Buying first telescope - what do I need?

[Jen]

Originally Posted by Shano592

Week? For that price, it will be at least a fortnight ...

[Chillie (Henry)]

Hi all,

I had an interesting chat with the manager of the local Camerahouse shop Yesterday (Monday). He thinks the price on the Gerry Gibbs CameraHouse site are wrong because he can't even buy the scope for that price. He said that they are more like $2,000. There is a shop in Melbourne that sells them close to $2000.

I have ordered the scope & accessories Yesterday and added a couple more items to the deal.

I added a CCD camera:

http://camerahousewa.com.au/skywatch...ele-p-815.html

And a cheap Barlow:

http://camerahousewa.com.au/optex-31...bar-p-810.html

Paying for the package was a PITA. The only way I could pay using credit card was if I had PayPal. I am an ex-PayPal user and won't be rejoining. I ended up by having to transfer money from my credit card to my bank account, withdrawing what I needed, then depositing the money into Gerry Gibbs CameraHouse's bank account. A lot of stuffing around. Plus, I have to pay Cash Advance interest on my credit card instead of Purchase interest. That's roughly $300 interest. I just hope that the prices are correct.

This is what I ended up ordering:

1 x Skywatcher Collapsible Dobsonian Telescope 12 inch -SWFLEXDOB-12 = $1,149.00
1 x Skywatcher Laser Collimator OPCOLL = $104.00
1 x Optex Moon Filter 31.5mm = $19.00
1 x Optex 31.5mm/ 1.25 inch 2X Barlow Lens OPBAR = $49.00
1 x Skywatcher CCD camera SWCCD-TELE = $146.00
1 x Planisphere Southern Hemisphere Small = $15.00
1 x Skywatcher Observing Torch Dual Beam = $29.00

Originally Posted by Screwdriverone

Henry,

If you buy from the camera house, MAKE SURE that the price is $1149 DELIVERED as it states this VERY clearly in the ad on the website in the specials section that it is $1149 delivered to your door!

Do not pay for delivery, even if it does seem quite cheap.

Blatant false advertising if they try to add delivery to that price.

I have taken a snapshot of the ad, and can PM it to you if you have a problem so you can prove the point. I think Duncan may have had the same issue?

Cheers

Chris

Chris,

I have just ordered $1,511.00 of stuff there. I'm not going to quibble over $15.40 Flat Rate for delivery. Although I've never heard of Best Way. I don't even know if they have a deport in Horsham.

I will be happier when I see the status change to Shipped, and even happier when it arrives.

[h45e (Anthony)]

You could of rang up and ordered over the phone.

[Chillie (Henry)]

Then I would have had to pay store prices. The prices on the web site are for online orders only. You get cheaper prices but no advice or instructions on how to use the device.

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by Chillie

Then I would have had to pay store prices. The prices on the web site are for online orders only. You get cheaper prices but no advice or instructions on how to use the device.

ok, i posted the price earlier, and it was blanked. i will go through it again.

the price of $1150 stands, i know, i bought one, and no matter where you buy from, you wont get any advice or a destructions manual on how to use it.

TBH, its a Dob, there isnt much to it, take the dust cover off, pop in an eyepiece, and point the thing "up"

[Starkler (Geoff)]

$1149 is a great price and must be old stock bought at old prices. I imagine that when that stock is gone you wont see a price like that for a long time.

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

$1149 is a great price and must be old stock bought at old prices. I imagine that when that stock is gone you wont see a price like that for a long time.

seconded.

lucky enough i was able to put some people in the know

[White Rabbit]

That is a really good price. I was lucky as well when I bought my 12 Lightbridge. I got it when the exchange rate was good, saved myself a lot of money.

Enjoy the scopes guys the views are incredible through a 12"

Clear skies

[Chillie (Henry)]

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

the price of $1150 stands, i know, i bought one, and no matter where you buy from, you wont get any advice or a destructions manual on how to use it.

TBH, its a Dob, there isnt much to it, take the dust cover off, pop in an eyepiece, and point the thing "up"

If you haven't got the manual, you can download it from here:

http://www.skywatchertelescope.net/s...b-120508V3.pdf

At this stage, they are still waiting for my payment to show up on their records. I paid by Over The Counter Deposit direct into their bank account late on Monday.

[Chillie (Henry)]

Great News!! My order has finally been approved.

There is a forecast for thunderstorms here tomorrow but not much rain.

OK! To help me get used to what I might see. What magnification am I likely to expect for the FOV in degrees by using the standard eye pieces?

It's no point zooming on something using Stellarium if in reality it's still just a point of light. If I know what to expect in degrees for the FOV, I can limit my zooming in Stellarium to that amount.

I hope you can understand my rambling. I've been up since 1:30pm Yesterday (Wednesday).

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Henry its quite easy to calculate. Simply divide the fov of the eyepiece by the magnification.

eg For a 20mm plossl, magnification = (scope focal length)/20mm . 1500/20= 75x mag.

plossl fov is 50 degrees, so 50/75= 0.66 degree fov with your scope.

[rustem]

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

ok, i posted the price earlier, and it was blanked. i will go through it again.

the price of $1150 stands, i know, i bought one, and no matter where you buy from, you wont get any advice or a destructions manual on how to use it.

this looks very interesting as ive been looking to buy one of these myself.

how long is the warrenty on these from camerahouse?

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by rustem

this looks very interesting as ive been looking to buy one of these myself.

how long is the warrenty on these from camerahouse?

LOL

good question !!


i have no idea ...

[Chillie (Henry)]

Originally Posted by Starkler

Henry its quite easy to calculate. Simply divide the fov of the eyepiece by the magnification.

eg For a 20mm plossl, magnification = (scope focal length)/20mm . 1500/20= 75x mag.

plossl fov is 50 degrees, so 50/75= 0.66 degree fov with your scope.

Thanks Geoff. That info will come in handy.

[Chillie (Henry)]

Originally Posted by rustem

this looks very interesting as ive been looking to buy one of these myself.

how long is the warrenty on these from camerahouse?

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

LOL

good question !!


i have no idea ...

Didn't you read the Shipping & Returns and the Conditions of Use
before you bought your telescope Duncan?

I think I read somewhere that there is a 5 year manufacturer's warranty on the Sky-Watcher telescopes... but don't quote me on that.

[saturn c (Leo)]

great scope > good choice