Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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Nope. Doesn't work. I get the following message:
Sorry, but you must define which products you wish to compare.
Please go back choose a product.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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alfi1966
super member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 119
Loc: norway
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hi
try this
http://www.telescopes.com/telescopes/optical-tubes/8197+8198+8210.cfm#N=8197+8198+8210+8268&Ns=Name+%28Ascending%29&view=36&Nao=0&display=grid_view
alfi
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skywatcher 200mm f/5 newt, 150mm f/8.3 refractor w/ moonlite upgrade, Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro DS,Meade Series 5000 80mm Triplet, eq6 pro synscan, eq5, canon 450d unmodded, canon 1000d modded, TS duomount and LVI Smartguider.
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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Since Meade USA doesn't carry them on their website, those sold by Telescopes.com must be coming in from Meade Europe.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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BajaPaco
member
Reged: 10/30/09
Posts: 41
Loc: Baja California, Mexico
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I am a real novice and bought my first telescope, the Meade Series 5000 80mm Triplet APO in April '09. I did a lot of searching and really wanted the Explore Scientific but didn't want to wait for it to be built and delivered, so the Meade was my second choice and it was available. I can't give you a lot of technical answers but my practical use of this little beauty for planetary observation and just getting to know the sky have mostly been great. I seem to have a little difficulty with the single speed focuser (it seems a bit sticky on occasion). I read with great interest one comment on waxing and will check into that further. I use mine on a Sky-Watcher AZ4-NEQ5 Mount and Steel Tripod and it is really solid and very easy to maneuver. Other than the focuser issue the finish and feel of the scope as you handle it is superb. Although my primary use is visual observation I have used the Meade 5000 APO with a T-Ring adapter and Canon EOS for some elementary photography, all with success - at least satisfactory and pleasing to me. In summary I love it and plan on keeping it as my primary grab-n-go scope even as I later add to my observational arsenal.
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Paco
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Nikon 10X50 Binoculars
Meade Series 5000 80mm ED Triplet APO
Sky-Watcher AZ4-NEQ5 Mount on steel tripod
Celestron Sky-Scout
Plossls, 32mm, 15mm, 9mm, 3X Barlow
WO SWAN 25mm, Nagler T4 12mm
-I have gone to find myself, if I get back before I return keep me here.
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Brian L
super member
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 119
Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...
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I nearly bought one and would have if it were not for the focuser. I found it hard to make fine adjustments and it did not seem like it would take a heavy camera. It just felt second class. Tube vs. focuser rotation seems like a less than thoughtful approach. Using tube rings it seems like it would be very cumbersome to rotate a camera to frame a subject. Nice optics though...it's a pity meade put such a mediocre focuser on an otherwise fine instrument.
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WO FLT-110 f/6.5, TEC optics
Losmandy G-11 Gemini
Meade 10" LX200 GPS/UHTC
Questar 3.5" Standard
Vixen VMC-110L
Canon 450D, unmodified
Assortment of TV Panoptic, TV Radian, Vixen LVW, and WO eyepieces
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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Well, I don't find the focuser to be mediocre. At least not the one I have. Yes, it's a tad stiff and loosening the tension enough where it's smoother causes the drawtube to slip when a heavy eyepiece is used, but I've never had a problem focusing and that's when using high magnification. Images seem to snap into focus. But I tend to use it more as a richfield refractor so when I plug in say a 26mm Nagler, there's no problem reaching focus.
I'm quite happy with this scope. The optics compare favorably with my far more expensive TV-85. With a focal length of 480mm, I can get a wider field with it when compare to the 85.
That said, I do wish Meade would make the two-speed focuser unit available as a retrofit. I've looked at it and can see how easily it could be installed. When I called up Meade they informed me they do not plan on ever making it available. This is unfortunate. Other brands make two-speed retrofit units available such as Takahashi, Televue and Vixen. I don't see any reason why Meade can't do it.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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Brian L
super member
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 119
Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...
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That's what I define to be a mediocre focuser...sure it will come to focus. Even bad focusers come to focus. But, if you can't hang a camera or a heavy eyepiece off the back and make fine focus adjustments without the drawtube slipping...
Maybe Moonlite or another third party will make a retrofit focuser for that OTA. It would otherwise be a wonderful wide-field APO instead of a very nice one with a few small issues. It's a pity that Meade won't offer that focuser... they are going to find it hard to compete in the APO refractor market with the Skywatcher/Explore/Synta and WO with these offerings as standard.
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WO FLT-110 f/6.5, TEC optics
Losmandy G-11 Gemini
Meade 10" LX200 GPS/UHTC
Questar 3.5" Standard
Vixen VMC-110L
Canon 450D, unmodified
Assortment of TV Panoptic, TV Radian, Vixen LVW, and WO eyepieces
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alfi1966
super member
Reged: 08/24/09
Posts: 119
Loc: norway
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hi
moonlite makes a focuse for it, i have bought one for my 80mm triplet, and it is a really great upgrade for this scope.
alfi
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skywatcher 200mm f/5 newt, 150mm f/8.3 refractor w/ moonlite upgrade, Skywatcher EVOSTAR ED80 Pro DS,Meade Series 5000 80mm Triplet, eq6 pro synscan, eq5, canon 450d unmodded, canon 1000d modded, TS duomount and LVI Smartguider.
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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If I tighten the tension down and use a very heavy eyepiece such as the 41mm Panoptic, I can aim the scope at zenith and the drawtube will not slip. Plus, when using heavy eyepieces, the focusing even with the tension cranked up becomes quite smooth. At least on mine. So for visual use, I have no serious issues with the focuser.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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Mike Cook
member
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Moncton NB (Cloud Central)
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I've hung a heavy Canon 30D dslr complete with battery grip on my Meade 80mm for prime focus and the focuser doesn't slip when focusing at zenith, that's what the tension knob is for. I like mine, works fine. It's a wonderful telescope for the price.
Mike
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Meade ETX125PE Maksutov
Meade series 5000 80mm triplet on AT Voyager alt-az
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Brian L
super member
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 119
Loc: The garden paradise of Pittsbu...
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It is a wonderful telescope for the price- agreed. Many who have seen it did not think the focuser design was particularly thoughtful. Considering that there are other companies that produce 80 mm refractors of comparable optical quality with rotating 2-speed crayford focusers that compete with the 5000 in price, it is easy to understand why some would be turned off a little. There are some people that don't like the focuser design, others don't find it an issue. I suppose it is what you are used to.... I just think that Meade could have put a little more thought into the design of the focuser for such a nice little scope. Perhaps they had a price target and the couldn't supply an improved focuser and realize an acceptable margin. IMHO, the focuser and the rotating tube are the weak points in this design...most scopes have some imperfections. If the tension required to hold the camera without the drawtube slipping still allows you to make fine focus adjustments, then I am perhaps just an equipment snob. The focuser just didn't feel good to me. When I had to make the choice to buy or not, the focuser ultimately made my decision against.
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WO FLT-110 f/6.5, TEC optics
Losmandy G-11 Gemini
Meade 10" LX200 GPS/UHTC
Questar 3.5" Standard
Vixen VMC-110L
Canon 450D, unmodified
Assortment of TV Panoptic, TV Radian, Vixen LVW, and WO eyepieces
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Alnitak2009
member
Reged: 04/10/09
Posts: 22
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Hi Steven,
Nice image of M42. I noticed that you field of view is flat and the stars are round all the way to the corners. Are you using a field flattener? IF so, which brand are you using?
I imaged M31 and the stars in the corner are elongated due to the curvature inherent in refractor systems.
I love this scope. It is a really buy at around $700. I pushed this thing on planet Saturn and used a 5x powermate and a 6mm EP It was still rather sharp but getting dim at this point due to the small aperture. The focuser was a bit weak at first until I figured how to make it work when a heavy camera is attached and that is to tighten down the focuser locking knob until it has suffient resistance. A dual fine adjustment focuser would be nice but not vital. I just grab both focuser knobs with both hands and slowly work the focus. There is definitely much more control when using both knobs.
Don
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Mike Cook
member
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Moncton NB (Cloud Central)
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Yep, being Meade they had to do something different, lol. However the triplet objective is what I was after and at that price point still hard to beat. That's likely where a good part of the design money went so something else had to be sacrificed. The single rate focuser is a standard GSO unit (I think) that is also on other scopes, perhaps the Meade Lightbridge models. I've used much worse focusers in my lifetime, having used lots of junky telescopes over the years so perhaps I'm not jaded to buttery smooth Leica-like gadgets made of Quintessence.. yet. 
Mike
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Meade ETX125PE Maksutov
Meade series 5000 80mm triplet on AT Voyager alt-az
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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The Meade single speed Crayford is light-years ahead of the junkie r&p that comes with Synta achromats. The one on my C4-R was so awful I eventually replaced it with a MoonLite two-speed Crayford.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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Screwdriver
super member
Reged: 02/22/09
Posts: 187
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Had this scope for little over a year....I freakin love it. In fact, I see no reason to ever sell it. The OTA is that nice.
I have no problems with the single speed focuser except for the mental need for a dual. Someday, I might get the Moonlite...who knows.
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Celestron 6 SE
Meade 5000 80ED
Bogen 3021 w/Manfrotto 501HDV head
Some Tele Vue Plossls and a Nagler 5mm T6...oh yeah, and a 10mm Celestron SMA...
Parks 10x52
Seeing the face of God with the PST
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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I'll never part with mine. It's a keeper.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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Mike Cook
member
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 75
Loc: Moncton NB (Cloud Central)
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I like my Meade 80mm triplet so much that the 127mm f/7 triplet is next on my purchase list.
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Meade ETX125PE Maksutov
Meade series 5000 80mm triplet on AT Voyager alt-az
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wsuriano
member
Reged: 11/13/07
Posts: 80
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I image frequently with mine and am quite satisfied with the results. It's fast and gives nice wide field views with my DSI II Pro. The focuser has never been an issue. It also gives great visual results with imperceptible CA on bright planetary objects.
Bill
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Meade 8" LX90 GPS w/wedge
Meade 5000 80mm APO
Vixen 5" Newtonian
Orion 120mm f/8.3
Orion ST 80mm
Meade ETX90 PE
CGEM
CG-5 ASGT
iOptron MT
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SanDiegoPaul
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 07/22/05
Posts: 1344
Loc: San Diego
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Quote:
The Meade single speed Crayford is light-years ahead of the junkie r&p that comes with Synta achromats. The one on my C4-R was so awful I eventually replaced it with a MoonLite two-speed Crayford.
I wanted to do that with my Meade when I had the '80 APO. But it's a glued-together affair and nobody had a better focuser for it. So I sold it and got the Stellarvue Raptor Triplet APO. It was more money than I expected to spend, but it's light years ahead of the Meade.
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Meade 10" Lx200-R with Mitty Evolution Wedge
Moonlight SCT Focuser
Stellarvue Raptor 90 Triplet
SBIG ST2000 XM Imager
SBIG ST402ME CCD Guider
Canon Digital Rebel DSLR
Meade DSI-c CCD Guide Cam
Please visit my gallery!
http://www.pbase.com/sandiegopaul/
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Starlighter
Post Laureate
Reged: 08/03/07
Posts: 4494
Loc: Sunny California
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The Meade 80mm triplet focuser isn't glued on. At least that's what I was told by Ron at Moonlite as well as a rep from Agena Astro products who sells GSO focusers. Both sell replacement focusers that fit the Meade triplet. They both told me that the original focuser screws off.
How did the SV raptor triplet outperform the Meade? Visually, not mechanically.
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Celestron C4-R 102mm achromat
Celeston Nexstar 6SE SCT
Meade 80mm APO Triplet
Televue NP-101
Televue TV-85
Vixen A70Lf
Vixen A80Mf
William Optics 66mm Zenithstar Patriot
Celestron CG4 EQ mount
Orion Skyview Pro AZ mount
Vixen Portamount
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