Orion vs Saxon

[AdrianF]

I am looking at buying a short tube scope for guiding purposes and I have been looking at either Saxon f5 or an Orion f5 both are around the same price so it's down to optics. Unfortunately I am unable at this stage to physically compare the scopes side by side so I ask the experts, which one?

Adrian

[toryglen-boy]

Hi Adrian

TBH, there isnt alot in it, if anything at all, specially for a little 80mm scope, i would go with the Orion, purely because Orion have a reasonably good name, are well established, and i am a label nazi

:lol:


so in my opinion, thats all it comes down to, badge snobbery. I am led to believe most of these are made in the same factory anyway !

[AlexN]

for guiding, does it really matter.. I've seen people guide with finder scopes, i've seen people guide with 50mm F/11 $40 dick smith specials.. you name it.. If it can focus light to a coherent point on the guide camera sensor, you can guide with it..

Hell, I've even seen people use 300mm camera lenses to guide with (we're talking $50 ebay special lenses, nothing fantastic thats for sure)

For guiding, the overall quality does not REALLY matter.. provided the whole assembly is rigid (especially the focuser) I found with my Orion ST80 I had a lot of movement in the focuser when changing focus direction.. It was really quite annoying.. However once focused, I locked it down tight with both the locking screw, and using a home made metal rod that attached to the focuser tube and the dovetail holding the scope to ensure 0 movement of the guide camera.. Optics quality really does not matter for guiding.

[AdrianF]

OK thanks guys I should have mentioned that maybe I might use it for casual observing, much easier to throw the smaller scope in the car than the dob or the ED127. I would stick with the WO ZS66 but I want better views that the 80 mm would give.

Adrian

[AlexN]

yea the extra 12mm of aperture might make a difference, however the lenses in the ST80 scopes that I've seen are plastic or something similar.. definitely not glass.. I dare say transmission levels would be much lower than the ZS66 not to mention colour correction differences. I'd stick with the ZS66 personally.

[Gama]

You may also find that the Orion model, may well be a Saxon rebedge.
Orion do not manufacture anything.
They are just a common point for ordering etc. They contract manufacturers to produce for them certain quantities of goods, then rebadge them.
Pick whichever has the best bang for your bucks.

Theo

[AdrianF]

From what I have read they both have their good points and their bad points. One of the articles I have read at http://www.astromart.com/articles/article.asp?article_id=86 claim the Orion scope is good and one of the articles I read concerning the Saxon scope is indiferent, unfortunately I didn't bookmark the article. But other reports have been the opposite for both scopes. That is why I was looking for recommendations from someone who may have used either or both scopes before.

Adrian

[mick pinner]

buy a second hand Orion or Saxon ED80, they are the same scope and the best value for money scope in their class you can buy.

[AdrianF]

That's what I was looking for now if I can find a preloved one I'll buy it or I will wait until I get to Sydney on the 22nd Sept and buy a new one.

Adrian