Criterion Dynamax 8? Need some advice.

While shopping for a simple first scope, I went to one of the only (semi)
local reputable telescope dealers. I had originally come in looking for a
5-6" newtonian on an equitorial mount - or something of the sort. Then in the
corner of the showroom was a very nicely maintained older 8" SCT on a
motorized wedge EQ mount and substantial, and nicely preserved older tripod.
The shop owner told me it was a Criterion Dynamax 8, and that an older
customer had traded it in on a GOTO mounted scope.

The dealer said that the optics were in excellent condition and that the
previous owner really cared for the scope. Since I hadn't done any research
on this type of scope (out of my price range) I had no idea what it was. But
I was really excited at the prospect of being able to get such a large,
tracking scope. The dealer has a 10 day cash refund policy and a 30 store
credit policy, and since I had driven an hour and a half to get there, I
bought it for $500. Quickly set it up at home in my back yard just to see if
I could get a sense of the optics. After fumbling with the polar alignment
(and allowing it to cool for an hour) for the first time I looked at a few
things and was not all that impressed. I then found that the primary mirror
was totally frosted over with dew.

I packed everything up and came inside. I figured I'd do a little research on
the scope and to my horror, found that this model has a reputation for being
really terrible. I have only a few days to decide to return it, so I am
wondering if anyone has any advice to help me decide if I've bought a lemon
or not. In reading postings to a few web sites, there are a few people who
said they have a "good" one and have been using them happily for decades. How
do i figure it out before I run out of time on the return policy? SInce this
is my first scope, I'm a little confused about what to do.

Any advice is appreciated.

Glen

I owned TWO of these scopes!
The first one was so bad I sent it back to Criterion, thinking I had
received a 'lemon'. They sent a replacement that, supposedly, was
"hand-picked" for quality. It sucked too!

That was over 30 years ago. In all that time I have NEVER met, spoken
with or read a posting from ANYONE who had a Dynamax 8 and liked it.
There MUST be SOMEONE out there that got a good one - but I've never
found him/her!
Hope this helps....

Mike Harvey

Take it back! Period.

Frank
Tucson


Glen Ilacqua wrote:
While shopping for a simple first scope, I went to one of the only (semi)
local reputable telescope dealers. I had originally come in looking for a
5-6" newtonian on an equitorial mount - or something of the sort. Then in the
corner of the showroom was a very nicely maintained older 8" SCT on a
motorized wedge EQ mount and substantial, and nicely preserved older tripod.
The shop owner told me it was a Criterion Dynamax 8, and that an older
customer had traded it in on a GOTO mounted scope.

The dealer said that the optics were in excellent condition and that the
previous owner really cared for the scope. Since I hadn't done any research
on this type of scope (out of my price range) I had no idea what it was. But
I was really excited at the prospect of being able to get such a large,
tracking scope. The dealer has a 10 day cash refund policy and a 30 store
credit policy, and since I had driven an hour and a half to get there, I
bought it for $500. Quickly set it up at home in my back yard just to see if
I could get a sense of the optics. After fumbling with the polar alignment
(and allowing it to cool for an hour) for the first time I looked at a few
things and was not all that impressed. I then found that the primary mirror
was totally frosted over with dew.

I packed everything up and came inside. I figured I'd do a little research on
the scope and to my horror, found that this model has a reputation for being
really terrible. I have only a few days to decide to return it, so I am
wondering if anyone has any advice to help me decide if I've bought a lemon
or not. In reading postings to a few web sites, there are a few people who
said they have a "good" one and have been using them happily for decades. How
do i figure it out before I run out of time on the return policy? SInce this
is my first scope, I'm a little confused about what to do.

Any advice is appreciated.

Glen

Any advice is appreciated.

Glen[/quote]

I've got a 6" Criterion SCT gathering dust in the corner right now. Bought a decade and a half ago for a few £/$ and image poor - ok for looking at the moon at low power - and through patio doors didn't make the image worse!

However got my money's worth when I converted it into a nice spectroscope - see http://home.freeuk.com/m.gavin/ebert.htm

Nytecam
51N 0.1W

Glen Ilacqua wrote:
While shopping for a simple first scope, I went to one of the only (semi)
local reputable telescope dealers. I had originally come in looking for a
snip
Any advice is appreciated.

Glen


Glen, I've gotta agree with the others here - take it back. It might be
OK, but the odds are against you and you won't be able to find out if
the optics are good until you have a night of unusually good seeing and
the ability to judge the seeing and the optics, and that takes
experience. I'd like to look through one of these old dynamax's just to
see if they're as bad as the reputation. But for a first scope and 500
beans you can buy much safer equipment.

Take it back, get your money, do your homework, and then buy something
nicer.

Chris

I might want to take the scope off your hands. Where are you located?

I live about 30 minutes west of Boston. The scope came in a "steamer trunk"
style padded case, so I could potentially even ship it to you. It has all of
the electronics for the motor, a Telrad, the original finder scope, the legs
for table-top use and the Golden Pyramid mount and field tripod. All of it is
in very nice shape considering it's age. The scope's serial number is 4190.

I have a company with a UPS account and would be willing to ship it at my UPS
rate too. I am planning to return it to the dealer tomorrow. So if you are
interested, call me today at 781-264-3449.

Glen


On Tue, 4 Oct 2005 09:59:17 -0400, Gil wrote
(in article . com):

I might want to take the scope off your hands. Where are you located?





On Tue, 4 Oct 2005 09:59:17 -0400, Gil wrote
(in article . com):

I might want to take the scope off your hands. Where are you located?

Glen Ilacqua wrote:
While shopping for a simple first scope, I went to one of the only (semi)
local reputable telescope dealers. I had originally come in looking for a
5-6" newtonian on an equitorial mount - or something of the sort. Then in the
corner of the showroom was a very nicely maintained older 8" SCT on a
motorized wedge EQ mount and substantial, and nicely preserved older tripod.
The shop owner told me it was a Criterion Dynamax 8, and that an older
customer had traded it in on a GOTO mounted scope.



Hi:

Bottom line? One of the worst telescopes I've ever seen. I have never
seen a Criterion SCT that's better than barely average...and those
_that good_ are few. What's ronic is that Criterion's Newtonians
(e.g.,the RV-6) were some of the best scopes made in the 60s - 70s (for
the price, at least).

If you want more gory details, see the Dynamax section of my (free)
Used SCT Guide at http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_

Like SCTs and MCTs?
Join the SCT User Mailing List.
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user

See my home page at
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
for further info

For Uncle Rod's Astro Blog See:
http://journals.aol.com/rmollise/UncleRodsAstroBlog/

Glen Ilacqua wrote:
While shopping for a simple first scope, I went to one of the only (semi)
local reputable telescope dealers. I had originally come in looking for a
5-6" newtonian on an equitorial mount - or something of the sort. Then in the
corner of the showroom was a very nicely maintained older 8" SCT on a
motorized wedge EQ mount and substantial, and nicely preserved older tripod.
The shop owner told me it was a Criterion Dynamax 8, and that an older
customer had traded it in on a GOTO mounted scope.



Hi:

Bottom line? One of the worst telescopes I've ever seen. I have never
seen a Criterion SCT that's better than barely average...and those
_that good_ are few. What's ronic is that Criterion's Newtonians
(e.g.,the RV-6) were some of the best scopes made in the 60s - 70s (for
the price, at least).

If you want more gory details, see the Dynamax section of my (free)
Used SCT Guide at http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm.


Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_

Like SCTs and MCTs?
Join the SCT User Mailing List.
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/sct-user

See my home page at
http://skywatch.brainiac.com/astroland/index.htm
for further info

For Uncle Rod's Astro Blog See:
http://journals.aol.com/rmollise/UncleRodsAstroBlog/

On 3 Oct 2005 20:55:27 -0700, "Mike" wrote, in
part:

That was over 30 years ago. In all that time I have NEVER met, spoken
with or read a posting from ANYONE who had a Dynamax 8 and liked it.
There MUST be SOMEONE out there that got a good one - but I've never
found him/her!

I have their *four* inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, and it seems to be OK.

I'm sorry to hear this about the 8-inch one.

John Savard
http://home.ecn.ab.ca/~jsavard/index.html
http://www.quadibloc.com/index.html
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