Buying a Meade LX90 O'seas. Bad Idea?

[coldspace]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

Actually Mark I wonder if I could ask another thing.

Am I right in thinking that the LX 90 (as opposed to the LX200 - which is about $2000 more new) is fine for observing purposes and that I would only really need an LX200 if i was going to do photography. Or does the LX 200 have other advantages that I'm not picking up on at this stage.

The LX90 will be fine for visual use but no good for imaging especially a 12 inch.
If visuals are all your going to do then grab a 12 inch LX90 standard SCT for a bargain off someone.

The lX200 is alot more stable compared to our clubs LX90 and also weighs more and has alot more data base in its memory, but if you can track down all the objects in the LX90 then you will be doing better than me .

If your budjet allows, get the LX200 with the ACF optics if not and visual use is all your after then the LX90 will be good.

Matt.

[marki]

Matt I would suggest he buys an EQ mount with the tube seperate. I don't know about your experience but I had to do lots of customising to get my drive where I wanted it. I would only go with an EQ mount from here on.

Mark

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

EQ Mounts do seem complicated to manouver though and somewhat more difficult to lug around - Is what I'm thinking

[marki]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

EQ Mounts do seem complicated to manouver though and somewhat more difficult to lug around - Is what I'm thinking

See if you can have a go at lifting a 12" lx200 fork mount. Make sure you spend some time in the gym and steriods would also be helpful . Claude they are bloody heavy buggers, takes 2 people to get mine on a wedge. At least with a EQ you can break it into seperate components.

Mark

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Originally Posted by marki

See if you can have a go at lifting a 12" lx200 fork mount. Make sure you spend some time in the gym and steriods would also be helpful . Claude they are bloody heavy buggers, takes 2 people to get mine on a wedge. At least with a EQ you can break it into seperate components.

Mark

I see

[coldspace]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

EQ Mounts do seem complicated to manouver though and somewhat more difficult to lug around - Is what I'm thinking

It seems that you are only going to be using the scope for visual ?
If so, then only go the fork mount, and if you want to try simple but very effective imaging then you can use a fork mount with an astro video of some sort like a Mallincam, Stellacam, gstar. or put the scope on a wedge.

The video systems are the go to enhance your viewing pleasure especially in light polluted environments.
My LX200R 12 inch-coupled with a Mallincam hypercolour cooled video is a deep sky killing machine.

Claude, I have had no issues with my 12 LX200 mount in the two years, and I have several friends with LX200 scopes who use either fork mount/field derotators to various success, or wedge mount with very good results too plain old ALT/AZ forkmounts for visual or Astrovideo systems with great success.

A good friend of mine PeterM on this site has used his LX200 12 inch in Alt/Az mode and doing 25 second exposures has discovered 3 super novas and he has used his scope probally 3 to 6 hrs a night for over 400 nights in 3 odd years with no problems.

Yes they are not perfect for long, many hrs of exposure imaging but for what I think your after it fits the bill.


Matt.

[coldspace]

Originally Posted by marki

See if you can have a go at lifting a 12" lx200 fork mount. Make sure you spend some time in the gym and steriods would also be helpful . Claude they are bloody heavy buggers, takes 2 people to get mine on a wedge. At least with a EQ you can break it into seperate components.

Mark

Marks right here, good point, they are very heavy, 34 kgs and you don't want to drop one. I got the Peterson gt a grip handles, and mounting assistant and I could mount it no worries in Alt/AZ but would not do it on a wedge without a 2nd person, but I am 100Kgs fit and lift heavy airconditioners for a living so unless you are strong you will need 2 people. Mines now in a permanent observatory so if your on your own a eQ mount will be the go so you can break it into smaller pieces or get a smaller scope or permanent mount.

Matt

[marki]

Yep if you are using it for visual the fork will be fine. For astropics the fork flex's like a b####d and any wind will put an end to your efforts. The meade drives will last a long while and although they have good componentry the guys that assembled them dont give a rats arse. Out of the box they are not accurate enough for long exposure photography (I am talking 10+ minute subs). Haven't tried them with a de-rotator so cannot comment.

Mark

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

I tell you what I know its complicated and there are so many things to consider when buying a scope but it sure is exciting. iwas looking at Youtube and the kind of visuals one gets with a 12 scope and it looks great. It sure will be nice when the time comes.

Thanks to the both of you for your valuable advice

[Ric]

I lost enough sleep waiting for my scope to arrive from Sydney safely.

Arriving from overseas, I'd think I would be a nervous wreck.

[citivolus (Ric)]

On the question of how much you would pay for an import, on my CGE with C9.25, I paid:

$10 broker fee (UPS)
$650 USD shipping, ~75KG
10% GST (including on the shipping price)

For an LX90/LX200 on forks, you would be looking at around $400-500 shipping, plus broker and GST.

For non broker import of a Megrez 90, I paid around a $100 customs processing fee on top of the rest.

Regards,
Eric

[stephenb (Stephen)]

My opinion is try to buy local. Warranty is the big issue. If something goes belly up with the mechanical and electronic aspect of the drive, no dealer in this country will touch it under warranty (and why should they, as they do not get paid for their labour time to repair Meade scopes under warranty).

Like many have said before, if you buy from overseas, you take this risk.

Secondly, many US dealers will not sell outside the US.

Thirdly, I have owned an LX200 10" and an LX90 8". The LX200 10" is heavy and bulky to transport so I recommend you meet up with someone who currently owns one and look at it in person. The LX90 is very light compared to the LX200.

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Yeah thanks guys. I think I'm gonna buy local. I tell you what I got some great advice from this thread. It certainly made up my mind for me. I'd love to get one of these babies by Xmas.

[coldspace]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

Yeah thanks guys. I think I'm gonna buy local. I tell you what I got some great advice from this thread. It certainly made up my mind for me. I'd love to get one of these babies by Xmas.

I was in Sirus optics today, and they have a perfect condition 12 inch LX200GPS for sale with a Wedge, giant field tripod for about mid 5 grand or so.
This scope is on consignment sale and I know the owner and this scope is in perfect condition.

For what your after it might be a good buy, its not the ACF optics but for visual use it will be fine or unless you are one of these so-called perfect imagers out there it will also allow you to dabble in some imaging with the included wedge.
Just a heads up.

Matt.

[dpastern (Dave Pastern)]

I'd buy local. Go with Bintel - sure it's a bit more pricier but the service by all accounts is top notch and you won't regret it.

Dave

[bobson (Bob)]

Sorry for interruption, but after reading this post I got a question to ask

Did I get it right, if you are after just visual observing you don't have to buy ACF? Right?

I thought that ACF if better for visual as well.

thanks

bob

[marki]

Originally Posted by bobson

Sorry for interruption, but after reading this post I got a question to ask

Did I get it right, if you are after just visual observing you don't have to buy ACF? Right?

I thought that ACF if better for visual as well.

thanks

bob

The ACF will give slightly crisper views. The scope was designed for imaging which is were it beats the SCT outright.

Mark

[FredSnerd (Claude)]

Heyya all,

Thanks all for your advice.

An issue has come up re the LX90 which is different to the title of this thread (its about the mount Matt, Mark) so I thought I had better start a new thread. I dont want to put you to anymore trouble then I already have but any ideas that you do have would be more then welcome.

Matt the thing about the LX200 is the weight for me

Regards

[coldspace]

Originally Posted by FredSnerd

Heyya all,

Thanks all for your advice.

An issue has come up re the LX90 which is different to the title of this thread (its about the mount Matt, Mark) so I thought I had better start a new thread. I dont want to put you to anymore trouble then I already have but any ideas that you do have would be more then welcome.

Matt the thing about the LX200 is the weight for me

Regards

Yep, one heavy unit the 12 inch Lx200 is, if your are getting older I would advise getting something smaller.
Have alook at the CPC 9.25, alot lighter and great on the planets, and deep sky from a dark site.

The difference between a 12 and 9.25 from light polluted environment will be minimal for you.

The 9.25 has a smaller central obstruction ratio ( I think, correct me if I am wrong guys) so apparantly this gives this scope great optics, a friend of mine has a 9.25 tube ontop of a EQ6 pro for his portable dark sky scope, and the views through it are vey nice indeed.

I now have my 12 LX200 on permanent mount in my observatory and will probally get a 9.25 on EQ6 pro for my dark sky portable setup.

Regards Matt.

[TheDecepticon]

If you are only going to do visual, I'm still going to ask why you don't by your self a nice easy to use 12" or 16" Dob mounted Newt and chuck Argo Navis on it? Just my opinion, but you are getting caught up in the hype of a modern telescope and with AN it is near the same as go to, and you will appreciate the bigger objects in the wider field of view. Any way, may you purchase what your heart desires!