Customer Reviews

Meade 827 8x25mm Right Angle Viewfinder

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I own a Meade ETX-90EC and it comes standard with the straight through finder. As most ETX-90 owners will testify, it is utterly hopeless for anything astronomical. Meade should be ashamed of putting this useless finder on their otherwise cool scopes. You can purchase the Right Angle Finder as an extra (which comes standard on the ETX-125EC) and locating objects manually will be dramatically easier, although not 100% suitable. It's a relatively expensive purchase, but will make your viewing time that much more enjoyable. Check out Mike Weasners site for the best information on ETX's and alternative finder scopes. Recommended, but check out alternatives also.

I love my ETX-90, but putting it on an object manually can be a literal pain in the neck. That's because the straight through viewfinder, which great for terrestial viewing, is not so good when you're trying to look up at the stars. (I assume this is why it is standard on th ETX-125 since that is more of an 'astronomy' scope).

The good news is this viewfinder makes finding things easier because you're look angle is the same for the view finder and the eyepiece. The bad news is that you're most comfortable view is to tilt it off to the side (away from the eyepiece) and that makes "driving" the scope non-intuitive. I also found it harder to align than the straight through finder.

On the bright side this leaves you with the original viewfinder as a nice spotting scope for your younger astronomers.

The Meade ETX is a cute little scope, but the supplied straight-through finder is nearly impossible to use. If you put the scope on a tabletop as Meade shows in their ads, it *is* impossible to use. Luckily there's a simple fix- this right-angle finder. If you own an ETX, you need it.

This finder, a standard on the ETX125, is a must for the ETX90 if one plans on using it for astronomy. The straight thru finder is fine for birding, or other terrestrial viewing, but is akwardly placed for most astronomical observing, especially near the zenith (overhead). The tiny screw used to hold the finder can be difficult to replace. Then again, it is still only a 25mm finder.

I can't compare this viewfinder with any others because it was an accessory to my Meade telescope, so I bought it. I haven't used my telescope too much, so can't really give it a very detailed rating.

In keeping with Meade's tradition of providing marginal sights for their ETX series of telescopes the 827 provides a tolerable sighting capability for the ETX 70 but suffers from poor construction and optical quality. With a bracket that utilizes the non standard mount holes of the 70 the sight provides a right angle sight (an improvement from their straight through sights). The sight will fall apart as you mount it and will require gluing to put back together. The crosshair will exhibit distortion. Usable but nowhere near the quality of an Orion sight of the same cost.

The meade #827 right angle viewfinder arrived in less than a week. I installed it on my telescope with great difficulty, the allen head screw in the scope was rounded out and very tight, as I tried to adjust the focus the lens assembly fell into my telescope. I had to return the telescope as it had a defect in the lens (...)