Orion® Express™ 80mm Rich-Field Refractor - any opinions on this item

[h0ughy]

has anyone bought one of these yet? If so what are they like?
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""Orion® Express™ 80mm Rich-Field Refractor
There’s a lot to love about the Express 80. It has exceptionally good short-focal-length optics in a form factor that lends itself perfectly to wide-field stargazing and astrophotography, terrestrial viewing, and travel. Whether it’s your only scope or a second scope, it will be the one that gets used most often, for sure!

The Express 80 exudes quality in every detail, from the masterfully machined 2" Crayford-type focuser with its mirror-chrome wheels, to the retractable dew shield that shades a fully multi-coated, semi-apochromatic 80mm doublet lens of 480mm focal length (f/6.0). The focuser is fully rotatable and includes a 1.25" adapter. Pretapped holes accept an optional Orion finder scope dovetail mount (#7214). The removable 1/4"-20 mounting adapter couples the scope to any photo tripod or telescope mount equipped with a corresponding threaded post.

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[iceman]

I've spoken with Michael at Bintel about them.. Apparently they're very similar to the 80mm ED, but not as good colour correction. They also have a shorter focal length, therefore a wider field of view.

For the price, they seem pretty good.

[Stu]

It's the same scope as the W.O. Zenith Star 80. Different color though (Black) and suprisingly a bit cheaper in Australia from what I have seen so far...

The color correction isn't as good as the ED80 because it is a much shorter focal length, it's still pretty good though. It will give a wider field of view and the focuser kicks the ED80's arss. I wouldn't say that it's a better scope just different. The ED80 will do planets better.

[33South]

I checked out both at Bintel recently and opted for the ED80 for two reasons.
Longer focal length and better colour correction, the express is only semi-apo whatever that means.

No three reasons its about half the weight, I think the express is cast iron.:lol:

[mick pinner]

l had the Orion ED80 as you know and l sold it and then bought the Zenithstar 80 l'm not sure whether the Orion Express is the Zenithstar copy or the Megrez copy but if it is the Zenithstar then it is every bit as good as the ED80, in my opinion certainly no more colour than the ED, if it's the Megrez copy they have had a lot of optical problems.

[h0ughy]

yes the focuser mechinism has my attention. My questions now relate to the buid quality and the optics, it is a pity you can't just borrow one to evaluate.

[h0ughy]

Mick your a modern wonder mate ;) , you almost got me totally confused. I wonder if there are reviews on the scopes

[h0ughy]

Ok never having owned one of these, what is the color correction like in both scopes?

[seeker372011]

I love my ED 80, it is the perfect scope for a beginning imager and teams well with a DSLR

downsides: bit of coma and lots of reports on the net about poor collimation..fixable though

[h0ughy]

is that with one of those Violet filters?

[Starkler]

Coma at f7.5 ?

I have an Orion ed80 and I only see colour on the brightest of objects at high mag, no violet filter.

[seeker372011]

Yes around the edges of the image..quite noticeable, but usually can be cropped

No violet filter

[Stu]

The Orion express is not the Megrez copy. The Megrez is 500mm FL at F6.25, the Orion Express and ZenithStar 80 are 480mm FL at F6... I'm convinced that they are the same scope.

[Miaplacidus]

My 2 cents worth.

The Orion is probably a Zenithstar copy. The vendors say that, even though the Zenithstar is F6, it is better colour corrected than the Megrez F6.25. Probably this is on account of the Zenithstar's much superior baffling (15 vs 7 in the Megrez, I think). If you're looking at the Orion, I'd definitely be looking to see that they didn't crimp on the baffles.

Cheers,

Brian.

[h0ughy]

Thanks for that Brian :) . It would be good to have some better images of the scope. Might go trawling the Net for them now.

[h0ughy]

this is where the scope first was made
http://www.longperng.com.tw/product_in2.asp?id=382
and cloudy nights is harsh on the scope
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/513021/Main/497269

[h0ughy]

It is very interesting that the supplier can be found, normally it is very difficult to locate the source of the scopes. I don't know if WO do their own objective lenses and baffling, (Mick Pinner what do you think you have one of these?)

[h0ughy]

in comparison with the Williams optics scope they do look very similar

[Stu]

W.O. don't do all their lenses. In fact I think they will be very careful from now on since the Megrez copped a beating. The lastest 80mm APO (the Megrez replacement) objective lens is mabe by TMB who are just about the best at it, so I expect it to be as good you can get without being oil spaced flourite.

Remember that the Z.S. 80 is only a doublet. The ED80 can get away with it because the focal length is longer. Check out the review on the Z.S. 80 in June issue of AS&T, the SAME GUY reviewed the ED80 a few issues earilier in S&S.

[h0ughy]

this is a reply email i recieved from the original manufacturer. nO I am not going into business :P


From: LP-maggie [mailto:maggie@longperng.com.tw]
Sent: Friday, 21 October 2005 3:49 PM
To: David Hough
Cc: David Hough (adsl)
Subject: RE: D80 F480 refractor


ATTN.:Mr. David Hough 8 E-mail:
Dear Mr. Hough,

Many thanks for your mail, we are glad to learning that you are interesting in our products.

1) We like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves, who are specialized spotting scope and relate scope based manufacturer in Taiwan more than 30 years, Factory that has registered to ISO9001 and employ qualified engineering staff to developing new product.By now, we have had three inventions which acquired patents

2) Products coving spotting scope, golf scope, binocular, camera scope, handyscope , bore sighter, stud tools tripod, accessories of optical machinery and other optical products, LP products with excellent quality, our products supply to big and famous company such as Tasco, Bushnell, Opticron , Cabela's, Smith & Wesson, Simmons, Celestron.... As LP have own CNC factory, thus parts OEM or ODM are welcome.

Believe you will be satisfied our products and service as our current customer.

3)Please kindly check our website www.LongPerng.com.tw or at www.globalsources.com/longpern.co for product, 2,3,5 A1836S-A and telescope as attached file for your convenience.

4) Could you please advise us your company information such as name , address, telephone , fax number, business nature, main business ? and what your estimated quantity would be?

Should you need any further information or sample for evaluation, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We look forward to establishing business relationship with your esteemed company in near future.


Thanks & Best Regards


Maggie Chang

Long Perng Co., Ltd.
ADD.:6 Alley 73, Lane 244, Hsin Shu Road, Hsin Chuang, Taipei 242 Taiwan R.O.C.
TEL:+886 2 2204-5881 Fax.:+886 2 2205 7321
E-mail.: maggie@longperng.com.tw website: www.longperng.com.tw

[davidpretorius]

Esteemed company = Hoff International Pty Ltd

go the sample mate and one for me and one for mike and.......

[h0ughy]

Noooo not me, maybe an order for them might be 1000 units ;) but imagine the discount price, hey it might be the perfect Pirate scope :wink2:

[[1ponders]]

Order is 100-199 units :) Go on h0ughy. I like the look of that D62/f520 f/8.3 refractor.

[davidpretorius]

mate, no mention of order, just get a sample and then tell them it is no good!

[asimov]

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=4491

[h0ughy]

A thanks John, didn't see that one. i hope mine fills in a few gaps ;)

[[1ponders]]

http://longpern.manufacturer.globalsources .com/si/6007000529276/ProductDetail/Telescope/product_id-1000660411/action-GetProduct.htm

[h0ughy]

Yeah so what does that mean PAUL!! :P you can read, no wait you like the diagonals, oh noon o wait , um ohh , let me just guess, you want this one............ :help3:

[[1ponders]]

Yes I like the scope but I was looking at this: Minimum Order:
100 to 199 Unit

[h0ughy]

I wonder how much they go for

[[1ponders]]

I've been looking but no go unfortunately. Lovely looking little scope though.

[h0ughy]

Paul why don't you go for something like this

http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=383837

[[1ponders]]

Good thing its a negotiable price :rolleyes:

Nah I'd settle for that cute little 60

[h0ughy]

but its strehl ratio is .985 :lol: :lol:

there has to be a cheap quality solution to this, :lol: