Buy Orion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor TelescopeOrion ED80 80mm f/7.5 Apochromatic Refractor Telescope Product Description:
- A no-nonsense f/7.5 apochromatic refractor telescope offered at an unprecedented low price
- Transmits spectacular views of deep-sky delicacies as well as closer solar system targets for visual enjoyment or astrophotography pursuits
- 80mm refractor objective doublet includes one element of high-quality FPL-53 ED or extra-low dispersion glass, which virtually eliminates false color
- Features a smooth-adjusting 2" aluminum Crayford focuser that accepts 2" or 1.25" astronomy accessories for a wide variety of applications
- Optical tube assembly only, does not include telescope mount or tripod - which can be purchased separately
Product Description
We love those premium apo refractors as much as the next guy. We just don't think you should have to work a second job or put the family heirlooms on eBay to own one. Now you won't, thanks to our amazingly affordable 80mm ED refractor. Its multi-coated 80mm objective doublet contains one element crafted from extra-low-dispersion FPL-53 glass. Images are virtually free of chromatic aberration! With a focal length of 600mm (f/7.5), the "ED80" is wonderfully suited for visual applications on both solar system and deep-sky objects as well as for prime-focus astrophotography and CCD imaging. Sold as optical tube assembly only, without accessories. Finished in gunmetal gray metallic enamel. Compatible tube rings are #7371, sold separately. One-year limited warranty.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful.
The Orion 80mm ED Apochromatic Refractor - Outstanding!!
By Bill
The Orion ED80 refractor is an outstanding little telescope! The ED80 is a fantastic bargain in the world of apochromatic refractors, and it is worth every penny. Orion really made a genius decision when they decided to distribute this scope. I've had my ED80 for about 6 months now, and it impresses me more & more every time I use it.
One of the biggest selling points of the ED80 is that it shows a significant reduction in chromatic aberration, the infamous "purple haze" that surrounds bright celestial objects viewed in achromatic refractors. The only hint of false color shown through the ED80 is around the brightest stars, such as Vega, Sirius, Rigel, etc. And even then, the purple is barely detectable. It's really not even noticeable unless the observer is specifically looking for it.
Views of the planets are absolutely purple-free and razor-sharp. The ED80 will show planets at magnifications much higher than one would expect of an 80mm telescope. I routinely observe Saturn at 200x, and on nights of excellent seeing, I can crank the magnification to 240x. One night when the seeing was exceptional, I shot up to 300x with very little image breakdown! The Cassini Division is a very easy target in the ED80. Cloud bands are visible, and I've also seen as many as five of Saturn's moons. I find that Jupiter shows itself best at about 150x in the ED80. Moving up to 200x usually results in a slightly soft image. The Great Red Spot is readily visible, as are multiple cloud bands. The four Galilean satellites, easy targets in any scope, display sharp, inky-black shadows on the cloud tops when they transit.
Open clusters are very beautiful through the ED80. Stars appear as pinpoints and stellar colors are apparent. Bright stars show textbook Airy disks with nice diffraction rings. Other bright deep sky objects that are within reach of an 80mm scope are wonderful targets.
The Crayford focuser on this telescope is silky-smooth. Focusing on planetary detail at 200x is an easy task; details "snap" into focus and the image doesn't shift when racking in & out of focus. The focuser also has a tension adjustment screw, which is very helpful if you use a heavy diagonal/eyepiece combination.
In conclusion, this telescope is an excellent performer. I very highly recommend it for anybody looking for a small refractor!!
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Great Optics, low price... But Keep in Mind what you Don't Get!
By Mr. Amusing
I've had this scope for about 8 months now. The optical quality is quite good however there are some things a buyer you should know about this instrument that others don't seem to be pointing out in most of the reviews that I've read.1. It has a single speed Crayford focuser with an imprecise focus lock / tensioning mechanism. Achieving and keeping fine focus is not easy with this scope. It allows 4" of focus travel which sounds good, but surprisingly you'll need more for astrophotography because the focus travel appears to be be set around the assumption that the use will be visual with a diagonal. When angled above about 30 degrees I found I could not achieve a level of tension on the focuser to both be able to focus AND stop focus creep with my 3 pounds of camera attached.2. The scope includes none of the accessories you're likely to want or need. No diagonal, no finderscope, no mounting rings and of course no eyepieces. Expect to pay quite a bit more (double) to acquire those additional items and don't forget you'll need a mount, too.In addition a few minor elements of this scope are sloppy. Both pieces of the two-piece cap fall off easily. The dew shield is not removable so if you get water spots on your objective it's hard to clean, there is no carry case (though you probably won't need one as the scope is pretty rugged).Had I known these things in advance, I probably would have opted for a better overall quality scope at the outset. Mind you I'm not saying this is a bad instrument, just that the limitations and additional needed components mean my recommendation is in the GOOD category rather than the GREAT or EXCELLENT category.PS I use my scope primarily for astrophotography where the focus travel and focus fine adjustment are the most problematic. On the other hand, it's the best quality, least expensive f/7.5 600mm manual focus lens you're likely to ever find for your camera!Because of the focuser limitations I've ordered and will be installing a motor driven focuser at an additional cost of about $300. I'll report back on how successful that endeavor is.I use this scope with my lightweight Astroview EQ mount and my Sirius mounts (both Orion products).Pros: inexpensive, good optical quality, lightweight, durable, good for lunar solar or dsoCons: no mounting hardware / rings, no finderscope, cap falls off, single speed focuser, 4" of focus travel, dew shield not removable
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