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Phil "issdoal" here on Ice owns a Mewlon 300 - probably WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY outside your budget Alex, but he can give you observations on it's use etc.
I have used it a lot, and here is what I have noticed:
1. diffraction spikes are essentially not visible. Very faint anyway
2. Cool-down is excessive for the 300 at least - 3 hrs is about normal. Phil installed 6 Tempest fans to help there.
3. views are good, but I am not going to describe them as superb. At this focal length, it's fine. Certainly 300% better than a Celestron or Meade SCT, but not refractor WOW
4. contrast is markedly better than any SCT or RC I have looked through, and a lot better than a Vixen VC/VMC.
I much prefer Maksutovs personally. Matt's (Kunama) former TEC Mak was...in a nutshell...PERFECT, as I am sure the AP RH's are. I have NEVER seen the planets better than I did through Matt's former TEC. Astonishingly sharp and perfect.
Out of all the Cassegrain/D-K designs, the Mewlon is definitely on the top of the pack. Overall in terms of Cass/Mak/D-K/R-H/R-C, my vote is undoubtedly going to the Maksutov. (I swear I have nil Russian influence or bias. Honestly tovarisch!) With Intes closed down and TEC not making Maks presently, and Santel exceedingly rare, grab whatever you can now. The SW Maks are really good for the $, but no, they are nowhere near the TEC I admired so much.
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