telescopecomparison · 2-way
Vixen R200SS vs William Optics Pleiades 181
Vixen
R200SS
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
William Optics
Pleiades 181
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
Key differences
-20% focal length
+10% aperture
Faster by 1.5 f-stops
Specifications
| Specification | Vixen R200SS | William Optics Pleiades 181 |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | newtonian | astrograph |
| Optical design | Newtonian astrograph | Astrograph (7-element) |
| Aperture | 200mm | 181mm |
| Focal length | 800mm | 998mm |
| Native f/ratio | f/4.0 | f/5.5 |
| Image circle | — | 55mm |
| Full-frame support | No | Yes |
| Physical | ||
| Weight | 7.5kg | 15.0kg |
Advantages of Vixen R200SS
- Wider field — 800mm vs 998mm focal length
- 10% more light-gathering aperture
- Faster optics at f/4 vs f/5.5
- Lighter (7.5kg vs 15kg) — easier to travel with
Advantages of William Optics Pleiades 181
- Tighter framing — 998mm vs 800mm focal length
- Larger image circle (55mm) — supports bigger sensors
Best for — Vixen R200SS
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Fast imaging — short exposures per sub
- Faint-object imaging under dark skies
Best for — William Optics Pleiades 181
- Medium-sized galaxies and planetary nebulae
- Full-frame astro cameras and DSLRs
Vixen R200SS — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.58° × 1.72°Scale: 0.97"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.68° × 1.12°Scale: 0.97"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.81° × 0.81°Scale: 0.97"/px
William Optics Pleiades 181 — typical FOV & scale
- With Full-frame (36×24mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 2.07° × 1.38°Scale: 0.78"/px
- With APS-C (23.5×15.7mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 1.35° × 0.90°Scale: 0.78"/px
- With IMX533 square (11.3×11.3mm, 3.76µm)FOV: 0.65° × 0.65°Scale: 0.78"/px
Vixen R200SS — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a backyard imaging setup.
William Optics Pleiades 181 — recommended user
Best suited for intermediate imagers building a versatile kit running a permanent observatory setup.
