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#11
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"Ahab" wrote in message ... ok..I'll check them out. Whats the Celstron equivalent to Meade LXD-55 SC8 I wonder ? -- Ahab Probably the C8-SGT: http://www.celestron.com/prod_pgs/tel/c8sgt.htm Jeroen. |
#12
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I've just bought a LXD55-SC8, mail order.
2 BIG boxes arrived and I was put off by the clearly marked "Made in China" boxes though the Meade web site clearly states that the scopes were fully fabricated in USA. Nevertherless, after assembly and balancing, I tested it for alignment and surprise surprise, it was very close to being aligned, a few qiuck turns of the screws and it was completed. Moon & Mars were both visible later that night, aiming with the finder scope proved a little tricky as the finder is a little too close to the OTA but bearable. Moon appeared crisp and sharp on the 26mm SP , Mars, it's usual reddish disk seemingly foggy. With a 2x Barlow, I could find no fault with the scope. A collimation check, using a SP 6.4mm and a mag.1 star, out of curiosity revealed the scope to be very slightly out and less than a quarter turn brought it back. In using the supplied tripod, with the SP6.4 and 2x barlow, a hand taken off the OTA quickly whilst viewing, the scope settled down within 5 seconds. So the tripod is acceptable by my standards...BTW tripod was a minimum extension! Common sense stops me from using the tripod at any extension other then for levelling. So, I guess, I paid 30% less for a "Chinese peach" I was thinking of upgrading to a Meade LXD-55 SC8. Has anyone got any advice as whether they are a good scope or not. I have read a few reports of autostar failing and the motor drives failing. Thanks in advance. The LXD55 family, have a lot of 'QA' problems (probably the worst of any range of scopes Meade have ever produced). The 10", is oversize for the mount. The 8" is 'borderline'. If you can get a good example, then it is great value for money, but there seem to be more 'lemons', than 'peaches' in the crop... |
#13
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I've just bought a LXD55-SC8, mail order.
2 BIG boxes arrived and I was put off by the clearly marked "Made in China" boxes though the Meade web site clearly states that the scopes were fully fabricated in USA. Nevertherless, after assembly and balancing, I tested it for alignment and surprise surprise, it was very close to being aligned, a few qiuck turns of the screws and it was completed. Moon & Mars were both visible later that night, aiming with the finder scope proved a little tricky as the finder is a little too close to the OTA but bearable. Moon appeared crisp and sharp on the 26mm SP , Mars, it's usual reddish disk seemingly foggy. With a 2x Barlow, I could find no fault with the scope. A collimation check, using a SP 6.4mm and a mag.1 star, out of curiosity revealed the scope to be very slightly out and less than a quarter turn brought it back. In using the supplied tripod, with the SP6.4 and 2x barlow, a hand taken off the OTA quickly whilst viewing, the scope settled down within 5 seconds. So the tripod is acceptable by my standards...BTW tripod was a minimum extension! Common sense stops me from using the tripod at any extension other then for levelling. So, I guess, I paid 30% less for a "Chinese peach" I was thinking of upgrading to a Meade LXD-55 SC8. Has anyone got any advice as whether they are a good scope or not. I have read a few reports of autostar failing and the motor drives failing. Thanks in advance. The LXD55 family, have a lot of 'QA' problems (probably the worst of any range of scopes Meade have ever produced). The 10", is oversize for the mount. The 8" is 'borderline'. If you can get a good example, then it is great value for money, but there seem to be more 'lemons', than 'peaches' in the crop... |
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