Thoughts on explore scientific comet hunter for visual and imaging

[catburglar]

Looking at the ES comet hunter as a good scope for both visual and imaging.....but don't see too many user experiences....

My thought process is that the weight/FL are both relatively low, so not too taxing for imaging on an AZ-EQ5 .

Coma will be well controlled on a DSLR with an APS-c chip, and at F4.8 native, I won't need to faff with reducers / correctors to get sharp stars and keep exposure times manageable.

The few reports I've seen suggest that it's no slouch visually even on planets despite the 30%+ central obstruction....This figure is similar to the SW maks, so perhaps it won't be refractor sharp, but not half bad.....

Does anybody else have any first hand experience? Is there any reason not to click the buy button?

 

[Relpet]

I suggest you read Paulastro's review

ES David H Levy Comet Hunter - 152mm f4.7 Maksutov-Newtonian - A Users View

By paulastro, August 15, 2018 in Member Equipment Reviews 

I bought one on the strength of Ade Ashford's article in Astronomy Now and have not regretted it.

[catburglar]

I’ve seen the  post you referred to- and that’s really what got me thinking about it again. 

I guess I’ve got two things nagging- first that very few people seem to be using them, and second-  are the planetary views really so good?

 I had disappointing views with a Celestron 6inch SCT- it was collimted and cooled, but never seemed to snap to focus and that also has a 30% obstruction. My ETX90, by contrast, is so sharp it’s almost too good to be true....Is it  just the Meade optics or is it the F14 focal ratio....

I’m hoping that the ES will have the focus snap that the ETX has, but the resolution/light grasp of a 6 inch scope....I guess I’ll only know when I’ve tried it

[John]

I've owned a 150mm F/5.9 maksutov-newtonian (Intes made but branded Orion) and the views there were very refractor-like. That had just an 18% obstruction though. I've noted that the Skywatcher MN190 and the ES Comet Hunter have somewhat larger CO's - presumably that is to enable them to provide full illumination for imaging ?