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Celestron 52265 C90 Maksutov Spotting Scope | 
 enlarge | Brand: Celestron
Category: Photography
List Price: $335.95
Buy New: $179.00
You Save: $156.95 (47%)
New (4) from $179.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  10 reviews
Media: Electronics
Optical Zoom: 8
Shipping Weight (lbs): 10
Dimensions (in): 16 x 12 x 7
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
MPN: 52265
Model: 52265
UPC: 050234522656
EAN: 0050234522656
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Multi-Coated Optics | | • | Rubber Armor Protective Covering for Secure Grip | | • | Water Resistant Case | | • | Internal Flip Mirror System for Terrestrial and Astronomical Use | | • | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
The Maksutov optical design is recognized for being a portable design that is easy to use and has a variety of applications, making it an excellent choice for both terrestrial and astronomical usage. This C90 Mak has excellent optics with razor sharp images over a wide field. The C90 Mak features an internal flip mirror design which allows the user to view celestial objects at a 90 degree angle and also corrects the image orientation to view land objects at a 45 degree angle. The full-featured C90 MAK is also rubber covered and completely waterproof. This model features durable black rubber armor for protection, a flip up lens cap for safety, and it comes complete inside its own soft sided carrying case.
Product Review
Celestron's C90 Maksutov Spotting Scope delivers high powered optics in a compact, waterproof system. The rubber armored C90 Mak features Multi-Coated optics, magnification with the standard 32mm plossl eyepiece is 38X, and a correct image prism and 8x21 correct image finder scope are included. The C90 and accessories come in a padded case with room for an extra eyepiece or two. The Maksutov-Cassegrain design of the C90 uses a combination of mirrors and lenses; this "folded" optical system has a focal length of 1200mm in a body only nine inches long. The Maksutov design delivers high power views without a trace of the chromatic aberration, also called blue fringing, that distorts high power views in competing refractor style spotting scopes. At 40X magnification where some low cost spotting scopes are starting to seem fuzzy, the C90 is just getting started. The C90 uses the same 1.25 inch eyepieces used in astronomical telescopes. The standard equipment 32mm plossl eyepiece gives a magnification of 38X, but many other eyepieces can be used to vary the magnification. A nice upgrade is Celeston's 8 to 24mm Zoom Eyepiece , which allows you to dial in any magnification from 50X up to 150X. A unique feature of the C90 is the internal flip mirror which allows viewing astronomical objects overhead or terrestrial objects with the 45 degree correct image prism. When I focus on the Moon and planets at night the view is crisp and clear; I can easily make out details like small craters and mountain peaks inside some of the Moon's large craters. When I looked at Jupiter the other night with an optional 12.5mm X-Cel eyepiece (about 100X magnification), I could easily see Jupiter's major cloud bands. The C90 also makes a handy spotting scope in the daytime because it's small and portable. I can easily transport the scope and a tripod to the lake when I want to do a little wildlife spotting. High magnification viewing requires a solid tripod, of course. Celestron's Photo and Video Tripod seems steady enough for visual use but it seems a little light for photography. The other drawback to high magnification viewing is a narrow field of view; high magnification makes it harder to follow moving targets like birds in flight. Overall the Celestron C90 Maksutov Spotting Scope does a fine job as a companion to good pair of binoculars. With my 8x40 binoculars I could see two Western Grebes on the lake; with the C90 I could zoom in and watch as the adult grebe offered a freshly caught fish to its offspring. The C90 also doubles as a portable astronomy scope; it won't show the flag on the Moon but it will show thousands of craters on the Moon as well as showing the moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. --Jeff Phillips Pros: - Compact yet powerful
- Upgradeable with 1.25" eyepieces
- Adaptable for astronomy and photography
Cons: - Narrow field of view
- Needs a solid tripod
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| Customer Reviews: Read 5 more reviews...
 Nice for the price! July 21, 2006
40 out of 40 found this review helpful
This durable compact scope is equally at home viewing birds or planets. It has a tough rubberized exterior and a built-in lens cover. It also comes with a handy padded nylon case to hold the scope and accessories. This scope is really great for travelling and can be used with any 1/4-20 photographic tripod. With a T-adapter and T-ring (aka T-mount), the scope can be used as a manual 1200mm telephoto lens for your SLR camera. It can also take standard 1.25" telescope eyepieces and accessories as well as some other accessories made for SCT/Cassegrain telescopes.
I've used this scope for extreme photographic close-ups of finches as well as for viewing the moon, Jupiter, Saturn, etc. and have been very happy with the results. The views are much clearer than the typical toy telescopes sold in department stores. I would recommend picking up some additional eyepieces over the included 32mm if you intend to use the C90 for viewing planets -- maybe a 20mm and 12mm eyepiece as well as a 2X short Barlow. I would also highly recommend using a very solid tripod, alt-azimuth mount or, if you intend on doing lots of astronomy or astrophotography, an equatorial mount. Cheap tripods will vibrate too much and make aiming, focusing and viewing very difficult and frustrating.
Great small scope!
Great inexpensive scope! December 12, 2006
23 out of 24 found this review helpful
This is the first scope I've ever owned (used for birdwatching), so I can't say I've had a whole lot of experience with some of the really high end scopes, although I have had the pleasures of viewing through a couple Swavorskis, etc. There was just no way I was going to plunk down that kind of money, though, so when I looked to buy a scope I did some research into what you could get for under $350. It came down to either the Celestron C90 or the Eagle Optics Raven. Frankly, it was the price of the C90 that sold me (generally about half the Raven), but I also like the versatility and add-on options (eyepieces, camera adaptors) that are available. Here are the other things I like about it:
1) Nice wide field of view. My experience is that the extra 10mm on the C90 over the usual 80mm scopes really makes for a more comfortable viewing experience.
2) Beautiful crisp images and great colors. So far I've only used the eyepiece it comes with.
3) Waterproof and (from what I've read) pretty darn sturdy. I'm not the type to drag my scope along on every birding trip I do. Mostly it's confined to use at beaches, lakes, etc, where I'd be viewing birds at a pretty great distance. It's nice to have the reassurance that it won't be destroyed if I drop it in a puddle.
4) I find the eyepiece to be a very comfortable one, although I've heard other people disagree.
My only complaints are that it doesn't have a zoom (but you can get one...), the focus knob isn't in the most comfortable location, and the case is kind of big and bulky (although that's great for travel). I've been generally very happy with its performance.
FANTASTIC Scope for the $$$ March 21, 2008
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I was going to get a more expensive new Telescope but tried this one out instead. The view of the moon with the standard eyepiece is phenomenal and when I use my 10mm wide angle eyepiece it is like being on one of the landers! Much more portable than anything larger and the view is about the same. Don't be fooled by larger, more expensive scopes. When you look at Jupiter it is still only going to be a twinkling object in the sky with the $600 scope!
When Saturn was near I could see the ring around it plainly with just the 10mm wide angle eyepiece.
Try this one BEFORE you spend too much money for something that collects dust in your house!
Celestron 90 review March 29, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
I bought this scope for birding. I am a ametuar birder.
C90 is a catadioptric scope which folds the light path in the optical tube. The pro of this design is that it can be made short and compact and well-seal for waterproof. C90 is relative short and large aperture among spotting scopes. The other good thing is that you can use hundreds of 1.25" eyepiece for it.
The optics: its optics is good. The front glass is coated with a purple-tint anti-reflecting layer. And there is a flip-mirror inside the rear part which can reflect the light to its 90 degree window for astronomic observation (like the star diagonals). From the 90 degree window, the image is crisp and very good details (much better than my Minox 62 ED). It comes with a 45 degree erecting prism; however, the prism is a cheap stuff. It is not coated and degree the image obviously. I strongly suggest replace it with better multicoated prism or a star diagonals.
I have tried a Baader 8-24mm Zoom on C90. Wow, that is sooooooo nice! The color, contrast and detail is very good. Color is very accurate. I found that the its 32mm plossl has yellow-tint. I really enjoy birding with this zoom.
That's my review on C90.
Great with Nikon D80 May 13, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Celestron C90 Maksutov Spotting ScopeThis is a great addition to my lens. It works as a telescope for the grandkids and as a telephoto for my Nikon.
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