Rank #7 in Best Telescopes 2026: 10 Ranked, and the Specs That Don't Add Up
SOLOMARK 80mm Refractor, 900mm Focal Length
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
Position 7 in this guide goes to the SOLOMARK 80 mm refractor: a 900 mm focal length telescope supplied with a 20 mm and a 10 mm wide-angle eyepiece, an altitude-azimuth gimbal tripod with a scaled head, a phone adapter and a carrying bag. It is listed at £139.99 and holds 4.4 out of 5 from 227 ratings.
The notable thing about this fiche is that its numbers do agree with each other, which is not true of every listing in this guide. 900 mm ÷ 80 mm is f/11.25. The eyepiece figures the bullets give — 45x from the 20 mm and 90x from the 10 mm — both come out of that same 900 mm. The stated 0.89 mm exit pupil is 80 mm ÷ 90x, the figure for the highest magnification in the box. And 1.35 degrees of field is what a wide-angle 20 mm eyepiece delivers at 45x. Two entries in the same table are less useful: a "Zoom Ratio" of 10x and a "Fixed Focus". Everything on this page comes from the Amazon listing as published, not from any test of our own.
How those 227 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.4 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £139.99 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 out of 5 from 227 ratings |
| Objective lens | 80 mm |
| Focal length | 900 mm |
| Focal ratio | f/11.25 (900 mm ÷ 80 mm) |
| Supplied eyepieces | 20 mm gives 45x, 10 mm gives 90x |
| Exit pupil | 0.89 mm (80 mm ÷ 90x) |
| Focus type (as listed) | Fixed Focus |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“This telescope is very straightforward to set up — it took less than 10 minutes to assemble and the instructions were clear and easy to follow.I tested it on a clear night viewing the moon, and the image quality was surprisingly good. Focusing was simple and the view was clear with no noticeable distortion. For a beginner-friendly telescope, it performs better than expected in terms of clarity and ease of use.The stand feels very stable once set up, which helps keep the image steady when adjusting or focusing. The eyepieces are also good quality for the price and give a decent viewing experience.One small downside is that the plastic protective caps on the eyepieces can come off quite easily if they are knocked or not stored carefully, so they need a bit of attention when not in use.Overall, it feels suitable for both beginners and casual adult use. I've used it on every clear full moon since getting it, and it's a nice, simple telescope for occasional astronomy rather than professional-level observing.”
Verified purchase“Really good quality. Easy to assemble. Great for its price.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Telescopes 2026: 10 Ranked, and the Specs That Don't Add Up.
Questions people ask
What magnification does the SOLOMARK 80mm refractor give?
The listing says the supplied 20 mm eyepiece gives 45x and the 10 mm gives 90x, and both figures follow from the 900 mm focal length stated in the same table.
Do the aperture and focal length agree on this one?
They do: 900 mm divided by 80 mm is f/11.25, so the SOLOMARK refractor is a slow, long-tube design rather than a fast one.
The spec table says Fixed Focus — can it actually be focused?
The same listing is contradictory here. The spec table lists "Fixed Focus", while the bullets call it easy to operate and a reviewer on that listing describes focusing as simple and the view as clear.
What does the "Zoom Ratio" of 10x in the spec table mean?
Nothing a telescope buyer can use. The listing's own magnification figures are 45x and 90x, a 2x step between the two eyepieces, and a refractor with two fixed eyepieces does not zoom.
What is the exit pupil of the SOLOMARK and why does it matter?
The listing gives 0.89 mm, which is 80 mm divided by 90x. That is the figure at the highest magnification, so the image at 90x is dimmer than at 45x.
What is in the box with the SOLOMARK telescope?
The bullets list a 5x24 finderscope with a crosshair, an erect image diagonal, a phone adapter and a carrying bag, and give the weight as 4.49 kg; the spec table lists the finder simply as "1 x finder scope".
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