GSO 8" Dob or Ozscopes 8" Dob?

[CJ (Chris)]

Hello all,
I have the opportunity to spend a maximum of $400 on a new scope. The two linked below have caught my eye.

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm

http://www.ozscopes.com.au/ozscopes-...-eyepiece.html

I have read that the Ozscopes is a rebranded Saxon.
It has a 5 year warranty whereas the GSO from Andrews has 2 years with the buyer footing the bill for P&P. Should this even be a consideration?

I have no idea how the eyepieces compare but GSO gear seems to be popular.

Given the high praise that GSO scopes garner on IIS, I suspect the GSO is the better option but I would value a second, or more, opinion.

I am assuming either would be a better choice than throwing money at my 5" Skywatcher Heritage, and a significant step up!

Thanks in advance.
Chris

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I loved my GSO dobbie.

[vaztr (Andrew)]

Chris,

I have a GSO (Bintel) 12" and it's fantastic. I've also owned a SkyWatcher 8" and I couldn't fault that either.

I would imagine that the best scope to go with would be the one that comes with the most 'extras' (more eyepieces/filters/other stuff) or the one that leaves you with more money to buy more extras

Your other option is to browse the IIS classifieds to see if you can grab a bargain - maybe an 8" with a few more EPs?

But that's just my 2c

VAZ

[Varangian (John)]

I have owned a 10" Saxon Dob and now the 12" GSO. Couldn't split the quality of the mirrors personally. The GSO is much smoother on its mount thanks to rolling bearings. Everything else is essentially the same. It's your choice where you buy, but you won't make a bad mistake purchasing an 8" Dob, just watch out for aperture fever won't you!

[Scorpius51 (John)]

Optically, they are probably the same, although I'm not a fan of the Kellner eyepiece on the Ozscope Dob - Plossls are better IMO. I would go for the GSO, as it has a 10:1 dual-speed focuser, and a better range of eyepieces. The primary mirror also has a fan.

Warranty is a consideration, but for most users of this gear, it doesn't often become a problem.

Cheers
John

[Varangian (John)]

I think those Ozscope's Dobs also comes with a 10:1 but it doesn't look like it comes with a right angled finder. The GSO Dobs do come with the right angled finder. I agree with John, the GSO package comes with a better range of eyepieces. I'd personally go the GSO too.

Originally Posted by Scorpius51

Optically, they are probably the same, although I'm not a fan of the Kellner eyepiece on the Ozscope Dob - Plossls are better IMO. I would go for the GSO, as it has a 10:1 dual-speed focuser, and a better range of eyepieces. The primary mirror also has a fan.

Warranty is a consideration, but for most users of this gear, it doesn't often become a problem.

Cheers
John

[CJ (Chris)]

Thank you all for your input. I love this forum.
I was leaning towards the GSO as they seem to be very popular but the fan, corrector and ep's versus the warranty clinch it.
I will just have to wait for Andrews to open for business again!
Thanks

[fekko (Dale)]

Hey CJ,

Let us know how it goes once you have it up and running.
I have been looking at the same one for a while. just trying to decide if i should take the plunge

Thanks
feKKo

[GraemeT (Graeme)]

I've never had a problem with Andrews over several purchases. Friendly, knowledgeable service!

[CJ (Chris)]

Will do fekko. I've not ordered it yet. Andrews has been closed for the hols and I've been away too. And when I do order it we'll have dense cloud cover for weeks!

Graeme, that's reassuring to hear too. Andrews and GSO seem a popular combination!

[CJ (Chris)]

I've just noticed that what I took to be a "corrector" is in fact a correct image finderscope. No biggie but I must read things more carefully!

[CJ (Chris)]

GSO 8" Dobsonian ordered

[CJ (Chris)]

It arrived! Impressive service from Andrews. I opened up the boxes looking for the assembly instructions. None! Fortunately it wasn’t too much of a challenge to work out what screws and things went where. Someone who struggle’s with flat pack furniture might find it difficult. The turntable bolt washers could be transposed but the correct way is fairly obvious. It’s quite large. I knew its dimensions but it’s still surprisingly large when assembled.
There were some discrepancies between the Andrews description and what was in the boxes. The tube suspension lugs did not have the knurled aluminium tension knobs as described but plastic ones. They were fitted to impressively chunky, drop in, metal fulcrum blocks. There was also an unexpected 6mm Plossl eyepiece which from what I’ve read is probably not all that useful. The base was black, unlike the image on Andrews website.

By some miracle it was a clear sky here last night so out I went with my new scope to the darkest spot of the garden. I’ve observed from here before using my Skywatcher Heritage 130 collapsible dobbie so I had something to compare the GSO with.

Bearing in mind I don’t have a huge amount of experience, I was amazed at the overall detail of the moon. The sphere hanging in space impression was extraordinary. I think if people could look back at earth in that way they might try looking after it a bit better. Probably not.
The Orion Nebulae was amazing. It went from a somewhat dim, fuzzy blur to an eerie wisp of smoke. Fantastic.
Jupiter’s bands were easily distinguishable with the 10:1 focuser giving a nice smooth and accurate focus. A huge improvement over the SW130 focuser. My wife said I came back in with a big grin!

I wasn’t too keen on the finderscope. I found the red light finder on the SW130 very easy to use and love the positional context you get with the both eyes open technique.

I don’t have the experience to critique the eyepieces but I was struck by the darkness of the dark bits and the brightness of the bright things. Some were a little too bright! Jupiter, and it’s moons, had that cross of light effect much admired by some film directors. I don’t know what it’s called.

The tube just sits on the base. I find this approach surprising and a bit worrying. I can lift the whole assembly to move it but I can see the tube getting dislodged and crashing to the ground, hitting me in the face on the way down! Some sort of locking in place mechanism would be comforting. It appears to be strapped in on GSO’s website. I might do something similar.

All in all, I’m very pleased with the increase in clarity. I got an impressive amount of, to me, solidly engineered and well constructed equipment for my money. It should keep me busy for a while!

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

Well Done Chris and congrats on the new arrival!!

GSO scopes are definitely built to a price and the lack of instructions is no surprise. My 12" came with instructions but they were for the previous model. Andrews have excellent service, but their website is not always up to date.
Perservere with the finderscope. As you move on and you chase more objects it will come into it's own. If it is a stright through finder, think about swapping for a RACI one, makes life much simpler.

The 'cross of light' are diffraction spikes. They are caused by the vanes of the secondary spider.

I wouldnt worry about the tube sitting on the base, that is how it is designed. The metal fulcrum blocks should fit quite sungly so it will not move. If you need to shift the scope, just pop the tube off first, thats why they are designed that way.

Malcolm

Originally Posted by CJ

It arrived! Impressive service from Andrews. I opened up the boxes looking for the assembly instructions. None! Fortunately it wasn’t too much of a challenge to work out what screws and things went where. Someone who struggle’s with flat pack furniture might find it difficult. The turntable bolt washers could be transposed but the correct way is fairly obvious. It’s quite large. I knew its dimensions but it’s still surprisingly large when assembled.
There were some discrepancies between the Andrews description and what was in the boxes. The tube suspension lugs did not have the knurled aluminium tension knobs as described but plastic ones. They were fitted to impressively chunky, drop in, metal fulcrum blocks. There was also an unexpected 6mm Plossl eyepiece which from what I’ve read is probably not all that useful. The base was black, unlike the image on Andrews website.

By some miracle it was a clear sky here last night so out I went with my new scope to the darkest spot of the garden. I’ve observed from here before using my Skywatcher Heritage 130 collapsible dobbie so I had something to compare the GSO with.

Bearing in mind I don’t have a huge amount of experience, I was amazed at the overall detail of the moon. The sphere hanging in space impression was extraordinary. I think if people could look back at earth in that way they might try looking after it a bit better. Probably not.
The Orion Nebulae was amazing. It went from a somewhat dim, fuzzy blur to an eerie wisp of smoke. Fantastic.
Jupiter’s bands were easily distinguishable with the 10:1 focuser giving a nice smooth and accurate focus. A huge improvement over the SW130 focuser. My wife said I came back in with a big grin!

I wasn’t too keen on the finderscope. I found the red light finder on the SW130 very easy to use and love the positional context you get with the both eyes open technique.

I don’t have the experience to critique the eyepieces but I was struck by the darkness of the dark bits and the brightness of the bright things. Some were a little too bright! Jupiter, and it’s moons, had that cross of light effect much admired by some film directors. I don’t know what it’s called.

The tube just sits on the base. I find this approach surprising and a bit worrying. I can lift the whole assembly to move it but I can see the tube getting dislodged and crashing to the ground, hitting me in the face on the way down! Some sort of locking in place mechanism would be comforting. It appears to be strapped in on GSO’s website. I might do something similar.

All in all, I’m very pleased with the increase in clarity. I got an impressive amount of, to me, solidly engineered and well constructed equipment for my money. It should keep me busy for a while!

[CJ (Chris)]

Thanks Malcolm
It's RACI finderscope was a plus point when I was weighing up what to buy and I expect I'll get used to it. It was just odd after the redlight finder.
Diffraction spikes eh. More reading to do!
Cheers