Reviews - Celestron C90 Mak Spotting Scope 52265 (C 90 mm Maksutov design scopes) Reviews - CI-SS-52265

Author: Robert , I'm a college student, amateur astronomer and hunter. , from La Grande, OR on Jun 5, 2009
Pros:  Great versatility, good price, waterproof, portable
Cons:  Fit and finish - there is dust on the inside of the optics which are sealed, the plastic around the eyepiece areas shred lens cleaning cloths which creates more dust, there appears to be either a very large piece of dust or a chip in the glass covering the astronomical eyepiece hole.
Would recommend:  yes

Robert wrote:

This is a decently priced scope, but you get what you pay for. It will work just fine for casual astronomical observing and for basic spotting scope purposes, but probably shouldn't be used for serious astronomical observing or photography due to dust and fit and finish issues. It tries to do two things and while it doesn't do either well, it does them well enough. Another thing is that while it's fairly light for what it is, it's still heavy enough to warrant a heavy duty tripod. A light and/or cheap photography tripod won't do. I recommend getting an astronomical tripod, which are usually built for scopes in this weight range, as an accessory. The other benefit of getting such a tripod is the slow-motion controls, which are particularly handy due to this scope's narrow field of view.

Author: Elhoovre from Walnut Creek, CA on Jun 2, 2009
Pros:  Price, Waterproof, Solidly built, Case included
Cons:  Plastic erecting prism and finder mount
Would recommend:  yes

Elhoovre wrote:

Nicely designed scope, but suffers a little from cheaply executed parts (plastic finder mount, poor fitting dustcaps, plastic erecting prism). Optics are acceptable, and the nitrogen filled and sealed tube means no fogging or water damage issues when in the field. Scope is on the heavy side, so make sure you have a solid tripod to mount it on.

Author: glenninphoenix (verified customer) , Love shooting and outdoors, from Phoenix AZ on Aug 3, 2007
Would recommend:  yes

glenninphoenix wrote:

I've used it as the best spotting scope that I've ever used. Nice as a compact telescope but, I haven't developed the photos that I've taken through it yet so no comment on it's use as a telephoto lens.

Author: RonR (verified customer) , Birder, from Portland, OR on Jul 26, 2007
Pros:  Outstanding Image Quality
Cons:  High Magnification Can Be Difficult to Aim
Would recommend:  yes

RonR wrote:

The images for birding are magnificent ... Distance is no problem ... Great even in poor light situations ... Easy to focus ... A bit hard to aim ... A good tripod is a must ... The celestron alt/azmuth adjustment tripod would be a plus ... Not advisable for moving subjects.

Author: John (verified customer) , Bird watching, wild life, astro-man, from Purcellville, VA on Jul 25, 2007
Pros:  Durable rubber exterior, e.z. to handel
Cons:  Slight distortion on edges, hard to hold steady without a tripod
Would recommend:  yes

John wrote:

Like the flip on cover, the ease of use, and setup. The only drawlback is that you really need a steady platform (hand held is a poor option) to view anything. Moon watching and birding are both good with the 90mm.