need help with three telescope choices please

[damick11]

History: Previous owner of a 8" LX-50. I did not like the mechanics of this scope, and sold it. <br /><br />Now, I had all but convinced myself several months ago to buy a new 8" scope. I had all but convinced myself to get the Celestron C8-SGT SLT. Now, two other contenders are in play. Please help me decide.<br /><br />1) Celestron C8-SGT SLT XLT w/CG-5GT mount (+GPS add-on)<br />2) Celestron CPC 800 GPS XLT with wedge and standard tripod<br />3) Meade LX-200R with super wedge and standard tripod<br /><br /><br />Now, please help me in rating these in three areas. <br />1- Tripod stability/scope stability<br />2- Computer accurracy (periodic error correction)<br />3- scope quality (corrector plates/mirrors)<br /><br />Thank you!!!<br />Daniel<br /><br />PS- these will be used equally in visual and astrophotographic purposes alike.

 

[damick11]

Thanks.<br /><br />Well, I would love to have the CGE mount, but it's slightly out of my price range for now- but it is a possible upgrade option at a later time. <br /><br />Your right about the 9.25. I've had an 8" for so long I guess I was brain-washed and hadn't even considered it- even though countless times in the past I wished I had one- so X the 8", and I will go with the 9.25. <br /><br />I was leaning heavily toward Celestron, for the very reasons you mentioned, but since the 200R was a new scope, I wanted to get some imput on it, but now that I'm reminded of the 9.25, I will probably go with Celestron's version. Now the question is a good mount I can afford. So now here are my options:<br /><br />CPC 9.25 GPS XLT w/standard mount on HD wedge<br />C9.25 SGT XLT w/CG-5GT mount<br /><br />(am I going nuts or did there use to be a CG-8 mount???)<br /><br />I don't know diddly about the new CPC models, other than what's on Celestron's page- but it doesn't give a comparison of these two mounts and computer accuracy. Any imput here? I'm not concerned about the price between these two scopes.<br /><br />I guess my overall preferance is the 9.25 w/CG-5GT mount, but I want to make sure I'm not missing something first. <br /><br />

 

[damick11]

"but I don't recall if it has a provision for guiding. "<br /><br />It does. That part I already checked out, and would not have considered it if it didn't. I have a Meade 401xt autoguider that actually worked very well- even on the {cough} LX-50, so I can only imagine how it will perform on the CG5 mount. <br /><br />http://www.celestron.com/c2/product.php?ProdID=92<br /><br />Thanks for your help. You have reinforced my initial decision to get the CG5-GT mount, with a 9.25" OTA instead of an 8" however!<br /><br />Now off to binoculars.com to place my order! <br />