This was not a spontaneous purchase based on the abundant Williams Optics Redcat hype. For months I compared the Redcat 51 with a number of other comparable astrophotography scopes. After reviewing numerous genuine articles, blogs and videos on various brands, I eventually concluded that the redcat 51 was my scope of choice. The reasons for this choice are varied. Lets start by saying that it is not necessarily the cheapest option. Other brands touted to provide a similar performance come in under the WO Redcat price tag (not by much). The key features that swayed my opinion lie in the quality of the optics, build and design. This telescope can produce very sharp images when focus is correct. The included Bahtinov mask assisted me with producing a pin point focus. Some, however, say otherwise. The new internal focus design makes achieving manual focus so much easier. It has a course adjustment and a fine tune adjustment. This design change is a big step up from the old helical focus design on the earlier generation models. An EAF can be fitted directly to the scope as well for those who prefer the auto focus option. The WIFD also assists with prevention of tilt. The metal construction of this instrument is solid and there is no reason to consider otherwise. One might say it's built like a tank. The focus mechanism is buttery smooth. The scope weight when fitted with the optional extras totals around 2.3kg. Light enough to fit to a small tracker. This instrument is a remarkable piece of kit and well worth that little extra in the price tag. If puchasing this instrument, I recommend that one read the manual and follow the instructions accordingly. I refer in particular to the touch and don't touch warnings. Do some research if attaching an EAF as there have been a couple of reported issues here. I believe they might be operator inflicted though. I have tested this scope on the moon fitted with a DSLR APSC which gave me around 400mm focal length. This produced a nice sharp image of a waning gibbous moon that remained sharp when cropped. Next will be the nebulae etc. i'm more than confident that it will produce the required results. This review is my opinion only (but shared by many others as well). I suggest you don't go out and buy this scope based on one or two reviews. Do your reasearch and make an informed choice. We all have different views and opinions. Choose your supplier carefully as after sales service is important. I suggest a long standing shop front supplier with Astrophotography knowledge. I used Testar but there are similar stores in Australia.
