· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Refractors Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 bob midiri Carpal Tunnel Reged: 06/17/04 Loc: pa 19320 Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R       #5337887 - 07/27/12 05:23 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Your oppinion on this. Celestron has been supplying this 6"F8 rfractor for some years now. Originally it came in a cell that you could not collimate, then the updated version came in a cell that you can. My question to all the Synta 6" refractor users are, have you found any difference in the optical quality from the older version to these newer versions scopes. Star tests, optical surface smoothness, CA control etc. Basically in your experience, which version has been consistantly better optically? Bob Post Extras:       warpsl member Reged: 07/04/12 Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: bob midiri]       #5337906 - 07/27/12 06:23 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   hi bob.i got a 2002 version,and last year got a 2011 version for my 6 inch binoscope project.apart from some colour differences,both scopes have identical optical performance. Post Extras:       meade4ever sage Reged: 08/23/07 Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: warpsl]       #5338005 - 07/27/12 08:38 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have the oldest model, mine has a good startest but unless owning at least 10 samples of each, it is difficult to know which is best. I do prefer the oldest model, I don't like the new one which is not smooth, but this is my own opinion. I think however that the chinese companies improve their telescopes over the time so the newer models should be better and of course are collimatable Post Extras:       Eddgie Postmaster Reged: 02/01/06 Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: bob midiri]       #5338086 - 07/27/12 09:31 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I owned two, one before collimation cell and one with flange collimation cell. I first one was the first refractor that I actually liked, prefering it to the Genesis, but only because it was larger and 4" just wasn't enough scope for me. I thought the quality of the first one was a bit better thant he newer one, but only a bit. These telescopes are not at all good planatery scopes simply because of the CA, but it was the scope that taught me that refractors have superior off axis performance to mose reflectors. The biggest postitive of the eariler version (in my own opinion) is that it balanced with the scope higher in the cradle. Not much, but a few inches on this scope makes a difference. To view at zenith, I had to practically lay on the ground with the later version to get to the eyepeice. The earlier version sat slightly higher in the saddle makeing getting to the eyepiece easier in just about all attitudes. This to me was a bigger difference than the optical quality. In all honesty though, would not recommend either of these anymore except for price. The CA is just too pronounced. This is not a bias against seeing some purple in the field. It is belief that the CA is so severe that it greatly reduces contrast, making these scopes only suitable for medium and low powers. An 8" f/6 reflector is a better all around scope than this. Just an opinion of course. Post Extras:       WillCarney Pooh-Bah Reged: 10/08/09 Loc: Bloomington, ILL Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: Eddgie]       #5338340 - 07/27/12 11:57 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I would disagree with the power and CA. I used a CA reducer filter from Lumicon for double star work. I easily pushed the 6"f/8 well over 80-90x per inch. Contrast was ok as was the CA. Using a CA reducing filter makes the difference. I only notice the CA on brighter objects anyway. I would recomend a C6R to anyone. William Post Extras:       Doug76 Long Achro Junkie Reged: 12/05/07 Loc: Refractor Heaven Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: WillCarney]       #5338696 - 07/27/12 04:06 PM Attachment (35 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I use no CA reducer and run the power high when the atmosphere allows it. Yes there is some fringing, can't be helped. But it's no deal breaker for me, and at any rate I don't generally use it on targets that may fringe. I have other longer refractors for that. My C6R is my DSO baby, at which it excells. Post Extras:       Eddgie Postmaster Reged: 02/01/06 Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: WillCarney]       #5338734 - 07/27/12 04:42 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For double star work, CA doesn't matter. For contrast in extended objects, it is far more of an issue. Excessing CA greatly reduces contrast for fine details on extended targets. Side by side, my MN61 gave a stunningly good planetary and lunar image vs my first (better) CR150. The differnce in the quality of view was dramatic. I could see much more detail on Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, and the moon in the MN61. Even my Vixen 140 was a better planetary and extended object performer, being much closer to the MN than to the CR150. You can filter it, but it doesn't fix the issue. It just removes the purple fringe, but the defocus of the other colors sill causes an issue. I thought about another one of these a few years ago, but after remembering the difference between the MN61 and the CR150, I felt that the only reason that it would be worth getting a CR150 was if the price were dirt dirt cheap. Otherize, it did not make sense to me. But hey, this is just my opinion. But having owned two of these and an MN61 and MN56, I just came to believe that the CA is far to damaging for lunar and planetary viewing than I was willing to accept. The MNs can show a reasonably wide field, with very low coma and no CA. It is like a 6" APO. And these sell used sometimes for reasonable prices. I would without hesitation recommend an MN over a CR150. But anyway, I answered the OPs question. I think the optical quality was better on the CR150, but not so much that is should be an issue, and individual sample quality may differ in each model to the point that it is a question that has no definitive answer. But the CA is to me a bigger issue than the quality problem. Even if the optics are perfect, this scope will have contrast transfer that limits it to extended object performance that is no better than maybe a 120mm ED scope. Post Extras:       bob midiri Carpal Tunnel Reged: 06/17/04 Loc: pa 19320 Re: Celestron 6" refractor CR150 vs C6R [Re: WillCarney]       #5342537 - 07/29/12 10:48 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks guys. I have had chances to own at one time or another both versions, but always thought that the original series were better optically, at least that is what is in the back of my mind. It may have been more of the thrill of owning such a large refractor at that time swaying my perception, more so then just pure optical quality. bob Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 34 registered and 35 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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