Meade LX-10 8"

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Meade LX-10 8"
I bought the LX-10 last year, and I absolutely LOVE it. I have had many telescopes, and have been an amature astronomer for MANY years, and I'm really happy with this telescope! I love the fact that it's a pretty sturdy telescope considering it's not their top-of-the-line scope, it has excellent optics, and although it might not be the best choice for astrophotgraphy, I use my camera with it for many things like the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn. It is true that it might not be as sturdy as their more expensive telescopes or have the best motor drive units, and you might want to invest in a counterweight system if you choose to do photography with it, but it does however produce quality views, loads of fun, and it is a GREAT telescope! I am extremely happy with it, and if I had to do it all over again, I'd buy another one. Don't let people tell you that this telescope can NOT be used for photography...IT CAN! I am doing astrophotography with it, and my images are turning out better than I thought they would. Take your time, start with easy objects like the Moon, and take it from there. Practice makes perfect. Overall, I love my LX-10, I am very pleased with it, and I highly recommend it.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37413

Meade LX-10 8"
great value for money,and yes it can be used for astrophotography.If you are thing of buying it just do!!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37414

Meade LX-10 8"
I've owned my LX-10 for over three years. Do I like it? I love it, but part of me wants to go ahead and buy the LX-200, anyway. I agree with most of those who say that the 10 has some flaws when it comes to photography but I've had stunning results. Perhaps some of you who have had less than desirable results might consider changing your photo shop. Bad prints are a heck of a lot more common than good ones when it comes to camera stores. As for no PEC, well, pay attention to your guiding, or if you've got the cash, buy the 201XT autoguider. I also suspect that not enough time is spent on polar allignment prior to any photography. All in all, I find it a fantastic buy for less than a $1000. But I concur, buy the larger tripod and finder, or your back will give out before your optics can dew up.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37415

Meade LX-10 8"
I have had the deluxe model LX 10 for close to two years now and it is fantastic. The optics are excellent. On steady nights I have seen the C ring of Saturn and Cassini's division is definate. I have taken excellent photos of the moon at various phases as well as totally eclipsed. I haven't got into prime focus photography yet. For visual use a quick alignment is all you need and the tracking works great. The lighter mount may make the scope a little less stable than the LX 50 or 200, but less weight and bulk are a definate plus when it comes to portability. I find it very stable anyway. Like someone else said, the LX 10 is the first set up at the beginning and the first packed up at the end of observing sessions. I have so far been using the standard LX 10 field tri-pod which is OK, but I probably will upgrade to the adjustable. I highly recommend this scope.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37416

Meade LX-10 8"
No that Meade have introduced the LX90, this scope represents even better value for money. The LX90 is nothing more than a goto scope. Many people have fallen for the hype and went out and bought the LX90. Fact is the LX90 is a visual scope. If you don't mind finding objects yourself save the dosh and buy the LX10!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37417

Meade LX-10 8"
I just recently bought the lx10 (an upgrade from my ds-114..first scope). I found the setup easy and the performance wonderful. The optics were out of collimation (which terrified me), but using their manual, I found getting the mirrors set right was much easier than my ds-114. I did have a problem getting use to the fork mount, but once I understood the design, I was off to the races. My intention is to use this scope in conjuction with ccd imaging and have seen quite a lot of quality photos take with the lx10, so I am not sure what to make of some of the negative post. But with Meade by my side and the dealer ensuring me that it will hold it's value for quite some time (incase I do need to upgrade to a large scope), I had no problems plopping down the $900+. As for RA tracking, I have had to walk away from this scope for up to 30 minutes at a time and have always found the image right where I left it. They do need to do something with the manual focuser...it really sucks..Meade did offer me one tip: They said to run the focuser all the way in and all the way out 10 times to get it flowing smothly. It's tedious, but does seem to help...

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37418

Meade LX-10 8"
this telescope exceeds in all areas, believe me

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37419

Meade LX-10 8"
For the price the best 8in CAT available. Excellent optics with great contrast. No bells and whistles, but all the required elements for moving into this design and aperture of scope. Those folks who feel the LX-10 is not suitable for astrophotography must have felt that astrophotography was impossible for the amateur a few years ago. Many fine photos have been generated with much less than this scope offers. It is NOT a point and shoot telescope that guides itself and it was not designed to be. Add a telrad and adjustable tripod and you have a scope that will serve you well for a long time.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37420

Meade LX-10 8"
I Like the optics and it shows great views of deep sky and planetary objects. the only downside is that it is not go to automatic capable but there is a computer attachment that enables you to find an object in the sky anywhere in 10 to 15 seconds.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37421

Meade LX-10 8"
This is not the greatest scope in the world, but it is a very good scope. The first night, with no experience, I put the thing together and saw Jupiter, Saturn, the moon and Orion Nebula. Some nights I leave the motor off and just explore all over the sky; wow look at that, amazing what you will see. This is the perfect first scope. Even if you purchase a LX-200 as a second scope, you will still use this scope; looking around while the LX-200 takes a photo that you can see just as easy in a magazine or book (for a lot cheaper). Purchase a high power eye piece, barlow, nebula filter, moon filter, 6.3 flattener, low-power wide-angle lens, a set of planet filters and a piggyback camera adapter. Even with a lot of extras and the deluxe package, this scope is a better deal that the LX-90 because you can see and do so much more for the same amount of money. I do not see any difference between digital astrophotography and looking at it in a book. You wait and just see in on a screen. I like looking in the glass eye piece. Searching the heavens is the best way to start out. A low resolution CCD and short time exposures with a wide view work just fine on the LX-10. To do any better, you will approach 3X the amount of money. Save the money until you can get a 12 inch with a great CCD and laptop. Yea, drag all that stuff to a deep sky site, no way.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37422

Meade LX-10 8"
Genrally the optics are very good but I have had many problems with the Dec circles which refuse to stay true either with the actual declination or with each other. Think about buying Digital Setting Circles (Magellan I).

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37423

Meade LX-10 8"
I sold my Celestron G8 and I bought the Meade LX10 after experiencing one at a star party(I don't need or like GoTo). The optics on my LX10 are as good as my former Celestron G8, that is to say VERY good. Star tests reveal near identicle ring patterns both inside and outside on both scopes, perhaps a little more perfect on the Meade.

The Meade's worm gear RA drive is superior to the G8's Chinese motor drive. The Meade is light-weight and easier to setup; the G8 is awkward to work with. I recieved the standard tripod free with the Meade. The whole package is quite stable for visual observing. Astro-photography is also quite accessable with this mount. If you want a basic 8"SCT at a low price, with great optics, a good, easy-to-use mount and drive, and compatibility with a ton of accessories, the LX10 cannot be beat.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37424

Meade LX-10 8"
I've had the LX-10 for about 9 months with an average amount of viewing time. The optics (once collimated) are great. I've had a few minor problems (setting cirlces shifting, misc manufacturing problems), but overall decent quality. I have the standard tripod but greatly suggest getting the adjustable one. Overall, a good starter SCT for a decent price.

Overall Rating: 8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37425

Meade LX-10 8"
I am a novice astonomer and got the LX10 as a do everything all around scope. Deep sky, planets and the moon look great. I got the deluxe package with a free tripod. For serious astrophotos, you need a 12 inch with CCD or do like I do and visit the Hubble site and down load what you want with less effort. I just wanted to see for myself and take a few photos as records of items that I have observed. At less than 50 lbs and easy to set up and travel, this scope is truly portable. I have learned more about the sky and astonomy in a the few months that I have had the LX10 than all the rest of my life.

The views are great. Saturn with rings. Bands and spots on Jupiter. Craters and ridges on the moon. Many countless nebula and globs. All from my back yard. Magellan computer makes it much faster to find faint items. I have a procedure for setup and a procedure to find an item and if I follow them I get the item every time.

Complaints I have are few. The colmination screws are too sensitive. It takes a small movement here and there and then suprise it is great. This scope must be set or checked every time. The finder scope should be 90 degree. The dec circles roll around and you have to invent your own solution for getting them aligned. Someone needs to make a 2 inch sturdy diagonal that has thread on both ends so that a camera and rack focuser can be attached and come out 90 degrees to the side.

For anyone that wants a starter one-do-everything scope, the LX10 is my choice and you will have alot of fun with this one. I will keep it forever and use it all the time, and that is what it is all about.

end...

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37426

Meade LX-10 8"
Don't even think of using this scope without a good collimation. Once done, mine produces truly beautifull images of planets, although I personally don't think it has the light grasp for impressive deep sky observing.

I use it mostly as a planetary and double scope. I don't do photography, so the mout tracks well enough for me. Incredibly easy to set up and adjust.

Just one thing: stars are always a bit fuzzy on the edges above 200X. I can't adjust this out, and when splitting close doubles this is irritating.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37427

Meade LX-10 8"
Great scope for the money. Listen, polar alignment is hard with ANY scope, so when I read people saying that a scope doesnt track good in RA or DEC, then they must not know how to properly poalr align a telescope. Get a push button goto if all you want to do is impress your friends. The LX-10 is great. Exactly the same optics as the LX200. I have heard dealers saying "well Meade says the optics are the same, but you know they put the better optics in the LX200's". Bull!! I say BULL!! I've been to the Meade factory in Irvine, Ca. The optics are exactly the same. For astrophotography, I have had no problems. I have the dec motor too. Polar alignment takes me 10 minutes, with a illum eyepiece, drift method, 15 at the max. I piggybacked my OM-1, used a 9mm ilum eyepiece from Lumicon, and only made very minor adjustments with my hand controller. The 500mm lens on the OM-1 resulted in stunning photos of Orion. 2 60 minute exposures, were no problem, even the corner guide star was almost pinpoint on the film. In Prime Focus Nebulas rendered beautiful color (even better than my buddies LX200..LOL).
Tripod: Great field tripod. So easy, unfold the legs, slip on the fork mount, 3 thumb screws thats it. Hey we could talk about add-ons, sand in the legs and adjustable height tripods all days long, but we are talking about the LX-10 as it comes out of the box. Now I could add sand to the legs of my tripod, but, I don't have a habit of bumping the hell out of my scope while I'm viewing. or after I have set it up. If your a bit clumbsy, then maybe you need to pour cement around the legs of your tripod, LOL.
Anyway, for the money, bang for the buck, the LX-10 has got my vote. Great optics, easy to setup, and easy to pack around, even in the trunk of a small car. I put mine in the back of a 2000 Honda Civic, right in the trunk, box and all, no problem.
Other scopes I own, or have owned: Pronto, Celestron SCT's through 10, Tak, Meade SCT through 12" Meade Refractor 70-150mm and my favorite, Astrophysics.
Current set-up:
Takahashi FS-152JP 152mm Fluorite Refractor on NJP-160 mount
300 mm Dall-Kirkham Cassegrain on EM-500III mount
LX-10, Pronto W/OM-1 piggy back.
Email: JflowersMIS@aol.com

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 15 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=37428

Meade LX-10 8"
I've owned my LX10 for well over a year now. This has been one very fine telescope for $999 including tripod. A star test proved the Meade optics to be VERY good. The mount (tripod and Eq. wedge) is good enough for high powered visual astronomy. It's not as solid as an LX200 but the LX10 is MUCH lighter. The lighter weight makes it easier to transport and set up. You have to have a light touch to view at high power but, over all, it's quite good. The drive motor uses a 9v battery and tracks accurately enough to keep an object centered at high power for hours. You get a lot for your money with the LX10. This is the best value in a scope known to man with Eq mount & drive!

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:8 Mount:8 Ease of Use:9 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=133281

Meade LX-10 8"
The mount needed a bit of tweaking to get tracking right on, you need to spend some time on collimation and looking near the pole is hell (as it is with all forks), but the optics are great, and this scope is an outstanding value. I've had mine for a year, and I haven't regretted it for a moment.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:8 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=340171

Meade LX-10 8"
9V Battery compartment flimsy - broke 1st time. Viewfinder bracket would not allow screws to seat all the way back into the scope - scratched finish trying to tighten them down with vise grip (allen wrench stripped screw head) - Motor drive has periodic error that recurs every couple of minutes causing objects to disappear off field at any appreciable magnification, and then reappear, but not all the way to center. I really think photography would be hard on all but the brightest objects if you get a unit with this kind of tracking error.

For all that, the scope is optically sound and reasonably mounted - no collimation problem as some have said and very easy to set up for a scope of this size, so I use it frequently. Also I only paid $900 for the UHTC model and that makes up for some deficiencies. I definitely recommend the UHTC version, as you need all the light you can get. In addition you will need a good diagonal and a wideangle RA viewfinder or Telrad. I am also contemplating the f6.3 reducer/flattener as a visual accessory to improve the width of field and the edge distortions. I think this is key because this scope really excels at moderate power and a wider FOV would probably make for stunning views.

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:8 Mount:6 Ease of Use:10 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
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Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=352543

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