The more i read about it....the more i am falling in love

With the Vixen VMC200L Catadioptric OTA.

Jeff suggested it to me months ago as a way of owning an 8" scope that is light weight.

I'm finding it very difficult to find online a bad review of this scope.

Can i really trust these review as being written by owners of the scope?.

Looking at the specs of this scope...............can you guys here (who know more about scopes then i ever will) honestly say it is a worthwhile investment?

Please be as honest as you can because it is a lot of money.

It may be the scope i use for the rest of my life.

Put your personal feelings for me aside (i don't like that PJ guy......lets tell him it is GREAT but its really CRAP)...............and give me your honest to God answers.

Thanks in advance.

It has the advantage of a non-moving primary mirror, which eliminates image-shift.
However, this gives it alot less focus travel when compared to other SCTs. This gives less options when using items which require alot of variation in focus position (e.g. eyepieces, barlows, binoviewers, cameras, etc)
It has a corrector lens in front of the secondary. I've no idea what the quality of this is like.

Just my 2 cent based on a quick scan of the spec of the unit. I've no experience with using this scope.

Hi Paul,
Vixen are a pretty good make, so on average you're not going to have issues with the scope, but like Michael said, back focus might be a problem such as if you try to use a binoviewer or webcam, you'll only know when you try it and see if you can reach focus.
If this is not an issue then I say go for it!.

this shop has a good discount on it, nice !
www.opticscenter.com/product.asp?t=7&pid=12577&m=

I remember reading somewhere ages ago that there are two versions of this scope. Did you come across anything like that about it Paul when you were researching it?

but like Michael said, back focus might be a problem such as if you try to use a binoviewer or webcam, you'll only know when you try it and see if you can reach focus.

Yes i have read this about it. But to be completely honest.............astrophotography is NOT high on my list of things to do with this scope. I'm more an observational kinda guy. Any pics i take will be for my pleasure and i will enjoy them (even if they are really crap compared to others pics).

I have read that this scope is ideal for photographing DSO's such as galaxies and nebulae.....................GREAT..............but i dont really wanna photograph them..................i want to observe them.

So i am guessing its does that too.

I read it aint great for photographing planets....................but again.............i only want to observe planets.

Dont get me wrong i have seen the results of pics taken of planets and galaxies,nebulae with this scope and i for one would be MORE then happy with these results.......................if i ever venture into astrophotog.

Also i like the idea of a simple "up,down,left,right" mount...........such as the Porta mount. Half the fun is finding objects manually.

Not sure i want to go for a GoTo system which does all the work for you.

Call me old fashioned.

I remember reading somewhere ages ago that there are two versions of this scope. Did you come across anything like that about it Paul when you were researching it?

Yeah there are 2 different versions of the same scope. The other is the VC200L.

www.astronomie.be/Tranquility.Base/vc200lpage.htm

Anyone care to explain the pro's and con's of each to me?

I'm thinking the VC has more lens involved which would make images darker (like Barlow lens).

Hi PJ,
A friend of mine who is a newby in astronomy, just purchased a VMC200L 8". The scope DOES look and feel great. It is really the lightest 8" tube one can get, since it has no glass at the front (tube is open).
It has't got first light yet. As soon as the weather permits, I will give you a review.
But my feeling is it's a good scope. It's a Vixen after all.
Vagelis.