SVBONY, Any good? Generic equipment discussions · William Sweeney · ... · 28 · 819 · 7

I have a 6 nm dual-band Ha Oiii as well as a few other filters from them and haven't had any issues. I can't vouch for the OTA's but suspect that at least the optics are coming out of the same factory in China as many other brands.

I use SVBony 80mm apochromatic triplet refractor. it was my first telescope. I also use their imaging train, a one shot color camera, SVB405cc. I use their filter drawer and filters, a dual band filter as well as UV IR cut filter. I also use their guide scope and guide cope camera. The only part of my setup that doesn't come from them is the mount, I use a ZWO AM5.

You can checkout my images, I've had pretty happy experience with it. I'm sure I could get better images with a higher quality optics, but as a beginner it was a good start. I plan to upgrade incrementally as budget allows. First I think ym biggest benefit would be from going to a monochrome setup with filters, or to a higher quality ZWO one shot color camera.

After this I may upgrade to a Williams optics Pleads 110mm scope, that can still be handled by my mount, but gives a little more power and higher quality optics, as well as being faster. Given I live in the tropical regions where clouds are an issue, and half the year it's monsoon season, faster optics would be a benefit to make the most of the hours of imaging I have per year.

Having said that, if SVBony came out with a faster scope, I would consider them again.

Nicholas Barrowclough:
I use SVBony 80mm apochromatic triplet refractor. it was my first telescope. I also use their imaging train, a one shot color camera, SVB405cc. I use their filter drawer and filters, a dual band filter as well as UV IR cut filter. I also use their guide scope and guide cope camera. The only part of my setup that doesn't come from them is the mount, I use a ZWO AM5.

You can checkout my images, I've had pretty happy experience with it. I'm sure I could get better images with a higher quality optics, but as a beginner it was a good start. I plan to upgrade incrementally as budget allows. First I think ym biggest benefit would be from going to a monochrome setup with filters, or to a higher quality ZWO one shot color camera.

After this I may upgrade to a Williams optics Pleads 110mm scope, that can still be handled by my mount, but gives a little more power and higher quality optics, as well as being faster. Given I live in the tropical regions where clouds are an issue, and half the year it's monsoon season, faster optics would be a benefit to make the most of the hours of imaging I have per year.

Having said that, if SVBony came out with a faster scope, I would consider them again.

Hi Nicholas, thanks for the reply, I have had a look at your pics and they are very good and where i want to be at some point. your ex
Hi Nicholas, thanks for the reply, I have had a look at your pics and they are very good and where i want to be at some point. your ex[erience with SVBONY kit gives me confidence that I can learn the craft at a reasonable cost. I was amused to read that living in a tropical climate comes with ti's own issues, I was out imaging last night {uk} where it was -4 C with frost on the ground and it was difficult tightening the grub screws with frozen fingers.  do you find humidity to be an issue?

I have purchased a fair amount of svbony stuff over the years. 
About half the time I'm disappointed and the other have I feel satisfied. 
They have changed a little over the years and are not ( way cheaper) like they used to be. 
I feel like their stuff is 20-25 percent cheaper than others and about 20-25 percent lower quality. 
In this hobby quality usually goes with what you pay. If the item doesn't need to be highest quality, then svbony makes a lot of sense. I have a 30mm mini guide scope by then I've used for years. The glass is mediocre and it weighs 25 percent more than comparable scopes. But as long as I guides I don't care. 
I have a few filters by svbony that ( get the job done) but end up getting replaced with better brands. I have 2 of their cheap cameras, that now sit in a box because of ZWO replacements. I have bought and almost immediately sold or returned 3 svbony refractors. 
Just my experience. 

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Tony Gondola:
I have a 6 nm dual-band Ha Oiii as well as a few other filters from them and haven't had any issues. I can't vouch for the OTA's but suspect that at least the optics are coming out of the same factory in China as many other brands.

I've had a good experience. Build quality and optics are pretty good.

Clayton Ostler:
I have purchased a fair amount of svbony stuff over the years. 
About half the time I'm disappointed and the other have I feel satisfied. 
They have changed a little over the years and are not ( way cheaper) like they used to be. 
I feel like their stuff is 20-25 percent cheaper than others and about 20-25 percent lower quality. 
In this hobby quality usually goes with what you pay. If the item doesn't need to be highest quality, then svbony makes a lot of sense. I have a 30mm mini guide scope by then I've used for years. The glass is mediocre and it weighs 25 percent more than comparable scopes. But as long as I guides I don't care. 
I have a few filters by svbony that ( get the job done) but end up getting replaced with better brands. I have 2 of their cheap cameras, that now sit in a box because of ZWO replacements. I have bought and almost immediately sold or returned 3 svbony refractors. 
Just my experience. 

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thanks Clayton, I can say the guidescope is a weighty item but definately well engineered, I did however make a dew sheild for it. maybe they are a bit hit and miss.

William Sweeney:

Clayton Ostler:
I have purchased a fair amount of svbony stuff over the years. 
About half the time I'm disappointed and the other have I feel satisfied. 
They have changed a little over the years and are not ( way cheaper) like they used to be. 
I feel like their stuff is 20-25 percent cheaper than others and about 20-25 percent lower quality. 
In this hobby quality usually goes with what you pay. If the item doesn't need to be highest quality, then svbony makes a lot of sense. I have a 30mm mini guide scope by then I've used for years. The glass is mediocre and it weighs 25 percent more than comparable scopes. But as long as I guides I don't care. 
I have a few filters by svbony that ( get the job done) but end up getting replaced with better brands. I have 2 of their cheap cameras, that now sit in a box because of ZWO replacements. I have bought and almost immediately sold or returned 3 svbony refractors. 
Just my experience. 

​​

thanks Clayton, I can say the guidescope is a weighty item but definately well engineered, I did however make a dew sheild for it. maybe they are a bit hit and miss.

This is an interesting hobby. Most of us are trying to squeeze as much out of the gear we can afford, as possible. I'm super happy when anyone can find ways to get less expensive solutions that provide good results. Saving money is smart, but if I buy twice and end up selling off the first purchase for a loss, or it just sits on a shelf, I feel frustrated and somewhat embarrassed by not adhering to the (but once cry once) advice. And I do that a lot with AP gear.  Just yesterday I sold 2 filters for than than 50 percent of my original costs, and both have been replaced with better brands that provide better results. (200$ gone). That could have been saved towards a Rasa. Hahah
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Many will say that expensive is always best and some can just write the check. I've never been that guy and have always tried to be strategic in my buying choices. A good example would be choosing a 6" Newtonian as my main imaging scope verses a smaller aperture, much more expensive refractor. The reflector is apochromatic and diffraction limited. It's a good match to my ZWO585pro which was the cheapest cooled camera I could buy. It's a good match to the F/6  Newt. as with a sensor that small I don't need a coma corrector. I carefully weigh every upgrade and purchase to get the biggest improvement for the dollar. SVBony is certainly a part of that approach. I remember when I worked photo retail that a lot of people thought, the most expensive gear would turn them into a great photographer. Nothing could be further from the truth. It helps in certain cases but it isn't the full answer.

William Sweeney:

Tony Gondola:
Many will say that expensive is always best and some can just write the check. I've never been that guy and have always tried to be strategic in my buying choices. A good example would be choosing a 6" Newtonian as my main imaging scope verses a smaller aperture, much more expensive refractor. The reflector is apochromatic and diffraction limited. It's a good match to my ZWO585pro which was the cheapest cooled camera I could buy. It's a good match to the F/6  Newt. as with a sensor that small I don't need a coma corrector. I carefully weigh every upgrade and purchase to get the biggest improvement for the dollar. SVBony is certainly a part of that approach. I remember when I worked photo retail that a lot of people thought, the most expensive gear would turn them into a great photographer. Nothing could be further from the truth. It helps in certain cases but it isn't the full answer.

I have a 6" Newtonian built in 1979 as a youngster I was heavily into Astronomy and still have it check my kit picture, back then refractors were not as good as they are now and a 3" refractor was considered equivelant to 6 " newt and horificly expensive. life took over and astronomy went on the back burner, now retired and back after 40 odd years and totally amazed at what can be achieved. the big telescope is an 8" newt work in progress, trying to figure the mirror at F6.4 this project has been ongoing at least 25 yrs lol, not sure i have many 25yr projects left in me lol.

HaHa, I know what you mean. Glad to see someone is still in the trenches, making mirrors. Good on ya William!

Hi Derek, Thanks for your reply, lovely pictures, I particularly liked your beach picture very poetic. The SV550 looks to  be a good scope and you are doing it justice with your pics.  I think you have a point about learning to deal with chromatic aberation, dealing with these annoyances in post is part of the learning process, such that as experience is gained, these are transferable skills when and if you decide to upgrade. For me i am working on Basics, like making sure i am properly polar aligned, and efficiency to reduce workload, things like a compass fitted to my tripod, arrows lined up for declination on my ioptron skyguider pro, these two things get me in the ball park in seconds. i am now looking at guiding using a guidescope and camera and when I have this pegged i will be in a better position to move to larger lenses in my dslr or a dedicated ota.

I have their sv605, filter drawer and sv220 ha/0iii filter. All bought on price, not quality.
I'd like a usb hub on the camera like zwo etc al, but other than that it's hard to fault.
Even their customer service seems decent.
Only been doing this for 11 months though, so I'm hardly expert enough to offer much more insight.
If you look me up on star gazers lounge all my square pictures are taken with this gear and my £300 72ed. They are not  winning prizes, but my gear is still far better than my skills.

Took this two days ago through mist only 3 hours in bortle6. Don't zoom into far but I'm quite shocked tbh 

William Sweeney:

TiffsAndAstro:
I have their sv605, filter drawer and sv220 ha/0iii filter. All bought on price, not quality.
I'd like a usb hub on the camera like zwo etc al, but other than that it's hard to fault.
Even their customer service seems decent.
Only been doing this for 11 months though, so I'm hardly expert enough to offer much more insight.
If you look me up on star gazers lounge all my square pictures are taken with this gear and my £300 72ed. They are not  winning prizes, but my gear is still far better than my skills.

Took this two days ago through mist only 3 hours in bortle6. Don't zoom into far but I'm quite shocked tbh 

Hi Tiffs, I think you hit the nail on the head, where the  equipment outperforms ability, I do feel that as i have stated in other posts when the equipment becomes the limiting factor then it's time to think upgrade. Great photo by the way.

very kind of you to say. i like it too, especially so compared to my gear