First Light Askar 71F Review: Best Budget Quadruplet for Astrophotography?

Let's look at the $600 Quadruplet Astrograph by Sharpstar Optics, the Askar 71F.
Get it at Agena Astro: agenaastro.com/askar-quadrupl...
Get it at High Point Scientific: www.highpointscientific.com/a...
Note: The locking screws are all aluminum! I was mistaken in my video. The paintjob makes it feel plastic but it is high quality aluminum.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro to the The Askar 71F and What I'll be Reviewing
2:47 Optical Quality Review
9:41 Build Quality Review
21:37 Portability Review
23:10 Ease of Use Review
25:00 Value Review
See the final shot of M13: www.astrobin.com/9u2ebe/
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#Astronomy #Telescope #Refractor #Askar #Askar71f #SharpStar #Review #Unboxing #TelescopeReview #FirstLight #Space #Astrophotography #M13 #Astrograph #71F #Imaging #AstroGear #Astro #ZWO #DSLR #AstroCam #BudgetFriendly
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[@Elkastro100]

Great review, I haven't had a chance to use my 71F yet, clouds, wind and work. You mention the cradle locking ring knobs and dew shield lock, focus rotator knob, I thought they were plastic too when I first got the scope but they are all aluminum, I made a tiny scratch on the bottom its definitely machined aluminum, just the black paint makes it seem like plastic. Only plastic is the two little white bushings where the scope rings clamp together.

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! Those are aluminum!? You are right. I just took off the dew shield locking screw and dropped it on the tile floor. Definitely sounds aluminum. Thank you for pointing it out. I'm planning a follow up video as I've been learning more about it and testing it more so I'll point that out and will definitely give you credit. My method of flicking it with my finger fooled me. And I'm kind of impressed with the quality because now, aside from the glass, the whole thing is about 99.9% aluminum.

[@ross1972]

Askar is really setting the standard right now I have the 65 phq and I really love it it holds focus really well and the field is flat as. I like that this new one has a small dove tail on the top.

[@Naztronomy]

Totally agree about Askar. I'm hoping this gives a kick to other manufacturers to make similar quality and similar priced products. I'd love to try out the 65 phq with the reducer one day. I'm sure it's amazing! The dovetail/handlebar on top is really nice. Easy to balance with a guide scope up there!

[@paultyson5145]

Brilliant video. Thanks for all the info. Relatively new to astrophotography so this has really helped. I think I will get one of these. I think I will try 3D printing a couple of clearance spacers for the handle too.

[@Naztronomy]

Thanks for the kind words! 3D printing the spacers sound good, let me know how it goes and if you have a design you'd like to share. I could use some too 😊

[@guydesgranges2826]

thank you for all these informations. Excellent review !!

[@Naztronomy]

Glad it was helpful! Clear skies!

[@Mattomune]

I have been considering a small refractor as my 2nd scope, to pair with my C8-N, and this looks like it really fits the bill.

[@Naztronomy]

Awesome! I think this would be a good addition to your collection. Let me know if you have any questions about it. Clear skies!

[@Astro_Shed]

Excellent review, looks a nice looking scope at this price point….👍🏻

[@Naztronomy]

Thanks! And I agree. SharpStar/Askar is stepping up its game with the quality and price point, hoping other manufacturers follow.

[@mikegorecki345]

Excellent review .....I enjoy my at60ed as well .. But this focal length is a perfect step up to tighter imaging.....thanks for taking the time

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! I agree about this being a perfect step up, that's a great way of putting it! The AT60 with my 533MC Pro is perfect. I can fit so many DSO in the fov but the narrower FOV of the 71F is making me want upgrade the camera as well.

[@211milkman]

Finally a review on this scope. I bought this scope on pre-order from Agina Astro. Got it as soon as it shipped earlier this month. I got a laugh out ot it looking like it was scratched (the logo) it was the first thing I noticed. Also the handlebar being not high enough to get my hand through. I've only had it out for one imagining session so far. M51. I am impressed how good the field is. Absolute no coma . It's a great scope as you mentioned to get started in the world of Astrophotography. I own a W.O Zenith star 61 ll. This scope will be getting a lot more use. Can't wait until I have clear skies to go after the Wizard Nebula using the player one anti halo narrowband filter. Thanks for reviewing this great scope. Clear skies....Hopefully soon.

[@Naztronomy]

Awesome! What camera did you pair with it? M51 is on my list to image with it. I did a few minutes of M101 but clouds rolled in and it wasn't even worth mentioning in the video. Wizard Nebula with the P1 Narrowband filter sounds like it'll be great! That DSO is on my list too but I'll most likely use the L-eXtreme which, unfortunately, is not anti-halo. Clear skies!

[@211milkman]

@@Naztronomy I used the Player one Uranus C pro IMX585 camera. Pairs well with it.

[@Naztronomy]

Very cool! I need to get myself a camera with a larger sensor than the 533 one day.

[@JinWooShin]

I got this scope from Agenna Astro with preorder. I uses it for several sessions and it's optic quality is really good. All the corner starts looks perfect. I did some star field and nebula. Both comes perfect. It is really just cheaper version of Redcat 71. It is slower than that but 1/4 of price. I really love this scope.

[@Naztronomy]

Awesome! Which camera are you pairing with the scope?

[@melobcm]

Great review! I was looking for it since this scope came out. Hope they add a 50~60mm scope to this new F series. Not sure if it would fight against the PHQ series but would be a gamechanger in the market at a lower price range. Greetings from Brazil

[@Naztronomy]

Hello from Boston! Thank you! A 50 or 60mm scope like this would be great. Especially if they can make it faster at f/5 or better.

[@cristian-zg8sh]

I have the SW 72ED, without the original flat field, I have other flatfield (longperl) and the start on the edge are very elengated. So, I wich another OTA without isues on the starts, It looks good.

[@Naztronomy]

If you have elongation on the edges, it may be your backfocus. If you look up how backfocus affects star shapes, you should be able to find some guides that will guide you on whether you need more or less back spacing. OPT has some nice images near the middle of the page: optcorp.com/blogs/deep-sky-imaging/how-to-set-the-correct-back-focus

[@ScrapYardDog64]

Hi, I'd love to here more about its ability in visual observing, yes its an astrograph but visual will tell you just how good the optics are.

[@Naztronomy]

I think the scope is great for visual astronomy. There are no chromatic aberrations from what I can see and since I made the video, I've looked at a few more double stars as well as the moon where I'd normally expect some color around the limb but I saw none. When I pair it with my Televue Diagonal, I get really good contrast even with my low-quality eyepieces. I can clearly make out globs and most double stars I've looked at. There's not enough zoom to see close binaries like Mizar A and Mizar B but maybe I am looking at the wrong time of the year. I haven't observed any nebulae though. From my bortle 8 backyard, even with nebula boosting filters like an OIII filter, I can't really see anything with any of my telescopes. I'd love to test it out on the Orion nebula at some point when it comes back around (and preferably not from my backyard). With all that said, the field of view is really nice but it's limited by the focal ratio of f/7. It's not "slow" but having used larger scopes that are much faster and the amount of light you can collect quickly is noticeable. I don't see myself using this scope for anything other than looking at the moon (because the moon looks soooo nice through this) and for astrophotography. I plan on doing a follow-up video so I'll include everything I've mentioned here and maybe a little bit more. Hoping to get at least a few more nights of astro out of this before I make that video. Let me know if you have other questions in the meantime.

[@ignatiuk83]

Thanks for the review! I think 0,75 reducer is on the way so it will be even better choice

[@Naztronomy]

Thanks! I can't wait for the reducer. It'll be amazing at f/5.1.

[@ignatiuk83]

@@Naztronomy in the meantime I have asked producer about it and they confirmed that reducer will be avaliable in second half of the year. I am going to buy this telescope today :)

[@Naztronomy]

Yes! I talked to them too hoping to get one ASAP ☺️ Use my referral to other the scope if you can. Clear skies!

[@Naztronomy]

Thanks for watching! Consider supporting this channel at no cost to you by using some of my referral links below: Get the Askar 71F at Agena Astro: agenaastro.com/askar-quadruplet-flat-field-astrograph-71f.html?rfsn=7382615.2b333e Get the Askar 71F at High Point Scientific: www.highpointscientific.com/askar-71f-flat-field-refractor?rfsn=7725690.2252b3 Shop for other stuff on Amazon: amzn.to/45bemmL

[@nikaxstrophotography]

Need to see some sample images, CA with an OSC and corner to corner.

[@hangerbird]

Great review. What really caught my attention was the fact that you used it to photograph the Sun. I had purchased the SolarQuest, for this past eclipse and I had used my 150-600mm lens with this setup. My tie-in with this review is this: I would like to continue using the SolarQuest, but would like a scope to use, to photograph Sunspots instead of a camera lens. My thoughts are, either this Askar 71F or the RedCat51. Would you suggest the Askar 71F over the RedCat or suggest another scope, to go with the SolarQuest? Can an eyepiece be introduce into this Askar 71F setup to increase the magnification so that one can zoom in closer on a Sunspot? Maybe, with the fact that many people had purchased the SolarQuest; a future video could be done on what scope to pair with this now that you have it?

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! And thanks for the video suggestion, I like the idea especially since we're heading into Solar Maximum and should expect to see a lot more activity over the next year. I have a few telescopes I can use to showcase but the challenge will be enough clear skies :) The Askar 71F has a focal length of almost 2x RedCat51's so it would be better for the sun. You can get a closer look at the sun without adding extra glass in between the telescope and your camera. From my example in the video, you can see that the sun fits the field of view pretty nicely. You may be able to get a better view with a telescope that's around 600-800mm focal length (as long as the optics are good enough, both the RedCat and the Askar have excellent optics). You'll have to be careful about the weight of everything because the SolarQuest has a payload limit of 11lbs. I can actually use my 6" SCT to get fairly close to the sun at a focal length of 1500mm. The SCT with a DSLR is just under the payload limit. And yes, you can use a barlow lens to get closer to the sun and its sunspots, keeping in mind that barlows can decrease the quality of the image that you see. I haven't tested mine with one but I will try to for a follow-up video that I'm working on now. Let me know if you have any questions! Clear skies!

[@hangerbird]

@@Naztronomy I'm aware of the weight limit on the SolarQuest, which is why I have reached out to you. I don't want the SolarQuest to be a one trick pony so photographing SunSpots are a perfect target for this tracker. So, if you could show what scopes/camera/DSLR combo would work with this tracker; which would do a decent job on zooming in to photograph SunSpots would be a great followup to the eclipse. I bet there are many out there who have purchased this tracker and are now asking themselves... what else can I do with it? Later this summer, I am planning a trip to visit Luntz to see what they have that will work with the SolarQuest to photograph SunSpots with.

[@613atl]

I'm very new to amateur astronomy doing just visual. I decided to get the Askar 120 apo triplet and like it so much I bought the 71F to try AP. Even though I've been warned to stay away from it. I recently picked up an asiair plus on another member on CN. Was gonna get a color planetary camera, but decided to the the ZWO ASI585MC Pro Cooled Color. I have the 120mm mini for a guide camera, but need to get a guide scope. My question is: Do you think I made an okay choice in regard to the 585 MC Pro and what guide scope would you suggest?

[@Naztronomy]

The Askar 120 is amazing! Once you get comfortable with AP, you should be able to get some great images with the 120. You may need to buy a flattener/reducer for it though. I think the 585MC is a great choice. The specs look good and the reviews I've seen so far are encouraging. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. As for guide scopes, I've been using this one for a few years: amzn.to/3X5WCYL It's a 60mm svbony. I've used it from a focal length of 258mm to 3000mm without any issues. I've also used it with a ASI120mm Mini. If you look at my video here, around the 0:43 mark, you can see the setup on my newtonian: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z37VgYhrmbt3h9E And if you look at my community post here, you can see the same guide scope on top of the Askar 71F: kzbin.infoUgkxW4CQclSQEKQabHad0jqj_0JaKxyBIxs9 Let me know if you have more questions. Clear skies!

[@shreyaskanetkar4697]

Nice video! Eagerly waiting for the follow up before I buy it. Would love if you can image some Nebulae in the follow up, wanna compare it with my 120 APO and Hyperstar 9.25 edge hd. Will order depending on that follow up video results!

[@Naztronomy]

Thank you! So far I've imaged the Iris Nebula and it came out really well. I'm still editing it and will upload it to my astrobin soon (and the channel's community tab). I've tried to image a few nebulae in Cygnus for the last couple of weeks but clouds haven't let me. What kind of data are you looking to see? I can try to capture something that'll be helpful. I use the 533MC Pro as my camera and I have an L-eXtreme dual narrowband filter that I planned on using. The iris nebula I mentioned above was taken without any filters.

[@shreyaskanetkar4697]

@@Naztronomy awesome! Waiting for that upload. I am going to be buying it either way, you have convinced me. Honestly iris nebula will be perfect for comparison.

[@Naztronomy]

@@shreyaskanetkar4697 Awesome! Use my referral link if you're able to :) I think this link should work, direct link to the file on discord with the caveat that I'm still not fully complete editing it: cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1215409863354490960/1248744797578199190/Iris_Darker.png?ex=6664c7b8&is=66637638&hm=b6f629b325b71ce8b859235c43d6dcbb8f54daa3ae5558a04db1693071491dba&

[@shreyaskanetkar4697]

@@Naztronomy yes of course! And I just checked the image out, my oh my it’s amazing! Keep up the good work dude!!

[@MrGp3po]

Okay. I bite. Just ordered this refractor. Do I need it? Not really, but its a nice scope for a nice price and HEY, everyone likes new stuff. I do have a RedCat51 (first generation), Orion ED80, AT115, and SkyMax150. This scope should be superior to the ED80 optics and fits nicely within my range of focal lengths. I really like the EAF on my AT115 which drifts in focus through the night, but have never seen the need on the RedCat51. I'm hoping this scope holds focus, but we will see. Thanks for the review.

[@Naztronomy]

I'm in the same boat, I didn't need this at all and I agree that it's a nice scope for a nice price. Your other telescopes sound amazing. The AT115 is on my list to get one day. I've been seeing listings of it on CloudyNights but haven't moved forward to get it y et. Do you have the reducer/flattener with yours? And good to know about its focus drift. I have the AT60ED and I love it. I haven't had the focus drift and I'm not currently using an EAF. It might be because it's just a doublet and much lighter than the 115. And from my testing of the Askar 71F, it holds focus really well. The focus locking screw also works really well. One day when I get a full night of clear skies, I'll test it out and see how the focus does.

[@MrGp3po]

@@Naztronomy Astronomics sells the AT115 and you get a discount for being a Cloudy Nights member. The prices keep dropping and it really IS a bargain for a wonderful telescope. I gasped when I viewed Albireo with this fine scope. So crisp and bright, it takes your breath away. The temperatures here drop 30 to 40 degrees during the night and I think the AT115 focus changing is to to all that wonderful glass. The EAF works great!

[@Naztronomy]

​@@MrGp3po I'm a frequent customer of Astronomics 😊 Good point about the temperature. Are you in the Southwest? I don't think the temperature here (New England) swings that much overnight so I've been lucky in that sense.

[@MrGp3po]

@@Naztronomy I am in Spring Creek, Nevada (northeast Nevada) at an elevation of 5,500 feet. About Bortle 4 here.

[@Naztronomy]

@@MrGp3po Awesome! I'm jealous from my Bortle 8 backyard :) I'm hoping I can take a trip to the Southwest with my gear one day.

[@michaelnixon6672]

looking for the best light rig setup based on the SvBony 503ed 80mm. Can you provide suggestions?

[@Naztronomy]

Do you have anything else with the SV503? Or are you looking to build a rig around it? I looked it up and it's a doublet so if you don't already have a flattener, you'll need to get one for astrophotography. If you want to guide, Svbony has a good guide scope, I use their 60mm guide scope. You can also get an OAG to save on weight. For a mount, I use my AZ-GTi in eq mode for portability. There's also the SkyWatcher Star Adventurer 2i which is popular. As for a camera, you can pretty much go with anything. A cooled camera like t he ASI533MC may be good. That's what I use as my primary and I love it. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

[@parthpatel51]

What would be the size of bahtinov mask for this scope?

[@Naztronomy]

The outer dimension of the dew shield is 87.60mm, so a bahtinov mask that goes around that would be ideal. I'm going to print one for myself that 87.65mm so I'll see how snuggly that fits.

[@mikehardy8247]

I'm assuming I can use a filter drawer with my astrocamera?

[@Naztronomy]

Yep! I had a clip showing how I use my zwo drawer but I cut it for timing reasons and I also have the opportunity to test out a new EAF so I figured it would fit better in that video.

[@mikehardy8247]

As opposed to many seasoned astrophotographers, I'm a ZWO enthusiast,, but having to buy an EAF for every scope adds up. If I get this scope, ZWO drawer is what I'll be using.

[@Naztronomy]

I totally agree! I don't use an EAF either right now, I'll just be testing one. It'll be a non zwo brand. And I use a zwo filter drawer as well. I don't see myself getting a filter wheel anytime soon though. I'd like a bigger camera first. Maybe the ASI2600MC one day. What does the rest of your setup look like?

[@astervirgo3411]

no sample image?

[@Naztronomy]

The end of the video shows M13 and I also included a link to the Astrobin page for that object if you want a better look. I'm working on a follow-up video where I'll show more images through it. I didn't have enough clear nights before this video was done.

[@vineethonkan]

Naztronomy, I have a question regarding this refractor. When you (or any astrophotographer) posts pictures of the stars through this, they appear to be magnified. How does this work? Does the camera adapter have a built in magnifier, or must you put in the magnifying eyepiece (like when using a T-ring adapter)?

[@Naztronomy]

Good question! The telescope itself is doing the magnification. With Eyepieces, you can calculate the magnification. For example, this telescope with a focal length of 490mm and with a 25mm eyepiece, you get 20x magnification. With a camera though, it's harder to calculate "magnification" because cameras are all looking at the 'field of view' which is basically, how much of the sky can you see on the sensor. And the FOV can depend on the size of the sensor itself so a smaller sense would look "zoomed in" even though it's technically zoomed in the same amount as any other sensor, you just see less of the sky. If that makes sense. Let me know if you have any more questions. I know it's not the easiest to understand over text. It's always better to see it for yourself. If you have access to a local astronomy club, I highly recommend checking them out and see if anyone can show you what I'm talking about in person, but I'm happy to explain further if you have more questions.

[@vineethonkan]

I live in canada. Here this astrograph costs over 800. Would you do a comparison between this one and the skywatcher evoguide 50?

[@Naztronomy]

Ahhh if we convert USD to CAD, it's cheaper by about $19 USD at the moment. I am not sure if the Evoguide 50 is comparable to the Askar 71F. The Evoguide is an apochromatic guide scope and although you can use it for astrophotography, it'll be a bit more difficult with the helical focuser and the lack of a flat field. Evoguide is faster than the 71F so you'll collect light more quickly but but you'll have to add a field flattener. Are you looking for a wider field of view refractor? If you are, check out the AT60ED. I have a first light video of it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHO2aIOefMljrM0

[@vineethonkan]

what is the total length of this scope?

[@Naztronomy]

When it's all collapsed, it's about 373mm but when it's expanded (both with the camera adapters and the dew shield), its's about 474mm. And if you are wondering about the actual focal length, it's 490mm.