telescopecomparison · 2-way
Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED vs William Optics Zenithstar 73 II
Sky-Watcher
Esprit 100ED
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
William Optics
Zenithstar 73 II
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
+28% focal length
+37% aperture
Faster by 0.4 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED | William Optics Zenithstar 73 II |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | Refractor | refractor |
| Optical design | Triplet APO | Apo doublet FPL-53 |
| Aperture | 100mm | 73mm |
| Focal length | 550mm | 430mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/5.5 | f/5.9 |
| Image circle | 44mm | 44mm |
| Full-frame support | Yes | No |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 8.6kg | 2.4kg |
Advantages of Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED
- Tighter framing — 550mm vs 430mm focal length
- 37% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/5.5 vs f/5.9
Advantages of William Optics Zenithstar 73 II
- Wider field — 430mm vs 550mm focal length
- Lighter (2.4kg vs 8.6kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — William Optics Zenithstar 73 II
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.75° × 2.50°Scale: 1.41"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.45° × 1.64°Scale: 1.41"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.18° × 1.18°Scale: 1.41"/px
William Optics Zenithstar 73 II — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.80° × 3.20°Scale: 1.80"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.13° × 2.09°Scale: 1.80"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.51° × 1.51°Scale: 1.80"/px
Sky-Watcher Esprit 100ED — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
William Optics Zenithstar 73 II — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.