Allan the Plumber Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Can anyone advise, I have a SW 200DPS Newt scope that has a Skywatcher DC focuser on and I’m happy with this, trouble is after a year of lugging the Newt about I and from what I can see image wise on the forum I’m thinking of selling this and moving into the APO refractor line. With my set up (mount, scope on the deck with me computer and heater in summerhouse everything remotely controlled) I’m not sure what my options are concerning motorised focusers I’m originally looking at getting the SW Evostar 80ED Pro as a start see how I get on, now with this I am of the opinion that the Skywatcher HitecAstro DC focuser can fit on this. If I get on with this set up I’m planning on selling the Newt with bits ( later in the year) and opting for the Skywatcher Esprit 80 ED Pro (any advice on this scope happily received) I still wish to be able to focus these scopes from my summerhouse but have no idea which motorised focuser will fit the Esprit 2.7 Dual Speed Linear powered focuser or would an option be to buy a focuser for this scope i.e. MoonLite Crayford that seems to have a couple of powered motorised focusers on the market. Any advice will be happily received and any options concerning an APO 3 Element refractor about £1000 budget (would also need to have a field flatterer and reducer option as I see the Altair Astro 80mm F6 Super ED Triplet APO (80/480) only has a field flattener Thanks Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) William Optics GT81 IMHO is your best "budget" triplet - matched reducer/flattener available Esprit ... well I'm not reading good things about the QC DC focuser motor ... I'm not a fan though they work. If you're pushing your imaging rig into four figure territory I'd seriously consider focus to be one of the more critical aspects of your imaging ... and as such look into stepper motor solutions (I am a fan of the Moonlite solutions) Edited February 4, 2014 by Kheldar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan the Plumber Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 William Optics GT81 IMHO is your best "budget" triplet - matched reducer/flattener available Esprit ... well I'm not reading good things about the QC DC focuser motor ... I'm not a fan though they work. If you're pushing your imaging rig into four figure territory I'd seriously consider focus to be one of the more critical aspects of your imaging ... and as such look into stepper motor solutions (I am a fan of the Moonlite solutions) Thanks Stephen Great to get option on scopes I know you have a good product knowledge lol With this in mind would you then consider replace the focuser on the William Optics GT81 IMHO with one of the Moonlite options and go for a stepper motorised focuser ? If so any suggestions for focuser and stepper motor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 On the original GT81 (red trim) yes, I would propose replacing that focuser with a Moonlite and Moonlite stepper. However the new GT81 (gold trim) has a new R&P focuser which may not be that bad at all ... but I've not used nor seen one yet You could motorise that one with a Lakeside solution (see Ian King Imaging) For full disclosure I have Moonlite'd all my prior scopes as I'm a fan - however my Tak focuser is pretty solid so I've put the Lakeside on it. I think Altair also do a motor focuser kit based on (or the same as) the Rigelsys kit ... but you would have to talk to them about connectivity options Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan the Plumber Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Thanks Stephen defiantly food for thought, just changed my plans again doh So you would recommend the William Optics GT81 IMHO what has it got over some of the other Budget triplets ? only ask as you know your scopes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 certainly the stepper motor will give the best repeatable focusing option, all depends on what your willing to pay, as i`m a tight so and so i`d look into attaching the skywatcher auto focuser first, especially if you buy the evostar, brackets should fit that focuse ok, and you have the dc focus equipment already, but if i upgraded to a moonlite or another expensive focuser then i don`t think the skywatcher would do it justice so would have to get the better stepper motor option. my 3 scope choices for triplet scope around the £1000 mark or less would be :- new Altair astro ed80 - F6 no reducer only a flatner but case tube ring dove tail bar - £950 william optics gt 81 - F4.72 with reducer / flatner but no case and tube rings an extra £75 - £830 Skywatcher Esprit 80 ED PRO - F5 bullet proof case but no rings or dovetail - £1,109 it`s alot of dosh so i would certainly consider even the doublet route first to cut your teeth on but trouble is i know you already have the imaging bug so might be worth taking the plunge in at the deep end first and going for a triplet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 if your interested in a gt 81, nick, geezanova, is buying one at this Saturdays Astrofest, might get a discount for two ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Yes I would (in that price bracket,) I aspired to owning that scope for a few years and always said the only reason I would sell it was if I had the chance to get a Tak Optically and mechanically the GT81 is superb - it beats similar budget triplets by having no CA (sorry but cheap triplets don't always offer APO performance!) and not feeling "cheap" There's no disputing the fact that because it's a triplet it's FOV is curvy - anything bigger than a 314L+ and you will be needing the flattener/reducer ------------------ However you may find the SW ED80 (the scope most recommended not just by myself but most of the imagers) is more than suitable - we just talked Ron into buying one Technically the ED80 is not an APO (it's a doublet) but you'd be hard pressed to tell. It's a cliche but a good doublet beats a cheap triplet - the ED80 beats (again IMHO) most of the sub £1000 triplets on colour correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan the Plumber Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Oh more too think about I was just getting to the point of going straight through to the William Optics GT81 IMHO and not get the SW ED80 but it appears it maybe a start to get a SW ED80 first and look at the William Optics GT81 later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red dwalf Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 you`ll go to the williams optics later anyway Allan, may as well bite the bullet now, L.O.L. it`s a faster scope also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+RonC Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Does'nt Graham already use a GT81 ? (your old one Stephen?) Seems a good fast scope and that R&P focuser looks the dogs doo-daa's!! Happy with my ED80 at the moment, (will change the focuser though!) Cheers Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Kheldar Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Does'nt Graham already use a GT81 ? (your old one Stephen?) Seems a good fast scope and that R&P focuser looks the dogs doo-daa's!! Happy with my ED80 at the moment, (will change the focuser though!) Cheers Ron Yup, it's now in the hands if it's fourth EMS owner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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