Mag One Portaball 12.5"


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Brand and Model:Mag One Portaball 12.5"
Price ($USD):$2800.00
Type:Newtonian
Attributes: un-checked Go-To un-checked PEC
Aperture:318mm (12.5")
f Ratio:f/5
Focal Length:1585mm
Finder:1x
Electric Power:optional
Mount:omnitorial
Tripod:n/a
Weight (lbs):65# lbs.
Dimensions (w/h/d):26"x26"x68"
Description:Mag1 PortaBall 12 Page

Vote Highlights Vote
Mag One Portaball 12.5"
Nexstar5 was my first teacher, TV 102 improved the image quality, 10" Dob showed more DSO, but the 12.5" Portaball crowns it all with even better image quality on DSO and lunar-planetary work. Unbelievable ease of use, of collimating, and of transporting it. Portaball is beautifully designed and beautifully made by Peter Smitka who also provides the service and support that cannot be better. The Zambutto mirror is a work of art. Also fantastic on splitting very close doubles. I sold
all other scopes.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=69628

>Nexstar5 was my first teacher, TV 102 improved the image quality, 10" Dob showed more DSO, but the 12.5" Portaball crowns it all with even better image quality on DSO and lunar-planetary work. Unbelievable ease of use, of collimating, and of transporting it. Portaball is beautifully designed and beautifully made by Peter Smitka who also provides the service and support that cannot be better. The Zambutto mirror is a work of art. Also fantastic on splitting very close doubles. I sold
>all other scopes.
Thanks for your review. I have a 12.5 PB on order and would appreciate your thoughts on why the PB has such ease of use in collimation. I have a conventional 10" dob and collimation of it has proved to be frustrating -- the adjustment screws for the secondary are almost impossible to reach. What is it about the PB that is so much better?

Mag One Portaball 12.5"
As a visual observer I find the 12.5" Portaball to be the best all-around scope I have ever used. The PB is easy to store, transport and set up and has outstanding optics combined with the superb Feathertouch focuser. The movements are completely intuitive and super smooth. My 12.5" has the CZ 1.6" thick primary so cool down is about half an hour with the fan running. My review of the 10" PB I previously owned expressed my view of the ergonomics so here is a bit more on performance from an observing session a couple of nights ago:

Conditions were very good stability this morning is about a 7/10 with little twinkling apparent. The view of Saturn is one of the best I have ever seen. The spiral secondary support must work as I was not aware of the usual “smearing” present in bright planetary images with a traditional spider mount.

Globe - vivid colors starting with a very bright Equatorial Zone South bordered by the olive/brown South Equatorial Belt. I was picking up detail within the EZS, a faint band about midway between the ring and the SEB. Just above the belt the planet again lightened toward the South Temperate Region and I caught glimpses of detail in the South Tropical Zone and South Temperate Belt. The South Polar Cap was very obvious, more so than I have ever noticed in previous observing sessions. Most of the observing was done through the 5mm Pentax XW ( 320x). I did push the power to see what it would hold and tried both the TMB and Circle “T” 4mm at just under 400x. Both gave a very sharp and well illuminated image but it was a task to keep the planet in the FOV.

Rings- distinct color variations in the “A” and “B” rings, most noticeable in the inner section of the “B” where it nears the Crepe Ring. The Crepe was obvious and easily traced from the inner edge of "B" to it's end. Cassinis was a jet black gap all the way around the ring and I was pretty certain that I was catching glimpses of the Enckes gap in fleeting moments of best seeing. The North Polar Region was just visible below the rings.

After only a few nights out with teh12.5" Portaball I am already sure this is my all around favorite scope!

Negatives- waiting to get the darn thing! Lack of DCSs might bother some folks. Expensive but worth it.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=403257


Mag One Portaball 12.5"
A great planetary scope. Deep sky objects are much brighter than with my TeleVue101 (as expected) but the stars are also sharper than I had expected and are comparable to the sharpness seen with my refractor.
Very easy to use and very portable for a 12.5" scope.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=57492


Mag One Portaball 12.5"
This is a revolutionary design that works better than
conventional dobs or refractors in the following ways:
1. smooth tracking and neck craning (rotating sphere)
2. easiest and most precise collimation possible
3. Zambutto mirror is fantastic on planets, not just DS objects
4. Portability on a single seat of a small car
5. Electrical options are great for dew on secondary, Rigel, and fan.
6. customer support

P.S. Isaac Newton would be proud !

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39292


Mag One Portaball 12.5"
Awesome telescope! Smoothness galore with exceptional optics. Customer service is second to none. The scope you will reach for anytime you want to observe. Aperture is large enough to see any worth seeing object.

JD

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=39291

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