Solid value in a serious beginner scope - OpticsPlanet Exclusive Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ Refractor Telescope Package - Telescope 21048 w/ Motor Drive

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 diagonal can be easily purchased online for about $20-$30 (even an inexpensive mirror diagonal like this will be a vast improvement over what is included in the package). Hunt around for the Barlow and eyepiece. I ended up picking up both in Celestron's Omni line, which aren't terribly expensive. Don't go overboard, but the quality of the objective lens on this scope definitely supports up to a $60 purchase here. With these improvements, you'll think you purchased an entirely different telescope.

Now, why the five stars?

First and foremost, the quality of the objective lens optics here are almost unknown at this price level. In addition, the objective has a nice, slow, f/11 focal ratio, something that is getting rarer and rarer. This slow f/11 ratio will cut down substantially on the chromatic aberration found in all achromatic refractors, but is especially prominent in those with focal ratios less than f/10. Sure, the longer focal length reduces the field of view, but for an all around scope useful for viewing planets, star clusters, the moon, and double stars, this scope just can't be beat for less than $200. The beginner will be absolutely delighted, especially if the above improvements are made. So, you get a nice, relatively large objective lens of good quality for only a little money.

Second, the build quality of the OTA, given the price, is quite good. The tube itself is made of aluminum (although, sadly, the dew cap is a tough plastic--you can't have everything) and the focuser is a nice, heavy cast metal with a long draw tube that racks in and out smoothly. The focuser is equipped with a standard shoe for a real quality finder scope, so if you want to upgrade later, you've got a spot waiting for it (this is a very nice feature).

Third, the mount, though somewhat too small for this telescope, is actually Orion's EQ-1 equatorial mount, which they sell separately for about $100. Properly balanced as per Celestron's instructions, this mount will perform well, though tying something heavy to the accessory tray so that it hangs near the ground will greatly increase the stability here (an old surveyor's trick). The mount rings that hold the scope to the mount are heavy and rigid, a setup not common at this price level. The motions are fairly smooth and the axis locks are serviceable. The included RA drive works beautifully and costs about $40 separately. Although many experienced amateurs would consider this scope under-mounted, at this price it is very much worth it to simply learn some tricks and practices that make it work. It's also very much worth it to learn to use an equatorial mount, and this package offers a good quality introduction (the cost of mounts rises sharply past the EQ-1 category).

Fourth, as a general-purpose beginner or second scope, this package excels due to its light weight and ease of use. People often call this sort of quality the "grab and go" factor, another way of expressing how much the scope will actually get used. Usually, especially for beginners, the lighter, more easily set up scope is the scope that gets used the most. This package fits that description.

The aperture of this scope will be enough for some deep sky objects, but this scope comes into its own when viewing the planets, the Moon, double stars, and clusters with a couple of reasonable-quality eyepieces (again, don't go overboard). Wholehearted recommendation.