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So, I used to own a second hand EDGE1100HD, and it had some mirror flop issues, so I sold it. I am currently using an f4 12 inch newt, and find using it visually a real pain. So I am considering going back to an SCT and wondered if anyone has an experience with the Meade ACF f10 12, compared to the EDGE1100HD? Out of the box, is mirror flop better with one than the other? I havent seen many Meades for sale second hand, and thats either because no one buys them or they dont sell them because they like them.
Are there any benefits from the Edge compared to the Meade?
The Celestron Edge telescopes are supposed to have mirror locks on them to prevent mirror flop. Were the mirror locks not installed or non-functional on the Edge telescope that you used?
Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac ∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO ∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5 ∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros. ∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6R, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000 ∞ Cameras: #1: ZWO ASI294MC Pro #2: 662MC #3: 120MC, Canon T3i, Orion SSAG, WYZE Cam3 ∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100 ∞ AP Gear: ZWO EAF and mini EFW and the Optolong L-eXteme filter ∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°
Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."
I used to own a 9.25 Edge and had no issues whatsoever with mirror flop. In this and other regards it outperformed the plain vanilla 9.25 SCT. I'm considering as a large cat, either the 11" Edge or the Vixen VMC260L.
Scopes: Refs: Orion ST80, SV 80EDA f7, TS 102ED f11 Newts: AWB 130mm, f5, Z12 f5; Cats: VMC110L, Intes MK66,VMC200L f9.75 EPs: KK Fujiyama Orthoscopics, 2x Vixen NPLs (40-6mm) and BCOs, Baader Mark IV zooms, TV Panoptics, Delos, Plossl 32-8mm. Mixed brand Masuyama/Astroplans Binoculars: Nikon Aculon 10x50, Celestron 15x70, Baader Maxbright. Mounts: Star Seeker IV, Vixen Porta II, Celestron CG5
I've been thinking/planning to someday buy a Celestron 11" Edge HD (to put in my future/someday observatory!) so I would like to learn more about this issue! So far, I have been leaning fairly heavily toward the Celestron 11" Edge HD rather than the competing Meade 12" LX200 ACF, specifically because: (1) there is less field curvature in the Edge HD, and my eyes aren't getting any younger, and (2) my fear that the electronics in Meade's mount just might fail catastrophically, like apparently many have done in the past, and then that Meade might abandon me (based on reports I've read with horror, on various astronomy forums) with no way to fix/service it if that happens. Reliability of hardware is a big deal! Now, if Meade were to offer a superior product warranty (say 5+ years, and preferably 10) I might consider the Meade. But at present, the Celestron warranty is actually the better one (2 yrs, vs 1 yr for Meade) and I also don't see people posting complaints of the Celestron mounts failing.
* Meade 323 refractor on a manual equatorial mount.
* Celestron C6 SCT on a Twilight 1 Alt-Az mount
Prof. Barnhardt to Klaatu in The Day the Earth Stood Still: "There are several thousand questions I'd like to ask you.”
I own the EdgeHD11 and the optics are excellent. As for the mirror flop, there is a little, the mirror locks work but if you are planning AP with autofocusing you wont be able to use the locks. The flop is there but very small - manageable. It generally shows up after a meridian flip.
Scopes Celestron EdgeHD-11; William Optics GT102; William Optics ZS61; Criterion Dynamax-8 SCT Mounts AP1100GTO mount w/APCCpro; iOptron iEQ30 Pro; Criterion Dynamax-8 SCT Lenses Hyperstar-III; Celestron 0.7x FR; WO Flat/Reducer 0.8x Guiding Celestron OAG w/ASI174mm mini; WO 50mm; Orion ST80 Cameras and Filters ZWO2600mm Pro w/Optolong 3nm NB and RGB; ZWOASI1600mm Pro (ZWO LRGB and Astrodon Ha-5nm, Oiii-3nm, Sii-5nm), QHY10, Canon 50D; ASI174mm mini; ASI462MC; ASI120MC Misc Moonlite focuser on Edge - Feather-Touch focuser on GT102; ZWO EAF on ZS61; ZWO 2" and 31mm FWs; Kendrick Dew System, Temp-est Fans Software NINA; PHD; APT; BYE; PI; APP; PSP; Registax; FireCapture; SharpCap
Blog at: SkyAndRockets
My 12 " Meade was put together poorly, lots of backlash on the mirror focuser, I had to retap the knob because it wasn't taped correctly, so I can only advise a hit or miss, other then that the performance is pretty good. I would bite the bullet and get a crayford focuser. My opinion is that celestron seems to have better qa and support and overall a slightly better product only based on online readings and having a meade 12"
scopes :gso/bintel f4 12"truss tube, bresser messier ar127s /skywatcher 10'' dob,meade 12'' f10 lx200 sct
cameras : asi 1600mm-c/asi1600mm-c,asi120mc,prostar lp guidecam, nikkon d60, sony a7,asi 290 mm
mounts : eq6 pro/eq8/mesu 200 v2
filters : 2'' astronomik lp/badder lrgb h-a,sII,oIII,h-b,Baader Solar Continuum, chroma 3nm ha,sii,oiii,nii,rgb,lowglow,uv/ir,Thousand Oaks Solar Filter,1.25'' #47 violet,pro planet 742 ir,pro planet 807 ir,pro planet 642 bp ir.
extras : skywatcher f4 aplanatic cc, Baader MPCC MKIII Coma Corrector,Orion Field Flattener,zwo 1.25''adc.starlight maxi 2" 9x filter wheel,tele vue 2x barlow .
It seems that it is hit and miss with mirror flop. My 8" SCT (the newest model) has almost none, and older EdgeHD 9.25" has more. However, you can get external focuser and lock EdgeHD mirror.