Bought new telescope,happy but unhappy - Page 4

neversommer (Pascal) · #61 10-12-2008, 03:51 PM

Ok I have spoken to bankwest and they cant do anything about that I have to go with consumer protection.

I have also spoken with andrews and they are sending me their bank details for a bank deposit on their account by today or tomorrow.
Also they have told me its coming with 2 lenses but no barlow as usually they end up in rubbish they told me with cheap scopes from up to 100aud.

The shipping is free as stated on their website but now the choice of the lenses remain..I will talk to them again about the lens you have recommended me or I send them an email about that which the ones you recommended me and see wether they can make a good price for it.

They were happy to talk to me and gave me a lot of information.

So I will let them know about the lenses and the barlow thing and the finderscope.

Ian Robinson · #62 10-12-2008, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

Ok I have spoken to bankwest and they cant do anything about that I have to go with consumer protection.

I have also spoken with andrews and they are sending me their bank details for a bank deposit on their account by today or tomorrow.
Also they have told me its coming with 2 lenses but no barlow as usually they end up in rubbish they told me with cheap scopes from up to 100aud.

The shipping is free as stated on their website but now the choice of the lenses remain..I will talk to them again about the lens you have recommended me or I send them an email about that which the ones you recommended me and see wether they can make a good price for it.

They were happy to talk to me and gave me a lot of information.

So I will let them know about the lenses and the barlow thing and the finderscope.

Bummer wrt the bank .... I'd be changing banks .

Still no response from the vendor .... they might come good if you are lucky , but I'd get onto consumer protection ASAP and get that moving and tell the vendor you're not happy and are doing so . Bombard them with urgent emails continuously over the next few days - to get their attention .

Did they say which eyepiece are in the kit (type and focal length) ?

I don't often use a barlow - I'm more into wide field low power and imaging.
Others are better placed to advise on a nice barlow - probably Vixen, Celestron or Meade (most common) unless you are OK with spending more money to an Apo type or one of those Tele Vue barlows (Powermates) .
Spoilt for choice on barlows as per eyepieces - stacks of the them out there (in all sizes).

I'm not saying YOU need any Tele Vue eyepieces - expensive , but see http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=221 and http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=131 is good info . (BTW I don't own any Tele Vue stuff either except a Paracorr.)

neversommer (Pascal) · #63 10-12-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

Bummer wrt the bank .... I'd be changing banks .

Still no response from the vendor .... they might come good if you are lucky , but I'd get onto consumer protection ASAP and get that moving and tell the vendor you're not happy and are doing so . Bombard them with urgent emails continuously over the next few days - to get their attention .

Did they say which eyepiece are in the kit (type and focal length) ?

I don't often use a barlow - I'm more into wide field low power and imaging.
Others are better placed to advise on a nice barlow - probably Vixen, Celestron or Meade (most common) unless you are OK with spending more money to an Apo type or one of those Tele Vue barlows (Powermates) .
Spoilt for choice on barlows as per eyepieces - stacks of the them out there (in all sizes).

I just spoke to them again for the list of the lenses you told me about and they will send me the email so I cant tell them what I want for my telescope.
He recommended me the 2x barlow lens from guan sheng. its 35 and good quality he said.
The others you recommended cost me 49 each piece..that quite a lot of money if I take all of them at once.

But I hope he might can give me a good price but one thing is for sure the telescope will be paid this week once I will receive the email with the details.

That telescope is very nice and the lenses look good as well

I think its an 20mm and a 6mm that it comes with as from the other websites..but let me check.

The eyepiece that come with the 150mm that one i want are those:

Includes Super 25 and 10mm eyepieces.

What you think?

Ian Robinson · #64 10-12-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

I just spoke to them again for the list of the lenses you told me about and they will send me the email so I cant tell them what I want for my telescope.
He recommended me the 2x barlow lens from guan sheng. its 35 and good quality he said.
The others you recommended cost me 49 each piece..that quite a lot of money if I take all of them at once.

But I hope he might can give me a good price but one thing is for sure the telescope will be paid this week once I will receive the email with the details.

That telescope is very nice and the lenses look good as well

I think its an 20mm and a 6mm that it comes with as from the other websites..but let me check.

The eyepiece that come with the 150mm that one i want are those:

Includes Super 25 and 10mm eyepieces.

What you think?

Can always buy the oddsnsods later - no rush there, so long as you've at least 2 eyepieces and maybe a barlow to get started.

Can't comment the Guan Sheng 2x barlow - never used one of that brand.

drahyrt (Steve) · #65 10-12-2008, 09:31 PM

Ok hi everyone,
just my input here, I JUST BOUGHT THIS EQUIPMENT!! about 2 weeks ago.
It is my first scope, I am a complete newb.

I LOVE IT. I have nothing to compare it to though, and I also am reasonbly happy with the GEM mount.

I read with much interest from Ian about getting the directions reasonably accurate NOT 100% for just viewing, thanks Ian.
It comes with a 10 and 25 eye pieces, and I find them to be very clear. The scope as well is great, have seen quite a number of exciting things, and so as a starter, I'm happy.

The biggest downfall that I was expecting was the GEM mount and navigating the sky, but as I see it, I am prepared for the odd hassle, and ultimately is very easy to track things if it is roughly aligned.

It is about expectations, if you want a dead simple mount then a dob probably is better, but if you are happy to accpet the downsides of the GEM, you also get the upsides like better tracking.... (don't shoot me if that ain't accurate!)

It is fairly easy to carry around assembled, and I carry it throught 2 doorways and out into a park to view each night, about 100m, and it is just do-able. I would struggle with bigger scopes as a quick and easy setup.

The view finder is basic but does find what I want, I found it pretty ordinary to get perfectly alligned, but I haven't tried very hard either.

I am not sure if I should leave it assembled or not.
I don't YET have a barlow (soon, very soon)

I did get a moon filter $9.

I see the GEM mount as a challenge, as part of my education, and it will make me learn the sky better..... well we will see! perhaps I am niave, but at least it is my intention.

So as a user, and a newb, I love it!

5 out of 5 stars from me.

(remember I can't compare it to any other scope, but hey it is REALLY good value for what it is in my opinion - or am I justifying my purchase because I need to know my money was well spent.......) blind leading the blind? (refering to my post only)

neversommer (Pascal) · #66 11-12-2008, 10:18 AM

Ok I just got an email from crazy sales yesterday night about they wanting to send me another unit of the telescope as they must have shipped out the other one,funny enough the way the person typed it does not seem to have a lot of english knowledge and I have sended them back it dont want a new telescope or at least not from them,it is to late and I have allready been in contact with consumer protection and have filled out all the details and I want to hear back from them within 6 hours if not I will have to take this problem further.

And of course they have not responded to me within 6 hours so I am gonna send the paperwork to consumer protection. I only want the money back and can send back the telescope.

Yes the eyepiece is the 10mm and the 25 so @ Ian which others should I get...I want at 2 extra eye pieces and the 2x barlow from Guan Sheng.

I will place the order today.

Ian i need your response for which lenses to get for what viewing..
you mentioned the magellan, and the other stuff..
Planet viewing and the cloud viewing as you mentioned in here from;

(great for wide field viewing - will blow you away as you view the Magellanic Clouds , the Milky Way and globulars !!!) , and with the barlow (best for planetary viewing 238x as your max power , you can probably got to 300x with the 6"

Which eye lenses do I need for that?

That would be all for the moment I reckon,I will let andrews know once I have received your response.

Thank you

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #67 11-12-2008, 10:28 AM

This is what i say and you have put it down to a T. I have the Dob even being 10" it fits along the rear seat of my Mazda MX-6 Coupe for those extended dark sky nights, and if i want to carry it its a simple thing of put my eye pieces in my bag, and grab ahold of the handles easy done and im out of here. 2 seconds to set up and away i go.

As for setting up my old blue on the GEM of course i can drag it in and out fully set up but you have to roughly polar align it so that you can get some form of tracking happening. but within that statement i have to move my telescope around as there are tree's and different points have different advantages. so there goes the polar alignment so the dob is so much better as i am basically using it as a dob just a little bit higher up.

In all i have had a fair bit of exp with 3 different mounts now GEM FORK and DOB. They all have their Pros, expertieces and Cons. Start off small you have a lifetime of hobbie ahead of you!

neversommer (Pascal) · #68 11-12-2008, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

This is what i say and you have put it down to a T. I have the Dob even being 10" it fits along the rear seat of my Mazda MX-6 Coupe for those extended dark sky nights, and if i want to carry it its a simple thing of put my eye pieces in my bag, and grab ahold of the handles easy done and im out of here. 2 seconds to set up and away i go.

As for setting up my old blue on the GEM of course i can drag it in and out fully set up but you have to roughly polar align it so that you can get some form of tracking happening. but within that statement i have to move my telescope around as there are tree's and different points have different advantages. so there goes the polar alignment so the dob is so much better as i am basically using it as a dob just a little bit higher up.

In all i have had a fair bit of exp with 3 different mounts now GEM FORK and DOB. They all have their Pros, expertieces and Cons. Start off small you have a lifetime of hobbie ahead of you!

Hey mitchell I know you seem to want the best for a new starter but as much as you are trying to help me,such a DOB is atm not in my sight..maybe later

But since the skywatcher is at a such a good price and free delivery,I simply cant resist to get such a thing with 150mm in aperture size and that quality.

Another question..Since you are living in perth and once I will receive my telescope would you mind maybe the share a bit of time and so we could catch up and you could show me a bit for an introduction?
I am living in Bullcreek if that rings a bell for you.

Let me know

You could even have a look at the telescope i am having now if you want or have time.

Anything let me know.

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #69 11-12-2008, 12:35 PM

Always happy to help,

Yes i do know where Bull creek is though as i live in morley it might be a better thing to meet down at Curtin University just for a start. Im also trying to organize a trip out to a dark site to take our 12" meade out.

It wont be till after christmas at the moment, just too busy with all the christmassy things going on. But definately keep in contact with me.

The other thing that you will need to learn having a reflector is Collmination regardless if its a Dob or GEM and is required pretty much every time you use it to make sure everything is in line!. apart from your Barlow lens, you can go one of 3 ways, Get a laser collminator or a ceshire eye piece or combine them both but do get at least one they are about 50 dollars for the laser one and they themself must be checked for collmination. Collmination is a awful beast if you don't understand what your actually correcting

.

I have made my own Laser colmination tool and brought the ceshire eye peice. So ill give you a good rundown on the proceedure if you want.

neversommer (Pascal) · #70 11-12-2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

Always happy to help,

Yes i do know where Bull creek is though as i live in morley it might be a better thing to meet down at Curtin University just for a start. Im also trying to organize a trip out to a dark site to take our 12" meade out.

It wont be till after christmas at the moment, just too busy with all the christmassy things going on. But definately keep in contact with me.

The other thing that you will need to learn having a reflector is Collmination regardless if its a Dob or GEM and is required pretty much every time you use it to make sure everything is in line!. apart from your Barlow lens, you can go one of 3 ways, Get a laser collminator or a ceshire eye piece or combine them both but do get at least one they are about 50 dollars for the laser one and they themself must be checked for collmination. Collmination is a awful beast if you don't understand what your actually correcting

.

I have made my own Laser colmination tool and brought the ceshire eye peice. So ill give you a good rundown on the proceedure if you want.

Yes I understand,christmas is a very busy time,but since I am not australian as I am european,my family is in europe and my gf will fly back home for 2 weeks so I will be spending christmans by myself which I am a bit upset about.

Nonetheless I was planning as well going out to the dark once but not sure when especially since I am getting that telescope even a reason more for me to discover new things.
If you have something once planned and you dont mind to take someone with you like me,I would love to too get some prof advice of how to look at stars and how to lign up my telescope correctly.

Whenever you have time you can let me know,as I am happy to get helped in my new hobby which is my 2nd expensive hobby.

To get out of perth is thankfully not that hard.

Ian Robinson · #71 11-12-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

Ok I just got an email from crazy sales yesterday night about they wanting to send me another unit of the telescope as they must have shipped out the other one,funny enough the way the person typed it does not seem to have a lot of english knowledge and I have sended them back it dont want a new telescope or at least not from them,it is to late and I have allready been in contact with consumer protection and have filled out all the details and I want to hear back from them within 6 hours if not I will have to take this problem further.

And of course they have not responded to me within 6 hours so I am gonna send the paperwork to consumer protection. I only want the money back and can send back the telescope.

Yes the eyepiece is the 10mm and the 25 so @ Ian which others should I get...I want at 2 extra eye pieces and the 2x barlow from Guan Sheng.

I will place the order today.

Ian i need your response for which lenses to get for what viewing..
you mentioned the magellan, and the other stuff..
Planet viewing and the cloud viewing as you mentioned in here from;

(great for wide field viewing - will blow you away as you view the Magellanic Clouds , the Milky Way and globulars !!!) , and with the barlow (best for planetary viewing 238x as your max power , you can probably got to 300x with the 6"

Which eye lenses do I need for that?

You'll have 10mm and 25mm fl occulars.

I forget the exact fl's you mentioned they had in GS SP and GS P ranges-
the 40mm fl will be great for very wide field low power viewing (starfields, LMC and SMC, Andromeda Gal, Milky Way, bright comets tails)

the other one would be the 5mm fl or there abouts (planets, moon, deep viewing globulars that are resolveable, splitting doubles, etc).

Ian Robinson · #72 11-12-2008, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

Yes I understand,christmas is a very busy time,but since I am not australian as I am european,my family is in europe and my gf will fly back home for 2 weeks so I will be spending christmans by myself which I am a bit upset about.

Nonetheless I was planning as well going out to the dark once but not sure when especially since I am getting that telescope even a reason more for me to discover new things.
If you have something once planned and you dont mind to take someone with you like me,I would love to too get some prof advice of how to look at stars and how to lign up my telescope correctly.

Whenever you have time you can let me know,as I am happy to get helped in my new hobby which is my 2nd expensive hobby.

To get out of perth is thankfully not that hard.

He he .... great excuse to go and spend a lot of time dangleling a fishing line in the local river or to go crabbing .... isn't the local river swarming with blue swimmer crabs and whiting at this time of year.

neversommer (Pascal) · #73 11-12-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

You'll have 10mm and 25mm fl occulars.

I forget the exact fl's you mentioned they had in GS SP and GS P ranges-
the 40mm fl will be great for very wide field low power viewing (starfields, LMC and SMC, Andromeda Gal, Milky Way, bright comets tails)

the other one would be the 5mm fl or there abouts (planets, moon, deep viewing globulars that are resolveable, splitting doubles, etc).

Ok here it is :

6.3mm, 7.5mm and 10mm, 12.5mm, 17mm, 20mm, and 25mm$29.00 Each32mm and 40mm$39.00 Each

So I can take the 6.3mm and the 40mm and the 2x barlow and I should be good?

What is the difference between a plossl and a super plossl anyway?Quality?
Is the difference so big?Can I just go with the normal one?Or is the quality less good?

Should I grab some filters as well?

And no I dont go fishing..I dont have a boat or know enough people who has one,so I am really on my own,thx.

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #74 11-12-2008, 03:20 PM

okay this is where i will step in and put my 1 dollars worth in. unless they are chucking in 2 extra eye peices for nothing don't bother with the 6mm.. this is why.

They 2x barlow will make your 15mm 7.5 and your 25 a 12.5 all you will be doing by buying the 6mm is doubling up. By all means get the wide field, thats a smart buy.

Plus Pascal in perth it will be virtually pointless, the light pollution is horrendus! I have to drive to bakers hill to pick my son up and the difference in stars from perth to bakers hill is phenomenal!

Ian Robinson · #75 11-12-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

Ok here it is :

6.3mm, 7.5mm and 10mm, 12.5mm, 17mm, 20mm, and 25mm$29.00 Each32mm and 40mm$39.00 Each

So I can take the 6.3mm and the 40mm and the 2x barlow and I should be good?

sounds like a plan to me and will give you plenty of flexibility.

Quote:

What is the difference between a plossl and a super plossl anyway?Quality?
Is the difference so big?Can I just go with the normal one?Or is the quality less good?

the super plossyl will likely have a wider field of view and will have extra glass in it , may have be better at compensating for optical problems too .... not terribly knowledgeable on this or into all the ins and outs and pros and cons of occulars.

Quote:

Should I grab some filters as well?

Later , see how go first . Maybe a ND4+ (moon) filter if the moon is too bright for you through the scope , they're cheap as chips.

If there is lots of light pollution where you are going to be using it a Light Pollution Filter (1.25" from Celestron maybe) or a UHC-L 1.25" might be worth looking at , esp if you decide you want have a crack a faint fuzzys and maybe put a camera at the prime focus .... no rush on that.

Color filters - I've never bothered with them .
Check out this guide on filters from Lumicon as a guide , filters , again you are spoilt for choices (and can be cheap as chips to costing a few hundred each).
http://www.lumicon.com/astronomy-acc...d=1&cn=Filters

Quote:

And no I dont go fishing..I dont have a boat or know enough people who has one,so I am really on my own,thx.

No boat here either - I'm a land lover from way back - doesn't stop me from going though and I still manage to catch big fish and regularly catch lots of fish. I usually do so by myself , but I'm well known amongst tbe local nigger fishos, the local snapper specialists and jewie specialists , being one myself . Great way of making friends by the way , always nice to have bit of a chin wag with the guy fishing on the bank or jetty or rock next to you between bites , heck you might want him to gaff your fish for you if you hook a whopper..

Ian Robinson · #76 11-12-2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

okay this is where i will step in and put my 1 dollars worth in. unless they are chucking in 2 extra eye peices for nothing don't bother with the 6mm.. this is why.

They 2x barlow will make your 15mm 7.5 and your 25 a 12.5 all you will be doing by buying the 6mm is doubling up. By all means get the wide field, thats a smart buy.

Plus Pascal in perth it will be virtually pointless, the light pollution is horrendus! I have to drive to bakers hill to pick my son up and the difference in stars from perth to bakers hill is phenomenal!

Good point , only get the 6mm if you want to max out your magnification with the barlow for viewing the moon , maybe Mars and splitting close doubles and triples. (it will become a 3mm with the barlow , but you'll need very good seeing condition (still clear skies) to benefit.

The better investment in my view would be a 1.25" LPF or UHC-L filter (costs about the $100 or there about I think = I use 2" bandcut filters which are more pricey) , you never regret getting a pollution filter (visually or photographically in my opinion).
LPF = light pollution filter (cuts down on sodium and mercury emission from lights , and on ionized oxygen emission in the atmosphere).

neversommer (Pascal) · #77 11-12-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmitchell82

okay this is where i will step in and put my 1 dollars worth in. unless they are chucking in 2 extra eye peices for nothing don't bother with the 6mm.. this is why.

They 2x barlow will make your 15mm 7.5 and your 25 a 12.5 all you will be doing by buying the 6mm is doubling up. By all means get the wide field, thats a smart buy.

Plus Pascal in perth it will be virtually pointless, the light pollution is horrendus! I have to drive to bakers hill to pick my son up and the difference in stars from perth to bakers hill is phenomenal!

That sounds good..My parents just sended me christmas money which just comes in handy...12" here I cooooooome, no just kidding.

How far away is that place?I am in perth since almost now 2 years so I dont know the place so well.But if you dont mind me taking there once with my telescope

That would be fantastic,and I could bring my gf along too

But ok i will ask them wether they can throw in one piece at least.
Yesterday they but told me it would not be possible as their prices are allrdy low,so maybe I just go with the 40mm one ?and the barlow lens.
That should do for the moment then i guess ?

Will cost me then rougly 460aud in total by the looks of it.

Ian Robinson · #78 11-12-2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neversommer

That sounds good..My parents just sended me christmas money which just comes in handy...12" here I cooooooome, no just kidding.

How far away is that place?I am in perth since almost now 2 years so I dont know the place so well.But if you dont mind me taking there once with my telescope

That would be fantastic,and I could bring my gf along too

But ok i will ask them wether they can throw in one piece at least.
Yesterday they but told me it would not be possible as their prices are allrdy low,so maybe I just go with the 40mm one ?and the barlow lens.
That should do for the moment then i guess ?

Will cost me then rougly 460aud in total by the looks of it.

Not too bad , and you'll have stacks of fun using it .

I predict lots of long sleepless nights in the backyard exploring the sky , and a very tired guy at work. .....

I've done many all nighters .

Tip - the sky is darker and generally stiller between about 11pm and 2am in summer 3am in winter (also colder too BTW !!!). Most the mortals are off in sleepy land then.

neversommer (Pascal) · #79 11-12-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

Good point , only get the 6mm if you want to max out your magnification with the barlow for viewing the moon , maybe Mars and splitting close doubles and triples. (it will become a 3mm with the barlow , but you'll need very good seeing condition (still clear skies) to benefit.

The better investment in my view would be a 1.25" LPF or UHC-L filter (costs about the $100 or there about I think = I use 2" bandcut filters which are more pricey) , you never regret getting a pollution filter (visually or photographically in my opinion).
LPF = light pollution filter (cuts down on sodium and mercury emission from lights , and on ionized oxygen emission in the atmosphere).

Ok so the 40mm would be worth getting and the barlow lens..and thats it right? i dont wanna worry for the LPF for now,100 aud is a bit to much for my liking for the moment.

as I mentioned I wanna see the clouds and the milky way(no clue but where to look at)and some of magellan and what now and of course the most important;PLANETS !!!!

So those 2 eyepieces which come with it with the 40mm and the barlow will make me all set yes?

bmitchell82 (Brendan) · #80 11-12-2008, 04:29 PM

. Make sure you get a collmination tool, you must get one or you will find yourself getting one in a month or so. Collmination might be alright when you get it here.. it might not depending on how they treated the telescope though the mail.! Forget about all the gizmo's untill you have seen me, i have access to everything that your wanting to get and you can then see for yourself what you need and dont' need. Theres no need to rush getting everything either.! if you can hold out for 4 weeks you will understand what im talking about!