Whilst many won’t be quite as familiar with the SVBONY brand as other heavyweight optics makers, we put the SVBONY SV503 80 on our best telescopes guide and we did so for good reason. Its 560mm focal length will get you up close and personal with deep sky objects, while the large 80mm aperture will gobble up all available light for crystal clear and bright images for viewing and astrophotography. It can also be used for terrestrial viewing where it displays color-rich, color-accurate images.
The last price reduction was in January 2022 when it was reduced to $399.99. Given the recent price hikes and supply issues, we’re surprised and pleased that this Amazon Prime Day (opens in new tab) the price is marginally lower at $375.99 (opens in new tab). If you do end up purchasing this telescope, you can make small savings on accessories too if you check out all at once. You’ll have to provide your own eyepieces so consider this if you don’t have them already.
We’ve even found an incredible deal on the SVBONY SV503 120ED (opens in new tab) for those that want to get even closer to their celestial objects so grab this massive $140 discount now before it runs out.
The SVBONY’s lens features extra-low dispersion glass (S-FPL51) which makes chromatic aberration negligible compared with a classic achromatic refractor with the same 560mm focal length. The image is also brighter due to the lens having less light absorption and the multi-layer coating reduces light loss even further.
Compared with other ‘long’ refractor telescopes, this aluminum tube, whilst still huge, is more compact. At 3.95kg it is noticeably lighter than many too. The build quality is excellent and built to last, so will give you years of sky-watching pleasure. It also has an attractive white powdered effect finish with gold accents.
Some nice features enhance the user experience and ease of use. The lens cap is pop-on (push-fit) rather than threaded which is better for doing in the dark or with cold hands. The dew shield, which helps keep dew at bay (and also helps stop light entering from oblique angles) is retractable which means you don’t have to choose between having it attached or not. All of the adjustment knobs are large and easy to operate and the focuser moves like it’s been buttered. You can adjust the speed to allow for fine focusing adjustments.
We’d recommend this scope for anyone who is on a budget that wants to take quality astrophotos. To further your astrophotography capabilities, especially when it comes to deep-space work you will probably want to pick up the SVBONY 193 Focal Reducer (opens in new tab) to increase the field of view and flatten the image. This is also on offer on Amazon Prime Day with a 20% discount (opens in new tab).
If you need to get even closer, or want more light gathering capabilities , then check out the 120mm version of this scope (opens in new tab) which is also currently discounted by 20%. It is more expensive but has a longer focal length of 714mm, a maximum useful magnification of 212x (compared with 160x) and obviously has a wider aperture at 102mm instead of 80mm. Do be aware it is also bigger and heavier (5.5kg) and has a narrower field of view so might not be advised as a beginner scope.
If you’re looking for something else, why not have a look at the other telescopes in our best telescopes buying guide, or take a look at our Celestron deals page if it’s a product with a bigger named brand you’re after.
Be sure to check out Space.com’s Amazon Prime day deals, or our guide to the best lenses for astrophotography.
