Used Meade 16" or New 14":?

Hello to all, I need some help from anyone who can speak from experience on if I should buy a used meade 16"sct or purchase a new 14". I am suffering from ap feaver but do not want to make one step forward and two sideway's
Any advise is greatly aprreciated.


JOhn

Geoff Gaherty, one of the moderaters of Yahoo "Talking Telescopes" group posted the follwing comment about the Mead 16" on 23 NOV 03.

"I suspect that there's a lot of variation in the optical quality of SCTs, no matter who makes them or how much they cost. Certainly there are many good ones, and a few excellent ones, but there are also some real dogs, Both the Meade 16" SCTs I've used have had terrible optics, simply not acceptable for the amount of money they charge for them. Yet one of my friends owns a Celestron 14" which is simply exquisite and another a Celestron 8" of similar quality. Newtonians with mirrors by the like of Zambuto and Harry will probably outperform average scopes at least one size larger. Certainly my 11" Zambuto thinks it's a 12.5"!

Geoff is certainly one of the most knowledgeable telescope person I have ever came across on the internet. I guess the point is to select quality of optics over size. That's why I am thinking of the TEC 200 APO or equivalent if I ever get another scope.

Erik D

PS. You can read Geoff's post in it's entirety at the Yahoo Talking Telescopes group. It's message # 90900.

Hello John!

I personally would go with the 14", and spend the "savings" on a variety of accessories, like good quality eyepieces, CCD camera or Digital SLR, etc, etc.
I don't think that at the 14" point the extra 2" would make such a critical improvement, but the difference in money is not something to laugh about... (even in the USED market)

I sure hope you have a fixed area for these scopes, as I do not consider them "PORTABLE"...(specially the 16"!)



Anyways, this is just my opinion, but any one you decide to get at the end will be a great scope nonetheless!



Clear skies, and good luck!



Ivan

Hi John.

I got in late on this discussion. I recently took delivery of my new 14" LX200GPS in September. I started out with an LX90 (which I intend to keep). I considered the price difference for the extra 2" of aperture coupled with the fact that the 14" may still be portable enough to take away from the city.

I can't really comment on the 16" as I have only once looked through the one here at the Space and Science Centre in Edmonton.

I am not a seasoned veteran, but I will say that the 14" is one very impressive telescope. Providing you add the Peterson grips, it is portable (I find anyway). I routinely move this scope in and out of the house and can have it set up in 10 minutes. I can't imagine doing that with a 16".

As far as optics and GOTO are concerned, well, I find both the LX90 and 14" LX200GPS are exquisite. I don't think you would be disappointed with a 14". I don't have a single complaint - and you could use the exta money you would save to buy a whole bunch of accessories!

Best of luck, John, I'm sure you'll be happy whichever route you take. I have added an image I took with my 14". Sorry for the duplication, this image was recently posted on another forum, I hope nobody minds. I just wanted to show you what this telescope can be capable of in moderate seeing conditions. (I have never collimated it, by the way).

James, it's great to hear you got another 14". I cringed when I saw what you were asking and the fact that nobody seemed to be interested. Wow, I would've bought yours, had I not already had one!

Clear and Steady Skies to all.

Derrick.

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