Silas from United States, NJ Public Profile

I gave this telescope/mount package five stars because, in spite of the "cons" listed below, the value per dollar spent is quite good and easily compensates for the relatively small quibbles I have. Most experienced amateurs will notice the following about this telescope/mount package:

Things that are included, but are basically useless due to lack of quality:
image correcting diagonal (prismatic, I think: a big no-no on a decent scope)
3x Barlow (very cheaply made and far too magnifying to be of any real use)
4mm eyepiece (poor optics + high magnification = frustration)

Things that are included, but are only marginally useful:
20mm eyepiece (meh, not bad; you'll have some pleasurable viewing)
finder scope (well, it's okay for now, but maybe replace when funds allow)

Potential buyers of this scope/mount package should keep these things in mind when shopping. The inclusion of junk components like terrible eyepieces and finders in otherwise excellent scope packages is a very common practice and is true also of middle-high end packages costing as much as $800 (at higher prices, there is typically nothing at all included). Having said that, the problems here are very easily and cheaply solved, especially since the rock-bottom price of this package leaves one with a lot of change in one's pocket.

My suggestion is to purchase a star diagonal, quality 2x Barlow, and a quality Plössl eyepiece in the 20-30mm range. The