Meade 5000 ED 127mm Apo

[quattrorings]

Am looking at this to compliment an SCT. Had a less than perfect experience recently with an LX90 so a bit dubious about Meade. It seems to offer good value.

Any opinions. I know people will be talking about the new Altair 115mm refractor but looking at threads the quality seems to be variable and customer service lets them down.

Also is the scope made by Meade - some threads suggest it is a re-branded APM scope. (A definite positive !)

Any thoughts/opinons appreciated.

Andy

[glowjet]

If you look under Equipment reviews, Philj 20th June, you will some discussion on the scope in question and a very informative review

John.

[ollypenrice]

Am looking at this to compliment an SCT. Had a less than perfect experience recently with an LX90 so a bit dubious about Meade. It seems to offer good value.

Any opinions. I know people will be talking about the new Altair 115mm refractor but looking at threads the quality seems to be variable and customer service lets them down.

Also is the scope made by Meade - some threads suggest it is a re-branded APM scope. (A definite positive !)

Any thoughts/opinons appreciated.

Andy

To be fair there can have been no discussion yet on 'variable quality' in the AA 115 because there are very few in circulation and none, I think, on SGL as yet.

All that was suggested, to my knowledge at least, was that they might not all be as good as the test example I received. However, this was based upon speculation. I do think we need to be fair about this. I have no opinion on the matter because I have no information whatever about scopes I haven't seen. You can order a Ronchigram of your own scope, though, don't forget. FWIW one of my guests ordered a 115 on returning home.

I had a Meade 127 and liked it. For a budget refractor I found it excellent and, in visual use, close to the performance of our TEC.

However, the 115 that I have here is in a different class altogether from the 127. In visual use, to be honest, you have to star test them both to see the difference (or I do) but fully off axis the 115 is bang on the money.

In imaging it produces tight blue stars, something the Meade triplet could not do. The Meade had a pretty good flat field but not enough to cover an APS chip. The 115 does so.

For the specification and what's in the box you just need to

refer to the websites and on service from Altair Astro I can't comment because I've only bought one little thing from them and it turned up on cue.

There is also the SW 120 which has made many friends.

All the above scopes are good but I am quite certain about which one I would buy for myself were I in the market for another midsized refractor.

Olly