We currently have an Option Optics Europa 200 with a GEM1 mount. We've been using this for some time and it comes in the configuration shown in this picture.

Our initial impression was the substantial size of this telescope - and with the length of the optical tube assembly, possibly a little top heavy.The tube comes with a lightweight plastic dust cover that could be improved upon.

The aluminium tripod was substantial and steady, although this has now been replaced with a wooden tripod. Although this may be heavier, it no longer comes with the triangular accessory tray shown here, as standard, though it is an optional extra.

The scope was easy enough to assemble, though the clips on the tube assembly mounting rings were fiddley.

Out in the field, the OTA cooled down rapidly enough, in around 45 minutes. The (now optional) accessory tray was invaluable for eyepieces and for sitting the single axis motor drive that we had fitted - with its various wires and eight D-cell batteries!

The finderscope on the Orion Optics Europa is 30mm and is adequate, though it took some considerable time to collimate this scope and to align the finder scope, with its six adjustable screws. The more expensive Orion Optics telescopes seem to have a superior assembly for collimating.

This scope comes with the basic level of mirrors as standard. The views if Jupiter and Saturn were good and we were able to pick out the largest four of Jupiter's moons. However, views of nebulae showed less contrast than we would have expected, though we were not using any filters which would surely have inproved these views.

The controls were smooth and of good quality, although the OTA controls were rather near to the tube itself, so could be quite difficult to use, depending upon the attitude of the scope.

Our biggest disappointment was the mount, which failed to hold the telescope steady in any wind at all and which took a long while to steady having had any contact with the OTA at all.

We would highly recommend considering an upgrade to the current GPE mount to maybe a GP-DX mount.

Overall, good quality optics for the money, that would be improved upon by the currently available upgrades, a neater drive system and perhaps further money spent on an even better mount and further optical upgrades.