At what price does an ETX125 become a great rig?

So i just picked up what i think as a steel on the bay. Its an ETX 125 but thats as far as I want to go with descriptions.

It seems as though the ETX 125 is a highly subjective scope stirring many opposing opinions. At least for me, i had previously looked at these and ruled them out due to other, better? scopes in the same $1000 price range. My question is this, at what price does the ETX 125 setup become a must have for us amateurs, $200, $500, $700, where its at now, never...you decide. Lets say for our purposes this is for the same set up as the $1000 coated goto kit.





Secondly, i wound up recently selling a Celestron 80ed ASGT, and though i could never actually align it, ive regretted it everyday since. Im really interested in a scope with superior planetary views, average to above average DSO views, all in a more compact, portable setup than the ASGT 80ed...goto is not a big deal to me but tracking 'dbe nice. A very limited budget so were talkin used here, $600 and under for a usable set up, any other suggestions i might have missed?

>>>My question is this, at what price does the ETX 125 setup become a must have for us amateurs, $200, $500, $700, where its at now, never...you decide.
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A great deal is a great deal...

A great deal does not make a great scope. Whether it costs $5, $500, or $5000, the experience at the eyepiece is the same, it's either good or it isn't, the setup either works for you or it doesn't.

A few years ago I bought an ETX-125 because the price was right. The GOTO worked well, it provided reasonable views but the 1900mm focal length with a 1.25inch focuser in a 5 inch scope just does not do it for me. One of the virtues of a smaller scope is the abililty to wander around with a widefield view and just see what there is to see. Your C80ED was quite good at this, a 4 degree TFoV and a 5+mm exit pupil can provide some stunning view, particularly from a dark site. With the ETX-125 it is more like 0.8 degree TFoV and a 2.5mm exit pupil. There are similarly sized scopes that give much wider fields of view than the ETX-125 and at the same time provide very good high magnification views, for me, such scopes can be "must have."

For you, the ETX-125 may be just the thing, you will have a chance to try it and if you find it doesn't work for you, then you are in a position to pass your good deal on to someone else here on AM (Profit is for Dealers only, according to the TOS.)

If you are looking for the best views, plantary and otherwise on a $600 budget, well, a 10 inch DOB is hard to beat. There is no tracking, that's the price for the significantly better views. Whether it is the detail on the surface of Jupiter or a faint galaxy, the plain vanilla 10 inchers from China and Taiwan are quite amazing. But again, a great deal does not make a great telescope...

If you want tracking, something along the lines an 8 inch Newtonian on a CG-5 AS provides a lot of punch. Newtonians provide the most bang for the buck so if you are looking to get the good views on a budget, that is where you should be looking.

But again, the ETX-125 may well be your dream come alive, you may find it provides the sort of planetary views you enjoy in a package that compact and portable.

That's my two cents.

jon

well it seems as though the poor little guy doesnt cut it for any price so far. I appreciate the suggestions, a newt has not come into consideration quite yet for me so I'll be checking them out. Basically in my range are...

90+ maks
10" dob
up to a 120mm refractor
66 doublet Apo
150mm newt
possibly a used c5???
80 ed refractors
or any of the new celestron omni xlt series if anyone knows anything about these.

portability is the key so im aware of the comprimise, and the only reason i bought the etx 125 was price and possible resale value. can it really be that bad of a scope that all astromarters cant stand it. Im not a fan of the cge5 mount, it is bulky and cuts down on portability but i know i want a good stand, so in turn the more portable the ota the better. Dobs are pretty much out of the question for my situation. Appreciate all the insight fellas.