Skywatcher ED80 Espirit-your experience?

TLundstrom · #1 20-02-2018, 02:25 PM

Thinking of buying a Skywatcher ED80 Espirit for wide field astrophotography and just wanted to hear from others your experiences good and bad.
I am looking to buy a good quality 80mm refractor, what do you think is best?

Thanks

xelasnave · #2 20-02-2018, 06:59 PM

They are a cloud magnet.
Alex

Slawomir (Suavi) · #3 20-02-2018, 07:11 PM

While on the topic of quality, CFF has a limited edition of 80mm f6.9 triplets build around fpl 53, with dedicated field corrector. They come with 2.5" FTF. These are constructed one by one and hand aspherised. There are also still a few 92mm f/6 units available for ordering as far as I know.

There are cheaper options, but you mentioned quality...

EDIT: I think an ultimate around 80mm refractor for imaging would have to be FSQ-85. Another significantly cheaper alternative could be TS-Optics-86SDQ - apparently it has a 60mm corrected circle...

Striker (Tony) · #4 20-02-2018, 07:36 PM

I was going to get the Esprit 80 to go with my Esprit 120 for a portable set up but went for the Sky Rover 80mm Sextuplit for about the same proce as the esprit, build quality is excellent and far better focuser...yet to test image quality out in the field. a 80mm F4.4 with large flat field is just what I wanted.
https://www.astronomyalive.com.au/te...telescope.html

Wavytone · #5 20-02-2018, 09:39 PM

There are a LOT of cheap 80mm APO refractors to choose from:

- Skywatcher,
- Orion,
- CFF,
- Explore Scientific,
- Teleskop-Express,
- Stellavue,
- APM,
- SkyRover,
- AliExpress (if you want to go very cheap)....

The 70-120mm market is very crowded, and it will thin out, IMHO. Many are clearly from the same source in China, rebadged; the only real difference being which focusser is fitted and the label.

Notably absent are the long-term players such as LZOS and AP.

tmz (Tim) · #6 20-02-2018, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xelasnave

They are a cloud magnet.
Alex

Love it

casstony · #7 21-02-2018, 09:24 AM

The Esprit 80 I owned had very nice optics and a filter could be mounted inside the flattener adapter. The focuser lock had to be partly engaged in order to hold weight, though it was still easy to use in that fashion. Skywatcher Australia after sales service/warranty is decent if you do have any problems with the scope.

The Esprit 80 is good for APS-C; if you want to cover full frame you'd need to go up to an Esprit 100. I recall reading that the 100 did not have an internal mount for a filter.

scopey (Les) · #8 21-02-2018, 12:10 PM

I own an Espirit ed 80 and from an optical point of view can't fault it. I also own a tsa 102 Tak, and find it very hard to see the difference. Stars in the ed 80 are as good as I have seen nice and tight. I have tested it out on doubles with an eyepiece combo 5mm radian + 2 times Ultima barlow and what a beautiful airy disc, still nice and tight. Don't like the captains wheel though. My focuser is excellent. I have owned telescopes since the age of 14 I am now 74.

scopey

TLundstrom · #9 22-02-2018, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scopey

I own an Espirit ed 80 and from an optical point of view can't fault it. I also own a tsa 102 Tak, and find it very hard to see the difference. Stars in the ed 80 are as good as I have seen nice and tight. I have tested it out on doubles with an eyepiece combo 5mm radian + 2 times Ultima barlow and what a beautiful airy disc, still nice and tight. Don't like the captains wheel though. My focuser is excellent. I have owned telescopes since the age of 14 I am now 74.

scopey

Thank you for your experienced appraisal, I was thinking the Espirit would be far inferior to a Tak

TLundstrom · #10 22-02-2018, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casstony

The Esprit 80 I owned had very nice optics and a filter could be mounted inside the flattener adapter. The focuser lock had to be partly engaged in order to hold weight, though it was still easy to use in that fashion. Skywatcher Australia after sales service/warranty is decent if you do have any problems with the scope.

The Esprit 80 is good for APS-C; if you want to cover full frame you'd need to go up to an Esprit 100. I recall reading that the 100 did not have an internal mount for a filter.

Yes I am using a FF Canon DSLR and your comment highlighted the consideration I need to look for.

TLundstrom · #11 22-02-2018, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wavytone

There are a LOT of cheap 80mm APO refractors to choose from:

- Skywatcher,
- Orion,
- CFF,
- Explore Scientific,
- Teleskop-Express,
- Stellavue,
- APM,
- SkyRover,
- AliExpress (if you want to go very cheap)....

The 70-120mm market is very crowded, and it will thin out, IMHO. Many are clearly from the same source in China, rebadged; the only real difference being which focusser is fitted and the label.

Notably absent are the long-term players such as LZOS and AP.

There sure are a lot of makes out there that all look very similar and offer similar features.
Apart from the Skywatcher Espirit range, I have been looking at the Stellavue and Astro-Tech astrographs. Done my head in!!!!

garymck (Gary) · #12 22-02-2018, 06:34 AM

I've looked through Scopey's Esprit 100 and absolutely agree with his assessment. So much so that I bought an Esprit 100. I used to also own a Tak, and I simply am unable to see any difference in the views. I am now saving for an Esprit 150 (gonna take a while ......)
cheers
Gary

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #13 22-02-2018, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TLundstrom

There sure are a lot of makes out there that all look very similar and offer similar features.
Apart from the Skywatcher Espirit range, I have been looking at the Stellavue and Astro-Tech astrographs. Done my head in!!!!

Note that the Esprit is made by Skywatcher and sold only by Skywatcher. It is not rebadged and sold as any other brand.

For a full frame DSLR you will need the 100 as it has the larger imaging circle. I’ve been imaging with my Esprit 100 for 3 years now and am very happy with its performance.

Marke (Mark) · #14 22-02-2018, 10:58 AM

What everyone else has said it's a very good scope and Starlight instruments do a micro focuser motor for it which is not cheap but superb

xelasnave · #15 22-02-2018, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scopey

I own an Espirit ed 80 and from an optical point of view can't fault it. I also own a tsa 102 Tak, and find it very hard to see the difference. Stars in the ed 80 are as good as I have seen nice and tight. I have tested it out on doubles with an eyepiece combo 5mm radian + 2 times Ultima barlow and what a beautiful airy disc, still nice and tight. Don't like the captains wheel though. My focuser is excellent. I have owned telescopes since the age of 14 I am now 74.

scopey

Hi Les or should I call you scopey?
You mention the captains wheel could you explain how ir works.
I gather you can rotate things via it but I have left my manual behind ...does it turn by itself or do you need to loosen anything.
I would like to rotate my camera but dont want to do anything until I know more.
Alex

scopey (Les) · #16 22-02-2018, 11:57 AM

xelasnave.
The captains wheel is the unit you loosen to get the camera angle. The thread on mine is a little bit grabby, so when I am observing I loosen the star diagonal screws. So you loosen the ring that looks like a captain wheel, it's a silver color, it might be a bit tight, I loosened mine with a soft hammer. Hope this helps.
scopey

xelasnave · #17 22-02-2018, 12:42 PM

Thanks scopey.
Alex

xelasnave · #18 22-02-2018, 07:42 PM

I have been thinking about hitting the captains ring with a soft hammer and I really dont feel comfortable doing that...
Does anyone have a different suggestion?
A little wd 40?
Heating it?
The Skywatcher folk went to great trouble to make a neat case to reduce shock to the scope so hitting it with a hammer seems to go against that.
Any views?
Alex

Camelopardalis (Dunk) · #19 22-02-2018, 09:59 PM

Does the 80 not have the black ridged rotator at the end of the focuser? That’s what I use on my 100 when I want to rotate the camera. The Captain’s wheel has been touched once and I realised what a daft idea it was...

xelasnave · #20 23-02-2018, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

Does the 80 not have the black ridged rotator at the end of the focuser? That’s what I use on my 100 when I want to rotate the camera. The Captain’s wheel has been touched once and I realised what a daft idea it was...

Well I tried rotating the camera on the end you suggest but my stars went off...they became a little elongated.
The only captures I made up here only 40 at 30 seconds before the clouds came and never left...and when I cheched the stars were off...so I put the camera back to where it was...I have been under a cloud ever since.
It seemed the captains wheel was the way to go but I cant budge it.
Scopey said use a soft hammer but I would like a gentler approach if available.
Alex