Celestron 52268 C90 Mak Spotting scope (Black)
by Celestron
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Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CelestronModel: C90 Mak
Color: Black
Product features:
- 90 mm (3.5") Diameter Maksutov spotting scope
- Multi Coated Optics
- Comes with 32 mm Eyepiece, 45° Erect Image Diagonal and 8x21 Erect Image Finderscope
- Compact and Portable Design
- Built-in T-Adapter threads for Ease of Adapting SLR Cameras
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Celestron 52268 C90 Mak Spotting scope (Black)
Customer Review: Astronomy scope?
Summary: 5 Stars
The 52268 has a Vixen-style dovetail mounting plate with 1/4-20 threaded holes which allow it to be mounted on many astronomy and photography tripods. However, for some reason known only to Celestron and OpticsPlanet, as of January 2010 this all-metal scope is being sold as a "spotting scope." It comes with: a 45-degree image-erecting prism; two eyepieces; a 1.25 inch / T-adapter (for a camera); a thing made almost totally of plastic one may, with foolish optimism, call a "tripod"; a tiny 8x21 finder scope; a backpack for the scope and eyepieces; and a very tight bag for the tripod.
To convert the 52268 into an astronomy scope one needs to buy a 90-degree 1.25 inch star diagonal, and I suggest adding a red dot finder, a moon filter, and some astronomy books. Additional eyepieces are not required as the included Plossls are adequate and give you 39x and 100x--two very useful powers. What else? Adding a REAL ASTRONOMY TRIPOD AND MOUNT--something like the Vixen Porta-II or the Astro-Tech Voyager or the Celestron Omni CG-4--could turn this into a very good grab-and-go scope.
I originally rated this as four stars because of the tripod, but the scope shouldn't be penalized. Whoever set up this package could not possibly include a $250 astronomy or photo (see the Manfrotto 055XB and Bogen 410 geared head) tripod for the price.
UPDATE 10/7/10
After using this scope with the Manfrotto 055XB tripod and Bogen 410 geared head mostly for astronomy for about six months, my impressions: You get what you get, which is a 3 1/2 inch aperture (somewhat reduced by the center mirror) telescope. I still like two included eyepieces for astronomy. I could clearly see the single band now visible on Jupiter with the 100x eyepiece this past weekend. The focuser is smooth. Very nice.
But with only 3 1/2 inches-worth of light, you don't get bright views of dim objects. Yes, you can see the ring and dumbbell nebulas in a field of black, but an 8-inch scope breathtakingly fills the black field with stars. This scope works best for the bright stuff: lunar and planetary observing. With that limitation, for its size and price, it is excellent.
As for tripods, the Manfrotto 055XB tripod and Bogen 410 geared head are functional, sturdy, rugged and compact, however the Vixen and Astro-Tech mentioned above are designed for astronomy, and are probably easier to use.
Description of Celestron 52268 C90 Mak Spotting scope (Black)
Perfect for all Types of Viewing Situations! Celestron's C90 Mak is ideal for outdoor and wildlife observing, as well as hunting and celestial viewing. The Maksutov optical design is recognized for being a portable design that is easy to use and has a variety of applications, making it an excellent choice for both terrestrial and astronomical usage. This C90 Mak has excellent optics with razor sharp images over a wide field.Celestron?s 52268 90mm Maksutov Spotting Scope delivers excellent high power optics in a compact, affordable package. The 52268 package includes a backpack style soft carrying case, an 8x21 erect image finder scope, a 1.25 inch size correct image 45* prism diagonal, and a fully coated 32mm plossl eyepiece for a magnification of 39X.
The Maksutov-Cassegrain design of the C90 uses a combination of mirrors and lenses; this ?folded? optical system has a focal length of 1250mm in a body only twelve inches long. The Maksutov design delivers high power views without a trace of the chromatic aberration, also called blue fringing, that can distort high power views in competing refractor style spotting scopes. At 40X magnification where some low cost spotting scopes start to seem fuzzy, the C90 is just getting started. The C90 uses the same 1.25 inch eyepieces used in astronomical telescopes. The standard equipment 32mm plossl eyepiece yields a magnification of 39X, but many other eyepieces can be used to vary the magnification.
The Celestron model 52268 seems very well built, with excellent multi-coatings visible on the front lens. The real beauty of this 90mm Maksutov spotting scope, however, is in the view it offers. When I use an optional 12.5mm eyepiece to look at Jupiter at 100X I can clearly see Jupiter?s major cloud bands as well as its four moons. When I look at the Moon and stars I can easily push the magnification to 200X with an optional 6mm eyepiece. When I look at birds in the backyard, I?m treated to delightful views full of vibrant color and crisp detail. With a close focus distance of only 15 feet, the detail and texture I see is simply amazing.
High magnification viewing requires a solid tripod, of course. Celestron?s Heavy Duty Altazimuth Tripod comes with slow motion controls to allow the scope to be pointed precisely, and I can clamp the dovetail base on my CG5 mount for astronomical use. The other drawback to high magnification viewing is a narrow field of view; high magnification makes it hard to follow moving targets like birds in flight. Overall the Celestron C90 Maksutov Spotting Scope does a fine job as a companion to good pair of binoculars. The C90 also doubles as a portable astronomy scope; it won?t show the flag on the Moon but it will show thousands of craters on the Moon as well as showing the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. --Jeff Phillips
Pros:
- Compact and portable
- Excellent high power optics
- Upgradeable with 1.25? eyepieces
- Adaptable for astronomy and photography
- Not waterproof
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