jyams's Stats
- Review Count11
- Helpfulness Votes13
- First ReviewJanuary 3, 2012
- Last ReviewFebruary 29, 2012
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.3
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First Review CommentNone
- Last Review CommentNone
- Featured Review Comments0
The Orion LaserMate Deluxe Telescope Collimator makes aligning your Newtonian's Optics a simple one-step procedure. It is smaller, lighter and less expensive than the previous version.
Rating
Good but not great.....
PostedFebruary 29, 2012
Quality
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
I purchased this product based on research. Generally, it gets good reviews. My experience is as follows. I have an XT10i scope. Using the supplied collimation cap the collimation was close. When I received the LaserMate Delux I checked the collimation again (after using the scope for a month) and it showed that collimation was slightly off. I noticed right off that the LaserMate doesn't fit snug in the viewfinder slot. However, I tightened it down and collimated the mirrors to match the laser beam. I love the ease of using a laser collimator. Now, the con. As good as the concept of using the laser collimator tool is, the problem is the sloppy fit in the viewfinder. I have since researched and found an additional way to user the LaserMate by combining it with a Barlow lens. I tried that solution last night and again found that the collimation cap showed good collimation yet the LaserMate showed collimation was off a bit. So, I have ordered the Orion Centering Adapter ring which should solve the problem of sloppy fit in the eyepiece focus ring by providing a perfect center fit for the LaserMate, which then in turn should provide accurate collimation. All the reviews and forum posts indicate that the centering ring adapter solves that problem. The added benefit of of the centering adapter is actual eyepiece centering every time and easy exchange of eyepieces without fooling with the tightening knob every time. I think the centering adapter ring should be standard on the Crayford focuser. Anyway, having said all of that, I recommend the LaserMate Delux as a collimation tool. But I also recommend the centering adapter as an additional accessory. I might also add that I have used the LaserDelux on my new Orion Astroview 6 Eq scope and it seems to work well. The collimation cap and the LaserMate match up pretty well in collimation results. I did notice that the LaserMate fits the focuser on the 6 Eq better than the XT10i. I give it 4 stars at this time while I wait for my centering adapter to come in to get 100% benefit from the LaserMate. One thing for sure, the LaserMate makes collimation very easy. That's the real goal of this product anyway.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: nebulas
Pros: ease of use
Cons: sloppy fit in focuser, works better with centering adapter ring
Yes, I recommend this product!
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The AstroView 6 is a great telescope for the intermediate viewer. The manual slow motion knobs track objects or add an optional EQ3 DC drive to the mount to power the scope electronically. A good size telescope for planetary and deep sky viewing.
Rating
Very impressive performance & features
PostedFebruary 27, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I'm already an owner of an XT10i Dobsonian. However, this large scope is not very mobile. My wife and I wanted a scope setup that we could put in a case and take out of town with us and use on weekend trips to state parks and other locations, especially dark sky sites at our in-laws and children's homes in other cities and states. I chose the 6 inch reflector and equatorial mount although I have no experience with equatorial mounts. I followed the instructions in putting the scope together and also spent time reviewing forums discussing how to use equatorial mounts and the pros and cons. My first impression of the tripod and mount was one of high quality. It took me an hour or so after getting everything setup to review everything and get a good understanding how to properly align and aim everything. I will say that I had already decided to forego trying to align the mount with Polaris and use a compass to orient the tripod and mount "north" and set the proper latitude for my location. When I moved the scope out to my driveway, I quickly pointed north, already had my latitude set, and used a bubble level to quickly level everything. Took about 2 minutes. I then used Jupiter to line up the site scope to the viewfinder and then verified that I could use the alt / az knobs to properly track when Jupiter moved out of the field of view. Wow, it worked perfect. A quick adjustment of the knob and Jupiter came right back to the center of my field of view. I like that! I then viewed the other obvious sky objects and then did some star hopping. All in all I was very impressed. When reading in forums about tripod mounts much was said about the value of the vibration suppression pads that go under the legs of the tripod, so I had already ordered and received these. I was so impressed with how much these pads helped the vibration of the scope on my driveway surface. I had previously used a Cassegrain tripod mounted scope before and the worst feature was the vibration. I could never focus it due to vibration problems. However, this Astroview 6 inch setup with the vibration pads is silky smooth. No frustration at all with trying to focus or view objects. I had ordered the Accuview Focuser but am sending it back because I don't need it. Steady focus and view is almost as smooth as my Dobsonian. I also checked the collimation and it was perfect, right out of the box. Lastly, I had purchased a Plano 37 inch plastic storage bin with wheels at Home Depot hoping I could pack the Astroview 6 inch / tripod in it for transporting. Using the OTA foam from the shipping box for the tube and some other foam I already had I successfully packed everything in this bin and now am ready to take my scope in my car. Very proud of this setup. I highly recommend this telescope, mount, tripod setup. I also recommend the anti vibration pads as a vital accessory to add.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: planets and nebula
Pros: portable, ease of use, quality construction
Cons: eq mount can be complex to understand
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For deep sky observing in light-polluted areas this 1.25" Orion SkyGlow Broadband Telescope filter is perfect. It blocks the most common wavelengths of light pollution for increased contrast and better views.
Rating
Good visual enhancement tool
PostedFebruary 22, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Fit
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I live in the suburbs in a very light-polluted area. I wanted to filter out as much of that light pollution as possible. This filter does make a difference as noted in using the same lens without the filter. I recommend it for observers who live in similar conditions who want to clarify their view by filtering out light pollution.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: nebulas
Yes, I recommend this product!
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This telescope for the advanced viewer allows you to customize it to fit your own needs. The Orion Build-A-Scope 10 Intelliscope lets you choose your favorite focuser, finder scope, and eyepiece. View over 14,000 objects at the push of a button.
Rating
Scope is great, COL has shortcomings
PostedFebruary 20, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Due to the winter weather I haven't had a really good chance to get a serious session with my scope. However, I have used it enough to testify to its build quality, affirm its reputation as a great scope in a suburban setting, and an excellent instrument for capturing objects in conditions that are less than ideal. I originally thought I might occasionally take this scope on an outing to darker skies however, after using it at the house for over a month, I now see that is impractical. It is heavy and bulky and, though not impossible, is not a portable scope good for throwing in the car. My adult kids gave me a two-wheel dolly for my birthday this weekend to use in getting the scope in and out of the house and that's been a HUGE plus. Rather than taking it apart (tube from base), I can now move the whole thing out to my driveway without disassembling. I love that. Accessories I would recommend are a laser collimator (Orion Delux), a lens case, and a red flashlight. Another valuable addition is a second finder tool to supplement the finder scope. The finder scope is excellent but I needed a better pointer tool. I added a Telrad Quickfinder "red-dot" tool, which is like a mini Telrad. It helps me generally aim my scope and then use the finder scope to get an exact aim. Works every time! It comes with a base that is applied with double-stick tape so it mounts easily right beside the finder scope. In conclusion, my main complaint is with the Computer Object Locator (COL). I am disappointed in the display mostly. It is difficult to read, sluggish on cool nights, and frustrating to align. I called Orion Support and they sent a replacement COL, but it performs identical to the original confirming that all units perform this way. I will master the alignment challenges but can't do anything about the poor display and must live with that. However, the concept of a COL is great and does remove guesswork in finding things in the sky.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: nebulas
Pros: quality, affirm reputation
Cons: col display
Yes, I recommend this product!
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The 12.5mm Orion Illuminated Plossl Telescope Eyepiece is great for accurately aligning your computerized telescope because the LED illuminated double crossline will tell you when the star is dead center. Also use it for guiding during an exposure.
Rating
Good, not great....
PostedFebruary 15, 2012
Quality
4
/
5
Image Quality
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
Ease of Use
4
/
5
With a computer object locator (COL) on my XT10i Dobsonian, I needed to get both my finder scope and my telescope fine tuned with regard to aim. The illuminated eyepiece with crosshairs was the solution. In my case, I chose Jupiter as an alignment object, lined it up exactly in my telescope / illuminated eyepiece, then aligned my finder scope. Then, I star-aligned my COL per the prescribed process. After this process, I found the COL was more exact in getting objects in the field of view with its abilities. The illuminated eyepiece simply allows you to accurately line up your telescope with an exact center of field alignment, no guessing using the illuminated crosshairs. Simple but effective. 4 Stars are because the illuminating on/off switch is sort of flaky and my particular eyepiece doesn't give a sharp image of the crosshairs.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: nebulas
Pros: simple, exact, great tool and addition to ep
Cons: flaky on/off switch, fuzzy crosshairs not clear
Yes, I recommend this product!
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For wide-field surveying and detailed observations of large diffuse objects the 40mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece is perfect. It is ideal for all types of telescopes.
Rating
Good addition to my EP collection
PostedFebruary 13, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Use
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
I am a beginner in astronomy (age 50's). My scope was a Christmas gift but one that I wanted. It's a 10 inch dob and have just added a 6 inch EQ for traveling. So, I'm into telescopes in a big way. I have a small metal case and now have 6 eyepieces. I felt the 40mm was a good addition to my EP collection and have not been disappointed. I do most of my viewing on my driveway in a very poor area filled with city lights. So, the 40mm lets me get a good overall view from which to narrow down my choices of stars and nebulas to concentrate on.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: planets and nebula
Yes, I recommend this product!
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The Orion Holster is a great way to hold your IntelliScope Object Locator on your Dobsonian base for convenient access. It is made of aluminum and includes a template for drilling pilot holes and two mounting screws.
Rating
Nice addition to Dobsonian stand
PostedFebruary 13, 2012
Quality
5
/
5
Value
4
/
5
This little accessory is a good addition to the Dobsonian stand. However, I feel it should be included with the stand and not an accessory. I refused to use velcro to attach my COL to the stand because I thought that was a cheap solution to mounting the COL. I mounted the Holster when it came in and now I fell like my Dobsonian base is complete. I originally expected to use the COL in the holster, but I still find I need to remove the COL and hold it in my hand to actually read the display. The main problem here is that the display on the COL is so poor and hard to read. The computer is very slow and the display characters are just POOR. So, this has turned into more of a review of the COL than the holster. But, the holster itself is something I want and need on my base and does serve its purpose.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: planets and nebula
Yes, I recommend this product!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Need for a good way to start identifying constellations? The Orion Star Target Planisphere is the perfect telescope accessory! Designed for 30-50 deg North latitude and includes simple instructions and viewing tips. Just dial in the date and time!
Rating
Too Small
PostedFebruary 13, 2012
Content Quality
3
/
5
Ease of Use
2
/
5
Value
2
/
5
This star chart is full of good information, BUT it is too small to read easily, especially with a "red light" flashlight outside during a telescope session. It's a complete and easy to use chart, but it's just too tiny to read. I purchased another version that is 16 inches and far easier to read. Sorry Orion but that's my honest assessment.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: planets and nebula
Pros: good chart
Cons: too small
No, I do not recommend this product.
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The Orion Shorty Barlow Lens doubles the power of any telescope eyepiece. It has a multi-coated lens that lets in more light and allows you to enjoy higher-power, sharper images without eye strain.
Rating
Just works!
PostedFebruary 8, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Assembly & Use
5
/
5
Value
5
/
5
Simple and easy to use. Economical solution to magnification without buying additional lenses. I trusted other reviews of this product and have not been disappointed.
Yes, I recommend this product!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Zoom eyepieces allow you to view an object at low power and then view it at at a higher power without having to switch between eyepieces. The 7.2-21.5mm Orion Zoom Telescope Eyepiece has fully multi-coated optics for clear, sharp images.
Rating
Good quality and viewing experience
PostedFebruary 8, 2012
Optical Quality
5
/
5
Mechanical Quality
5
/
5
Ease of Use
4
/
5
Value
4
/
5
This zoom lens is a better quality than the lower priced version but not quite the highest quality of the more expensive version. All in all, it is worth the price and provides a convenient way to cycle through the different magnifications without changing out your lens 3-4 times. The zoom movement is a bit stiff and requires a pretty good grip to turn it or "zoom" it up or down. However, it's not too bad to not use. And, this may be by design to keep from changing the zoom accidentally. I recommend this product as a good addition to your lens collection. I use it on an XT10i at home and an AstroView 6 Eq for traveling.
Favorite viewing location: country darkness
Favorite object to observe: nebulas
Yes, I recommend this product!
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jyams's Review Comments
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