Beginner scope review. Which scope?

[FLO]

On 23/03/2019 at 21:03, Lockie said:

@FLO Please of course respond to this after the weekend if you wish (after all it is Saturday night), but I would really appreciate your thoughts on the above, and which to choose to review, if any of the above? thanks  

If you are looking for models that haven't yet received much attention then your list is good. 

We are happy to loan telescopes for a project like this so (assuming you don't get carried away ?) it need not cost you anything. 

When you have finished with the telescopes we will most likely sell them at discounted prices via the Clearance board or donate them to Scopes4SEN.  

Please let us know when you have selected the telescopes you wish to review. 

Steve 

[Chris]

2 hours ago, FLO said:

If you are looking for models that haven't yet received much attention then your list is good. 

We are happy to loan telescopes for a project like this so (assuming you don't get carried away ?) it need not cost you anything. 

When you have finished with the telescopes we will most likely sell them at discounted prices via the Clearance board or donate them to Scopes4SEN.  

Please let us know when you have selected the telescopes you wish to review. 

Steve 

Thank you Steve, really is very kind of you to help support amateur astronomy this way  

I'll kindly accept your offer to loan a scope for review. I think loaning rather than buying will help push me to produce a better review. If I just buy one there isn't any pressure. 

I'll let yo know which scope plus my details via PM once I've stopped making a meal out of deciding, I just need to narrow it down a bit further first     

[Chris]

As I have 3 kids and the following scope seems to be aimed at families. I think I'm leaning towards the Celestron Inspire 90az. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/beginner-telescopes/celestron-inspire-90mm-az-short-refractor.html

I also can't find much in the way of 3rd party reviews out there on this scope. 
 

I can't say this is what I initially imagined buying/loaning, but it might be a sensible option considering the above. You can also use the scope during the daytime due to the prism diagonal. This will add flexibility to the review as I can assess the scope both in the day and at night. 

I was very temped by the Avant also, but there are a few very good third party reviews already. I'm not sure what I can ad to these? 

 

  

 

[FLO]

20 hours ago, FLO said:

We are happy to loan telescopes for a project like this so (assuming you don't get carried away ?) it need not cost you anything. 

 

17 hours ago, Lockie said:

I'll kindly accept your offer to loan a scope for review.

I didn't mean a single telescope ? 

FLO will happily loan you all the telescopes on your list. 

Please let us know when your list is complete. 

Steve 

[Alkaid]

That’s a fantastic gesture from Flo.  Superb!

[Chris]

9 hours ago, FLO said:

 

I didn't mean a single telescope ? 

FLO will happily loan you all the telescopes on your list. 

Please let us know when your list is complete. 

Steve 

Whaaat!?!? ? ? 

I'm lost for words! wow, that really is amazing Steve. Thank you!  

You don't mean all at once do you though? I'm selling my town house at the moment and have people coming round for viewings, so can't have one of the rooms full of starter telescopes, as amazing at that would be ?.

One at a time would be absolutely amazing though, as it would enable me to do a series of reviews! Pros and cons of each etc.

 Are you sure?

I'm utterly gobsmacked, and can't find an appropriate emoji to convey my surprise and appreciation. 

I still remember when my twins were born nearly 5 years ago, and you guys sent us some baby grows. I was gobsmacked with gratitude then. You guys never cease to amaze!  

 

[FLO]

We are happy to help ? 

I remember you were a FLO customer back when FLO was much smaller and life was more precarious. 

Steve

[Rick_It]

What about this?

130mm, AZ-Pronto

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-pronto/sky-watcher-explorer-130ps-az-pronto.html

[Skyline]

On ‎27‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 11:07, FLO said:

We are happy to help ? 

I remember you were a FLO customer back when FLO was much smaller and life was more precarious. 

Steve

My words exactly ! ?

[Chris]

Just an update, below is the final list I discussed with Steve at FLO:

Steve is kindly letting me keep each scope for a period of two months, plenty of time to get some quality time under the stars, and to formulate a balanced review. 

First up is the Skymax 102 AZ Pronto outfit, ETA around Monday   

@ Steve and Team FLO  ?

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/inspire-series-telescopes/celestron-inspire-90mm-az-short-refractor.html

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-eq-avant/sky-watcher-skyhawk-1145ps-az-eq-avant.html 

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/astro-fi-series-telescopes/celestron-astro-fi-90mm-refractor.html

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/latest-telescopes/celestron-powerseeker-114eq-with-motor-drive-and-phone-adapter.html

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-az-pronto/sky-watcher-skymax-102-az-pronto.html

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/latest-telescopes/sky-watcher-star-discovery-90i.html

[Louis D]

Perhaps FLO could start something like Agena Astro's Equinox monthly newsletter to collect user reviews such as yours in an easily accessible and highly visible place for their customers.  I don't know of an Equinox equivalent on your side of the pond.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Chris - that is a good choice of beginners scopes and I look forward to your individual reviews. I may even plagiarise some of your comments, if you let me ?, when I give my talk in July.

[Chris]

18 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Chris - that is a good choice of beginners scopes and I look forward to your individual reviews. I may even plagiarise some of your comments, if you let me ?, when I give my talk in July.

Thanks Mark, and plagiarise away, I'd be honoured if someone did ?

[Alfian]

Great stuff Chris, you're going to be very busy and I hope the weather plays ball. I'll be particularly interested how the Pronto compares with the Avant mount. Similar in many ways but in use? Last word for FLO - brilliant.

 

[Alien 13]

Still think you should have a 90 mm Mak in there, best scope ever made....

Alan 

[Alfian]

18 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

Still think you should have a 90 mm Mak in there, best scope ever made....

Alan 

I have both the SE4 (102 Mak) and an ETX 90 . I've  not had both out together and conditions obviously make a difference and whilst the Se4 is no slouch by any means, to my eye the ETX is consistently  just that tiny tad sharper, certainly enough to be impressed that such a small aperture scope can be so good.

[Chris]

22 hours ago, Alfian said:

Great stuff Chris, you're going to be very busy and I hope the weather plays ball. I'll be particularly interested how the Pronto compares with the Avant mount. Similar in many ways but in use? Last word for FLO - brilliant.

 

Thanks Ian, I'll make note of your request. It would be interesting to see which mount feels most stable, plus the practicalities of each. 

[Chris]

19 hours ago, Alien 13 said:

Still think you should have a 90 mm Mak in there, best scope ever made....

Alan 

I did have a soft spot for my ETX90 which I owned for 3 years back in the early 2000's, so I hear what you're saying, Alan.

I am reviewing a 102mm Mak, infact the parcel arrived this afternoon (thanks FLO!) This is surely going to be pretty close to the 90mm but a tad brighter?

I'm going on nightshift shortly, but I'll unbox it over the weekend. I may well do an unboxing video of each scope as well as a review. This will keep each video down to more manageable time as I won't need to include it in the actual review, and I feel it's important to include an unboxing review as well as a long term use review as it gives potential buyers a good idea of how they are going to receive the scope, and to put it together.