"Help" I need your opinion - Page 2

[1ponders] (Paul) · #21 03-01-2005, 10:38 AM

Be aware Tony that if you post a list of scopes and ask for comments you may never get to make a decision and this post may never end.

BTDT (Been there, done that

)

Starkler (Geoff) · #22 03-01-2005, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Striker
Thanks Aragorn,
I know the price is considerable...but if I am going to spend $3000 on a scope...$5000 is not that much further....and is it worth the money......

If you had the money what scope would you all get for photography.

I would put the money towards a nice 15" truss dobbie and forget about photography, but thats just me.
No photo is ever as good as the real

you get looking through the eyepiece.

Dave47tuc (David) · #23 03-01-2005, 01:15 PM

Tony,
You really are beating around the bush a bit

Take a step back enjoy your scope and see if you can make contact with some people with diffrent scopes, so you can have a look through them before making a decision.

Good Luck

Best.

Striker (Tony) · #24 03-01-2005, 03:18 PM

Good advice Dave,

I am still going to look at the scopes mentioned this week, but I have already organised with Brian from the Australian Science & Space technology Shop at Normon Park Brisbane a viewing night on the 17th january 2005...its their first get together this year and I will attend pending on weather.

I just feal I could really get into Photography.....I have a awesome Computer and can see myself combining my computer skills with the right Telescope.....

Dave47tuc (David) · #25 03-01-2005, 06:28 PM

Tony, good luck with Brian and i hope the weather is clear for you.

Best.

seeker372011 (Narayan) · #26 03-01-2005, 10:37 PM

Tony:
you seem to be inclined towards a Meade Lxd55 or the newer 75-do check out the user groups (yahoo)for these scopes before you buy ..also Cloudy Nights

some people are happy but a lot of people seem to have trouble with the Meade-not the optics but the mount

Striker (Tony) · #27 04-01-2005, 12:50 PM

Yeah I agree Seeker...alot of negative feedback on the LXD mounts, so I have decided to cross the LXD range off my list.

I went looking at some scopes today....I fell in love with the Meade LX200 10"...I could see this being my baby...well big baby...lol.... but Its probably a bit big so I am seriously looking at the Meade LX90 or LX200 8", My local dealer is a Celstron dealer and said that the Nextar are far superior in quality then Meade in every aspect, but If I was looking to buy a Meade he recommended Bintel as a supplier for their warranty support and best prices.

I dont believe what any retailers says and find forums with actual customers responding give a much better perspective then the Dealers.
From the forums I have read it seams Meade have it over the Nextar in optical quality but what about the whole build product?

Is their really that much difference between the Meade LX200 8" and 10" for the extra $1000 but big difference in size and weight

From the specs of these forums...I see many have the meade range which make me think they are either much cheaper then the Nexstar of better quality or again better value for money.

I will be looking through a Nexstar 11" on my viewing night that has been moved to Sunday 16th January but I may have to go up the coast and visit Paul (Iponders) to see the Meade Lx200 8" in action.
I have decided I will definetly be going to the GOTO range just need to decide on which one......? Meade is looking the go at the moment.

rumples riot · #28 04-01-2005, 02:17 PM

Tony, I have been more than happy with the quality of the Meade that I own. Getting a goto scope is a worthwhile investment and I do recommend the GPS version. As to which is better optically I am not sure. The Meade scope is observatory quality and you would be hard pressed to find any difference between the Nexstar and Lx200. As for the 10 or the 8, The 10 is heavy and less portable but does give better light gathering performance, but not that much of a noticable difference. A friend has the 8 and we have had them side by side and it was slightly less capable than my 10 especially on the more distance objects. The 8 however, is much easier to handle.

If it were me, I would go for the 10 just for light gathering capacity.

Best of luck with your decision.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #29 04-01-2005, 05:54 PM

Tony,

if you decide to come up we can have a look through my 8" meade and then pop up to the Mapleton Observatory (about 10 min away from me) and have a look through the C11 celestron 11". That might be useful, to you.

To be quite honest I IMHO I feel I get as good (if not better, (for those celestron users

)) a quality of image (clarity) with the meade UHTC on the lenses as through the C11, but I've not put them side by side. Though apparently Celestron have a new coating for their lenses now but I don't know much about it.

Paul

[1ponders] (Paul) · #30 04-01-2005, 06:56 PM

Well maybe there is a *bit* of bias there, though not much. When I first received my 8" (and the skies were clear enough) I was very surprised how little difference I percieved between the two scopes.

Having said that however, I will put it into the context of atmospheric conditions. If the seeing isn't good then no amount of light gathering power is going to help. In fact as I understand it during bad to average seeing times a smaller aperture telescope is often less "affected", up to a given magnification to limit of resolution. But in good seeing conditions aperture will win hands down.

So for me I guess I'm yet to make an effective comparison due to continued #hitty seeing conditions. All of which confirms that for me in my situation I bought the right size scope for the majority of experienced conditions, so as to get the most use and still have fabulous view of our stellar neighbour. Plus it a hell of a lot Lighter than lugging around an 11" scope

BTW good thread Tony

Lots of people take interest in these types of threads. I believe it helps push fence sitters over the edge into "Damn it!

I will get a telescope

"

Paul

Striker (Tony) · #31 05-01-2005, 05:20 PM

Stuff it whats money.....Very tempted in purchasing a NEW LX200 10" GPS UHTC for $5200 from Star Optics on the Gold Coast......

I a going to the Gold Coast tomorrow so If your going to talk me out it you better hurry......

BTW the wife thinks its costing $2500...she will never know..so shhhhhhhhhhhh.

Dam Brian from the Science and Astronomy shop wants to get me a Celestron Nexstar 9 1/4" GPS for close to the same money.

Choice: 10" meade or 9 1/4"Celestron for about the same money of $5200
http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/nx914gps.htm
http://www.meade.com/catalog/lx/8_10_lx200gps.html

HELP..................

gaa_ian (Ian) · #32 05-01-2005, 06:16 PM

Well Paul...
I think you would be happy with that Scope.
Our Club has an LX90 & have been very happy with it & the LX200 10" is its big brother.
The only thing we had to change with the LX90, was the ordinary 1.25" prism diagonal that came with it, we just upgraded to the 2" Meade 929 Mirror Diagonal, I expect a further improvement over the 1.25" mirror diagonal we had been using in the interim.
Just make sure you are happy to Lug & Lift the bigger 10" scope

I think you will still find the Dob easier for those "quick peeks" when time is limited.
Good luck

[1ponders] (Paul) · #33 05-01-2005, 06:35 PM

What eyepieces do you have Tony?

Better allow another few hundred there.

At least for moderate quality lenses

Battery power in the fork arms won't last you long. How about a 12 powerpack ($50-$100) . A 2 amp Regualted power supply to run of mains ($100).

Photography? Wedge $350 for an 8". Focal reducer? (f/6.3) $240

Off-Axis guider $140. Piggyback bracket $80
(This is also part of the reason I got the 8" and not the 10", gave me more money left over for accessories. 8" plus all the above accessories about the same price as the 10" when I priced them (within a few hundred bucks or so))

I'm not trying to put you off Tony. Beleive it or not quite the opposite actually, just doing my civic duty of warning you of the bottomless money pit you could find youself falling into if you don't watch where your putting your feet.

Clear skies

after you buy your scope. You don't have that much money

[1ponders] (Paul) · #34 05-01-2005, 06:39 PM

ps You'd better up you internet hours too. You'll be spending a lot more time here

Oh and at other forums as well I suppose.

beren · #35 05-01-2005, 06:51 PM

Wow Tony your moving fast , two tough choices , the Celestron 9"1/4 SCT format has a great wrap for optical performance some even claim it to be the best for a schmiddt-cassgrain.....

.....but you cant go wrong with either ...good luck .....hopefully you can get a hands on sampling before you decide to purchase.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #36 05-01-2005, 06:55 PM

This sort of purchase does sorta have a way gaining its own momentum doesn't it Aragorn

Striker (Tony) · #37 05-01-2005, 07:13 PM

Yeah I understand their will be many other costs.....but either of these scopes can be used directly out of the box I hope.
I will no doubt buy many accessories as time goes on I just hope there not accessories I absolutely need straight away...I'm sure its going take some time just learning the skies and how to operate the scope before I start looking at serious accessories.

And Paul I have unlimited Cable internet so that wont be a problem...anyway your only 2hours up the road so if I run into major problems I suggest you get the BBQ out....lol....

P.s I have 4 x plossl eyepieces 25, 15, 9 and 6.5mm....none are expensive..any you recommend as a start.

Thanks to everyone, you all have been a great help...."Thankyou"

[1ponders] (Paul) · #38 05-01-2005, 07:33 PM

Yep they can be used straight out of the box (well my meade was) except for batteries. IMHO there are one of two groups of accessories that I think would be an essential. (These are the Meade ones, Celestron would have equivalent)

either

1. A twelve volt jumpstart powerpack (min 15-18 amp) and a meade #607 power cord (for LXs up to 14") with cigarette lighter plug to plug into jumpstart pack. Even though the Meade manual says that the batteries you install in the fork arm will last 20 hours, it will depend on how much slewing you do. And you will do a lot initially

driving all over the place. (my preferred if mobility to other unpowered sites is important)

or

2. The power cord and a 240 volt to regulated 12 volt adapter to run off the mains.

Either way you will then be independant of the smaller multiple batteries in the fork arm.

Starkler (Geoff) · #39 05-01-2005, 07:54 PM

You are getting a scope likely double the focal length of your existing dob, so you might want to invest in a longer FL eyepiece too, preferably in 2 inch format.

Striker (Tony) · #40 05-01-2005, 08:22 PM

Hahaha.....I just showed my wife the 2 scopes in question....told her they $2500 each...she thought that was expensive.....oh and she liked the meade if it was her choice.....she likes the blue color...lol....