| ★★★★★ | Great Diagonal (Feels Solid!) |
| Verified Purchase |
Using this on a CPC 1100 and the diagonal is very useful so you dont need to kink your neck all the time. Overall the unit is SOLID and attaches directly to the back of the scope.. You just need to remove your 1.25 Visual Back and put this on. If you do get the diagonal for your two inch lenses i would also recommend getting the 2" adapter for when you dont want the Diagonal on (Mainly when it comes to photography).
Very nice Carrying case it comes with when you need to stow it away. It does add some weight on the scope, but the CPC 1100 can handle up to 15 lbs (Not saying i would take that as challenge accepted, but it doesn't seem to give mine any issues)
Would recommend and nice built quality! |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Super Upgrade Compared To Stock Diagonal |
| Verified Purchase |
| I recently purchased the Celestron 8" telescope and upon reading other reviews, this is my first upgrade. Very nice upgrade indeed. It is so much bigger then the diagonal that came stock. I would guess 2x bigger. The packing case is awesome with foam lining to protect it top and bottom. The case is overkill but very nice to own. I haven't used it yet because I just got it today in the mail and the sun is high in the sky. I will be using it tonight though and hopefully viewing the sky for hours. There is another eye piece that has been suggested (07743) made by Meade and that will probably be my next purchase. Everything is expensive like most hobbies. I'm gonna enjoy myself tonight! |
| |
| ★★★★★ | The Sleeper Upgrade |
| Verified Purchase |
Wowee. I put off buying the 2-inch diagonal for years. It isn't an exciting upgrade - or so I thought. Really, a 2-inch diagonal just a means to an end of 2-inch eyepieces. Wouldn't it be more exciting buying a new and better eyepiece?
Probably, but this is a nifty upgrade by itself. Most 2-inch eyepieces are fairly pricey, so I figured I would need to buy the diagonal first. I was impressed. This two inch diagonal is a significant upgrade to the stock 1.25 inch diagonal that came with my CPC 800. Brighter, clearer, and more contrast. Even to my untrained eye, I could handily tell the difference. I completely recommend upgrading your stock diagonal to something like this, even if you plan on only using 1.25-inch diagonals.
Celestron seems to have gone all out with the packaging on this one. Seeing the companion case that came in the cardboard box, I was expecting it to contain a Gucci bag, or something. No, just a nicely made telescope diagonal (I'd prefer the diagonal to anything Gucci, anyway). This diagonal comes with a nifty aluminum latching case. Complete with locking key and handle on the top. I'm not sure how useful the locking feature is, but the case is nice - I just hope it didn't bump the price too much. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Fits my Celestron C5 Spotting Scope |
| Verified Purchase |
| Although this is an expensive item, I wanted to use the 2” eyepieces that I inherited from my Dad. This is a well made diagonal that screws right onto the telescope. The field of view is better with my 2” eyepieces but I haven’t had the chance to compare it to my 1.25” eyepieces - I’m hoping to be able to see fainter objects. The carrying case for this diagonal is a locking metal case which looks to offer more protection than the rest of my gear gets. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | A First Rate Diagonal at a Reasonable Price |
| Verified Purchase |
The 2 in. XLT Diagonal is beautifully made and comes in an elegant, metal, foam-lined box. At first I thought some of the parts were plastic but careful inspection showed it is all metal - though some of the metal is so highly polished and perfectly black coated it could be mistaken for plastic. It threaded easily and securely on to the back of my older Celestron 8, though I found a little stiffness when releasing the unit to turn it at a different angle. This is easily solved by lubricating the threads. I just rub them with wax. The drawer ease compound sold in hardware stores works and even white candle wax is OK. Just rub it on telescope's threads and wipe off any excess with a tissue before threading the parts together.
Eyepieces slide in easily, and I really appreciate the internal bronze clamp bushings which prevent screw damage to the eyepieces and help lock eyepieces securely.
Optical performance appears perfect, though my initial test has been limited by seeing conditions. It is visibly superior to the prism diagonal it is replacing. In summary, this is a high-quality, well made and finished diagonal at a really good price. It represents tremendous value and is a great way to upgrade an SCT. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Great Diagonal |
| Verified Purchase |
| I purchased this diagonal to replace the cheap diagonal that came with my scope and because I will be replacing the cheap 1.25" eyepieces that came with my scope with 2" eyepieces. I am amazed at the visual quality of the diagonal even when using 1.25" eyepieces with it. I have a Celestron NesStar 8 SE and it can carry the weight of the diagonal quite well. Keep in mind one thing though, this is a large diagonal so you will need to make sure it won't catch on your mount when doing a "go to". I use an autoalign system so I don't even mount the diagonal until the autoalign is done since the process will sometimes make the scope go vertical. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Does what it's supposed to do, high quality piece |
| Verified Purchase |
It is well made and I don't really see the "plastic part" that was mentioned in another review, for which I was worried about before the purchase. However it turned out to be fine, the item seems to be well made out of metal; also compares to my cheap kit diagonal mirror it is a big improvement.
I really don't care as much about the FOV, I knew there isn't going to be a huge difference from the 1.25 inch diagonals. I switched to 2 inch only because I want a peace of mind when I am putting a 2 inch heavy/bulk eyepiece on the telescope. Usually the 2 in - 1.25 in adapter for eyepiece will not be very stable and secured. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Thing looks great. Case could survive re-entry. |
| Verified Purchase |
I just wanted to make it clear, since there was some confusion in a question I asked: This item will attach directly to the back of your Celestron SCT *IN PLACE OF* the visual back that comes with the scope. It serves the function of the visual back AND the star diagonal, and does NOT require any additional parts to attach to Celestron SCTs. I received mine and the instructions clearly indicate this. You DO NOT need a 2" visual back to use this item, at least not for my Celestron 8SE and any other compatible scopes.
Also, the item does not have any "cheap plastic parts" (unless you count the stoppers that protect the optics when not in use, which you shouldn't). It feels very sturdy and well-made, and the ring that attaches to the rear of the scope is solid metal like the rest of the item. Perhaps the reviewer who complained about the ring had a bad experience, or even cross-threaded the ring onto the scope, because it seems to be as secure as the visual back which comes with the scope.
The only thing that I would maybe have a quibble about would be that the aluminum case that comes with it is probably overkill. I'm pretty sure I could have the case pitched to me and crush it into left field with an aluminum bat and the diagonal would still work fine (so long as you duct-taped the lid, as the latch might open). I'm sure I'll appreciate it when I drop the case and don't have to spend over $100 for a new diagonal, but right now I don't see using it at the sandlot in a pinch, and if I did I probably couldn't hit it into the Beast's yard anyway because this thing is built like a depleted-uranium round. I feel like I could use the extra space in my kit more than the bomb-proof case.
(Update): After getting a chance to try it out, I can say for sure that it is very easy to setup and use, stays fixed to the rear cell securely and is not too bulky to prevent my Celestron 8SE from pointing at zenith (I did have to mount the scope as far forward as possible, but that also happens to be the balance point, so it's no problem). Images are crystal clear, so much so that I finally noticed optical defects in my eye at high magnification (floaters). The case is useful while observing to hold lens covers and extra bits, because you can close the lid so they don't blow away. I would definitely recommend this to anyone needing a 2 inch diagonal. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | Massive improvement |
| Verified Purchase |
| Upgrading my scope. Changed the diagonal to a 2 inch. Wow what a difference. Objectives are a little pricey, but what a difference. It is definitely worth the extra bucks. |
| |
| ★★★★★ | A quailty product |
| Verified Purchase |
| Love this Diagonal, just one problem, its cloudy so cannot try it out. It certianly is quailty and built tough. Love the little aluminum case it comes in |
| |
| See more reviews |
Comments
Post a Comment