telescopecomparison · 2-way
Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED vs Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet
Sky-Watcher
Esprit 120ED
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
Meade
Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
+75% focal length
+50% aperture
Slower by 1.0 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED | Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | Refractor | refractor |
| Optical design | Triplet APO | Apo triplet |
| Aperture | 120mm | 80mm |
| Focal length | 840mm | 480mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/7.0 | f/6.0 |
| Image circle | 44mm | 44mm |
| Full-frame support | Yes | No |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 11.5kg | 4.5kg |
Advantages of Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED
- Tighter framing — 840mm vs 480mm focal length
- 50% more light-gathering aperture
Advantages of Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet
- Wider field — 480mm vs 840mm focal length
- Faster optics at f/6 vs f/7
- Lighter (4.5kg vs 11.5kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.46° × 1.64°Scale: 0.92"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.60° × 1.07°Scale: 0.92"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.77° × 0.77°Scale: 0.92"/px
Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet — 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
Sky-Watcher Esprit 120ED — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
Meade Series 6000 80mm ED Triplet — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.