Celestron Oynx 80ED vs Orion 80ED vs SV80

[NCRAW]

Hi guys

This scope selection is doing my head, i know i know, im yet to buy one. I decided to go with the SW Equinox only to find the last one was sold!! still not keen on the 100ED Pro and the Black Diamond just too much. Was going with the Astro Tech Triplet FPL-53 but its gonna cost alot to get it from the US and im thinkin i can start smaller then if i enjoy it then go up. hope by then our dollar heads north too.

Anyways. What are your opinion on the Celestron Oynx 80ED? from what i read it seems like a very solid scope. does it have single or dual speed focuser?

Also how does it compare to the Orion 80ED or the Stellar view 80ED (there are a few one is called the 80/9)

Help would be appreciated as i really wanna a scope now!!!

Thanks

[mick pinner]

refractor hunting can be a very time consuming and frustrating exercise if you complicate it to much. firstly deceide how much you can or will spend.
secondly deceide what size you need or want, there is so much to choose from you really need to know roughly want you want before you start looking.
nearly all the medium priced 80mm refractors will be basically the same, doublet air spaced with either FPL51 or 53 glass, there are variations in quality in both types of glass so depending on what you get one type can be as good as the other.
most of the common ED 80 and 100mm scopes Skywatcher/Orion etc are the same scope with different colours and brand stickers.
as you move upward price wise you get into the Stellavue/William Optics range which tend to be a better finish with better focusers and in some cases retractable dew shields which make them convenient as travel scopes.
then you get into Takahashi type scopes but of course with a higher price range.
my personal opinion in the 80mm range is the Orion/Saxon ED80
90mm range is the W.O Megrez 90
100mm range is the Orion/Saxon ED100
all these scope offer excellent value for money with the W.O Megrez 90 being my favourite after at some stage having owned all three scopes.

[NCRAW]

Well in terms of spending i can afford to spend a bit but i really dont want to go all out from first time especially that i want quality accessories such as a good diagonal, barlow and EPs (maybe start with 2 or 3 Eps).

My fav size is the 100 but i do have the issue of having to move the HEQ5Pro mount in and out so portability is important. Planets and moon are my main interest but i guess there is that many times u can look so im sure i will wanna see other objects. the 100 will be brighter than 80 but the 80 is more portable and i will save a good amount of money if i went with it.

But why would you recommend the Orion over the Celestron Onyx? I recall the Orion had issues with its focuser and fit and finish but this is going back 4 yrs when the Orion 80EDs just came out.
Sometimes im very temoted to go and get an affordable triplet like the Astro Tech and to be the first in Aus and see how it is. I would love a

Takahashi and still kicking myself for not asking my parents to pick one up when they were in Japan mid last yr and one Aussie dollar was 100 yen!!

Im a person who tends to be very critical about quality. I do know that u get what u pay for but some brands offer more value for money and it seems the Equinox serioes from SW or the Onyx fall in that category.

At the moment, the Onyx 80ED is being offered for 399 US!! which is 300 off its original price and that would be a bargain.

[Zuts]

Hi,

Aperture is king.

If you are talking about portability then given that you are prepared to cart an EQ5 around there is no difference between an 80mm or 120mm. Either scope would sit in a box on your back seat. A 12 inch DOB goes in the back of a Hyundai so a refractor is ridiculously easy to cart around.

If you can afford it and if you must have a refractor go for a 100mm Saxon/Orion, at least they are ED's and as always the bigger the better.

As far as accesories are concerned, a 300 buck televue diagonal will not give you much better viewing than an 80 buck GSO one. As with eyepieces, do you want to spend 1000 AUD on an Ethos? Get the biggest aperture you can afford and some cheap eyepieces and then see what happens from there.

Cheers
Paul

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

I'm quite happy with the SW ED80pro, gives very good clean images, almost, dare I say it, as good as my trusty Ol' Genesis - I did say almost!
Here in the UK some imagers have had problems with the lens spacers on the Equinox series - they seem to be wrapped onto the lens ( about 2-3mm) and give rise to three dark "wedges" on brighter stars - a bit like spider diffraction lines but in reverse. I've never seen this with the ED80pro.
Retro fit a good Crayford ( I use a 2" TS) and electronic focuser; it will certainly keep you out of trouble ( or out of pocket with all the extras!) for a while.
My 2c

[Zuts]

Originally Posted by Merlin66

I'm quite happy with the SW ED80pro, gives very good clean images, almost, dare I say it, as good as my trusty Ol' Genesis - I did say almost!
Here in the UK some imagers have had problems with the lens spacers on the Equinox series - they seem to be wrapped onto the lens ( about 2-3mm) and give rise to three dark "wedges" on brighter stars - a bit like spider diffraction lines but in reverse. I've never seen this with the ED80pro.
Retro fit a good Crayford ( I use a 2" TS) and electronic focuser; it will certainly keep you out of trouble ( or out of pocket with all the extras!) for a while.
My 2c

Really? I had a Meade 5000 Apo which was fine for imaging, very happy but for visual couldnt go above a 13 mm Nagler without field curvature. I am very happy with my TV85 in this respect and would have thought a Genesis would have been similar?

Cheers
Paul

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

Don't get me wrong, the Genesis is fantastic; the 4 element design is a good design solution for visual as well as imaging ( even better with minus UV filter) BUT the images in the ED80Pro are "textbook" with a 4.8mm Nagler or the 6mm Ziess Mono the diffraction pattern is near-as-damnit perfect. I haven't really done rigorous back to back trials but it's done everything I could ask of it. What more could you ask for??

[mick pinner]

l'm not rating the Orion over the Onyx l'm only going on personal experience and the Orion is an excellent scope, as Merlin stated retrofit a 2 speed focuser and you have a great package both visually and photographically.
if you want the best scope in this range both financially and for quality and finish get a Megrez 90 Andrews have them advertised for about $1300 and you cannot go wrong IMO.

[NCRAW]

thanks for the input guys and will be looking forward to exchanging thoughts after i get it. Guys who bought it in CN think its great so will see how it goes. im very excited now

[Harpspitfire]

you know the celestron oynx is only $399USD now?- probably your best deal even if shipping costs a bit extra- john