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We are announcing the new ED80CF, the 80mm f/6 Air-Spaced Triplet Apochromat with a carbon fiber tube. The primary differences between this new model and the original ED80 Air-Spaced Triplet (classic white tube) are:
Carbon Fiber Body and Dew Shield:
Carbon fiber is incorporated instead of metal to reduce weight and for its non expansion properties in order to hold focus position over a wide range of temperature changes. A lighter weight telescope performs better on any mount that it is placed on.
Retractable Dew Shield:
This was a major request by our customers, to make the dew shield. It uses a friction fit and the mechanics of it should last a lifetime with normal use.
Front Lens Cell:
The new front lens cell adds push/pull tilt adjustment in addition to the centering type collimation, for added adjustment capabilities by the user.
Lens Cap:
We purchased new tooling to create a press-on metal lens cover to solve the problems that some amateurs were having with a thread-on lens cap. On occasion the ED80 is used during total solar eclipses. Unscrewing the lens cap during totality disturbs the telescope too much, so a lift-off cap was preferred.
Focuser:
Changes were made to the focuser to provide focuser draw tube sections to extend it for those who need the length. The sectioned focuser idea is something that is used often on the high-end focuser designs and affords the greatest focus ranges for varying types of visual and photographic equipment that might be used. We provide 2 extension tubes for this purpose. In most cases you will only need to use one. The focuser also rotates and incorporates the draw tube locking screws that many amateurs requested. The focuser body is shorter, and this combined with the elimination of the very long drawtube reduces telescope weight.