Price Rise Skywatcher

[Grease]

In my search for a new scope I was told by Adelaide Optical that Skywatcher were putting prices up on the 1st of the September.

I realise this may have been a sales pitch or is just the regular cycle.

Just thought I would I throw it out there to bring to the attention of anyone who is close to making a purchase so they could investigate it themselves. Might save a few bucks.

[Shark Bait]

Rob,

I have recently been involved with purchasing a few telescopes for a school and was aware that the prices would probably be rising soon. Even though the Sky Watcher and Saxon (Synta) come out of China direct to Australia, it seems their prices are pegged to the almighty American Dollar.

I would expect prices to rise in sympathy with the difference in the exchange rate but no higher.

Swings and round-a-bouts......

[Astro_Bot]

That sounds right. Depending on which direction the funds are going, one or other of the currencies will be converted to US Dollars first in order to exchange funds. That's usually handled transparently by the bank/credit card company when you're quoted the "cross rate", at least AFAIK.

[ManUtdFans]

Is Saxon Chinese brand?

[Shark Bait]

Yes Alan,

Saxon & Sky Watcher Dobs are essentially the same item, coming out of the same Chinese factory (Synta). If you placed a large enough order, I am certain that they would add your brand to their scopes as well. :)

I think GSO / Bintel Dobsonians (same animal) are made in Taiwan.

There is nothing wrong with the Synta made Dobsonians. The mirrors will not compete with the professional handmade exotics but they still do a great job. I doubt you would be disappointed with any of the above mentioned dobs.

[ManUtdFans]

Are other Sky Watcher scopes from China as well?
eg. SW 150/750, 150/1200?

[Camelopardalis]

Few (if any) of the mass-produced scopes are not from China these days.

Many of the expensive refractors are made in Japan/elsewhere though.

[Shark Bait]

I agree with Dunk.

As far as I know, all the Sky Watcher gear is coming out of China. Lots of amateur astronomers use and enjoy their scopes but if you have deeper pockets then you can purchase scopes made in USA, Japan or Europe.

[ManUtdFans]

What brands their scopes are made in USA, Europe or Japan?

[Camelopardalis]

Astro Physics, APM, Vixen, Takahashi...

[Steffen]

Intes-Micro...

[ManUtdFans]

Saxon & Sky Watcher are still regarded as non-Chinese brands or overseas brands, right?

[chiaroscuro]

Skywatchers are made in Taiwan/China. Doesn't mean they are poor quality - have a look at the reviews of their refractors.

[Camelopardalis]

Especially their refractors, but also their larger EQ mounts are pretty ubiquitous because of their performance and price. Don't tend to hear many complaints about their Dobs either :D

Incidentally, Skywatchers parent company Synta also owns Celestron, better known for the SCTs which are more complex and not so easy to make consistently well...but according to other sources, the product is consistently better now (with all their production now in China) than previous times.

[2stroke]

You guys forgot orion also slap there name on synta stuff like bintel does with gso's. Also tasco is owned by celestron or tasco owns celestron or something like that, but then synta owns or sells to them. Lol even meade took a wack at getting the Chinese to build there scopes as well as the mexicians, this didn't work out well with the LX80 hahah.

Anyhow it's only common sense that there would be a price hike because of the Australian dollar loosing value against all most all currency's not just the greenback, though that 57 triilion dollar debt is just the rope holding guillotines blade and its about to break.

[JB80]

I got excited for about two seconds when some big Skywatcher SCTs started appearing, things like the 9.25 and 11". Basically the same thing as the Celestrons but rebadged and slightly different, I think for the Asian market.
At first I thought Synta may be doing a good thing and making some SW SCTs at a slightly lower price, but no, they sold at the same price as the Celestron models give or take.

[LewisM]

Sadly, a lot of the Vixen refractors and many parts are now made in China by Synta too, but to a consistent QC standard required by Vixen. I personally will only buy the older Vixen items totally made IN Japan.

Synta makes Skywatcher, Saxon, Orion (USA). Orion also has stuff made by William Optics in Taiwan. Meade refractors are predominately North Group (China), as is Explore Scientific. Celestron are now Chinese. Guan Sheng (GSO) in Taiwan make a LOT of brand's items too.

If you do NOT want a Chinese made scope, be prepared to pay more, usually a LOT more.

Chinese scopes work well, but will, on average, take some tinkering to get just right.

[Derek Klepp]

I have the 16" Skywatcher DOB and for the money its a winner. When assembling it the one part I was most impressed with was the mirror.I have looked through several different types of Skywatcher scopes and honestly they are good value for money.

[mr bruess]

all this is due to basic economics.The labor is so much cheaper in china and taiwan.But the telescopes they produce are still good quality.
A big plus is making the telescopes cheaper for the masses and making astronomical equipment more affordable.
i remember when 12ich dobs were more than 2000 dollars.
And a vixen or Mizar 80mm acrhomat refractor were 1500 dollars or more outside a certain shop in the hunter connection in sydney in a display window in the early 90's