I’m trying to choose a refractor that gives the best value on a Starfront Mini Pier.
Shortlist: ZWO FF65 vs Askar 71F for DSO imaging. Which would you pick and why? Any alternative small APOs that work especially well on a mini pier — or is a refractor not even the best option here (e.g. small Newt or camera lens)?
Juan Pablo De la Cruz · Nov 20, 2025, 09:40 PM
I’m trying to choose a refractor that gives the best value on a Starfront Mini Pier.
Shortlist: ZWO FF65 vs Askar 71F for DSO imaging. Which would you pick and why? Any alternative small APOs that work especially well on a mini pier — or is a refractor not even the best option here (e.g. small Newt or camera lens)?
Looks like you already own the FF65 and have taken some great shots with it. Are you not satisfied with the FOV or the performance of the FF65? Or, are you looking to have one imaging rig at Starfront and keeping the one rig where you’re located?
Thanks! I’m pretty happy with my FF65.
Right now my options are either sending it to Starfront or buying a new telescope that gives the best value for what I’ll be paying for the pier.
According to their Pier Wizard, it supports refractors up to about 79 mm.
Juan Pablo De la Cruz · Nov 20, 2025, 11:26 PM
Thanks! I’m pretty happy with my FF65.
Right now my options are either sending it to Starfront or buying a new telescope that gives the best value for what I’ll be paying for the pier.
According to their Pier Wizard, it supports refractors up to about 79 mm.
In that case, I would just send what you have and save money. Since your rig has already produced great results, sticking with it makes the most sense to me. I’m a big believer in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, so unless you really want a change, I would keep the rig as is.
If you are looking for a change, the 71F would produce excellent results. Sure, you would be going from a quintuplet to a quadruplet, but I doubt it would be noticeable in a practical sense. The Askar 71F (in its native set-up—no reducer) is similar to my SV550 80 APO regarding focal length (490mm vs 480mm). I’ve been pleased with the FOV and framing with a similar focal length and perhaps you’d be as well. The Askar 71F is a bit slower than the FF65 (and the SV550 80 for that matter) at f/6.9—if that matters to you or not.
bigCatAstro · Nov 21, 2025, 01:27 AM
but I doubt it would be noticeable in a practical sense. The Askar 71F (in its native set-up—no reducer) is similar to my SV550 80 APO regarding focal length (490mm vs 480mm). I’ve been pleased with the FOV and framing with a similar focal length and perhaps you’d be as well. The Askar 71F is a bit slower than the FF65 (and the SV550 80 for that matter) at f/6.9—if that matters to you or not
Thanks man, that makes a lot of sense, especially since I already know my current setup really well.
In my home observatory I like having two telescopes. This will leave me with just one for a while, and later on I can always replace it.
In the end, it’s better to take full advantage of all the clear skies that Starfront provides.
Ff65 is optically better… if i was sending a scope to a remote observatory i would want the best possible optics i could fit on the size of pier i had.. FF65 with a askar fma180 piggybacked on it as a wider option
What you have should be fine, I have two rigs out there now and the skies are great. On a mini pier, I have a redcat 61 with an asi6200mm and a lite with an EdgeHD 9.25. You’ll probably end up buying some other things like a flat panel, kasa power strip, and maybe a pier camera but it’s all well worth it. I’d send what you have and go from there. You can always swap it out down the road if you decide to upgrade.
Thanks, I really needed some opinions for peace of mind. I think I’ll send my FF65 setup since it gives me better optics within my budget, and then I can focus on the remaining accessories.
For your info, I asked Starfront about piggyback setups on Lite Piers and this was their answer: “Piggyback and side-by-side systems are not accommodated on Mini Piers (only Lite Piers and above).”