My Nighthawk shows a tiny amount of false colour on bright objects, but it could be atmospheric rather than the optics. And I only notice if I go looking for it. Definitely a keeper!
Hey Morton, they are a remarkable little scope, aren't they? An FPL51 doublet with virtually no false colour! Vic Maris reckons the lens design is more important than the glass type for colour correction.
Yea , Laurie and Morton , I still kick my self for selling mine , here is a photo of the many side by side's I done with my sweet ED80 , the Nighthawk was right up there , even being classed as a 'Semi APO ' ? .
Brian.
Hey Morton, they are a remarkable little scope, aren't they? An FPL51 doublet with virtually no false colour! Vic Maris reckons the lens design is more important than the glass type for colour correction.
And colour correction isn't the most important thing anyway. I've had ED doublets with FPL-53 that were better corrected for colour but showed less detail because they weren't as well corrected for other aberrations and had less contrast. I was shocked the first time I looked at Jupiter with the SV80ED - there was so much more detail than I expected.
For photography colour correction is important as any blue fringing is exaggerated but for visual it's much less so. What Vic does is make the lens pretty much as good as it can be (he also states that their minimum standard for all lenses is a Strehl ratio of 0.95).
So as a visual observer I'm extremely happy with my SV80ED and SV110ED. They're a great combination!
I haven't tried any photography with my SV80 yet, but I expect it will be ok. I am certainly impressed with its lunar/planetary performance. Like you, I was amazed at the the amount of detail it shows. And a Strehl ratio of at least .95 is pretty good!
Colour correction is important to me-if I can see chromatic abberation, it really bugs me-but I cannot detect any!
I thought about selling it because its so close in aperture to the 90mm, but its just too good to let go.
Yeah, keep it. Not sure you'd get a particularly good price in the used market since there are so many cheap ED refractors available and the extra quality of Stellarvue optics might not be so well known here.
Mind you, if you find you never use it once you get the 90, I reckon Brian or Flash might be up for it!
I thought I might not get much for it, and I'm tired of losing heaps on selling telescopes. I've had a look through an ED80 and don't think its as good as the Nitehawk, but for price, that's what it would be compared with.
Something else I really like about it is the way the imaging train all screws together-very solid and no flex.
I used to own one mate , as I said , I regret selling it .
Mine was #109 0f the 150 Lanthium 'Semi APO's " SV ever made , and it was as good as my FPL53 Saxon ED80 .( thats why I spent lots of time comparing them) 600mm f/l on the ED80 and 560mm f/l on the SV .
I did a lot of digging on why the SV Lanthium's where so good ( Vic e/mailed me more than once on this, as he is proud of the Lanthium's ) , and yes as you and Morton are saying , its in the design of the glass elements , SV has it sorted .
Brian, I'm looking forward to getting the 90mm triplet apo. It should be a ripper. I don't think a lot of people realise how good Stellarvue's scopes are!
Brian, I'm looking forward to getting the 90mm triplet apo. It should be a ripper. I don't think a lot of people realise how good Stellarvue's scopes are!
Hi Laurie
I know their viewfinders are great I have two Stellarvue 8x50 RA Illuminated finders and wouldn't use anything else now. They are fantastic finders.
I am going to check out some of their scopes when I go to the US in August, when I go to Stellafane.
As good as a good Takahashi , my friend , I have owned both and yes SV are real close . .I wont even go there , a comparo . Your SV 90 against my Takahashi Fluorite SKY90 ...
Your 90mm SV triplet thats on its way will be one of the best thats ever been made , Laurie a good buy mate . .Awsome scope .
Brian.
QUOTE=Larryp;941068]Brian, I'm looking forward to getting the 90mm triplet apo. It should be a ripper. I don't think a lot of people realise how good Stellarvue's scopes are![/QUOTE]
Had my first look at Saturn through it last night-a very impressive scope!
Absolutely tack-sharp at 180x, and no hint of any chromatic aberration.
I'm definitely keeping this one.
I reckon!
But Morton, I have a feeling not so many people realise just how good they are.
Hi Larry,
I want a small grab and go and will have a look at these when I am in the states in July/August. I am looking a for a short focal length 60 - 80mm. The Stellarvue is one of the brands I intend to look at. I really hope to see a variety of scopes at Stellafane. With some luck, I may be able to pick up something decent second hand.
A few people had a look at Saturn through mine last night and they were all impressed (well, all except Mark Suchting, but I think it takes at least a 6" Tak or AP refractor to get him going ).
Yea , Laurie and Morton , I still kick my self for selling mine , here is a photo of the many side by side's I done with my sweet ED80 , the Nighthawk was right up there , even being classed as a 'Semi APO ' ? .
Are you saying you are interested in the SV80?
I used to own one mate , as I said , I regret selling it .
here's another .
I have two Stellarvue 8x50 RA Illuminated finders and wouldn't use anything else now. They are fantastic finders.
As good as a good Takahashi , my friend , I have owned both and yes SV are real close . .I wont even go there , a comparo . Your SV 90 against my Takahashi Fluorite SKY90 ... 
).
