telescopecomparison · 2-way
Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P vs William Optics RedCat 61
Sky-Watcher
Quattro 250P
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
William Optics
RedCat 61
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
+233% focal length
+310% aperture
Faster by 0.9 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P | William Optics RedCat 61 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | newtonian | Refractor |
| Optical design | Newtonian astrograph | Petzval APO |
| Aperture | 250mm | 61mm |
| Focal length | 1000mm | 300mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/4.0 | f/4.9 |
| Image circle | — | 45mm |
| Full-frame support | Yes | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 15.5kg | 2.0kg |
Advantages of Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P
- Tighter framing — 1000mm vs 300mm focal length
- 310% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/4 vs f/4.9
Advantages of William Optics RedCat 61
- Wider field — 300mm vs 1000mm focal length
- Larger image circle (45mm) — supports bigger sensors
- Lighter (2kg vs 15.5kg) — easier to travel with
Best for — Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Faint-object imaging under dark skies
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — William Optics RedCat 61
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.06° × 1.38°Scale: 0.78"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.35° × 0.90°Scale: 0.78"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.65° × 0.65°Scale: 0.78"/px
William Optics RedCat 61 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 6.88° × 4.58°Scale: 2.59"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 4.49° × 3.00°Scale: 2.59"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.16° × 2.16°Scale: 2.59"/px
Sky-Watcher Quattro 250P — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
William Optics RedCat 61 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.