Orion StarMax 127mm Equatorial Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first heard of the Orion Starmax series I was a bit skeptical. I figured that any scope designed to be this compact and portable would inevitably come at a great cost. Well, fortunately I was wrong. These small and portable Maks are remarkably strong performers, especially on the Moon and planets. And the somewhat larger sizes - such as this Starmax 127 - can also give respectable views of nebulae and clusters.
The tube is very sturdy and well-built. Collimation was spot-on. The focus knob on the back of the tube adjusts the mirror's position and has proven to be very easy to use. When put into action, the Starmax can deliver almost unreal views of the Moon and very beautiful detail on Jupiter. Tight binaries such as Lyra's Double-Double are easily split, and the scope can handle 300x on good nights without any trouble. (It comes with a 25mm Plossl for 61x.)
There are only three minor weaknesses with this scope. The first is that the focal length is so long (1540mm) that wide-field views are not attainable. Secondly, the finder scope is rather poor, and I recommend that you look for another finder. Finally, if you buy the Apex version of the Starmax everything will be the same except for a 45-degree diagonal that gives right side up views. This diagonal is not very good quality.
But once you deal with those issues, you will have a scope that gives refractor-like image quality within the solar system but can still reach out into deep space from time to time. This makes an excellent first telescope if portability is an issue. If you already own a large scope then this one would excel for taking with you on vacation.

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For the discriminating observer who wants performance and quality optics as well as portability and easy set-up, the StarMax 127 EQ is the telescope of choice. Its Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design and big 127mm (5") aperture deliver bright, high-resolution images in a tube only 14.5" long! The StarMax 127 EQ's light-gathering power gives faint deep-sky objects distinctly more "presence" in the field of view, and for vivid planetary and lunar study, its long 1540mm focal length (f/12.1) permits magnifications upwards of 250x with optional eyepieces. Internal tube baffling and multi-coatings on the meniscus lens maximize image contrast and brightness. The StarMax 127 package includes our beefy AstroView equatorial mount with adjustable aluminum tripod, a 25mm Sirius Plossl eyepiece (1.25"), mirror star diagonal, 6x26 correct-image finder scope, and padded case. One-year limited warranty.

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