Well, this came a little too late for me - I couldn’t wait and bought a Vixen ED80sf last night. I was out with 10x50 binos on a beautiful night three days ago and saw Jupiter and all the moons, Mars, the Pleiades, Andromeda, the Orion Nebula, and all I could think was “this is great but a telescope would nail this”. Then the night after that, I saw Venus and Saturn and that clinched it. I got the OTA, 20mm and 6mm eyepieces, flip mirror diagonal, porta mount, tripod, finder and case all for £972, that’s 1733 CAD, or 1237 USD. As I’ve already got a Fuji XT1 and T2 adaptor ring, that gives me a way into AP if I want to in the future. I can’t wait to get started! I should say, your chart would have confirmed my choice anyway at about 15:20. Great video!
@@LearnToStargazeIndeed and you recommend a good choice too with the same essential components as I chose with the skywatcher apo EDs, because they are synta assembled with ED glass just like the vixens, or so I’m led to believe. I think I just saw that the price was lowered and that I got all the gear I needed to start so that clinched it. Clearly I’ve now doomed everyone within a 10 mile radius of where I live to cloudy skies all winter! 😂
I have a bunch of Svbony accessories: SV220 Dual Narrowband Filter, SV226 Filter Drawer, 2" UV/IR cut filter, Extension Tubes, Dew Heater, Ha 7nm and UHC EOS-C Clip-in Filters. I've had no complaints with the performance of any of them and the prices were unbeatable.
John, a fantastic video! Next time anyone asks me for a scope recommendation, I'm pointing them to this video. I picked up an AD8 dob for $599, it's a great value. The S50 is a game changer if you ask me. It's like the Sony Walkman of telescopes.
I did use a few svbony scopes along the way. I had some issues with the optics on one of the telescopes I bought from them. The support was very prompt and a replacement was sent.
Thank you for this excellent informative video! I've been in the hobby for 10+ years and I've always been at a loss to answer question like which telescope to get for beginners, why the one i'm recommending is so expensive, and most of all.....why is every retailer out to get us with these inflated prices for those long skinny tubes with just glass in them 😀 Now I can show them your video or give them talking points from you!
I’ve been really interested in the z100 with a budget of around 150$ it is really hard to find good telescopes I want to see the moon planets and maybe some deep sky objects and also take pictures can the z100 get it done?
At least in the USA, Costco added a new variant of the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100az for $249.99. It's like the Popular Science variant but with the Omni color scheme. The big difference between this 100az and the 102az is it comes with a plastic 1.25" focuser. Still smooth and usable for beginners. I haven't seen it online, just in-store.
Gahh! a plastic focuser (insert horrified expression here) I think the main problem is that when eventually the focuser breaks (because its plastic) the whole OTA is going to be useless. Unless you get a better focuser as a replacement but that will cost more than the OTA itself 😀
@ziggyfrnds Agreed, but if you really want the StarSense phone system, this is the best "budget" choice. The LT 80az with a worse yoke mount is $230. And if you want the 100mm with metal focuser, it's $470 for the 102az. If you get the Costco scope for $250 and a GSO single speed 2in Crayford focuser for $140, that's $390 total, or $80 less than the StarSense 102az with rack n pinion focuser.
@@millenialfalcon8243 I've got good experience with a GSO focuser too btw, I got the cheapest APO I could find (an old Orion 80ED) but the focuser was not as good as the optics, so I replaced it with a GSO 2 speed crayford focuser and have been v happy with it
I'm getting a Celestron Nexstar Evolution 6 this year for Christmas, and let me tell you, I'm pretty excited! I haven't had a decent telescope upgrade since I got the Meade ETX 60AT (which still works somehow) back in 2009. Quite the upgrade, wouldn't you say?
For what it’s worth, I have an SVBONY laser collimator that arrived perfectly collimated itself (I’d heard rumours this could be an issue). And I mean, it’s one of their cheaper offerings, but it seems to be perfectly decent quality, and made me curious about what else they offer.
Assuming you have dark skies (Bortle 3 for example), you’ll be able to see all sorts of deep sky objects. I wrote a book on this a while ago. Hopefully the publisher will release it in 2025.
Well, this came a little too late for me - I couldn’t wait and bought a Vixen ED80sf last night. I was out with 10x50 binos on a beautiful night three days ago and saw Jupiter and all the moons, Mars, the Pleiades, Andromeda, the Orion Nebula, and all I could think was “this is great but a telescope would nail this”. Then the night after that, I saw Venus and Saturn and that clinched it. I got the OTA, 20mm and 6mm eyepieces, flip mirror diagonal, porta mount, tripod, finder and case all for £972, that’s 1733 CAD, or 1237 USD. As I’ve already got a Fuji XT1 and T2 adaptor ring, that gives me a way into AP if I want to in the future. I can’t wait to get started! I should say, your chart would have confirmed my choice anyway at about 15:20. Great video!
Those are very nice refractors!
@@LearnToStargazeIndeed and you recommend a good choice too with the same essential components as I chose with the skywatcher apo EDs, because they are synta assembled with ED glass just like the vixens, or so I’m led to believe. I think I just saw that the price was lowered and that I got all the gear I needed to start so that clinched it. Clearly I’ve now doomed everyone within a 10 mile radius of where I live to cloudy skies all winter! 😂
@@georgemorley1029clearly!
@@georgemorley1029Same, I bought the seestar s50 yesterday and literally an hour later this video came up.
I can’t wait for it to come.
Love the videos! Keep up the great work!
Thanks!
This is a great summary overview video.
Thanks!
I have a bunch of Svbony accessories: SV220 Dual Narrowband Filter, SV226 Filter Drawer, 2" UV/IR cut filter, Extension Tubes, Dew Heater, Ha 7nm and UHC EOS-C Clip-in Filters. I've had no complaints with the performance of any of them and the prices were unbeatable.
Great to know!
I have a set of SVBONY aspheric eyepieces that are fantastic, as well as an SVBONY zoom lens and 3x Barlow, also equally great.
Good to know!
John, a fantastic video! Next time anyone asks me for a scope recommendation, I'm pointing them to this video. I picked up an AD8 dob for $599, it's a great value. The S50 is a game changer if you ask me. It's like the Sony Walkman of telescopes.
Thanks!!!
I did use a few svbony scopes along the way. I had some issues with the optics on one of the telescopes I bought from them. The support was very prompt and a replacement was sent.
Good to hear!
Thank you for this excellent informative video! I've been in the hobby for 10+ years and I've always been at a loss to answer question like which telescope to get for beginners, why the one i'm recommending is so expensive, and most of all.....why is every retailer out to get us with these inflated prices for those long skinny tubes with just glass in them 😀
Now I can show them your video or give them talking points from you!
Wonderful! Happy to help!
Thank you for this systematic and comprehensive review. Thank you as well for the information regarding accessibility considerations.
Thanks Scott!
Hi John. The phone adaptor named “tridaptor 3-axis “ that is sold at Amazon works very well. It can hold 2” eyepiece’s and is very stable.
Good to know!!!!
Him taking these INCREDABLE pics while i am taking crappy pics and still being happy about it😅
I’m generally happy with my crappy pictures too!
I’ve been really interested in the z100 with a budget of around 150$ it is really hard to find good telescopes I want to see the moon planets and maybe some deep sky objects and also take pictures can the z100 get it done?
Did you watch the whole video? I think I described this situation.
I like how you make finding the best telescope very easy
Thank you for this video, I have a few friends that will benefit from this video a lot!
Thanks for sharing it! That really help get the word out!
Interesting video. 14:10 - For around 100 $ even for DSO I think a 70/700 mm f10 achromat is far better than binoculars.
Post a link to one that you like!
At least in the USA, Costco added a new variant of the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 100az for $249.99. It's like the Popular Science variant but with the Omni color scheme. The big difference between this 100az and the 102az is it comes with a plastic 1.25" focuser. Still smooth and usable for beginners. I haven't seen it online, just in-store.
That’s a great deal. It’s the Inspire telescope on a Starsense mount.
Gahh! a plastic focuser (insert horrified expression here) I think the main problem is that when eventually the focuser breaks (because its plastic) the whole OTA is going to be useless. Unless you get a better focuser as a replacement but that will cost more than the OTA itself 😀
@ziggyfrnds Agreed, but if you really want the StarSense phone system, this is the best "budget" choice.
The LT 80az with a worse yoke mount is $230. And if you want the 100mm with metal focuser, it's $470 for the 102az.
If you get the Costco scope for $250 and a GSO single speed 2in Crayford focuser for $140, that's $390 total, or $80 less than the StarSense 102az with rack n pinion focuser.
@@millenialfalcon8243 I didn't know that, thanks for the info :-)
@@millenialfalcon8243 I've got good experience with a GSO focuser too btw, I got the cheapest APO I could find (an old Orion 80ED) but the focuser was not as good as the optics, so I replaced it with a GSO 2 speed crayford focuser and have been v happy with it
I'm getting a Celestron Nexstar Evolution 6 this year for Christmas, and let me tell you, I'm pretty excited! I haven't had a decent telescope upgrade since I got the Meade ETX 60AT (which still works somehow) back in 2009. Quite the upgrade, wouldn't you say?
That’s one heck of an upgrade! The ETX 60 was my first goto telescope, too!
Is that a unistellar smart scope in the background?
You totally need to put oit a review video on it later on
Yup, that’s the next video. Mostly done, but I need a few more clear nights.
@@LearnToStargaze I think the entire scope should be 999 dollars retail
For what it’s worth, I have an SVBONY laser collimator that arrived perfectly collimated itself (I’d heard rumours this could be an issue). And I mean, it’s one of their cheaper offerings, but it seems to be perfectly decent quality, and made me curious about what else they offer.
Good to know!
Plssss help me on the telescope on my channel is it good to buy or not
Hu?
@@LearnToStargaze I found a tasco telescope on Amazon and I posted it see if it is good or not
ZWO has their new S30 smartscope out for $350.
cool
$30 celestron 7x50 bino + $15 star map = good starter combo
Assuming you have dark skies (Bortle 3 for example), you’ll be able to see all sorts of deep sky objects. I wrote a book on this a while ago. Hopefully the publisher will release it in 2025.
i have no budget but i like space and want to do astrophotography
Well I think I found the telescope for you the James web telescope which is around 10B and you’ll get the best pics available👍
@CalebCabush thanks I think I might sell myself 10B time so that I can get it 🤣🤣👍👍
Hoping seestar s100
Me too!
Please zwo degraded with the s30.. Imo