If you’re reading this right now, you probably have been through various telescope brands and their catalogues trying to sift out the most impressive and trustworthy brand out there. Here you are.
By now, you would have figure out that Bresser is a German-based manufacturer and distributor of optic devices and systems. You might have also found out that SkyWatcher is a subsidy of a Taiwan-based Optic manufacturing company, Synta Technologies. Now would be the time to mention that Bresser too, have outsourced their manufacturing functions to Jinghua Optical Electronics a company in China. Maybe some of the differences in construction will come up.
What are the differences between Bresser and SkyWatcher?
Model |
Bresser |
SkyWatcher |
Production |
Varied Niche telescopes |
Categorized by design |
Affordability |
High end prices |
Variation of prices |
Performance |
German distributor |
U.S. distributor |
Reliability |
Physical and virtual service centers in select countries |
Distributors across select continents |
Bresser Vs. Sky-Watcher– How they compare
Production
Bresser takes an all-round approach to their product delivery. They have seriously taken the time to assess different field needs and worked with stellar technology and ground-breaking technology to give us views in the darkest of nights. Rolf’s move to sell Bresser in 1999 to Meade was so that he could save it from collapse and this temporary union resulted in a successful launch of the innovative Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope models.
Bresser has computerized scopes that run on their trademark Stellarium Software compatible with android and Apple phones. This allows for hands free operation of your telescope. They do have a range of reflectors and refractors mounted on azimuth or equatorial mounts which makes for a pleasurable and relaxing time of stargazing.
Sky-Watcher tries to match up to most of Bresser’s vast production line and they do come close with a great production of GoTo mounted Dobsonians that have become a first-love must-have telescope for all beginners. They have a unique selling point with the introduction of a collapsible mount that keeps a very compact build. Their white glossy finishes are very attractive and eye catching. They have also stocked up on binoculars, telescopes and a myriad of other accessories but they are not into microscopes or weather stations as much as the Bresser brand. Their catalogue is designed to meet all level of astronomers needs but with very limited choices in the chosen designs. You can find Maksutov-Cassegrain, Maksutov-Newtonians, Dobsonians, Astrophotograhy reflectors and refractors.
Sky-watcher lenses promise to be multicoated for maximum reflectivity, better color correction and minimized aberration. They have produced mounts of the altazimuth and equatorial types that assist in object finding and tracking. For their computerized models, they use the SynScan software and a compatible phone or laptop to facilitate for hands free operations. Their product range is very much beginners targeted and largely for budget shoppers.
Performance
Bresser is definitely a high ranked telescope manufacturer and distributor based on world standards as they are in constant collaboration with and are heavily endorsed by National Geographic. Their production of unique night vision optics with heat sensors and such other mind-blowing technology has clearly set Bresser way up on the pioneers stand. Their weather stations are great gifts and learning tools for aspiring astronomers and meteorologists.
With over 60 years of experience under their belt, Bresser have no doubt been consistent in their quality and performance delivery with every new invention they make.
Sky-Watcher is largely a brand that was built by Synta to market and distribute its optics. They began in 2000 with the introduction of the Dobsonian models, following up in 2001 with the Maksutov-Cassegrain and in 2004 they created their first apochromatic refractor telescope. They improved the Dobsonians by including a collapsible tube and called them FlexTube-Dobsonians. Of course, they all run on a GoTo supported platform that’s designed to enable users to simply point or click to an object on a display screen to have the scope track and focus on said object and even giving supporting details on the target object.
Their mirrors and lens are produced by a German company and this is why they are of such high quality guaranteeing clear and crisp viewing as much as the aperture and night skies will allow. They have niche accessories like the Virtuoso Mount, a trademark, which is a strong, super balanced and cool tool for photographers to have because it gives them the power to capture spanning images of the vast field of view. The mount is compatible to both DSLR cameras and I-phones.
Bresser Vs. Sky-Watcher – Overview
Bresser – Overview
Bresser is a German owned and operated optics manufacturer and distributor which was started in 1959 by Josef Bresser. Originally, they were all about importing and distributing these machines. Later in 1999, Rolf Bresser, Josef’s son, sold their company to Meade, a rival optics powerhouse. A decade later, Bresser was back in the founding family’s hands with the help of their operating manager and their partners in manufacturing, Jinghua Optical Electronics. They have expanded into the US with a distribution branch and their Messier models are the go-to scopes for all intermediary level astronomers.
Messier AR102 EXOS-2 EQ5- GOTO
Best for determined professional beginners and already experienced or expert astronomers, this GoTo equatorial mounted telescope definitely stakes its claim in the GoTo category. Sporting a 102mm aperture with a 460mm focal length, the Messier 120 GoTo provides a focal ratio of f/4.6. they also give us 26mm Super Ploessl eyepieces which are perfect and a diagonal mirror which is quite ideal for cluster observations, moon landscapes and terrains, galaxies and more deep-sky celestial objects in the right angle.
This scope promises to astound you with sharp achromatic images of the far-off universe with the touch of a button. The EQ mount used with the Finderscope and GoTo StarTracker software allows you to simply tap on a target object that is within your visible field of view and the scope will shift and align itself towards that object and focus it and keep tracking it for ease of observation. Powered by 8 size D batteries, that you will have to buy separately, the base has ball bearings that help the scope shift with as little noise and backlash as possible. The tripod stands on this set-up are strong and can hold the scope in balance in high magnification tracking.
A manual and moon map is included so assembly and some background research on the night skies will be easier than you may think.
Messier AR-102 Nano
This is an achromatic refractor telescope that is held up and balanced on an azimuth mount. It carries an aperture 102mm wide with a focal length of 600mm which gives us a focal ratio of f/6. It gives impressive depictions of the moon’s surface, the nebulas and many star clusters in the galaxies. An Android and Apple compatible software, Stellarium, comes in the package to keep the user informed and fully interacted in the observation.
Assembly and set-up is fairly easy and this makes it an ideal candidate for young astronomers. It is possible to break it apart into smaller more manageable pieces which makes it a perfect fit for travelling explorers. Bresser gives us a 26mm Super Ploessl (fully multi-coated) lens whose view is perfected through their trademark HEXAFOC focuser. An optimized finder bracket and a diagonal mirror for right angle image correctness are added providing great eye relief.
The AZ mount can be manually operated and manipulated in up, down, left, right directions for easy object tracking. The tripod can also be used interchangeably for a camera and it comes with a convenient accessories tray. A varied number of deep-sky objects will be visible to you with the Messier AR- 102. Like the Milky Way.
Messier 5” Dobson
This is a reflector Newtonian altazimuth-mounted telescope that is perfect for entry level astronomers. The great thing about this telescope is even the experienced crowd can get a really good kick out of this model. Glossed out in a sparkling white shine, this Dobson carries an aperture 130mm wide and a focal length of 650 which gives us a focal ratio of f /5. That’s perfect for night time sky exploration allowing you to see as far past the planets as the clusters and galaxies beyond. It may not be a great scope for daytime landscaping or terrestrial observation, but it will knock your socks off with the great views at night.
The primary mirror of this Messier Dobson is parabolic clarifying to a greater degree the clarity of the night sky. This combined with the large secondary mirror in this telescopes chamber, guarantees you a wider and clearer field of view. The 25mm and 9mm Kellner eyepieces are good enough but could do better with Ploessl types. There is also a moon filter included and a battery powered LED viewfinder with batteries provided!
The whole assembly is complete from factory and you won’t have to do much at set up. You can be ready to shoot on your first night given clear skies. The optics are movable and mountable on other tripod stands like equatorial mounts.
View price on Amazon
Sky-Watcher is a brand name that was established in 1999 by the Taiwanese company Synta Technology Corporation to sell and market their optics. Synta Technology Corporation is a factory founded by David Shen in 1990 focused on creation of optics. Sky Watcher products are made in China to cater to the astronomers and are distributed in China, Canada, Europe and much more recently, the USA.
Some of Sky-Watcher’s best inventions.
BK 1021 AZ3
An apochromatic multi-coated objective lens of a 102mm diameter and a tube the focal length of 1000mm gives us a focal ratio of f/9.8 which results in low chromatic aberration that can be spotted only in the brightest of stars. It has great magnification value in a mid-range field of view and manages chromatic aberration with no need for additional eye pieces. The primary lens is multi-coated giving clear and crisp no-color pictures of the galaxies and some deep-sky objects.
The BK 1021 comes with a rack-and-pinion focuser which, though not the more preferred Crayson focuser, works great at focusing on target celestial objects. It also comes with a 1.25-inch adapter that can comfortably fit in 1.25 or 2-inch eyepieces. This increases the variation of magnification that you can experiment with on your scope.
The tripod is already assembled at time of packaging so you won’t have to struggle with that.
View price on Amazon
8″ Collapsible Dobsonian Telescope
Has a focal length of 1200mm and 8-inches (200mm) in aperture size which gives it a focal ratio of f/6. Using Dobsonian simple and large design and a use of three steel struts that are retractable to ease in transportation and storage. Users need not be concerned about reconfiguring the device every time they adjust the tube as it is set to keep the customized settings as inputted by user.
Sky-Watcher’s Dobsonian promises 94% reflectivity with little blurriness. It has a 2-inch focuser and 1.25-inch adapter to provide for use of the two 25mm and 10mm eyepieces that are included. An 8×50 finderscope and an accessories tray are also packaged.
Easy to assemble and with no problems collimating, this is a great choice for a beginners’ telescope. This scope will show you planets such as Jupiter, Saturn and star nebulas.
Astrolux 76mm Newtonian Reflector Telescope
Has 76mm of aperture and 700 focal length giving a focal ratio of f/9.2. This is an easy reflector telescope that can be used by beginners and kids as well and is suitable for observation of star cluster and nebula. Has a 1.25” eyepiece with option of two extras, mount, viewscope of 6×24 and Barlow lens.
An azimuth mount, aluminum tripod and an accessories’ tray are also included.
With a f/9.2, this is not a good telescope for astrophotography and so it is only best used for observation purposes. Magnification power is not so good either and this could result to false colors.
To make this telescope better, one would have to buy and apply several extra accessories like a focal length reducer.
On this Sky-Watcher, you will enjoy seeing the ice caps on Mars, the Saturn Rings and the craters on the moon.
Summary comparison of these two brand models.
Model |
Messier AR102 Nano |
BK 1021 |
Design |
Refractor |
Refractor |
Aperture |
102mm |
102mm |
Focal length |
460mm |
1000mm |
Focal ratio |
f/4.6 |
f/5.0 |
Viewscope |
6×30 |
6×30 |
User Level |
All levels |
Intermediate |
Accessories |
Tripod, Barlow |
Sun/Dew Shade |
Price |
Verdict
SkyWatcher may have the same manufactures as big brands like Celestron and Meade but one thing that makes Bresser stand out is in unique build and design. It is interesting to not how they proportionate their aperture with a focal length far more different than a competitors’ scope featuring in the same make and model telescope. This significant change must reflect in the images and the entire stargazing session. Only way to find out, is to grab one.
