Meade Bresser messier N-203

I can't find any online reviews of this scope. Does it go by another name,
or is it a reincarnation
of a previous model, perhaps with a different brand name? Perhaps, God
forbid, its a totally new scope!

TIA
Texy

Texy,

I too have been looking for reviews of this scope because I bought one and
am delighted with it. I gather it's a Chinese manufactured (Synta) scope
manufactured to a design by Meade Germany. Many parts of the scope bear
more than a passing resemblance to the Meade LXD75 Schmidt Newtonian range
e.g the focusser, even the optical tube barrel, the mounting brackets etc.
The mount seems surprisingly good and is a Chinese copy of the Vixen GPDX2.
I have used it at 200x magnification and found it very steady. Both the
polar alignment and finder scope have illuminated recticles which is good
and I think unique in a scope at this price.

I had originally intended to get either a TAL 2m or a Skywatcher 8" but
having seen both the TAL and the SKywatcher at Astrofest this weekend I
think the general fit and finish is superior on the Bresser Messier range.
I have been delighted with the quality of the views but please bear in mind
I am a beginner not an expert. I have however borrowed a Meade LX90 and
used it on several occasions. I have to say that the difference in what I
saw wasn't vast which is pretty amazing. I'd take the LX90 everytime (it's
got Go-to, the tripod is better, I prefer the mount to an Equatorial and
it's one seriously cool bit of kit but I don't think that what I saw through
the viewfinder was worth more than four times the price.

The eyepieces supplied in the kit are a mixed bag - the lower power ones are
fine but the high mag 10mm isn't good because it offers such poor eye relief
and is like looking through a pinhole. I bought a Vixen ultrawide 5mm
Lanthaneum at Astrofest (half the price of the scope!) and am desperate for
a clear night to try it out. I had a look on Saturday when it was misty and
was still pretty blown away on the moon by what I saw so goodness knows how
good it could get on a clear night - can't wait!
I hope this helps. Downsides - well I bought the dual axis motor drive and
frankly I think it's not great. The hand controller has a button that
sticks down when it's cold, the clutches on the motors are a pain because
they either come lose and you don't get any drive to the scope or they
collide with the mount in certain orientations - the only real
disappointment really. I'd be interested to know how much Vixen motor drive
would be. Incidentally the motors themselves are near silent and brilliant
at keeping things in view for ages.

Well, that's all I guess. Hope that helped.

Jonathan


"Texy" wrote in message
...
I can't find any online reviews of this scope. Does it go by another name,
or is it a reincarnation
of a previous model, perhaps with a different brand name? Perhaps, God
forbid, its a totally new scope!

TIA
Texy

"Jon G" wrote in message
...
Texy,

I too have been looking for reviews of this scope because I bought one and
am delighted with it. I gather it's a Chinese manufactured (Synta) scope
manufactured to a design by Meade Germany. Many parts of the scope bear
more than a passing resemblance to the Meade LXD75 Schmidt Newtonian range
e.g the focusser, even the optical tube barrel, the mounting brackets etc.
The mount seems surprisingly good and is a Chinese copy of the Vixen
GPDX2. I have used it at 200x magnification and found it very steady.
Both the polar alignment and finder scope have illuminated recticles which
is good and I think unique in a scope at this price.

I had originally intended to get either a TAL 2m or a Skywatcher 8" but
having seen both the TAL and the SKywatcher at Astrofest this weekend I
think the general fit and finish is superior on the Bresser Messier range.
I have been delighted with the quality of the views but please bear in
mind I am a beginner not an expert. I have however borrowed a Meade LX90
and used it on several occasions. I have to say that the difference in
what I saw wasn't vast which is pretty amazing. I'd take the LX90
everytime (it's got Go-to, the tripod is better, I prefer the mount to an
Equatorial and it's one seriously cool bit of kit but I don't think that
what I saw through the viewfinder was worth more than four times the
price.

The eyepieces supplied in the kit are a mixed bag - the lower power ones
are fine but the high mag 10mm isn't good because it offers such poor eye
relief and is like looking through a pinhole. I bought a Vixen ultrawide
5mm Lanthaneum at Astrofest (half the price of the scope!) and am
desperate for a clear night to try it out. I had a look on Saturday when
it was misty and was still pretty blown away on the moon by what I saw so
goodness knows how good it could get on a clear night - can't wait!
I hope this helps. Downsides - well I bought the dual axis motor drive
and frankly I think it's not great. The hand controller has a button that
sticks down when it's cold, the clutches on the motors are a pain because
they either come lose and you don't get any drive to the scope or they
collide with the mount in certain orientations - the only real
disappointment really. I'd be interested to know how much Vixen motor
drive would be. Incidentally the motors themselves are near silent and
brilliant at keeping things in view for ages.

Well, that's all I guess. Hope that helped.

Jonathan


"Texy" wrote in message
...
I can't find any online reviews of this scope. Does it go by another name,
or is it a reincarnation
of a previous model, perhaps with a different brand name? Perhaps, God
forbid, its a totally new scope!

TIA
Texy


Hi Jon,
I knew that of course, because I,ve read your posts earlier on
in the year. I,m glad
you mentioned about the motor drives as well, as you had not reported on
them earlier (or I missed it if you did!).
The scope does look feature-rich for the money, but I am also looking at the
celestron C8-N.
The motor drives for that setup (CG-5) are a whopping £145 in the UK, but
looks like
from the US, for only $119, or less. In fact a quick google search found the
drives on amazon.com
for $89 ! Whats the story with the vixen drives - an alternative to bressers
own brnd, but will fit the
same mount?

Texy

Texy,

Interesting but I have just been looking at the Vixen motors and they look
identical to the ones I have as does the hand controller so I think they
probably come out of the same factory literally. The motors are great, the
clutches and cogs are brass, maybe I have been unlucky with mine. When they
work they're great I just find the clutches a pain and have found the screws
on the gears come loose sometimes.

The Celestron looks a great scope but more cash I guess even if you ship
from the USA.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Brg,

Jonathan
"Texy" wrote in message
...

"Jon G" wrote in message
...
Texy,

I too have been looking for reviews of this scope because I bought one
and am delighted with it. I gather it's a Chinese manufactured (Synta)
scope manufactured to a design by Meade Germany. Many parts of the scope
bear more than a passing resemblance to the Meade LXD75 Schmidt Newtonian
range e.g the focusser, even the optical tube barrel, the mounting
brackets etc. The mount seems surprisingly good and is a Chinese copy of
the Vixen GPDX2. I have used it at 200x magnification and found it very
steady. Both the polar alignment and finder scope have illuminated
recticles which is good and I think unique in a scope at this price.

I had originally intended to get either a TAL 2m or a Skywatcher 8" but
having seen both the TAL and the SKywatcher at Astrofest this weekend I
think the general fit and finish is superior on the Bresser Messier
range. I have been delighted with the quality of the views but please
bear in mind I am a beginner not an expert. I have however borrowed a
Meade LX90 and used it on several occasions. I have to say that the
difference in what I saw wasn't vast which is pretty amazing. I'd take
the LX90 everytime (it's got Go-to, the tripod is better, I prefer the
mount to an Equatorial and it's one seriously cool bit of kit but I don't
think that what I saw through the viewfinder was worth more than four
times the price.

The eyepieces supplied in the kit are a mixed bag - the lower power ones
are fine but the high mag 10mm isn't good because it offers such poor eye
relief and is like looking through a pinhole. I bought a Vixen ultrawide
5mm Lanthaneum at Astrofest (half the price of the scope!) and am
desperate for a clear night to try it out. I had a look on Saturday when
it was misty and was still pretty blown away on the moon by what I saw so
goodness knows how good it could get on a clear night - can't wait!
I hope this helps. Downsides - well I bought the dual axis motor drive
and frankly I think it's not great. The hand controller has a button
that sticks down when it's cold, the clutches on the motors are a pain
because they either come lose and you don't get any drive to the scope or
they collide with the mount in certain orientations - the only real
disappointment really. I'd be interested to know how much Vixen motor
drive would be. Incidentally the motors themselves are near silent and
brilliant at keeping things in view for ages.

Well, that's all I guess. Hope that helped.

Jonathan


"Texy" wrote in message
...
I can't find any online reviews of this scope. Does it go by another
name, or is it a reincarnation
of a previous model, perhaps with a different brand name? Perhaps, God
forbid, its a totally new scope!

TIA
Texy


Hi Jon,
I knew that of course, because I,ve read your posts earlier on
in the year. I,m glad
you mentioned about the motor drives as well, as you had not reported on
them earlier (or I missed it if you did!).
The scope does look feature-rich for the money, but I am also looking at
the celestron C8-N.
The motor drives for that setup (CG-5) are a whopping £145 in the UK, but
looks like
from the US, for only $119, or less. In fact a quick google search found
the drives on amazon.com
for $89 ! Whats the story with the vixen drives - an alternative to
bressers own brnd, but will fit the
same mount?

Texy