Starfield ED80 Triplet APO Refractor — image 1
Starfield Optics

Starfield ED80 Triplet APO Refractor

An 80mm f/6 triplet apo that hits the classic sweet spot for wide-field imaging and grab-and-go visual, delivering triplet color correction at a mid-range price.

85/ 100
Polaris Score
#2 of 8 80mm imaging apo
See the breakdown ↓
Aperture
80mm
Focal Length
480mm
Focal Ratio
f/6
Mount Type
None (OTA only)
Optical Design
Triplet APO
Weight
3.5 kg
From$1,300

Lowest in 90 daysLowest ever tracked

Price tracked by PolarisObserved 92 timesTracking since Jul 2026

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Where to buy

Verified 13h ago · prices tracked daily

What it's built forOpen these in the simulator →

This telescope was built for sweeping wide.

A short, fast refractor with a generous true field — the whole sword of Orion in one view, star fields that spill past the field stop. It rewards low power and dark skies far more than chasing magnification.

Widest true fieldsTack-sharp to the edge
The view people remember

Andromeda, wider than the Moon.

A vast soft oval with a blazing core — two and a half million light-years of galaxy, spilling well past the field of view under a genuinely dark sky.

See Andromeda Galaxy through this telescope →
01What it's good at

What it's best at — and the trade-offs.

The three-element FPL-53 triplet controls color better than a doublet, keeping stars clean across the field
Best at
✓The three-element FPL-53 triplet controls color better than a doublet, keeping stars clean across the field
✓480mm at f/6 is the classic 80mm imaging focal length, framing many nebulae and larger galaxies well
✓At 3.5kg it stays portable enough for star trackers and small mounts while doubling as a wide-field visual scope
✓The 80mm triplet class is a proven, versatile do-it-all that many imagers keep for life
Trade-offs
!A field flattener is a separate purchase for the flattest stars when imaging
!80mm and 480mm keep small targets small in the frame
!It is an OTA only and needs a mount, diagonal or camera to work
!The objective can dew and benefits from a heater on damp nights
02In plain English

What These Numbers Mean

80mm · f/6 · 480mm FL
Aperture
80 mm
Three inches of fully corrected glass. Enough for pleasant lunar and planetary views at moderate power and enough light grasp for serious wide-field imaging with a few hours of integration.
Focal length
480 mm
Wide field. The Andromeda Galaxy, the North America Nebula and the Pleiades frame comfortably on APS-C, and visually a 24 mm eyepiece gives a generous 20x sweep.
Focal ratio
f/6
Fast enough that exposures stay short and forgiving of small tracking errors, which is the combination that makes this size the standard first imaging telescope. Add the matching flattener for round corner stars.
Optical design
Triplet APO
Three elements correct colour across the spectrum, so bright stars stay white where an ED doublet at this speed would show a faint violet halo. The extra glass means a slightly longer cooldown.
Weight
3.5 kg tube
About 8 lb, within reach of a well-loaded star tracker and easy for any small equatorial. It travels in a case without special planning.
Mount
OTA only
You supply the mount. At 480 mm a tracker or entry equatorial with basic guiding is enough, which keeps the total cost of a complete imaging setup reasonable.
03The Polaris Score

How it scores, and why.

85/100 · #2 of 8 80mm imaging apo
85/ 100
Starfield ED80 Triplet APO Refractor
#2 of 8 80mm imaging apo
Performance
86
Ease of use
75
Portability
85
Upgrade potential
80

Polaris weighs optical capability, how easy the scope is to live with, how portable it is, and how far it takes you before you outgrow it — not list price or brand.

04Who it's for

An honest fit check.

Imagers wanting a versatile 80mm apo for nebulae and larger galaxies
Buy it if you
✓Imagers wanting a versatile 80mm apo for nebulae and larger galaxies
✓People who want one tube for both wide-field imaging and grab-and-go visual
✓Observers stepping up from a doublet to true triplet correction
Look elsewhere if you
!Planetary specialists who need long focal length and aperture
!Deep-sky visual observers chasing faint galaxies, where aperture wins
!Buyers who need a complete package, since this is an OTA only
05Build your rig

What to buy next — and where it leads.

7 pieces of gear, ordered by what changes the view most
Recommended upgrades
No fogging on long sessions★ Top pickPegasus Astro Multi-Channel Dew Controller

Keeps the objective dew-free through long imaging nights

Make nebulae popOptolong UHC Filter 2″

Boosts nebula contrast for both visual and imaging

Observe all night, no AA batteriesCelestron PowerTank Lithium

Runs a tracker, camera and dew heater away from mains power

Growth path
Better tracking & light imagingSky-Watcher HEQ5 Pro SynScan GoTo Mount✓ Compatible

Commonly paired with this telescope

Portable astrophotographyZWO AM5N Harmonic Equatorial Mount✓ Compatible

Start capturing images of the Moon and planets

A versatile upgradeSky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi GoTo EQ Mount Kit✓ Compatible

Commonly paired with this telescope

Start imagingZWO ASI2600MC Pro

Start capturing images of the Moon and planets

Lunar & planetary
Excellent contrast
Deep-sky imaging
Strong with a flattener
Deep-sky visual
Wide, low-power views
06The numbers

Full specifications.

6 measured and stated values
Optics
Optical DesignTriplet APO
Aperture80mm
Focal Length480mm
Focal Ratiof/6
Mount & drive
Mount TypeNone (OTA only)
Physical
Weight3.5 kg
07Alternatives

For a different goal, start here.

3 alternatives, each mapped to the goal it wins at
Doublet for less

Sky-Watcher Evostar 80ED

An 80mm ED doublet if you want to spend less and accept a trace of color

→
Smaller and finer

William Optics GT71 Triplet APO Refractor

A 71mm triplet with a bundled flattener and premium finish for wider fields

→
Budget option

Apertura 72mm ED Doublet APO Refractor

A 72mm doublet at a lower price if triplet correction is not essential

→
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