Sky-Watcher 2" 90-deg Dielectric Mirror Diagonal

4.0 Sky-Watcher 2" 90-deg Dielectric Mirror Diagonal

Solid good quality construction, reasonably priced

Plain appearance

Well I originally was trying to buy a Williams Optics version of this diagonal, as they seem to be well respected and reasonably priced (if you don't get the carbon composite body and quartz mirror). The supplier I was buying from said that the WO diagonal was out of stock and would take a couple months to get in. They offered as a replacement the Sky-Watcher one which they had in stock. It was a couple $ cheaper than the WO, and from the pictures and description online it was essentially the same diagonal as the WO one. Curiously the Sky-Watcher website does not seem to have a link to this diagonal by itself, but they do seem to sell it standard with their more expensive telescopes like their APO refractors.

After receiving the diagonal from the supplier, I wasn't sure what to think. It came in a solid but plainly marked, foam lined cardboard box. The diagonal itself has no markings on it at all! Nothing saying Sky-Watcher, dielectric coatings, nothing! Hmmm, strange. It is a very plain looking diagonal, not quite as sexy looking as the WO one. However it is very well constructed. Solid precise components, well assembled. It has a solid but not overly heavy feel in your hand. The thumbscrews are nice big chrome plated ones, there is thread-style baffling on the inside, brass compression sleeves on both the diagonal and the 1.25" adapter that comes with it. The optical performance was also very good. Clean, sharp images.

My initial impressions when I first received the diagonal were wrong. This is a very good quality diagonal, at a very reasonable price.