Quote:
Originally Posted by toyos
+1 
You can import a 127 APO from China at a bargain-bin price now  Optical performance is sort of 'semi apo', the focuser is fairly stiff and the build quality detail is pretty 'China' but not bad for the money.
In my opinion, The Meade 8" SCT does not gather much more light than a decent multi-coated 5" refractor. Remember the central obstruction is nearly 40% and the mirrors' reflectivity even with UHTC is less than 89%. You will see less than 2/3 of the light at the eyepiece with an SCT, the rest was lost in the process of getting there. It doesn't have the superior contrast & sharpness of an APO either. |
Have you actually used one of these 127s?
A sort of semi APO ? It is a air spaced triplet APO design I guess your comment is based on the use of ED glass? I am not an optician so I cannot critique the design or material choices however what I do know is mine out perfomed my vixen VC200L (8") in both resolution and contrast, colour correction is on a par (when carefully focussed) and the only area where the VC200L won is field flattness. Visually the stars a shaper and perfomanace on planets is superior with the 127 and there is no noticeable difference in light gathering (under suburban skies).
The VC (and most SCTs) need a focal reducer to be useable for AP and the APO does not.
My focuser is not stiff and the build quality seems to me to be on a par with the Vixen kit.
In short for the money I cannot fault the 127 APO - sure it is not the ultimate 5" APO - but then I did do not have $5000+ to spend on a scope.
5" APO vs 8' Meade SCT was the question - 5" APO is my answer.