Explore Scientific ED80 Review: The Imaging Refractor

Updated 2026-08-21 Researched, not tested in person

Quick answer

The ED80 is the classic first serious astrophotography telescope: short enough to be forgiving of mount error, fast enough to collect light quickly, and corrected well enough that stars stay tight to the corners with a flattener. Buy it if you are building a deep sky imaging rig and want the telescope to be the part you do not have to worry about. Skip it if you are mainly a visual observer, because 80mm of aperture shows far less than a Dobsonian costing the same.

Eighty millimetres of apochromatic triplet at f/6, which is the most forgiving telescope a new imager can own.

Best First Astrophotography Telescope

Explore Scientific ED80 Essential Series Air-Spaced Apochromatic 80mm Triplet Refractor

~$500

An 80mm f/6 air spaced apochromatic triplet using FCD1 HOYA extra low dispersion glass, with a retractable dew shield and push-pull collimation adjustment.

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Specifications

Optical design	Air spaced apochromatic triplet
Aperture	80mm
Focal length	480mm
Focal ratio	f/6
Glass	FCD1 HOYA extra low dispersion, enhanced multi-layer coatings
Dew shield	Retractable
Collimation	Push-pull adjustment on the front cell

Specifications above come from Explore Scientific's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

A 480mm focal length is short enough that small tracking errors do not show, which is why this class of telescope is recommended to beginners over anything longer.
A true triplet with ED glass keeps bright stars free of the purple fringing that spoils images from cheaper doublets.
It is light, so it sits comfortably on a mid range equatorial mount rather than demanding a heavy one.
The retractable dew shield saves both length in the case and a separate accessory purchase.

Where it falls short

Eighty millimetres is a small aperture. It collects light slowly compared with a larger scope, so integration times run long on faint targets.
You will need a field flattener to get clean stars in the corners of a large sensor, and that is an additional purchase not included here.
The supplied focuser is adequate for visual use and is the first thing many imagers upgrade once a heavy camera hangs off it.
A short focal length gives a small image scale, so small galaxies and planetary nebulae stay small no matter what you do.

What owners report

Published owner reports treat the 80mm f/6 apo triplet as a known quantity, and this one specifically is described as delivering clean, well corrected stars for the price. The recurring caveat concerns the focuser under load: owners with heavy imaging trains report sag and either upgrade or brace it. That is common at this price point across brands.

The other repeated observation is about expectations of aperture. Imagers who came from a larger telescope note how much longer faint targets take, while acknowledging that the shorter focal length makes far more of their exposures usable. That tradeoff, less light but more keepers, is the whole argument for starting here.

Who it suits

First time deep sky imagers who want a telescope that will not expose every flaw in their mount.
Anyone imaging large targets such as the North America Nebula or the Andromeda Galaxy.
Owners of a mid range equatorial mount who need a tube that fits comfortably inside the payload.

Who should skip it

Visual observers, who should buy aperture instead.
Planetary imagers, who need long focal length and a large aperture.
Anyone without a tracking equatorial mount, because a good telescope on no mount takes no photographs.

Alternatives worth considering

The Camera to Pair With It

ZWO ASI183MC Pro 20.18 MP CMOS Color Astronomy Camera

~$870

This camera's 2.4 micron pixels are a good sampling match for a 480mm focal length, which is exactly the pairing that this telescope is best at. Buying a matched camera and scope beats buying a better one of either in isolation.

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For Planets Instead

Sky-Watcher Skymax 127mm Maksutov-Cassegrain optical tube

~$610

If your interest is Solar System imaging rather than deep sky, this is the opposite tool: long focal length and more aperture, which is what planetary work needs and what a short refractor cannot provide.

Check price on Amazon

Keep reading

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ED80 a good first astrophotography telescope?

It is the archetype of one. A short focal length is forgiving of periodic error and imperfect polar alignment, an f/6 focal ratio collects light at a reasonable rate, and a triplet keeps star colour clean. Most of the frustration new imagers experience comes from long focal lengths, and this avoids it.

Do I need a field flattener with an ED80?

For imaging with anything larger than a small sensor, yes. A refractor focuses onto a slightly curved surface, so stars towards the corners stretch without a flattener. Treat it as a required part of the imaging setup rather than an optional accessory, and check that the one you buy matches this focal ratio.

Is 80mm enough aperture?

For imaging, aperture buys speed rather than possibility, because a camera accumulates light over time in a way an eye cannot. An 80mm scope will image the same targets as a larger one, it simply needs more total exposure. For visual observing, 80mm is genuinely limiting and a Dobsonian is a better use of the money.

What mount does the ED80 need?

Something in the class of a Star Adventurer GTi at the light end or an Advanced VX at the comfortable end. The tube is light, so this is one of the few telescopes where a portable equatorial is a real option. Use our mount payload calculator once you know your camera and accessories.

ED80 or a fast Newtonian for imaging?

A Newtonian gives more aperture for the money and needs collimation, a coma corrector and more careful balancing. A small apo triplet gives fewer variables. For a first imaging setup, fewer variables is usually worth more than more aperture. Our refractor versus reflector comparison covers the wider tradeoff.

How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, optical figures we can verify, and reviews from owners who have used the equipment under real skies. We do not test gear in person. Never point any telescope, finder or binocular at the Sun without a certified full-aperture solar filter fitted over the front of the instrument.

Recording your own eyepieces, exit pupils and sessions? The Observing & Astrophotography Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.