[st1000 (Steve)]

Originally Posted by MortonH

It's actually $559, while their regular price is $795.

http://www.astroshop.com.au/products/specials.asp

Realise it's still a bit more than the VMC110 price, but in my opinion it's a lot more scope. I have the 150mm model and it's pretty good.

Thanks. I don't mind the extra $230 over the VMC110L also from My Astro Shop, and it has the extra aperture while, at your stated 3.4 kg, it will still fit on the Vixen PortaMount (it has a dovetail connector too). The R130Sf is around 4 kg so the 127 mm will be lighter and more compact to travel and for grab and go. With a moveable mirror it should do better for binoviewing.

In terms of image quality however, one Amazon review of the R130Sf mentions the owner also has an 80 mm refractor and a 127mm Mak Cassegrain and the R130Sf "totally out performs the 80mm and the 127mm telescopes by far" (http://www.amazon.com/Vixen-2604-R13.../dp/B001KW07Q4). The 80 mm comment jibes with other comparisons I have read of the R130Sf to an 80 mm such as on http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ad.php?t=9484: "the R130 kills the ed80 as a visual scope".

So that is my dilemma; the R130Sf seems to otherwise meet my requirements for compactness, grab and go and image quality; small enough to fit on the Porta Mount and be grab and go and superior in images to the ed80 and a 127 mm Mak Cass according to the above. Compared to a 6" scope or bigger it has the advantage of better portability and being more grab and go. The only repeated criticism is of the plastic focuser. If I was just going to be doing cyclops viewing it would seem this is the best solution for me, but my desire to do binoviewing complicates the decision. The extension tube the R130Sf uses for cylops viewing augers well for binoviewing performance, and at least one comment I've read says the WO binoviewer does work with the R130Sf, but doesn't specify if that is with or without a barlow.