Andrews MC15019 + EQ5C Mak

[Eyebee]

Does anyone out there have any experience of this 150x1900 Mak as advertised on Andrews web? Can take 1 or 2 drives, camera attachments, etc, and I'm considering it as first (only?) scope.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers, Ian

[iceman]

Hi Ian.

I can't help you with your question, but i'm sure someone will.

As an aside, are you planning to come up to Kulnura on Saturday night (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=10081)?

Would be a great chance for you to look through some different types of scopes.

[Eyebee]

Thanks for quick reply, Mike.
Unable to get to Kulnura this weekend (got to visit the big, bad smoke!) but would like to be in the loop for others.
Ian

[ronnierigel]

Hi Ian

i have a saxon 200mm MC so perhaps you can extrapolate here. Here's a "mini review"

I bought the OTA only. My other scope is a meade SN10.

I consider the SN10 and saxon scopes similar in build and quality--they are good but not perfect.

I have no experience with the EQ mount but from reading is similar to the LXD55 mount I have. The 200mm saxon scope is quite heavy especially at the rear end and on the lxd 55 I cannot balance it in declination (without having to resort to extra weights--which I did for a short time but that put excess strain on the cradle plate and I stripped some threads!). I'd imagine the 150mm would be easier to balance. Im learning more and more how important a good mount is so consider this fact when buying a scope although obviosuly we all have a budget to run to.

The scope came packed reasonably well. The included instructions I would consider near worthless. Meade's instructions are excellent.


The mirror and corrector plate seem well made. The mirror cell however mildly "rocks" (significant enough to affect imaging/observing) on the OTA --so temporarily I have had to to "fasten" it to the OTA with some tape. I haven't had the guts to pull it apart as I don't have a mental picture of how it is assembled internally.My plan B is to silicon it. (Yes I could take it back but I like to sort out these things and my experience with the SN10 is that unfortunately in this price range things are never perfect!).

Collimation was easy with allens head screws well hidden by some rubber caps.

The diagonal seems well built but I noticed that I could not achieve perfect collimation through it. I pulled apart the backing and the mirror "looks cheap" and sat on a foam piece whose adhesive backing had not even been removed. I have no reference here to judge the diagonal but it is probably average.

Focussing is soemthing I'm getting used to (having a SN10 and small refractor previously)--image shift & finding the focus is an issue ( I seem sometimes to turn the focussing knob for ages before getting focus---somehow not as intuitive as focussing on a refractor/reflector) but again I have no reference to what I should expect.

I'm unsure whether the back threads on the rear cell are compatible with
other meade/celestron products--I'll soon find out having brought an adaptor to exclude the diaganol from the optical axis!

HAving said all this I brought the OTA becuase I wanted a long focal length scope for planetary imaging.I have been happy so far in this regards and there is still room for imporvement (see jupiter pics with saxon under solar system pics--earlier this month)

I guess you need to ask yourself what is it you want the scope for and hence does its specs do justice to this need (but don't expect perfect!)

ron

[toc]

Wow, you actually have one of those 8 inch MCT's? I have been waiting for a review for a while, so thanks for the information.

Sounds like a real fixer upperer, but possibly well worth the effort. :)

Still, the defects you mention are pretty extensive.:eyepop:

[Eyebee]

Hi Ron,
Tks for such an extensive and prompt reply.
Will try to digest everything in good time - I assume ur implying that the Andrews mak is made by same people as yours - so similar limitations can be expected.
Ian

[Starcrazzy]

Hi,
I can't help you with the mak, but i did purchase the same eq mount that he's selling it on..I have found the mount quite good, i have an 8" newt on it and it handles the weight well...i also got the dual axis drive, i have found the drives to be a bit hows ya daddy...i get heaps of elastic banding and drift in right asscension..If ya just looking for visual purposes then its ideal, but if ya want to do some loing exposure photography ya may need to get a good guide scope or even a diffrent mount...The drift is quite annoying, but mabye its just with mine ...i dunno...goodluck...
:whistle:
ps..i am biased but i would be looking more towards a newt, for the same price even on the eq, ya'd be looking at an 8" at least...i just sold my meade 125 mak because it was a very nice scope with an awesome database of objects in its computer that it just couldn't see..sure it gave exellent planetary views, but so does my newt...the mak just couldn't pickup the detail i was after, and infact, i got better views of deepsace stuff from an 80 dollar ebay 75 mm reflector.. :shrug: .join the dots on that one...

[janoskiss]

Don't assume the different sized Saxon Maks are similar, or even the same make. All I heard from people in the know is that 130mm Saxon Mak is the same as the Celestron C130, and it is not a very good one.

[g__day]

From memory I think it can, drives for Lee's EQ5c are around $299 from memory. Why not just ask Lee directly and end the speculation - he's great so e-mail or phone him.

I'd expect the EQ5c to hold up to 7Kg of gear (the HEQ5 is rated 10KG). But folk here say lose 30% - 50% of that rating to class it for longer duration astrophotography as if you load the scope to its maximum it will point and track below its optimum periodic error between +/- 12~15 arc seconds

BTW at $200 the EQ5c seems impressive!

Skywatcher AccessoriesTypePrice $(AUD)Dual axis motor drive kits; EQ3 -or- EQ4/EQ5 mount (please choose)$279.00 eachFinderscope, 9 x 50 with holder and base/block $99.00Red light torch, "SWLIGHT"$20.00Single axis (RA) motor drive kit for EQ1 $49.00Single axis (RA) motor drive kit for EQ2 $129.00Single axis motor drive kits; EQ3 -or- EQ4/EQ5 mount (please choose)$199.00 each
Skywatcher Equatorial MountsTypePrice $(AUD)EQ1 equatorial mount with aluminium tripod legs$99.00EQ2 with aluminium tripod legs$149.00EQ3 with aluminium tripod legs$299.00EQ5 with aluminium tripod legs$399.00EQ5 with 37mm dia. tubular steel tripod legs$499.00HEQ5 has tubular steel tripod legs$999.00HEQ5 Go-To has steel tripod legs and Skyscan Go-To Upgrade fitted$1799.00HEQ5 PRO has tubular steel tripod legs, is white in colour and has Skyscan Go-To factory-fittedP.O.A.EQ6 has tubular steel tripod legs$1499.00EQ6 Go-To has steel tripod legs and Skyscan Go-To Upgrade fitted$2299.00EQ6 PRO has tubular steel tripod legs, is white in colour and has Skyscan Go-To factory-fittedP.O.A.