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
MtnGoat
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/18/07
Posts: 917
Loc: Columbia Gorge, WA
|
Best for photography...Meade or Celestron 14" SCT?
08/06/08 12:01 PM
|
|
|
Hi folks,
I may be in the market for a 14" SCT in the next few months. I have been struggling to find a mount capable of using my Z12 for photos, and the price tag for something capable of handling an OTA of this size in a newtonian is simply staggering me.
Then I realized that perhaps my pursuit wasn't making all that much sense, and that with a focal reducer I could get similar performance out of a big SCT, which already includes a fork mount capable of handling it. And all for a lower price for a bigger scope than the mounts I was looking at.
In reading all the details it seems that Meade and Celestron are more or less neck and neck on optical quality,( given that you don't unluck out and get the rare lemon. )
With that in mind, and given my continual struggle with periodic error on my much lower end scopes, my question is this...which brand tends to have the more accurate RA drive?
I'll probably be looking for a GOTO model, used, in either brand, (unless it turns out I can pick up a bigger older one. ) I haven't done much pricing, but I expect I'll have about $2500 to spend and I'm hoping a used 14" can be found in this price range. Seems like I might be hoping for too much, but you never know...I see fully loaded 8's and 10's going for 800-1500 used. I've seen some 12" meades going for this. It may be I have to give up on GOTO to hit my price range...not sure what to do about that. The two scopes in parallel with GLP pointing trick is working fine, but it eats up time (ETX with laser, SN6 on old fork mount). I don't care about the GPS units because I'm not above entering some numbers myself every evening.
Anyhow, if you have any comments on optical quality, my price expectations, and especially periodic error on the stock fork system, chime in I'd love to read it.
--------------------
"Ignorant people think it's the noise which fighting cats make that is so aggravating, but it ain't so; it's the sickening grammar they use." Mark Twain
Edited by MtnGoat (08/06/08 12:12 PM)
|
|
2 registered and 5 anonymous users are browsing this forum.
Moderator: Jason B
|
Forum Permissions
You cannot start new topics
You cannot reply to topics
HTML is disabled
UBBCode is enabled
|
Rating:
Thread views: 709
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Flat
Edit
Reply
Quote
