The SV503 ED 102/714 - my first ED refractor!
The SV503 ED 102/714 - my first ED refractor!
Before I bought the SV503 102 ED, I was observing the night sky with an achromatic short tube refractor (Sky-Watcher STARTRAVEL 120/600) but after taking more and more interest in terrestrial observation, I was really annoyed by the chromatic aberrations with the Sky-Watcher STARTRAVEL. Even with low-power-eyepieces (Svbonys 2“ SV136 34mm), the Sky-Watcher STARTRAVEL was showing so much false color that I decided to go for an ED telescope! Not more expensive than 600$, no heavier than 4 kg and also a wide-field telescope if possible. Svbony´s SV503 102 ED was worth a try since I already had good experiences with the brand quality. (eyepieces, filters, Barlow, and star diagonal)
Thank God I tried the SV503 102 ED. I am very pleased with the performance! Both for stars, moon, star clusters and deep sky objects the telescope performed quite excellently. It meets all my requirements.
So how does the telescope arrive?
The tube comes with tube rings, a prism rail, and a lens cap. Not more. Diagonal mirrors or eyepieces are not included. You can find all the technical information here on the Website https://www.svbony.com/sv503-102f7-ed-doublet-refractor/: I prefer to tell you more about my personal experiences with the telescope.
1. Build quality:
In terms of quality, the whole telescope comes across at a high level. It is built solidly and just feels valuable.
The dual-speed focuser glides nice and soft ... so focusing is always a pleasure.
Nothing grinds when focusing and there is also no silicone grease that sticks to the fingers. A rotating focuser and ring clips add value to the telescope. But even such simple parts as the screws are milled very filigree and can be moved easily and very smoothly.
The lens cap is made of metal and sits well on the dew cap, which can also be moved. So transporting the telescope is less of a deal.
2. The weight:
Without tube rings, the tube weighs 3353 g.
3. Optics:
The ED glass (FPL51) makes a very nice, clear image. The fully multi-coated lens eliminates all reflections on the glass! It also shows practically no or very few chromatic aberrations at high magnifications. In any case, enormously less CA compared to my old Sky-Watcher STARTRAVEL!
Orion. with 1.3 seconds exposure and ISO 6400.
Finally, I can make observations even during the day without disturbing false color. Just yesterday I was watching the moon and I didn‘t notice any AC at all! Not even with my 6mm eyepieces!
Since I don‘t have a proper mount with tracking, I don‘t do astrophotography. Nevertheless, I tried to photograph the Orion Nebula. The moon was high in the sky and despite a Bortle class 6 sky, I could take a single shot with 1,6sec exposure and ISO 6400.
All I can say is that Svbony‘s FPL51 ED glass conjures up a color correction that is far superior to the achromatic lens of the Skywatcher STARTRAVEL. By far! See for yourself.
I put the telescopes next to each other and photographed them with the smartphone through the same eyepiece.
The telescopes are perhaps not completely comparable due to the optics and the focal length. Nevertheless, I want to show you where the Svbony convinced me more
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4. Final words:
For my purposes, the Svbony SV503 102 ED is ideal. Next to my old chromatic refractor, it shows practically no or very little chromatic aberrations and only with high magnification. In addition, the Svbony is simply a completely different league. As my neighbor once called it: »An astronomical piece of art«
Are there other ED telescopes with an even more precise color correction? Sure, but they are also more expensive! If Svbony releases a telescope with FPL53 glass, I will definitely be one of the first to test it. But until then I enjoy my SV503 102 ED!
Alright, thank you for your attention and clear skies!
