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Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all) zippeee sage Reged: 12/27/10 Loc: Alberta, Canada Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: jerwin]       #5409409 - 09/08/12 12:00 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The 11 is big no doubt about it, but most find a way to manage. AND I can honestly say I haven't really ever suffered from aperture fever! Post Extras:       Sorny super member Reged: 03/15/12 Loc: Southern MN Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: zippeee]       #5409615 - 09/08/12 05:30 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   There is only a small difference in size between the 925 and 1100. Go for the gusto. As mentioned above, I'll echo the recommendation for an adjustable height chair and dew heater/sheild, and red-dot finder. The chair makes viewing MUCH more comfortable, the stock straight-through finder is rather sub-optimal, and the dew shield & heater will allow you to use the scope once it actually acclimates to the outside temperature. For what it's worth, my most used eyepieces with my CPC1100 are 13mm & 17mm. Next most used are the 22mm & 38mm. My 8mm is seldom used since it is a rather high-mag eyepiece; but on nights of good-to-excellent seeing, it works wonders on the planets. A good range of eyepieces would be somewhat close to the spacing that I've got (though I've got a big gap between 38mm and 22mm). If I'm not in the cyclops mood, however, I'm usually rocking out with my WO binoviewer and 20mm eyepieces. With my Power x Switch diagonal, the binoviewers with 20mm eyepieces give me ~80x, ~140x, and ~240x. There is not a whole lot that doesn't work at one of those 3 magnifications. Post Extras:       Astroegg journeyman Reged: 01/21/11 Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: herrointment]       #5409703 - 09/08/12 08:32 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: The CPC 11 is big and heavy. I carry it approx. 150 feet to set it up and I know that someday I'm going to lose control over the thing. I've got a mobile transport system in the works but until then it's a lot of money to carry around in the dark. Haha, I know what you mean - I have to lug my 1100 up some broken and wobbly concrete steps and there's usually a hose pipe lying around to increase the trip hazards. My heart is in my mouth until I get it safely on the tripod and hear the click as it locks into place. It's a stupid chance I take every time I carry it but the fact is a CPC1100 is still fairly comfortable to pick up and move around - yes it's heavy but the clever handle system really works in its favour. Post Extras:       Gastrol scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/04/11 Loc: los angeles Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: jerwin]       #5410064 - 09/08/12 01:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: I'm 32 years old, weight 215. If I was 42 or 52, or weighted 130 lbs I'm not real sure if I could carry that beast or not. Don't worry, I'm 58, weigh 160, and can easily handle the CPC1100 assembly. As long as you're in average shape you'll be fine...:) Post Extras:       Lancem super member Reged: 03/17/11 Loc: Ontario, Canada Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: jerwin]       #5410475 - 09/08/12 05:37 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I would agree with jerwin. The CPC 1100 is my first "serious" scope, and I love it. It is big, and you don't want to have to carry it too far. I also have one of the Stanley cases and it works great. For me, the extra aperture over the 925 was well worth the added cost. Post Extras:       dragonslayer1 sage Reged: 02/25/12 Loc: SLC, UT Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Lancem]       #5410785 - 09/08/12 09:29 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   as a CPC 9.25 owner, the best advice I could offer is 2" eyepieces for observing, do not waste your money on low quality "kits". Explore scientific or another cost comparable eyepiece will do you just fine, don't buy junk. Start out with a 32mm and may be a 17mm, but for observing, don't waste your money on 1.25" lenses. That's my two cents, PS it's an awesome scope also Post Extras:       la200o Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/09/08 Loc: SE Michigan, USA Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: dragonslayer1]       #5411265 - 09/09/12 07:58 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I agree; no need to buy one of those kits--but 2" eps will require a different visual back and diagonal. Bill Edited by la200o (09/09/12 09:04 AM) Post Extras:       Ericc22 member Reged: 09/07/09 Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: la200o]       #5411404 - 09/09/12 10:06 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks again everyone! I bought the CPC 1100 yesterday. It is on the tripod in my office. Now I have to put the rest together and figure out how to use it! Stay tuned for lots more questions..... Thanks! Eric Post Extras:       Gastrol scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 11/04/11 Loc: los angeles Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5411531 - 09/09/12 11:57 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Congrats on your new 1100! Good to start out with the biggest scope you can handle comfortably. Enjoy! Post Extras:       trumpetjazz member Reged: 03/09/08 Loc: Surrey, B.C. Canada Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5411873 - 09/09/12 04:00 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Congrats!! You will not regret going with the 11! Looking forward to your first light impressions. Regards, Terry (trumpetjazz) Post Extras:       Lancem super member Reged: 03/17/11 Loc: Ontario, Canada Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: trumpetjazz]       #5412108 - 09/09/12 07:03 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Glad to hear you went with the 1100! Enjoy! Post Extras:       Never2Busy4You super member Reged: 11/20/11 Loc: Slower Lower Delaware U.S.A. Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5412583 - 09/10/12 12:02 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   WaHooo! Enjoy the 11 Inches of photon grabbing power! Explore Scientific has a Nice Summer Sale on many 2" & 1 1/4" eyepieces that will go great with it! Also, I would recommend the Stellar View 50mm Right Angle Illuminated Finderscope, you can get it to fit into the celestron bracket, and you can also use it as a little portable travel scope for when space is limited. Let us know how it works for you & the kids, I have many great times with my daughter (4yrs) and our 8" CPC. Clear Skies or Cloudy Nights, Jeffrey G. Post Extras:       Ericc22 member Reged: 09/07/09 Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Never2Busy4You]       #5412628 - 09/10/12 12:39 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks again! Quick update.... Got the scope outside, figured out how to work it, saw Alberio and 17 Cygnus. Then tried M31 which looked awful. I know it is supposed to be hard but my binocs showed it way better. Looked closer and saw.... Mirror covered with dew! Next step - figure out how to prevent dew! I'll order the dew shield for it tomorrow. Plan to buy this one from Astrozap: http://www.highpointscientific.com/product/AZP-AZ112/AstroZap-Flexible-Dew-Shield-For-Celestron-NexStar-11-Schmidt-Cassegrain-Telescopes-AZ112.html So tonight doesn't count. Just exhibition season! Eric PS Had lots of fun and love how easy it was to get it working. Edited by Ericc22 (09/10/12 12:42 AM) Post Extras:       brianb11213 Postmaster Reged: 02/25/09 Loc: 55.215N 6.554W Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5412760 - 09/10/12 03:49 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Quote: Next step - figure out how to prevent dew! I'll order the dew shield for it tomorrow. Said it before and I'll say it again, it should be illegal to sell a SCT or MCT without at least a dew shield. Most of us (those that live anywhere except in a desert, or within 50 miles of a sea coast, large lake or major river) find that we need a dew heater tape wrapped round the tube just behind the corrector cell in addition. The Astrozap dew shields are better than most commerical ones thanks to the flocked lining but not as good as a simple camping mat taped into a tight fitting tube (making a stretch fit) - apart from being cheaper this also works better due to having a longer overhang and being a better insulator. Spray the inside flat black if it really bothers you; with a reasonably dark observing site it probably makes no practical difference. Post Extras:       la200o Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/09/08 Loc: SE Michigan, USA Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: brianb11213]       #5413229 - 09/10/12 12:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Don't know where you live, but in SE Michigan I need a dew shield and a dew heater. Bill Post Extras:       Sorny super member Reged: 03/15/12 Loc: Southern MN Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: la200o]       #5413571 - 09/10/12 03:23 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Get a heater strip, controller, and dew shield. My CPC1100 starts to dew over as soon as it reaches ambient temperature if I don't turn on the heaters. My NexStar 5 does the same thing, but I can get by without heaters on that one, just a dew shield. Post Extras:       Ericc22 member Reged: 09/07/09 Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Sorny]       #5413580 - 09/10/12 03:27 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks again! If I want to keep it simple and just buy something, would the astrozap heated shield work well? http://www.astrozap.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=204 And, do I need a controller with it? Or is this the only thing I need? Any other components I should have? Thanks! Eric Post Extras:       Sorny super member Reged: 03/15/12 Loc: Southern MN Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5413727 - 09/10/12 05:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've got the astrozap heated shield on mine. It works, but a separate heater strip behind the front cell works better, from what I've heard. You will also need a controller, they run about $100 up to "a lot" more. I've got a 2 channel, 4 output Astro-zap controller. The red-dot finder has a heater on it, along with the heated shield on 1 channel. The 2nd channel runs eyepiece heaters (not needed as much as the finder & shield for me). You can see the controller hanging down in these pics, and see the heater strip on the re-dot finder, and the heated shield. I let the controller hang down since the power cord is pretty short, and it helps to have extra slack so I can let the scope slew about 180* before I have to move the power tank. Post Extras:       A. Viegas sage Reged: 03/05/12 Loc: New York City/ CT Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: Ericc22]       #5414081 - 09/10/12 08:51 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Eric- It really depends on where you live. I have my CPC1100 up in CT and its usually quite humid on summer evenings... but I have been getting by the entire summer with just a simple dew shield (Astrozap) $25 off Amart... I had two nights that started to dew over, but that was 2am, so almost 5 hrs into observing... and then i just used a hair dryer... and presto... gone. I thought long and hard about a dew buster, controller and what not... but seriously I never really needed it. So I think it really depends on where you live and also if you are close to AC power then a long extension cord and your wife or daughter's hairdryer will work just fine. I have gotten more value from an eyepiece or two that i bought with the $$$ that otherwise would've gone to the dew buster/controller... but then again this has been my experience over the summer... and honestly I seldom go past 2am, so from 10pm to midnight or 1am, i have almost never gotten dew... Cheers, Al Post Extras:       Ericc22 member Reged: 09/07/09 Re: About to purchase CPC 925 - seeking final opinions [Re: A. Viegas]       #5414364 - 09/10/12 11:52 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Al. I live in Livingston, NJ so a similar climate to you. Do you do ok with the unheated shield in the fall and winter out of curiosity? Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | (show all)

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