telescopecomparison · 2-way
Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100 vs Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100
Explore Scientific
ED80 FCD-100
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Explore Scientific
ED102 FCD-100
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
Key differences
-33% focal length
-22% aperture
Faster by 1.0 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100 | Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | refractor | refractor |
| Optical design | Apo triplet FCD-100 | Apo triplet FCD-100 |
| Aperture | 80mm | 102mm |
| Focal length | 480mm | 714mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/6.0 | f/7.0 |
| Image circle | 44mm | 44mm |
| Full-frame support | No | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 4.5kg | 5.5kg |
Advantages of Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100
- Wider field — 480mm vs 714mm focal length
- Faster optics at f/6 vs f/7
- Lighter (4.5kg vs 5.5kg) — easier to travel with
Advantages of Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100
- Tighter framing — 714mm vs 480mm focal length
- 28% more light-gathering aperture
Best for — Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
Best for — Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.30° × 2.86°Scale: 1.62"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.81° × 1.87°Scale: 1.62"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.35° × 1.35°Scale: 1.62"/px
Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.89° × 1.93°Scale: 1.09"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.89° × 1.26°Scale: 1.09"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.91° × 0.91°Scale: 1.09"/px
Explore Scientific ED80 FCD-100 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Explore Scientific ED102 FCD-100 — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.