[AlexN]

Well... Its come to the very end of my month of hard out spending since astrofest... there is one thing left to buy, and a few options...

This scope will be for long F/L deep space photography and planetary imaging... Maybe visual from time to time, but not likely enough to consider it heavily.

Options and their pro's and con's.

Meade 10" LX200-ACF OTA
Pros:
long F/L
Weight
Mirror Lock

Cons:
Expensive
Lots of accessories needed (dew heater band/dew sheild/focal reducer/micro focuser?)

Vixen VC200L
Pros:
Great optics
Moderately long FL

Cons:
Small aperture for planetary imaging
RnP single speed focuser
Big obstruction - contrast issues

GSO 12" Dobsonian
Pros:
Aperture wins!
Cheap in comparison

Cons:
Its massive and heavy.
Rings are REALLY expensive
Doesn't hold collimation well (or so I've heard/read)
Flimsy focuser

If the scope was going to be ONLY for planetary imaging, the 12" would have a clear advantage.. however due to my wanting to use it for deep space imaging also, its cumbersome size and weight become an issue. The focuser wont do, although for the price of the scope, I could get a moonlite/JMI/Feathertouch and still have spare change..

Alternatively, if it were ONLY for deep space, the VC200L has a distinct advantage of having great optics, good F/L etc etc... but for planetary work the aperture is not quite enough (no upgrade over my current 8") and the 3mm thick spider vanes and rather large central obstruction kill contrast a bit..

Heres where the meade comes into play... 10" is a good upgrade in aperture/light gathering capabilities, has a great focal lenght for planetary imaging, availability of 3.3 / 6.3 F/R for widening the field for certain targets... although these accessories added with dew prevention gear etc.. push it to the very very upper limit of my budget...



Is there anything im overlooking in regards to any of these scopes, or any scope im not considering?

Advice from people who own the scopes in question would be great.

Cheers.
Alex.