Downgrading from a Tak FSQ85 to a Espirit 80. Am I crazy?(Decision made keeping FSQ)
Hello
In order to raise funds for a KAF 8300 mono (most likely a QHY9) camera I am thinking of selling my Takahashi FSQ85 and instead using a Skywatcher Esprit 80ED.
Am I nuts?
The 80ed comes with the doublet field flattener and whilst a skywatcher is no Tak I believe that it is a pretty good little scope.
Thoughts?
keep the Tak, find other ways to get the money together for the ccd, go without coffee for a while, beg or borrow. there are better ways than selling such a nice scope
Regardless of what the brand snobs here say, you're unlikely to notice the difference between the FSQ85 and the Esprit.
But I'd doubt you'd make enough cash in the sale to achieve your goal. Hold tight and raise the funds another way.
That's a bit harsh? The FSQs have near perfect colour correction and importantly - an inherently flat field - meaning no fiddly adapters needed for perfect spacing of an external flattener. That matters. Check out some of the excellent shots done by Peter Ward and others with the BabyQ:-
But, then again, all stars do is get in the way of nebulae.
H
I thought stars are a vital stage in otherwise meaningless lives of nebulae so that suitable conditions for life to evolve can be manufactured eventually allowing intellectual animals to invent means for photographing the nebulae!
That's a bit harsh? The FSQs have near perfect colour correction and importantly - an inherently flat field - meaning no fiddly adapters needed for perfect spacing of an external flattener. That matters. Check out some of the excellent shots done by Peter Ward and others with the BabyQ:-
Why is it harsh?
And how difficult is it it to attach a flattener to a scope? The flattener that the Esprit comes with screws on to the rear of the scope. If anyone in this game lacks the ability to thread on an accessory, then they're not going to get very far
Btw, I never said the FSQ85 wasn't a great scope. But really, is it 2-3x better than an 80mm Esprit?
And how difficult is it it to attach a flattener to a scope? The flattener that the Esprit comes with screws on to the rear of the scope. If anyone in this game lacks the ability to thread on an accessory, then they're not going to get very far
Btw, I never said the FSQ85 wasn't a great scope. But really, is it 2-3x better than an 80mm Esprit?
I've seen excellent images from both scopes...
Only so far you can polish a turd.... just saying...
Regardless of what the brand snobs here say, you're unlikely to notice the difference between the FSQ85 and the Esprit.
But I'd doubt you'd make enough cash in the sale to achieve your goal. Hold tight and raise the funds another way.
Brand Snobs eh? Just can't resist stirring the pot here....are people that buy Tak's or Tele Vue's really going to lower themselves to the level of the Proletariat just to save some money? They buy those brands to differentiate themselves, and because they can afford to, which is differentiation in itself. Performance differences which are undetectable to 99% of users are irrelevant to the elites (or those that aspire to the ellusive 1%). So even selling a lower end Tak to finance an alternative will, to them, always be unacceptable - the answer, of course, is to spend more money to stay elite.
Want perfect colours without the need for expensive "near perfect correction" just get a Newt. Pin point stars, and perfect colour, a Mak-Newt.
But are people that buy Tak's or Tele Vue's really going to lower themselves to the level of the Proletariat just to save some money? They buy those brands to differentiate themselves, and because they can afford to, which is differentiation in itself. Performance differences which are undetectable to 99% of users are irrelevant to the elites (or those that aspire to the ellusive 1%). So even selling a lower end Tak to finance an alternative will, to them, always be unacceptable - the answer, of course, is to spend more money to stay elite.
There's nothing elite or 1% between the two scopes discussed here.
Brand Snobs eh? Just can't resist stirring the pot here....are people that buy Tak's or Tele Vue's really going to lower themselves to the level of the Proletariat just to save some money? They buy those brands to differentiate themselves, and because they can afford to, which is differentiation in itself. Performance differences which are undetectable to 99% of users are irrelevant to the elites (or those that aspire to the ellusive 1%). So even selling a lower end Tak to finance an alternative will, to them, always be unacceptable - the answer, of course, is to spend more money to stay elite.
Want perfect colours without the need for expensive "near perfect correction" just get a Newt. Pin point stars, and perfect colour, a Mak-Newt.
That's the problem with a bad case of brandsnobitis, Glen...those that suffer, make bold claims to support their more expensive purchase but don't generally back it with empirical evidence
The only reason I chose the FSQ-106 over the Esprit 100 or 120 was mounting considerations and my desire for an inbuilt flattener that did NOT need spacing (the Sharpstar/TS/Stellarvue 100Q was also in contention but this scope is NOT a good performer). Even SW must consider the FSQ great considering how many design features they copied from the FSQ into the Esprits (capstan's Wheel, sliding dew shield style, focuser lock etc).
I would say yes, the Esprits are well polished - the Strehl and wave figures prove it. Polished turds they are NOT - polished gems I would say.
The Chinese are catching up fast - they realise second best is no longer acceptable to many - not merely the elite. The Esprits represent significant value for money, and perform as well as many of the recognised top shelf scopes.
The Esprits have their flaws (copying Tak's KNOWN flaws was an odd decision!), but every scope does. Why we cannot discuss flaws, errors, omissions and foibles of scopes without reverting to condescending back-chat is churlish.
Would I complement my Tak FSQ-106N with an Esprit 80? Most probably, yes, if I felt the need.
The website did not have a report for Esprit, thus I used data from the report for Skywatcher's Equinox, but of course Esprit, being more expensive and more refined than Equinox, should yield better results.
The reason why I am interested in this discussion is that even with narrowband imaging, light at a range of wavelengths and with longer exposures will slowly leak through a filter, in particular around bright stars, creating halos and enlarging stars to some degree. I have noticed that with my ED doublet and 3nm filters. And although I am not in a rush, I have been looking at possible reasonable future replacement for my TS doublet.
Going back to the original question, if one is after the best possible astro-images, then perhaps FSQ might be better to some degree (than Esprit). But whether Jeremy’s mount (HEQ5) will allow to fully capitalise on FSQ’s excellent optics – I do not know.
Fantastic Slawomir! URAH! Nothing like fact over fiction, BUT, you will need to incorporate specific Esprit performance for an accurate analysis and comparison. The Equinox ED is quite different.
