Meade ETX125PE

[Bullmastiff]

Hi all im looking to buy a Meade ETX125PE is this a good scope and can i use it with proper filters to view the sun?

[Cornelius Varley]

Meade make some great telescopes, unfortunately they also make some bad mechanics. The ETX range are great optically (I have an etx105 ota) but the mounts tend to be a little unreliable. For about the same price your could get a Celestron Nexstar 5 SE which also has a more versatile mount which is a failing of the Meade ETX range, you could reuse the mount with a small refractor for example. To use this type of telescope for solar view you must use a solar filter, such as Baader AstroSolar film over the lens at the front of the telescope, otherwise the heat build up within the telescope will cause severe damage to the optics.

Peter

[Bullmastiff]

The Meade ETX125PE i can buy for £450 as its last one in stock thats why i am considering buying it i have read good reviews on this scope as for the mechanics how bad is it or is it something i will can live with?

[Cornelius Varley]

By bad mechanically I mean it is not unknow for gearwheels to strip their teeth or the electrics to die. Their reliablity is not that good. For £349 you could get a Skywatcher 127Mak.

Peter

[Bullmastiff]

i have read nothing like that in the reviews is this your experience?

[steve_bham]

I have the ETX 125 version and dont have any problems with the mount, goto is spot on and is much quieter than my nexstar 6se. I think the earlier scopes had problems (non metal internal arms) but newer models are just as reliable as the nexstars. If you can get it for £450 then its a good price.

[Cornelius Varley]

Here is a post I have just found on the Weasner's Etx website ( I didn't spend too much time looking, just clicked on an archive link ) Weasner's Meade ETX-125 user feedback. The fault with the mount is a stripped gear wheel. There are a few reviews of the ETX125 here Excelsis Ratings/Reviews, most fairly positve, some not (usually complaining about the mechanical quality. Personally if I had to chose between a discounted ETX125 and a Celestron Nexstar 5SE I would go for the Celestron, they are easier to set up and the mount can be reused on another future telescope, not something you can do with the ETX range.

Peter

Peter

[steve_bham]

Here is a post I have just found on the Weasner's Etx website ( I didn't spend too much time looking, just clicked on an archive link ) Weasner's Meade ETX-125 user feedback. The fault with the mount is a stripped gear wheel. There are a few reviews of the ETX125 here Excelsis Ratings/Reviews, most fairly positve, some not (usually complaining about the mechanical quality. Personally if I had to chose between a discounted ETX125 and a Celestron Nexstar 5SE I would go for the Celestron, they are easier to set up and the mount can be reused on another future telescope, not something you can do with the ETX range.

Peter

Peter

Think that was before they beefed up the mount. Older mounts had alot more plastic in them. Newer mounts have more metal and are stronger so less likely to cause a problem.

There are many happy customers with the ETX, take a look at the cloudy nights webpage they did a comparision between the nexstar and etx 125.

[brianb]

The ETX 125? Nice OTA, pity about the mount ... shakes like a leaf & if you don't know the meaning of "backlash" you soon will. You can't get the mount to track the sun unless you align it at night & park the scope or leave it running ...

If you're serious about solar work a 80mm refractor will do you just as well. You should be able to get quite a good one for the price of an ETX 125.

[oshb5]

Wish i had a PE now LOL rather than the standard

[Bullmastiff]

thanks for all the advise im still confused lol

[steve_bham]

thanks for all the advise im still confused lol

It is confussing, as both are god scopes. ive had both the nexstar 5 and 6se and now got the etx125.

Both have there dedicated followers, as for me as you can see im now a meade fan. Not saying the the nexstar is no good but i personally like the fork mount and the optics of the scope.

Do a search on cloudy nights will throw up very good advise on both scopes.