Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope – Ideal for Beginners

The Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope is the perfect example of the good reputation of reflector telescopes in general and the Seben telescopes brand in particular. 

Refractor telescopes are considered generally an optical tool suitable for beginners. Reflector telescopes are known for their versatility and more professional-level quality. 

Their primary purpose of a reflector telescope is to let both amateur and professional astronomers see the night sky. The quality and complexity of the optical instrument is making this experience more qualitative and allows them to capture more details.

This can even be a great instrument for wildlife lovers, allowing them to see the animals and the birds from a safe distance. This telescope serving as the ideal spotting scope.

In this regard, the European telescope market is renowned for the high standards of quality they have for the products. There are some companies that distinguish themselves with their products on an international level.

Today we will talk in detail about the Seben 700-76 reflector telescope. It is available for the moment only on Amazon UK and Amazon IT.

The product is shipped for now only in the European space and market. However, one can try to order it online to be shipped to the US as well if one wishes so. 

But before anything else, let’s see if the Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope lives up to the expectation of a great telescope worth its price and specifications.

What is the Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope?

In this Seben 700-76 review will begin by summarizing the technical features of this optical instrument and its qualities when it comes to nighttime celestial bodies’ observations.

First and foremost, just as the name itself name says, this telescope supports 76 mm in aperture and 700 mm in focal length. 

For a beginner’s telescope and for the ones barely scratching the surface of this great science and hobby, these first two tech specs are convincing enough to move forward into assessing the product.

A novelty in the niche of the best consumer telescopes, this model comes with four different eyepieces of different powers and specs.

This is one reason why the telescope is also known as the Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope New Big Pack. The pack you will receive is indeed big: 

• one telescope tube;
• four eyepieces;
• 1 x 1.25” zoom eyepiece;
• 1 x 1.25” erecting eyepiece; 
• one 1.25“ Barlow lens;
• one 5×24 Finderscope;
• one Alt-Azimuth mount; 
• one Moon filter;
• five protective eyepiece receptacles;
• one protective cap for the tube; 
• one protective cap for the accessory socket;
• an aluminum tripod;

The accessory socket we mentioned above refers to the possibility this telescope gives the passionate astronomers to engage in astrophotography, a hobby, and art many amateurs feel attracted to. Of course, you will have to find a suitable camera to go with the telescope.

One of the most important questions all best telescope reviews should answer to is, however, “what can we see with this telescope, given its technical features and specifications?” 

According to the manufacturer, you can see millions of stars and planets, even nebulas, star clusters, and deep space objects. However, at 76 mm in aperture, you have to understand that this is not the Hubble.  The professional telescope you may have fallen in love with at astronomical observatories or planetariums is designed for deep-sky object research.

How to Use a Seben 700-76 Telescope

Follow exactly in instructions that come in the manual to assemble the telescope. If this is your first time putting together a telescope, take your time to learn all about the pieces and how they come together. Is it is easier you can even watch YouTube tutorials of how to put the Seben 700-76 telescope together.

To see the space objects you look into the eyepiece of a reflecting telescope mounted on the side.

When it comes to the mount and the tripod, the assemble works just fine and the tripod is sturdy and stable enough to allow you good viewings. However, keep in mind that this is not an Equatorial mount, so you won’t be able to manually track celestial objects and smoothly control the telescope in order to follow the sky objects while they travel.

The optics of the telescope and its sturdy and compact building make it a product more dedicated to first-timers in astronomy, children wanting to develop a hobby and the casual stargazer who needs a bit more than just some binoculars.

The finder piece or the finderscope makes it easier to locate celestial objects. Aim the telescope to the desired object you want to see and let the light enter the tube. The way reflector telescopes work is that the light is reflected in the primary mirror then it gets reflected in the secondary mirror and then in the magnifying eyepiece.

Use the filters and the different eyepieces 20mm, 12.5mm and 6mm for different types of images. If you want to see more details and generally crisper images use the smallest enlargement aka the one with the highest number (20 mm).

Pros and Cons to Using the Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope

Whoever wants no plastic telescopes, refined decorative showpieces in vintage/antique styles and powerful-enough optics to be able to use the telescope for its main observational purpose should look into this work of art. 

The Seben craftmanship amazes buyers for the great value it offers for the affordable price tag. One of the most important advantages of this telescope is the number of accessories that come with the scope.

With a lot of customers’ reviews and opinions, it is important to have a more detailed idea about what it offers. Let’s sum up together the pros and cons of using this affordable professional telescope.

PROS:

• The Seben 700-76 reflector telescope is of German manufacture, so you can expect good quality in building and components;
• Average optics for the beginner or casual stargazer;
• Well accessorized with many components that come in the box at a very affordable price;
• You can put the telescope together in a half an hour;
• Fully coated Barlow lenses and versatile 1.25” eyepieces of different magnification powers, providing a wide range of options when looking at celestial bodies;
• Allows further improvements thanks to many accessory sockets – especially for astrophotography purposes;
• The included tripod is aluminum with a solid and sturdy build; 
• Finderscope useful for focusing on the desired sky object;
• Easy to transport and carry around and even take outside in camping and field trips for better nighttime viewings;
• The Seben 700-76 reflector telescope manual is easy to read and understand. It’s providing simple, clear, straightforward instructions on how to assemble and use it;
• For its purpose, niche and price range, as well as for a large number of accessories it comes with, the telescope also boasts a very affordable, compelling price.

CONS:

• You will definitely see the Moon with it. Even in high-quality images, and surfaces, due to the optics and the Moon filter, the telescope comes with, but there are other celestial bodies and deep-sky formations you may have trouble reaching;
• You may find that the telescope looks impressive in the room you choose to place it in.  Sometimes you will feel that it looks cheap and flimsy, especially upon daily or prolonged manipulation;
• Sometimes you will not get the best customer service you might expect. You may wait long time for a response from customer support offices.
• It may be difficult for beginners to stabilize the telescope at higher magnifications.

Where to Find the Seben 700-76 Reflector Telescope?

You will find the Seben 700-76 reflector telescope for sale on Amazon UK, as we mentioned before, at the best price of £60.99 (with free delivery in the UK and a small fee for delivery in the U.S). The Seben 700-76 reflector telescope price is quite low considering the many extra accessories and enhancements it comes together with. This makes this “big pack” the best offer one can hope for.

Extra Info:

Maintenance Advice

The telescope comes together with protective caps, but you should keep it safe from dust and humidity. Also, mechanical accidents can damage it, so storage and display (on a sturdy, stable piece of furniture) should be taken into consideration.

Telescope Accessories

You might think the accessories this telescope comes with are enough for any novice astronomer.  One of the product’s best features is that it can be extended and upgraded with many other available accessories. It presents numerous sockets and it’s suitable even for astrophotography. 

You can get supplemental filters, lenses, and eyepieces as well upon request.  However, the ones already included are impressive, to begin with as well.

Warranty and Guarantee Information

There is no available information related to this product’s warranty at this point.

Common Problems with the Seben Telescope

1. You set up the telescope but the image is plain black.

If everything is set correctly and you have this problem all you have to do is to remove the lid and put the ocular in.

Another reason for a black image can be a higher magnification that you should use in the beginning. If you are a beginner get used to the basics first and increase your magnification slowly.

2. You see the object in the finderscope but not through the telescope.

The finderscope needs to be parallel with the telescope, otherwise, the objects will not be seen through the telescope.

3. You can’t get a sharp enough image of the desired object.

One tip for a sharp object is to use the focuser in or out through the weels located on the side.

4. You experience blurry images.

We do not recommend using a telescope right after the sunset. The Earth is still colling and the difference in temperature can cause air turbulence. The remaining light can also affect the stargazing experience.

Another important tip is to wait until the telescope completely cooled down before using it. Otherwise, the image will not be sharp enough. This is important to remember because of the temperature differences from the interior and exterior.

5. You don’t see the great images from the internet or from the astronomy magazines.

Here is a problem regarding both expectations vs. reality and the technique you use. First thing first, the great images of nebulae, galaxies, and other space objects come from high-performance telescopes. The most performant ones are launched in outer space or can be found in observatories. When it comes to a consumer’s telescope you should always take into consideration its power. Talking about the technique we advise you to look at the space objects only when they are high in the sky, not close to the horizon. 

Our Recommendation

As a novice with little money to spend on a new hobby or as an enthusiast with some budget to spend on gifts for the loved ones, this telescope is a good choice for the “initial” contact with the moon and some brighter planets. 

However, before making a purchase, we recommend you to also look into the Konusmotor 500, and the Seben Star Sheriff. Pay attention to the Seben Big Boss 1400-150 EQ3 reflector telescope and even read a Seben Big Boss 1400 review. This will help you to gather as much information as you can on the company and related products. 

If you place your bets on the Seben 700-76 reflector telescope price, you would win in terms of budget, but not so much in terms of quality. 

The Seben telescope manual will provide you with enough compelling data on how to assemble the telescope and how to use it in order to see millions and millions of stars. However, there are other telescopes on the market in the same price range that offer more enjoyable experiences and better quality components. 

This is an average level product, really good for its money. However, once you’ll get the taste of astronomy and deep space gazing, you will leave behind the Seben 700-76 reflector telescope and move to other brands and more expensive telescopes quite soon.

(See more product details and prices on Amazon)