Jump to content

SW Skymax 150 Pro or 180 Pro ?

iwatkins

Recommended Posts

iwatkins

iwatkins

Posted
Posted

Hi All,

Already have my imaging setup for DSOs working quite well (NEQ6 & 80ED) but some nights I would just like to view, look at the moon, view some planets, do some simple imaging of those objects instead of DSOs.

Therefore, interested in these two telescopes as I can just drop them onto the NEQ6 mount I have and away I go.

Having never used a Mak or even anything with this sort of focal length, I'm having a hard time deciding between the two. Or more importantly deciding how the 180 is £200 better than the 150.

Happy to hear experiences with either telescope for viewing (or imaging) the moon and planets.

Equipment I already have is in my sig below.

Thank you in advance for any pointers.

Cheers

Ian

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bizibilder

Bizibilder

Posted
Posted

I would say the 180 is the better buy as the extra aparture always helps and the extra focal length is a godsend for planetry work (even so I still usually use a 2x barlow for Saturn and Jupiter). You'll kick yourself if you dont go for the 180!!

(Note to FLO - my usual percentage please!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Macavity

Macavity

Posted
Posted

The MAK150 is something of the "Cinderella" of the family? I tend to see mine as a "big MAK127", with which it shares many characteristics - But with a bit more aperture (obviously). I convince myself this is a useful gain in viewing DSOs [sic]. The cool-down time becomes manifest with the MAK150, but the focal length is not TOO unreasonable (less than many an SCT!) and use of some 2" eyepieces, small chip cameras (+focal reducers) etc. is still possible. :)

Can't really comment much on the 180. Don't have one! But it represents a definitive step towards the so-called "planetary" (only) scope? F15, f=2700mm, max field stop <32mm(?), cooldown time and, I thought, getting "too much" for my HEQ5... and probably me too! IT MUST be better for Planetary and Lunar viewing than the 150 though. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bazzaar

Bazzaar

Posted
Posted

I have had a 150 for 3 months and have been well impressed with it. Visually and webcam imaging, got some decent Saturn piccies with it.

I dont think the the 180 is worth the extra £200, but if you could find a good used one, that would be different. One of the things to bare in mind is the cool down time with Maks, you need to get in the habit of getting it out doors before you want to use it. Its not a big problem with them but the bigger the Mak, the longer the cool down time.

I find myself using mine even for DSOs, visually anyway, rather than my 200p newt because it is so much easier to set up and use!

Regards

Barry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
david o

david o

Posted
Posted

A big vote for the big Mak :)

The slow f/ratio helps it get the best out of EPs and using a Mak-SCT adaptor and 2" SCT diagonal you can use 2" wide-fields to get a reasonable true FOV. With mine I've been able to use both a Meade QX 30mm (70º aFOV) and a Revelation SV 40mm (oops, should be 42mm ;)) (65º aFOV), getting ~0.78º and ~1.01º tFOV respectively. They're tack sharp and show no vignetting to my eyes.

Good optics, decent aperture and a long fL give it reasonable light grasp, resolution and high mags with medium fL EPs. So it'll perform well on anything that fits in the FOV and give good to fair eye relief at medium/high mag, even when using standard EPs.

Yes it does have a narrowish tFOV, but unless you want to do wide-field sweeping I doubt that you will be disappointed.

Mine (got it second hand) sits well on a CG-5 and makes a good stable-mate for the C80 ED, which keeps me entertained whilst the Mak cools.

HTH :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ags

Ags

Posted
Posted
The MAK150 is something of the "Cinderella" of the family? I tend to see mine as a "big MAK127", with which it shares many characteristics - But with a bit more aperture (obviously). I convince myself this is a useful gain in viewing DSOs [sic]. The cool-down time becomes manifest with the MAK150, but the focal length is not TOO unreasonable (less than many an SCT!) and use of some 2" eyepieces, small chip cameras (+focal reducers) etc. is still possible. :)

Macavity, I thought the Mak150 was a 1.25" EP scope with a 28mm field stop - I'm intrigued... Which 2" EPs have you used with the 150? What sort of field stop do those EPs have, do you know?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Macavity

Macavity

Posted
Posted
Macavity, I thought the Mak150 was a 1.25" EP scope with a 28mm field stop - I'm intrigued... Which 2" EPs have you used with the 150? What sort of field stop do those EPs have, do you know?
I use the 31mm Hyperion aspheric in a Baader T2 diagonal, so the whole system probably (hard) vignettes at about 35mm. As above (see David O) there seems little practical limit with these MAKs when equipped with a full-sized 2" diagonal. Illumination may not be 100% but most common (30-something mm, 70 deg etc.) 2" eyepieces can at least be tried. The MAK 150/180 now come with 2" diagonals as default, I think... :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites
david o

david o

Posted
Posted

Yes, I've used both 30mm (70º) and 42mm (65º) (and it is 42mm, not 40 as I wrote above) EPs with the 180. They give nice, crisp views as you'd expect at f/15 and don't vignette, at least to my novice eyes.

I've also tried a 50mm TV Plössl (50º aFOV). That does vignette... badly.

Next time the weather permits I'll have another look through those EPs and try to spot any subtle dimming I may have missed before.

I think that the limit will be nearer 42mm than 50mm and, if that's the case, would it be lower in the 150?

That said, Works-For-Me :) As always YMMV :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
blackparticle

blackparticle

Posted
Posted

I picked up a 2nd hand Mak 150 Pro (Gold tube) and it's a great scope. Came with a dew-shield (an absolute must), additional 2" dual-speed Crayford and 2" WO diagonal that the previous owner had bought to replace the, then standard, 1.25". (It also came with a HEQ5, telrad and a ton of other stuff too.. all for not much more than the price of a new OTA.)

With a Celestron Omni 40mm the whole moon fits nicely into the eyepiece (although I nearly blinded myself the other night) and then it's just a case of going deeper and deeper. Visually it can still just about cope with a 2mm LER eyepiece for lunar though that was pushing it some. (Thats x900 mag!!)

To be honest, it's not really that heavy and I can't imagine the 180 being that much of a jump in weight. I've perfected the scope hug when lifting on and off the HEQ5 and it's not a problem.

I've had some great lunar images from it with a DSLR and my one quick webcam attempt at Saturn from the middle of a town when on holiday stunned me.

I've even had some success at imaging DSO's with it.. Globs in particular.. (albeit unguided at 6 sec exposures). Guided I imagine it will be quite a beast. Viewing DSOs through it probably requires a dark site as at f/12 it's not the brightest of images. M13 was pretty faint even in a semi-rural location.

The optical finder at 9x50 is very useable and even the supplied eyepieces (9mm + 25mm) are quite good. Much better than those found on the cheaper SW newts.

All in all - highly recommended and I imagine the 180 is more of the same.. probably even better at lunar and planetary but less so for viewing or imaging DSO's unless you get a side-by-side mounting plate and use your Evostar as the guide scope and push the exposure times way up. :)

Unguided, there is a big difference between 1800mm and 2700mm and what exposure times you can achieve before things start to smear everywhere.

As for cool down times.. Yes they take a while but that doesn't mean they are unusable visually while cooling, especially at low magnification. They just take a while to stabilise.

I'd have to agree with BB about going for the 180 if you can afford it or can't find an outrageous bargain like I did. I think they come with a case (mine did) so I wouldn't be too apprehensive about a second hand purchase if it's been looked after well.

Hopefully I'll have mine guided by the time we get our next decent clear night so I'll report back with how much of a difference that makes.

Alan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Telrad

Telrad

Posted
Posted
Thanks guys, 180 ordered last night from FLO :)

I've also not seen a case for the 180. Might have to look at a Peli type case for it, or a bag and foam mashup.

Cheers

Ian

Congratulations Ian! :) Do give us a first light report with your 180. Hope you have clear skies..!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mak One

Mak One

Posted
Posted

So, another potential "cinderella" owner is swayed by the appeals of its big sister. It's either 180's or 127's - as a 150 owner I'm beginning to feel like some sort of scope-leper...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.