telescopecomparison · 2-way
William Optics RedCat 71 vs Askar FRA400
William Optics
RedCat 71
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Key differences
-12% focal length
Faster by 0.7 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | William Optics RedCat 71 | Askar FRA400 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | Refractor | Refractor |
| Optical design | Petzval APO | Petzval Quintuplet APO |
| Aperture | 71mm | 72mm |
| Focal length | 350mm | 400mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/4.9 | f/5.6 |
| Image circle | 45mm | 44mm |
| Full-frame support | Yes | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 2.7kg | 3.9kg |
Advantages of William Optics RedCat 71
- Wider field — 350mm vs 400mm focal length
- Faster optics at f/4.9 vs f/5.6
- Lighter (2.7kg vs 3.9kg) — easier to travel with
Advantages of Askar FRA400
- Tighter framing — 400mm vs 350mm focal length
Best for — William Optics RedCat 71
- Wide-field nebulae and Milky Way regions
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Best for — Askar FRA400
- Large emission nebulae and star clusters
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
William Optics RedCat 71 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 5.89° × 3.93°Scale: 2.22"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.85° × 2.57°Scale: 2.22"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.85° × 1.85°Scale: 2.22"/px
Askar FRA400 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 5.16° × 3.44°Scale: 1.94"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 3.37° × 2.25°Scale: 1.94"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.62° × 1.62°Scale: 1.94"/px
William Optics RedCat 71 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.
Askar FRA400 — recommended user
Best suited for beginners and wide-field enthusiasts running a portable travel rig.