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tlogan6680
super member
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 123
Loc: Monterey, CA
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Hi
This has probably been done before. I have decided on a 10 or 11 inch cat for visual use. So a fork mount is ok. But i notice that the Meades are more expensive than comparable Celestron scopes. Are the optics of the Meade better?
thanx
tom in sunny CA
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Bill Barlow
sage
Reged: 12/03/07
Posts: 337
Loc: Overland Park KS
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Hi Tom
To answer your question, I would say yes. I have owned 5 SCT's over the past 3-4 years..C6, C925, C11, Meade non ACF 8 and now a Meade 10 ACF. The ACF optics are sharper than the other SCT's I have owned with more pin point stars and very good visual image sharpness and contrast. The Meade non ACF 8 SCT also had very good optics as well. Kind of regret selling that OTA.
So from what I have observed with these scopes, I would say the ACF optics are a notch above the classic SCT optics. But again with mass produced SCT's, the optical quality could vary from sample to sample.
Bill
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Meade 10" SCT ACF OTA on a UA UniStar Deluxe Super 8 altaz mount on a UA heavy duty surveyor tripod and a Manny Miles eyepiece tray.
SV 102ED doublet refractor on a UA UniStar Light mount on a UA light surveyor tripod with a Manny Miles eyepiece tray.
Garrett Optical 10x50 and 12x60 binoculars. Also Garrett Optical 30x100 binoculars mounted on a SLIK Pro 700DX AMT tripod.
Several TV Plossls and Naglers, plus a few very good Celestron Ultima wide TFOV eyepieces.
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RonBurgundy
sage
Reged: 06/16/09
Posts: 271
Loc: Philadelphia
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I'll say that the ACF optics are truly incredible...no ifs ands or buts about it! However, being that the HD optics are brand new, I would try checking both of these out. I have never seen an HD telescope. They are both really expensive, though; if I was making my purchase today, I would make sure to see both of these scopes' performances after deciding on a FORK-SCT.
I think the LX200 is more expensive because of its mount. The mount is pretty heavy-duty, and it can hold a lot of stuff--my 8" has the Orion 120 ST and a big counterweight system. Add the 24mm & 30mm UWA eyepieces (one on each) and you have a seriously heavy system. But, the mount does just fine. I think the purpose of the mount is that it's great for visual use, but it may be intended more for permenant observatory mounting on a wedge--the pointing is very accurate, and it eliminates "meridian flip" for serious astrophotographers.
So, to sum it up--the ACF optics are beautiful. Not your average SCT.
I've never seen HD yet, so I can't say anything except: you need to check them out! It's too big of a decision (IMO) to make without really seeing the differences between the two OTA designs.
Good luck! And, if you see through an HD telescope, drop in to let us know how it performs!
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Kipp Ginsburg
8" LX200-ACF
Orion 120mm F/5.0 Piggybacked Refractor
Meade UWA Set [4.7mm-30mm]
DSI-II
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Bob Griffiths
Postmaster
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 6592
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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I am completely Visual....and just purchased a CPC1100 earlier this year:
BUT I did my homework by actually comparing several Meade 10" and 12" ACF scopes against several C11's side by side over about a 3 month period, BUT they were never the same scopes...
To be honest...The Meade ACF optics were better..I can not deny that...BUT boy you really had to look and look hard to really see any difference as it was EXTREMELY small ...BUT it was there... In the end I placed a value of 20 bucks tops on the ACF optics over a regular SCT for my own visual use. Your own valuation may differ.
Their was also a very slight variation between each individual scope but again very slight...
I "Personally' came to the conclusion the Optics difference was a NON FACTOR when I made my final decision on what scope to buy...So I looked at other factors:
I was debating between a 10"LX200, a 11" CPC, or a 12"Lx90....
My major reason I went with the CPC is a little lame ... I admit that.!!!!!
I also own an 8i Celestron and a Meade Autostar AR-5 Refractor on an LXD 55 mount...
I really find the Autostar HC a royal pain to use when compared to the Celestron HC...(The Celesrtron is just easier for me to use..much less scrolling around to do simple things)
So I went with the CPC ... So that favored the Celesteron but again not a deal killer by any means
MONEY DID play a very very small part in my decision. I just felt the CPC was (for me) the better scope at a reasonable price...
BTW... I was going to mount whichever scope I purchased in my observatory so weight etc played absolutely no part in my decision.....
IF I imaged ...My decision may have been different... And since I do not image I do not think I will be all that interested in the new HD Celestrons..but anything is possible...
I'm still smiling almost a year later and never once regretted my choice...
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
Gerbring Heated Motorcycle clothing in the winter
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
The sky over my head....
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Mike Harvey
professor emeritus
Reged: 03/01/04
Posts: 695
Loc: Orlando, FL.
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While I have yet to use a new Celestron HD....I've spent a good bit of time with the 10" and 12" Meade ACF's, and these scopes ares simply making everything you ever thought you knew about SCT performance- obsolete!
The only SCT I've ever used that could even come close to matching the ACF's was my Takahashi TSC-225!
Not only has Meade made a revolutionary step UP in SCT image quality, the company is (finally) working hard to improve overall QC and customer relations (they actually now have real, live people who answer the customer service lines and are helpful!).
I've been very favorably impressed with the improved scopes and the company's efforts...so much so that I placed an order for an ACF (and I thought I'd never buy aother SCT...from ANY maker)!
Mike Harvey
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freestar8n
sage
Reged: 10/12/07
Posts: 300
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This discussion mixes the issues of quality with design differences. The ACF should give a better wide field visual view and image than a C11 because it has reduced coma. Similarly, the HD should give a better wide field image than ACF because it has a flattened field and the ACF does not. This is all based on design differences alone. Although quality matters also, if you don't remove coma (C11) you can be sure it will be there - and if you don't flatten the field (ACF/RC) you can be sure it will be curved and the stars will get larger, albeit still round, as you move out from the center of an image.
For on-axis quality you can look at planetary images taken with the various scopes. Chris Go uses a C11 for his jupiter images and seems to do ok. Comparisons of ACF with HD can't really be extrapolated from comparisons of ACF with C11 because the design is different.
Frank
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tlogan6680
super member
Reged: 01/31/05
Posts: 123
Loc: Monterey, CA
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Many thanx all,
looks like a Meade,
tom in foggy CA
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LDb
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/01/08
Posts: 534
Loc: Cleveland, Ohio
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Hi Tom,
Even though you have made a decision, here's one more for the LX200ACF. I have a 10" LX200R (same as the ACF) and it is one spectacular scope. The optics are quite (even surprisingly) good and I can certainly say you will be very pleased.
Hope this helps add fuel to your fire, so to speak.
Clear skies,
Howard
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10" LX200R-UHTC (on ScopeBuggy which is terrific)
ETX-90-RA
ATM'ed-8"f/8 and 4.25"f/10 planetary Newtonians
Brandon eyepieces: 48mm,32mm,24mm,7/8",12mm,16mm,8mm,6mm,4mm (yes-4mm; special build in 1985 from 1960 optics)
Double set for binoviewing
Dakin 2.4x Barlow
Vintage ep's:
Gailand 7mm WF, 16.3mm (THE Galoc), Bertele 18mm
Siebert Optics:
Black Knight BinoViewer, 0.6x-1x-2x Power Wheel, 4x-8x telecentric zoom barlow
Astro-Tech Titan WF ep's: 38mm, 32mm, 26mm, 20mm, 15mm, 10mm
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