Stellarvue refractors

[beren]

Gday, anyone had experience with this brand ie : SV102ED doublet or SV4 triplet.... rarely see any mention here but Stellarvue refractors seem to garner a healthy respect for quality and service on the US forums. I didn't realise there was a Aussie agent for the brand (http://http://www.sdmtelescopes.com.au/shop/index.php?cPath=44) either, prices seem OK as well

[citivolus]

Price is comparable with direct import, which is a plus. They do seem to have a very large following over in the USA from people who would buy a WO scope if it was assembled in California. I'm not certain how much is just perceived quality with a political bias though.

There has been recent argument on Cloudynights suggesting a Chinese or Taiwanese origin of current SV optics, though.

[[1ponders]]

:shrug: Can't open your link Stuart.

http://www.sdmtelescopes.com.au/shop/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=4&products_id=89

Is this the one?

[beren]

:doh: Yeah Paul thats the site, the SV102 and SV4 have my interest :P

[Stephen65]

The SV102ED is the Stellarvue version of a Chinese made 102mm f/7 ED doublet OTA that a few telescope companies are selling under their own names - WO and Orion both have a version as well as SV. There has been great debate on the CN refractor forum as to what if any are the differences between the OTAs sold by the various companies. On the astromart refractor forum Roland Christen of Astrophysics claimed that they are all identical and are assembled and shipped as complete OTAs by the Chinese manufacturer. Reports on the scope indicate its excellent value for money.

The SV-4 is in a wholly different class, its a high quality APO triplet made by SV.