Telescopes

Askar 80ED refractor tested with the ASI2600MC and ASI585MC

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Luca, aka Space Koala recently tested the ASI2600MC and ASI585MC on the Askar 80ED refractor, the refractor shows promising results for entry-level astrophotography, delivering flat fields and clean stars in most conditions, though it exhibits mild artifacts around brighter stars under close inspection.

The Askar 80ED is a compact, lightweight refractor that comes in around $400, making it an attractive option for beginner astrophotographers or anyone looking for a grab-and-go setup. It’s an 80mm doublet with a straightforward design, one ED glass element paired with a standard crown lens. With a focal length of 560mm and an f/7 ratio, it's built for simplicity and affordability.

Out of the box, it’s pretty no-frills. You get a basic foam-lined package, a pair of tube rings, a 20cm Vixen-style dovetail, a top handle, and a couple of mounting points for accessories like a guide scope or an ASIAIR. Nothing fancy, but it’s everything you need to get started without breaking the bank.

Askar 80ED refractor: A portable, budget-friendly entry into astrophotography

At just under 4 pounds, it’s easy to carry and set up. With rings and dovetail, it’s still only around 4.4 pounds. That makes it a good match for small mounts like the ZWO AM3 or the Star Adventurer. The dew shield can be flipped around to make the scope shorter for travel. The focuser is a 2-inch rack-and-pinion with fine and coarse knobs, and you can add a motor focuser like the ZWO EAF, though it’s not really needed.

Askar sells three flatteners for this scope. You can choose the one that best matches your camera and field of view:

The 1.0x flattener keeps it at f/7
The 0.85x reducer brings it to f/5.9
The 0.7x reducer drops it down to f/4.9

All of them include a built-in rotator so you can frame your shot without having to rotate the camera. The scope was tested with two cameras, the ASI2600MC with the IMX571 sensor and the ASI585MC with the IMX585 sensor. The 0.7x reducer was used first with the ASI2600MC and a multi-narrowband filter. The image showed small stars and a flat field with no coma in the corners. There weren’t any color fringes in the center or corners, which is good for a low-cost doublet.

But there was a problem that showed up near bright stars, a kind of dark halo or radial artifact that pointed toward the middle of the frame. This happened with all three correctors and didn’t go away even when filters were removed. That suggests the issue is in the main scope optics, not the flattener or reducer. These kinds of effects are common in air-spaced doublets, especially around bright stars.

Switching to the ASI585MC gave different results. The sensor is smaller, so it doesn’t use the full image circle. That means it avoids the worst of the corner problems. Artifacts were still visible around bright stars, but overall the image was tighter. Smaller sensors like the IMX585 seem to work better with this scope because they stay inside the best part of the field. This is also true for sensors like the IMX533 or IMX294. Full-frame sensors are too large and will show drop-off and distortion on the edges.

Even though the images were taken without calibration frames, they came out clean. The Andromeda Galaxy, for example, showed good stars and structure. The results held up well once stacked and lightly processed. Most of the problems are only visible if you zoom way in.

It’s worth keeping in mind that this is a basic doublet, not a high-end triplet or quad. It has some quirks. But for short exposures and smaller sensors, it can deliver usable images. And if you’re just posting to social media or building experience, the image quality is enough to get you going.

It’s also a good match for people looking for a small travel scope. You don’t need a large mount or lots of extras. It works with low-weight setups, and the built-in rotator on the correctors adds convenience. Just pick the flattener or reducer that fits your camera and go.

This scope isn’t for those chasing edge-to-edge sharpness or who want to shoot full-frame. It’s not built for that. But if you’re okay with a few star shape issues and just want to get started, or want something light and simple, this is an option.

The total cost with one corrector comes out to about $600. That’s cheaper than most 80mm refractors that include ED glass and correctors. There are better scopes out there, but they cost twice as much or more. This one fills a spot between basic beginner scopes and more serious gear.

Test results showed that stars were mostly round, especially in the center. Corners got worse with the larger sensor, but looked fine with smaller ones. Bright stars showed the odd artifact, but nothing that ruined the shot. Processed images cleaned up well. If you don’t zoom in too much, the pictures are good enough for most users.

The most important thing is knowing what this scope can and can’t do. It’s not perfect, and it doesn’t try to be. But it’s light, simple, and works with small cameras. If you go in with that mindset, you’ll probably be happy with it.