As the years go by, lugging the large scopes out and doing all the set-up and aligning, it's refreshing to be able to grab my already assembled scope put it on the deck and be viewing in a matter of minutes.
At f/5 it takes a pretty fast picture.

It is a very nice telescope! Not the biggest aperture but big enough to see most of what is up there!


(+) It is an excellent grab and go telescope. I have packed the OTA, the mount & my small eyepiece kit in one long shoulder bag and walked to viewing sites! Just not that heavy!

(+) As a first scope it is excellent! It has a large enough aperture
to get around the sky with few limitations. It is easy to use, since it is a refractor, and finally (again) is it light and portable!

(+) if you need to store it -that is easy too. It comes off
the mount and all parts can be stored in a OTA travel bag against the wall -taking up no more room than a full sized guitar!

(+) I think that this telescope delivers very clear, very
nice views. It is a "fast" F/5 meaning you can gather a lot of light for the size and is compatible with astrophotography! Frankly this telescope was my second telescope but was my first for my introduction into astrophotography!

(+/-) It comes with an AltAz mount that has slow movement knobs & nice center tray (good!), but is only just "ok" as a mount (a bit light) .

(-) I switched the diagonal to a 90 degree -this is almost
essential for star gazing.


(-) OK, this is a doublet *achromatic* refractor. So that
means you may see some blue fringe or halo on very bright objects. For me that was not really not terrible -- and I mostly did not even notice! When taking photos of stars or DSO, sometimes
I could see signs of the chromatic aberration (CA), but even for
astrophotography (as a beginner) that did not get in the way of my
enjoyment. I do appreciate this scope's nice views and clear images.


Conversely, if I wanted to get an AP or APO scope of even near the same size that would be twice or three times the cost ! This telescope is well worth the savings!


I would recommend this scope as a portable/grab and go or a general purpose scope without hesitation.

This scope offers excellent image quality and light gathering power with a relatively light weight. I can't see any color fringes on stars. Coma is well corrected by the included flattener, but it is visible in the corners of the frame. Mechanical quality is very good. The case is very sturdy and offers good protection, but it if also fairly heavy.

I've had the Esprit 120 for about a month now and I'm already considering getting the Esprit 80 as well.

After years of viewing with larger (and heavier)computer controlled scopes that can require a huge time commitment to get set up and aligned, it is such a relief to grab the scope already mounted and easily carry it to the deck. The red dot finder is so easy once aligned to the scope. Just put the dot where you want to view.
The scope gathers plenty of light and being relatively fast (f5) the opportunity for lunar and planetary photography is good. Of course being a completely manual mount your are limited to fairly short shutter speed. There of course is some fringing,, more prominent on very bright objects
I'm truly enjoying astronomy again. The big scopes with their heavy mounts are langushing in their storage cases.
Great purchase, highly recommended.

After some research and talking to other owners, I went ahead and bought this scope. It's an excellent scope with sharp images from edge to edge and a very nice and smooth focuser. This is a very complete package. Mine came with: a nice hard case, field flattener (essential for imaging), a 48mm Canon T-ring, and a 2 90 degree diagonal with an adapter for 1.25 eyepieces, a 50mm finder scope with diagonal and a tube rings with dovetail bar. Many competitors don't include these accessories and you have purchase them separately. I mostly use the scope for deep sky astrophotography.


I wish it came with a top plate for mounting a guide scope.

First, I really don't know where to start. I've only had this scope out a few times due to weather conditions, but it definitely doesn't disappoint! All of the specs, pros and cons are available scattered across the web, but in my novice opinion the scope truly is a Beauty in the Beast. The fit and finish; included accessories like the hard travel case on wheels (you will need the wheels), field flattener, mounting rings, diagonal and spotting scope are all typical Sky Watcher. There is no included eyepiece. I have three Sky Watcher mounts and they all perform flawlessly. All I needed to purchase was an adapter to fit my Nikons. A Canon adapter is included. The Beauty in this scope is in the optics. Stars are unbelievably bright and sharp all the way to the edge of the field thanks to the huge glass up front and the dedicated flattener. The 2 3.4 focuser is very well constructed and includes a built in lock to hold the focus solid even with my heavy DSLR Nikons. The Beast in this scope is the weight. It's a large, heavy scope and a big step up from my WO Z61. Make certain your mount can handle not only the weight, but the bulk when it slews. I added an after market D-bar and handle to the top of the mounting rings just to assist in having a firm grip on the scope while mounting and un-mounting. I have this mounted on the Sky Watcher EQ6R Pro and it handles the weight of the scope and all my add ons easily. The attached Andromeda image was taken with 4 min unguided subs in class 5 Bortle skies on a Nikon D750. The EQ6R and Esprit APO 120 combo is amazing.

Secondly, I cant say enough about B&H. I have purchased 99% of all my camera and computer gear over the years from them. Recommended them to others. I have to admit, I've rarely spoken to a product adviser with the exception of my computer purchase, but their customer service is top notch in regards to pricing, returns and fast shipping.


Clear skies!