Skywatcher ED80 Espirit-your experience?

[TLundstrom]

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:thanx:

[xelasnave]

They are a cloud magnet.
Alex

[Slawomir]

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]

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/telescopes/exotic-refractors/sky-rover-ult-80-ed-glass-sextuplet-fully-flat-field-apo-astrograph-refractor-telescope.html

[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.

[tmz]

Love it

[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.

[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

[TLundstrom]

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

[TLundstrom]

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

[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!!!!

[garymck]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

Thanks scopey.
Alex

[xelasnave]

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]

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]

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

[xelasnave]

I will try the focuser end again and check my stars... Capricorn your day will be full of frustration and your plans unrealised.
Alex

[scopey]

xelasnave
Just to be clear, I come from an engineering background. I have built telescopes for my astro colleges, I would not take a hammer to a telescope with any kind of aggression. Looking from the rear of the scope you give it a light tap in the anti clock direction, (hit the pins that stand up from the ring) it should come loose. To use any kind of heat would tarnish and deface the scope.
scopey

[xelasnave]

Thanks scopey.
Alex

[Camelopardalis]

Alex, this is an image of the Esprit 80 focuser I scraped from the web and highlighted what I use to rotate my camera angle. This is why I think the captain's wheel is superfluous.

To loosen, turn the forward ribbed wheel clockwise (red arrow), and the rearward one anti-clockwise (green arrow). If the forward one won't turn, then it is at the end of its travel, just turn the rearward one.

Once rotated to your desired angle, rotate the forward one anti-clockwise to interface with the rearward one.

Note since this is forward of the flattener, there is no impact on your stars.

[xelasnave]

Hi Dunk
Yes that is what I adjusted.
Maybe my polar was way off.
I didnot get much time but lined it up using my time exposure method which could be off.
I will set up as you suggest next time out and see what I get once I have established good alignment.
Thank you for going to the time and trouble to help.
Alex

[xelasnave]

The scope is put away but I think the distance between the flattner and sensor was changed...anyways I will look at it again.
It hasnt stopped raining here but when and if it does I will look at it before I take the hammer to it.
Anyways at my stage of the game framing is the least of my concerns.Thanks again.
Alex

[Camelopardalis]

No worries Alex, hope you get imaging again soon :thumbsup:

It's lashing down here at the moment, but we need the rain...it's been a very dry summer.

[LewisM]

Dunk got it right. Just lock that ruddy capstan wheel and rotate with the black drawtube flanges.

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: I agree with Lewis and Dunk as well on this as I have one of these that was taken off a 120mm Esprit on my iStar 127mm f8 and that's what I do as well , loosen the front ring turn the diagonal or camera to the desired position and re-lock this works well .

Not a bad focuser after a little fiddling .

Brian,

[xelasnave]

Thank you Lewis and thank you Brian.
Alex