Customer reviews
Near perfect optical quality, but could be better in other places.
Review by O. N. on 12.06.2021 01:57:23( 5 / 5 )
The reason you bought this telescope is the optical quality, and it is perfect. You will probably never in your life see better quality optics than in this product. At least for this price. You dont have to take my word for it, your telescope will come with a certificate explaining exactly in what ways your mirror is perfect.
Buying just the mirror itself from OOUK is almost as expensive as all of this telescope, so that leads to some questions about the rest of the thing, and it is not perfect, but rest in peace it is workable and "good enough" for most work.
Good parts: The optics (flawless), the primary mirror cell (holds collimation really well, i have only had to recollimate once, after a +23 to -25 degree temperature change, and only then it was nitpicking), the finder scope is a decent quality 50mm finder and you will always be able to see most targets in it.
Decent parts: the focuser. The focuser is rigid if the extender tube is properly locked and the locking screw is not engaged. If you use the focuser ring you need to tighten it with pliers as it is not as rigid as it could be. The locking screw changes collimation so its best to not use it. But with these in mind it is rigid in imaging use and does not flex with a normal-ish cameraload.
bad parts: the aluminum tube and the secondary holder (related issues).
aluminum tube: it is TOO LIGHT, it cannot hold rigidity at some parts, most notably around the secondary mirror spider. It is bent from the factory to a square shape, and due to the way it is built it is not symmetrical which leads to slightly doubled diffraction spikes. Only astrophotographers have this issue. It is not easily fixable as OOUK has annoyingly built the telescope to some obscure proprietary sizes not found in other telescopes. There is no "general part" you can buy to fix this issue. The tube is not good, period.
The secondary spider: it is firm and holds collimation in its stock form, but that is only due to it being so tight around the tube that the tube itself is slightly dented. For visual use: nobody cares or notices, for imaging use: you will have unsymmetrical diffraction spikes and it COULD bother you (also could not). If you take the spider out you notice it is very flimsy and the cheapest piece of metal you could imagine, only held together with tensile strength.
Conclusion: The optics are great, maybe even unmatched for the price. You get a full telescope with the price of a single mirror, and the telescope is perfectly usable. For visual astronomers there is nothing to complain, for astrophotographers there is nothing to complain FOR THE PRICE, but ultimately you might be more satisfied with the carbon tube version.
For astrophoto, r u kidding?
Review by L. K. on 05.10.2022 15:52:57( 1 / 5 )
Agree - optics are top, near perfect, but who cares when focuser could hold steady a camera that weights not more than ~100 g. With my kit - ES HR CC+294mm+filter wheel,- it is dead, completely. And this applies to whole VX series - focuser is the same. I believe that steadier behavior could be reached by using the locking nob - but guys, everyone is using autofocusers for real astrophoto, and in this case you could not lock it. I have GSO, Skywatchers newtons, even their focusers are better than this. Other thing is the spider - from what peace of junk it is made, paper? And - yes tube itself is too thin - it wobbles.
Guys, for serious newtons astrophoto you should go only with TS ONTC (feathertouch focuser preferred) or Lacerta newtons, otherwise it is a waste of time and money, period.
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