Review: Meade 10" LX200GPS-SMT

[iceman]

Read Aragorn's (Stuart Welfare) thorough review of the Meade LX200GPS-SMT.

Meade LX200GPS-SMT (http://www.iceinspace.com/index.php?id=41,127,0,0,1,0).

All reviews can be found at the IceInSpace Reviews (http://www.iceinspace.com/?reviews) page.

Thanks to Stuart for doing an excellent review, it certainly makes me want one.. maybe one day :)

Discuss the review and your thoughts here.

If you wish to review any piece of equipment, accessory, software, book etc, follow the directions on the reviews page.

[Saturn%5]

A very nice read Stuart, Makes me want to go out and buy one.

[Mick]

Top class review Stuart.

[rumples riot]

Didn't need to read that great review to have bought the beast. I saw this scope two years ago at the Ceduna eclipse and knew at once I had to have it. In May this year I bought the 10" GPS version, several things in the review I don't agree with. The weight of this scope is not for the feint hearted. It is heavy, I work in the building industry and can lift "heavy weights" as a result of my bulk. Even for me it is heavy, you would not want to trip up, you would lose balance very quickly.

As for the LPI, Stuart has some obviously talent with these things, because on my first night I found that it was a real challenge. I have never got images as good as those of Stuart's first night. I think that lots of practice is required and to boot you need to use a barlow to get images of that scale.

Don't get me wrong, that was a great review and I wish that I had got off my behind to produce a review myself. Especially given that I have been here for quite some time. Nearly everything that Stuart said in the review is spot on. This is a great scope and you cannot image the joy I get from using it. The fact that it has GPS and Goto functions is what made me buy the scope in the first place. No more searching star charts for that elusive object (I have spent many years doing that, now I don't want the practice), now I just look up the object in the hand controller and hit goto.

For anyone wishing to buy this type of scope, there is the extreme cost that must be considered. And; I am not talking about the initial outlay (which is enough to take your breath away), what I am talking about is all the accessories and their associated cost. Many items are over $200.00, and can go up to and over $1000.00. Just to set up a decent astrophoto rig, you will need to expend somewhere between $2500 and $4000. That is of course if you choose to use Meade products.

Anyway, if you choose to go down this path as I did, the cost is nothing in comparison to spectacular views and the beautiful astroshots that can be obtained.

I love my scope, but wish I did not have to spend so much money.

Thanks Stuart for the review, excellent.

Paul

[Dave47tuc]

That's a very good review Stuart.
I have had the LX200 i0 inch for about 1.5 years.
I will say it is a heavy scope in anyones terms. I have made many changes to mine with Peterson Equipment. I also only use Naglers, Panoptics with mine, so if you go down this path costs really get out of hand.
But the views wow!!
Good work.

[iceman]

What's Peterson equipment?

Nice shots Stuart. I'm sure the Saturn image could be fixed up with some post-processing.

Oh for an f/10 scope ;)

[Dave47tuc]

Iceman,
Have a look at Petersons web site for all the things that help get the best out of a lX200.

http://www.petersonengineering.com/SkyDiv/sky_division.htm
:cool:

[rumples riot]

Stuart Your shots of the planets are very good. I will have to try a bit harder with my endeavours on the planets. Funny though with a 2x barlow I dont get the same size scale as you. YOu got any ideas why this is so?

Paul

[Johndavidmac]

I want to buy a friendly GO TO Telescope for around $1000, I have looked at Celestron and Meade 5-6" models, I need it to be as portable as possible,
since I am somewhat disabled, I live in a subdivision and have to contend with some lights, but not a whole lot. I am open for some good experienced
suggestions on the best Telescope for the money and conditions. Thank you for your time. Dr. John David McElhaney PhD

[PCH]

Hi Dr John,

welcome to IIS. I would have started a new thread with this question ! Any mods agree ?:)

Cheers,

[Jonatan]

Thanks for the review Stuart. May I know Meade dealer in Australia?

[Jonatan]

I've never seen through a catadioptric. I'm wondered for the same aperture & F of Newtonian vs catadioptric, which one has better image quality?

[starspoon]

Good work Stuart