Pros and Cons 8''Meade Lightswitch

[gel]

what are your pro and cons of the 8" ls, any owners out thier with first hand experience. the next shipment is due in Febuary according to Bintel/Astro-Optical.Updated gps software for the southern hemisphere- hmm im wondering?Your thoughts.

[graham.hobart]

Excelllent goto's after set up and alignment. Excellent optics for visual use. Well made. Lots of experience on line for modifications/ extras
VS
in fork mount only good for very short exposure photography (can do video of planets though)
Long focal length is unforgiving when trying to guide
Heavy scope, must be balanced well if adding DSLR etc
Focus knob (on mine) is not as intuitive as crayford focusers
Depends what you want it for really, I bought my 8" Meade after having an ETX and a cheap Newton. Did me well for a number of years and is still a cracking planetary scope. But I got into photography so have sort of side lined it in favour of another reflector plus small refractor. My interest is more deep sky so that's why I have not used it for a while.
Meade are great optics and the software is easy to set up and use.
Good luck
Graham

[Solanum]

I've been wondering about an 8" LS for a while too. My current place is full of trees, I can see very little sky at all, and my 10" Dob with Argo Navis that has served me well is not effectively transportable to a better spot. Thus I'm wondering just how quick and easy the 8" LS is to set up (disassembled to a safely car transportable point)? Presumably quicker and simpler than an LX90?

[Poita]

I'd be more inclined to pick up a 2nd hand C8 for cheaper and spend the money on extras, you will get similar optical performance, and have money left over for more fun stuff.
I loved the C8, light, easy and fast to set up and drag around the yard or throw in the car, an 8" SCT is the sweet spot for transportability and handling and light grasp for me.
I now have a Meade 10" ACF, but don't use it as much as I did the C8 to be honest.

[Solanum]

Thanks for the response. I had wondered about a C8 (or LX90 as mentioned), but are they really as quick to set up as the LS? I have little spare time (busy at work, three young kids) so if I'm going to buy new gear, that I don't really have the money for, ease of set-up (just visual observing) will be the absolute priority....

[Poita]

It depends on the mount, but yes, the Celestron alignment is very quick and easy to follow.