CPC 1100 - just how big are they

[seiko]

I

[seiko]

I'm thinking of ordering either a CPC 1100 or CPC 1100 Edge from FLO but am a little concerned how big the 1100 might be. It's always hard to imagine the size before they turn up. I remember when my nexstar 8i turned up replacing my ETX 90. The CPC 800 was then even larger. I'm a little wary the CPC 1100 might be a bit of a monster?

any opinions?

[dmahon]

[kirkster501]

Yes. They are big. But not impossibly so. You need to have some strength to heft it around and mount on the tripod. Here is a picture of me with mine (before I sold it due to lack of use). I am 6 feet 2 and a big Rugby Player bloke. And I am standing back a little which makes it look smaller. So you can appreciate the size. It was a great scope and part of me misses it.

I would wait for a good used one to come up on ABS if I were you. You can save a lot of money and used stuff is almost invariably superb and at great saving compared to new.

Be advised this scope is not suitable for DSO AP. Make sure you appreciate this before you buy one. Its really a visual setup.

Steve

[dmahon]

That might be a 14 inch, not sure - but they are big

[Andymarrison]

I tried a CPC1100 (I.e I picked it up) at the Widescreen Centre on Monday - it's certainly big and heavy, but the clever positioning of the handles means that it wasn't all that much of a problem to pop it on and take it off the CPC tripod with its central locating pin. I reckon it should be fine as long as you're not lugging it big distances (I'm by no means a big strong chap, by the way!)

[Dunkster]

The fork mount is the same for all the CPC sizes, only the ota changes... so even with just the 8" it's quite heavy, but with the 11" ota I'm sure I read somewhere the chunky part is 30kg. I'd love one in principle, but that's too much for me with my dodgy back, so I went for the "free" ota and mount which breaks down into smaller and lighter pieces.

Supposed to be very comfortable from an observing perspective though as the EP is almost always at a convenient height

[seiko]

Thanks for the info guys. Although I wasn't planning on thinking about imaging yet I would have liked to have kept this option open. I'm assuming the 11 isn't very good for dso imaging due the focal length and narrow fov? If that's the case though why is the 9.25 a firm favourite? Aren't they considered close enough?

Also, I'd love to find one second hand but have never seen a cpc deluxe come up for sale yet?

[todd8137]

not the way to carry !

[Dunkster]

Thanks for the info guys. Although I wasn't planning on thinking about imaging yet I would have liked to have kept this option open. I'm assuming the 11 isn't very good for dso imaging due the focal length and narrow fov? If that's the case though why is the 9.25 a firm favourite? Aren't they considered close enough?

Also, I'd love to find one second hand but have never seen a cpc deluxe come up for sale yet?

The C11 - or C9.25 - are not great DSO imaging scopes for large DSOs because the long focal length makes them hard to guide accurately without a really good mount and the associated narrow FOV can't gulp down the larger DSOs. For the smaller and faint DSOs, the focal length can be turned to an advantage and the FOV becomes irrelevant BUT you need a really expensive mount to make it work.

The C9.25 has a halo following that has not been quantified fully... there could be any number of reasons, but you can be sure you'll hear different opinions from owners of each The C9.25 is supposed to be easier to keep collimated, although for best results any reflecting scope would need to be kept well collimated anyhow. The C11 gathers about 44% more light than the C9.25.

Regarding the CPC deluxe... given the UK pricing, I'd be surprised if anyone has bought one let alone stuck one on the used market

Btw, the CPC being alt/azimuth is unsuitable for DSO imaging. Most (all?) of the guys in here will tell you to get a small refractor for DSO imaging on a tried and tested EQ mount.

[Space Dragon]

Thanks for the info guys. Although I wasn't planning on thinking about imaging yet I would have liked to have kept this option open. I'm assuming the 11 isn't very good for dso imaging due the focal length and narrow fov? If that's the case though why is the 9.25 a firm favourite? Aren't they considered close enough?

Also, I'd love to find one second hand but have never seen a cpc deluxe come up for sale yet?

I have the CPC 925 and while it is a lump, the ergonomics and positioning of the handles means it's relatively easy to move around.

This is thought to be a good scope for planetary imaging but any of the CPC range require mounting on a wedge for DSO imaging and the general consensus is an EQ mount is much better than an alt/az mount with a wedge.

[Grotemobile]

I would go with the 9.25.I have got the C11.

I bought it s/hand at a price that i could not

turn down.It is a lump.I was after a 9.25.

This gives you some idea of the size.

The CPC 9.25 is a great scope.

Steve.

[todd8137]

I also have he 9.25 ,and i brought it for the planets and moon i use a dmk 21 and a dslr for the moon some times i do have the 6.3 fr but not as of yet done any dso imaging

pat

[seiko]

thanks again guys, I'm now looking out for a second hand large CPC 9.25 or CPC 1100 or any CPC Deluxe. If nothing turns up then I guess I'll buy new and enjoy the peace of mind of a warranty for a change. I still mulled over keeping my Edge HD C8 and buying a new mount as well. I definitely don't think I'd like an EQ mount and alas I don't think I'd get enough out of the Skywatcher AZ-EQ mount as the AP element is only an idea not a guaranteed requirement. The idea of setting up the additional elements each nice, finding the balance etc seems even further from a grab and go experience. I'm already concerned about the cool down times on these larger CATs. My C5 is super to cool, the Edge C8 a lot more stubborn so I can only imagine how long a C11 will take?!*

[kirkster501]

thanks again guys, I'm now looking out for a second hand large CPC 9.25 or CPC 1100 or any CPC Deluxe. If nothing turns up then I guess I'll buy new and enjoy the peace of mind of a warranty for a change. I still mulled over keeping my Edge HD C8 and buying a new mount as well. I definitely don't think I'd like an EQ mount and alas I don't think I'd get enough out of the Skywatcher AZ-EQ mount as the AP element is only an idea not a guaranteed requirement. The idea of setting up the additional elements each nice, finding the balance etc seems even further from a grab and go experience. I'm already concerned about the cool down times on these larger CATs. My C5 is super to cool, the Edge C8 a lot more stubborn so I can only imagine how long a C11 will take?!*

I never found cool down time an issue personally. If you know it is going to be clear you can get the scope out an hour early and let it cool down while you have dinner. Unless you are going to do high precision planetary or lunar observations - which seeing will spoil anyway in the UK - then cool-down is not really that much an issue IMO.

I concur that these scope have a very narrow FoV due to the long FL. The CPC 1100 is also easy to carry due to excellent positioning of the handles. However, I am a strong chap; for someone smaller or with a bad back this could be an issue. If I were you I would go for a C9.25 and get a NEQ6. it will be cheaper than a CPC 1100 and give you more possibilities. That's my two penneth with benefit of hindsight.

A CPC 1100 deluxe? Good luck finding one of those used mate, and the price new is preposterous in the UK.

[seiko]

Ha ha - yeah - the UK price is a nonsense really. Just wish one supplier would offer discount?

[kirkster501]

Ha ha - yeah - the UK price is a nonsense really. Just wish one supplier would offer discount?

No need for them to do discount. No need for "we are having a sale" either. Enthusiasts and hobbyists will pay for what they want. Why would they need to discount....

[seiko]

Because if the price is too high then no one will purchase. Most successful companies absolutely do associate discounts with a sales strategy. This should be no different. Having a unit gathering dust to enforce a margin just doesn't work.

[Dunkster]

From what I understand, the elevated prices here are set by the distributor before any ®etailers have added their margin. There's been a similar discussion recently about ES EPs, and the theory is that warehousing, stocking and staffing distribution in the UK and Europe is higher than doing the same in the US, for example. You also have to consider that our 20% "sales tax" in the UK doesn't compare favourably with the US, where prices are quoted before tax because it falls under local/state jurisdiction, and not country-wide like it is for us.

[seiko]

Yes I think these "prices" are absolutely set by distribution channels! A real shame really as we all need the retailers to thrive but not being able to offer a discount isn't helping. If FLO or any other retailer had offered me a so called 'open box' celestron cpc 1100 deluxe for 5% discount I'd be using it now, they still make a sale and of course profit and another unit would be in the field. Alas, you can see every retailer offering exactly the same price for that model and I guess Celestron are testing the water. Lets not forget its a mass produced item and for that money you still aren't guaranteed qualitly.

so yes I agree with you, this I don't believe is the retailers, FLO are one of the best but we absolutely do need a good healthy market and more 'clearance, open box, special offers, sale items will make it thrive.

[Dunkster]

Given the price, I'd question how mass market they really are, moreso the Deluxe/Edge HD models. These bigger scopes with high price tags tend to be much lower volume than something like a bog standard C8, the big scopes are even thousands of dollars in the US, and not everyone there is a Wall Street trader or Silicon Valley tycoon

[seiko]

Lol, true, although mass produced you're right, they won't be mass market! Such a shame! You know the silly thing is, that price will drop or they'll remove the line up.

[HippyChippy]

Hi seiko,

In answer to your question the CPC1100 is approx' .780mm high X .600mm wide at the forks X .400mm front to back, and according to Celestron the 'scope weighs 29kg (65lbs).

Sensible lifting practice applies in any walk of life these days but even more so with a heavy telescope. I find it helps to on the tripod or a sturdy tall stool when not in use so you're picking it up from waist height, rather than a back breaking 'dead lift' from the floor. The handles are thoughtfully laid out; I'm a slightly built 9.5 stone and manage chucking it in and out of the car passenger seat without too much difficulty, though my 20stone fat b* mate with a big belly struggles 'cos his arms aren't long enough!

This is an 11" telescope with a big lump of glass in the bottom and a cast metal base so it's never going to be truly portable, but as long as you're only walking a few metres from the car to the tripod it's good (even over the 'ditch of death' in the snow in the New Forest), but it 'aint a Grab & Go.

I can't comment on its efficiacy for filling a hard-drive with data, but if you're connected to the Universe using your MkI eyeballs, it's superb bit of kit - why go small?

[HippyChippy]

Oops!

"I find it helps to keep it on the tripod...

[seiko]

Thanks and yes, I think this is the one for me. I just need to settle on which version. Regular or deluxe. Deluxe is a bit over my already absolute maximum budget and its doing my head in. Even when I sell my other gear I'd still be struggling but I'm really after the Deluxe.