Explore Scientific 80mm f/6 ED Triplet. 480mm focal length. Has sliding dew shield, metal front cap, finder shoe and Vixen-type dovetail foot. Two inch, two speed, rotating, rack and pinion focuser has both rotate and focus lock.
This was a recent impulse purchase during US Thanksgiving sales, but it isn't really right for our needs. Has been used twice - once for a quick test indoors through an open window looking at some power lines, and once outside on a very dry night for about two hours.
Explore Scientific have excellent customer support and their very generous limited lifetime warranty on this scope is transferable.
$650, pickup only from Bateman WA (Perth metro). 0416 283 353
I have not tried imaging with it, but I did do some research into it. It looks to me like the performance is in the same ballpark as the Orion ED80 but faster at f/6 and obviously a wider FOV.
The Orion flattener and flattener/reducer also work well with it and are what I would have bought to use with it. ES also have a flattener and the Astro-Tech one seems to be very suitable also, but they cost a bit more. Switching the dovetail mount to rings for more rigidity would probably be a good thing also.
For its specs it can work well for imaging. I don't have this particular model but I do have identical spec unit that works really well for DSLR imaging at least. I am sure it will work well with other cameras as well.
