RB (Andrew) · #4 26-11-2005, 04:39 PM

What did I tell you?

Glad you're happy with it Dave.

davidpretorius · #5 26-11-2005, 04:46 PM

aaarrrrrrgggghhh,

stop, it there is 500 letter limit to my signature and you buggas keep temptinig me with must haves!!!!

stop it stop it stop it.

..............so where can i buy one!!!!!

h0ughy (David) · #6 26-11-2005, 04:47 PM

Now pardon the drool and the fingerprints but have a look at these shots of the scope, two sample shots though it and comparison shots with a 18-125mm lens

h0ughy (David) · #7 26-11-2005, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

h0ughy, is it a heavy scope, how would it piggyback on an LX???

Should be OK, but I have the 12" Phil

h0ughy (David) · #8 26-11-2005, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33South

. It would be interesting to compare photos between them using the same high quality camera, oh say a Pentax *istDS

P.S. I dont mind being called chrissy - honestly

Chris

Well Chrissy

,

I will endeavour to give it a go as soon as I mount the begger on the EQ6, I hope to sneak out tonight, I might try the pleades and orion

avandonk · #9 26-11-2005, 05:03 PM

Very nice h0ughy if you ask nicely will send you a focal reducer to try out.Even a 0.8 focal reducer would make it a 384mm F4.8.I cant guarantee it will be gold plated to match.
Again very nice.

Bert

Stu · #10 26-11-2005, 05:04 PM

No arguments from me!

Good choice Hewy.

I have found though, that if you want to really push the scope to it's limits (ie. expect it to perform like an APO) you need to use Panoptics. Cheaper eyepieces and even some other TeleVue types don't star test well near the egde of the FOV in this scope. I haven't tried any pentax's yet.

The really excellent thing is that it seems that the build quality is excellent from scope to scope. Me and Dave47Tuc put neilzstar's scope and mine side by side and put them through there paces. The images were identical.

Good stuff!

h0ughy (David) · #11 26-11-2005, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avandonk

Very nice h0ughy if you ask nicely will send you a focal reducer to try out.Even a 0.8 focal reducer would make it a 384mm F4.8.I cant guarantee it will be gold plated to match.
Again very nice.

Bert

how does that work Bert, ie does it just slip in to the rear or attach to the eyepiece?

Miaplacidus (Brian) · #12 26-11-2005, 05:35 PM

Congratulations, H0ughy,

I remember when you were asking about this scope. I'm curious: how many baffles does it have?

Cheers,

Brian.

h0ughy (David) · #13 26-11-2005, 08:09 PM

some future uses photos, just imagine the possibilities

[1ponders] (Paul) · #14 26-11-2005, 09:28 PM

Very nice h0ughy. Expecting great things from you now.

I gather the shots above were taken with your pentax? If so check out the first image on the second row. Looks like you've got some dust on your image train somewhere. Right smack in the middle. Time to get out that fancy digital camera lens pen

h0ughy (David) · #15 26-11-2005, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Very nice h0ughy. Expecting great things from you now.

I gather the shots above were taken with your pentax? If so check out the first image on the second row. Looks like you've got some dust on your image train somewhere. Right smack in the middle. Time to get out that fancy digital camera lens pen

Thnaks Paul, I did notice that. Time for the supa PEn!

Orion · #16 26-11-2005, 09:43 PM

I was very impressed when I seen it last night Houghy,
Congratulations.

h0ughy (David) · #17 26-11-2005, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orion

I was very impressed when I seen it last night Houghy,
Congratulations.

Yes and I tested it out when I got home. But tonight, its overcast with high cloud

janoskiss (Steve H) · #18 26-11-2005, 11:54 PM

Houghy, so you're not buying my ED80?

Let us know how good colour correction is with the little beast.

h0ughy (David) · #19 27-11-2005, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janoskiss

Houghy, so you're not buying my ED80?

Let us know how good colour correction is with the little beast.

the first time I had it out I was very happy, we shall see over the next few weeks!

I think you sorta figured out I wanted a scope "now" and you were not willing to part with it ASAP. So next best option.

I don't think you will have problems with selling yours

avandonk · #20 27-11-2005, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0ughy

how does that work Bert, ie does it just slip in to the rear or attach to the eyepiece?

Show me from the focusser back with dimensions.Focal reducers are for astrophotography to get a wider field.I have had focal reducers working fine with the 20D to reduce a 500mm F5 to a 320mm F3.25.I know I have an obsession with small F numbers,but we all need a hobby.
I would not recommend a focal reducer for visual unless it is mild for the simple reason the exit pupil would be larger than your dark adapted iris.So it would be a waste of good light.

Bert