Zhumell Z130 or Meade LB 130?

[gregstereo]

I am going to purchase either the Zhumell Z130 or the Meade Lightbridge 130, but I am having a hard time deciding which one to get. I have pored over the specs, and I keep coming back to not knowing which one is a better choice. I think a lot of my problem comes down to not understanding the differences between their mounts. Almost everything else seems very similar. Could some kind person explain the differences between dovetail, tube rings, 360 degree swivel mount, and such that these two have?

[brantuk]

The tube rings are just hoops that go round the telescope body and are screwed onto a bar which has sloping sides (dovetailed). The bar then fixes onto the mount which is like a mini vice with sloping jaws to match the dovetail bar. The mount is just a rocker box on a turntable that allows the scope to be moved up/down and left/right - they can usually rotate 360^o.

The Z130 has a dovetail arrangement for fixing to the mount - whereas the the LB130 fixes straight onto the mount with a screw with a knob on it straight through the upright of the mount. The main difference with dovetail and rings is extra weight - but you also get the flexibility of being able to fix other scopes onto the mount.

There's not a lot of difference between the two - I would favour the LB - but only cos I have the larger version which is superb - and I've no experience of the Z130. Maybe someone who owns one will offer some comments. Hth

[Dave In Vermont]

Having looked over the specs on both, I'm with Brantuk on his explanation. In the last analysis - I'd toss a coin and call it in mid-air. Either would be a nice telescope!

Enjoy!

Dave

[Cornelius Varley]

Optically would probably be hard pressed to notice any difference between the two telescopes. Meade are a good brand, Zhumell telescope are not sold in the the UK but are well regarded in the US. The Zhumell seems to be slightly better specified than the Meade version , an eyepiece tray and useful carrying handles on the the base. The Zhumell also has a, hopefully, standard vixen style dovetail and tube rings so it should be possible to mount it on an equatorial mount later.

[Guest]

Zhumell are the USA branded GSO scope, i like the extras GSO always bring to the table for the price. When the optics are not really an issue as GSO / Synta are all mass produced on the same machines its hit or miss if you get a bad one as the biggest percentage are all pretty good thanks to continued testing. For me....the black Zhumell sells it with its extra bits but thats only a personal preference. Both will perform equally like the other guys have said.

 

NOTE :- i did read somewhere that the LB series use GSO optics, so technically they are the same optically !? i will see if i can find the article i read that in.

NOTE 2 :- Here is one i read, there is another on cloudynights i think.

 

[gregstereo]

Thanks to each of you for your informative replies!

[John]

Meade do use GSO to make their Lightbridge scopes so the optics are the same. At least that was the case with the original series of 8", 10", 12" and 16" Lightbridges but these newer models are different I think.

Looking at the photos of the Meade Lightbridge Mini 130, I'd say that it is made by Synta who are the folks who make Celestron, Skywatcher and Orion (USA) scopes. Meade have recently introduced some scopes which are clearly re-badged Synta products and I think this is one of them.

Opinion on the "Cloudynights" forum is that the Zhumell Z130 is also a Synta produced product rather than GSO. It certainly looks like that to me.

So you "pays your money and makes your choice" - they are all from Synta !