Lx200gps

[Sausageman]

Hey Guy's and Gal's,
I'm about to come into a spare few grand ($40,000 actually) and looking at buying an LX200GPS,
Which one would be the best?
The 10" or the 12", the ads are the same.
It won't be going on a fixed mount in an observatory. I want to be able to take it everywhere, plonk it down and away we go.
Can anyone help me out.
It's a big investment, so I want as much value for my Dollars as I can get.

Mike

[davidpretorius]

wow, i can help you out, once you have made up your mind, you can store it at my house. consider it done!

i will now have a look at these cheap little numbers!

[Sausageman]

Thanks Dave,
I would prefer to keep it up here in the warm though. :rolleyes:

Mike.

[davidpretorius]

wont stuff around anymore with what is a serious question that i can't answer, but congrats mate, how much fun will you have?

Well done on the future purchase whichever model you go for!

[iceman]

If you want to be able to take it everywhere, you need to consider portability.

The 10" is large, but manageable by 1 person. The 12" is considerably larger, and might be a struggle for one person to transport, carry and setup. You also need to consider the size of your vehicle.

There are members here with 12" LX200's and they will probably disagree with me but it also depends on the size of the person (h0ughy is no small man), so just some food for thought is all.

[[1ponders]]

Mike, are you going to image through it? If so why not consider just the OTA and put it on an EQ mount like a G11. Even the 10" gps gets a bit hefty to carry. Mind you the setup and go functionality of the LX200 I found to be pretty impressive along with its accuracy. (exLX200GPS8"owner) BTW the LX200 GPS 12" weights in at 73 lb and the 10" @ 62 lb

[mick pinner]

hi Mike, l used to have to move my 12" around before l built the observatory and even going by the photos l've seen l'm only half the man Houghy is, they really are not that difficult to set up although l would recommend a locating plate to make things a little easier.

[Striker]

I had the 10" and found it no problem to set up....The 12" may be to big.....but it's personal preference....the 12 would have been to big for me but not for other's.

[janoskiss]

Just go to a scope shop and have a look. Wave the cash in a retailer's face. I'm sure they'll be happy to let you check out whatever you want. :D

[Sausageman]

I'll be going to the UK shortly, can I bring one back duty free?LOL

Striker, If the 12" was too much for you, what chance do I have?
It seems the choice has been made, the 10" will be the one.

And yes, I will be attempting some astro-photography with it, probably using the starlight express from the observatory, until I get my own.

Now then, we come to the Photo processing software, I am almost reluctant to ask, which is the best? I am sure I will get plenty of answers on this subject.
PS, I will be getting a stand alone computer for the scope, it won't be connected to the net either, no firewalls needed, no antivirus running all the time. XP Pro, processing software, Starry night Digital V5 and some games for when I am bored.

My mate Erik is going to be really Pi###d off, after I got him to buy the 8" GSO.

The wife, Now thats a totally different thing. :help: :prey:

Mike

[h0ughy]

Mike,

buy only what you can lift! the 12" is at the limit, it is big, bulky and at times awkward, but hey it is a precision light bucket! for bell and whistles and future connectivity go for a 10" RC if you have the cash. you get a 24mm ultrawide 2" eyepiece with that. ditch the diagonal and get a Williams optical 2" dielectric diagonal, far better. as for a dew shield, you wont need one as the rc has a inbuilt heater. buy lots of 2" eyepieces, Naglers andMeade ultrawides, and don't foget the Holy Handgrenade (NAG 31mm)!!!! Get yourself a 20Da as well, and some solar filters. also a weight system, and buy a WO megrez 80 II or Mick Pinners orion 80mm to use as a guide scope when imaging (my next purchase!!) and some rings to suit. Get yourself a decent Laptop, cables, deep cycle batteries, a Bar stool from the reject shop, oh and an autoguider! get a heap of different 2" filters and neb filters. Oh and don't forget to get a coronado 90mm Ha Filter and adaption kit with a 30 BF.
if you haven't already got one get a station wagon.

Then dream on building an observatory after you have no money left to build one................................ ........ :P

[h0ughy]

Oh no I feel victomised now :scared2: . :doh: :rofl:

[seeker372011]

since it's easy to spend your money , why not an RCX ????

[Iddon]

my 8" Lx200 GPS is about my limit for comfortable portability.

[Sausageman]

Houghy,
Am I going to need to go to the gym and do wieght lifting, I only wiegh 66 kilos fully clothed... :) And hang on, how much is all that extra stuff going to cost me? The wife is going nuts already. :doh:
I already have the wagon, lucky for me.
No observatory though, way too many lights here.

Mike

[beren]

Mike you might find the sample videos here of a 12"lx200 being moved/lifted here a useful indication ... http://www.astrodude.com/videos2.html For my 10" Lx200 i dont find it difficult to lift onto a wedge or the tripod {locating plate helps here} but you have to factor in setting up/down on a continued basis , that can be quite fatiguing {making or buying a scope buggy is worthwhile}. With storage the bigger 12"s OTA cant swing between the forks so the cost of getting or fabricating a case would be higher . The 10" is the right size for me , i like to get out of the city as much as possible and it works well for me .....id love to have the 12" tripod though its much more massive then my 10"s.With the RCXs they look awesome but being new and having so many electronic components and a reliance on power to function i would be reluctant to jump in quickly before a fairly solid bank of reviews/opinions have been formed and any bugs have been sorted.

[Rodstar]

As an LX200GPS 10" owner, my two bobs' worth:

1. If you are more into imaging that naked eye observing, the 10" is as much as you would ever need. If you are more into naked eye observing, Houghy's 12" definitely gives better detail than my 10", and you might want to go to the 12".

2. I am an average Joe, and when I have the tripod legs extended, a bit of a heave-ho (especially in the cold) is needed to get the OTA up on the tripod. If you had a bad back, or were of senior years, I think you would be crazy to get a 12" if you were going to regularly transport it.

3. The price differential between a 10" and a 12" is about $2,200. With that, some serious EP purchasing can be done. With either the 10 or 12, a 31mm Nagler would be purrrrrfect. Then again, you did say you were expecting $40K...

4. Regarding some other comments above about the RCX400, from what I have read, it is definitely worth the extra money if you are into imaging, but for visual stuff, not much perceptible difference to the LX200.

Get some of the members in QLD to let you have a play with their scopes to see what you can handle. Also - get a sense of size - because it needs to be able to fit in the car!

Good luck!

[h0ughy]

geez and i haven't mentioned all the other stuff yet :P

[Sausageman]

H0ughy,

This will probably be my one and only chance to buy this gear.
I will have to rely on all you guy's to steer me in the right direction.
No bull now, I just need the right gear to make this purchase, not a wish list of expensive stuff.
At least half of the money will be going into my house, for renovations.
I just need to know what is really neccessary.
I expect that this will be the last scope I ever buy.

Mike

[Sausageman]

I have just found an LX200GPS on the web, here in QLD from a shop, Brand new for $5200.
Is this a bargain, or could there be something wrong with it?

Mike

[Rodstar]

Mike, that's what I paid for my LX200 GPS 10" from Bintel in January. I got a complementary 2" diagonal and 30mm GSO EP as part of the price. I recommend you try to bargain these into the deal, or try to get what I got from Bintel instead.

I suspect with the advent of the RCX400 the price of the LX200's will drop a bit. At the moment though, the price sounds OK to me.

[h0ughy]

Mike,

I have a lot of gear, most of which I mentioned in gest (just ask 1ponders Mike Salway or Orion) but it really comes down to what you really feal comfortable with. you can have just as much fun with a dob, or a takahashi it is up to you. any advice is just that advice! it really comes down to what you feel ok with, remember you will be owning it for a long time! :poke: :D

[Sausageman]

Just checked out the RCX400.
Boy does it look sweeeeeet.
Maybe!!!!!!!!!


Mike

[Comet Hunter]

Mike, if you like, we could organise a time and you could come have a play with my 10"...

[Sausageman]

WOW, That would be great Andrew, Thanks, could I bring my Son along, he is going to play with the one I am getting, he's 25 by the way.

I am on night shift all this week, so it will have to be after that, and I am also going to a music festival next weekend.

Mike.

[Comet Hunter]

The week after this one suits me, I'm literally hours away from become a very busy man.:family2: I work weekend shift, but have the 16/17/18 off if you're unable to make it during the week leading up those dates. Sure, your son is more then welcome.

[Sausageman]

Sounds like a plan to me Andrew.
I will contact you next week then.

Cheers

Mike

[Rodstar]

So Banjoman, made your decision yet, or waiting to try out a few options first?

[Sausageman]

Yep Rod,
Decision made, just trying to sort out the extra's
Too much to choose from though isn't there?
I'll just go for the basic set-up, then see what freebies I can get thrown in.

Mike

[netwolf]

A few grand?? Can you buy me a Celestron CPC 8" or 10" SCT, or a Mak-Newt on a G11. I think the CPC is better than the LXD200gps but tis early days yet for the CPC.

[elusiver]

so u'r going with the 12" lx200gps then mike??

el :)

[Sausageman]

Not the 12". will stick with the 10".
that way it gives me more money to spend on add ons and ep's.

I am really looking forward to getting it. A whole new "Dimension" will open up, LOL. :cool:

Mike