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Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) vs Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004)

Product Comparison: Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) vs Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004)

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Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) Observer Achromatic Refractor Telescope

$Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) Observer Achromatic Refractor Telescope$

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Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004) Observer Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

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General Specifications

Brand

Meade Instruments

Model

ETX80 (205002)

ETX90 (205004)

Origin

USA

About the Product

The return of the extremely popular ETX takes mobile astronomy to the next level. This 80mm aperture and 400mm (f/5) focal length marry the portability of the ETX with Meade’s premium optics. The ETX80 Observer has a Achromatic Refractor optical design to enjoy close-up views of land and celestial objects anytime, anwhere.

The return of the extremely popular ETX takes mobile astronomy to the next level. This large 90mm aperture and 1250mm (f/13.9) focal length marry the portability of the ETX with Meade’s premium optics.

Key Specs

Optical Design

Achromatic Refractor

Maksutov-Cassegrain

Aperture

80 mm

90 mm

Focal Length

400 mm

1250 mm

Focal Ratio

f/5

f/13.8

Highest Useful Magnification

150 x

Aperture
Focal Length

What customers say about "Key Specs"

Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) Observer Achromatic Refractor Telescope

This is a great scope. Beats the Monkey Wards (refractor) I got as a kid in the early 70's.
Excellent telescope. Been a Meade user for over 20 years. For what this scope is designed for, namely the moon and planets, it excels.
It's a great little grab and go scope, though I dearly wish it (the hand controller) would accept an autoguider (without venturing to adapting whatever skinny phone line it uses).
Good starter scope that quickly becomes aggravating. Alignment is also very difficult.
If you want to see the moon, this scope is OK. Anything else is hardly worth it.

Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004) Observer Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

I know the ETX90 to be a great scope. This is a present for my family in California.
Take the time to learn how to use this scope and it’s well worth the money.
The optics and electronic control are second to none. This is a great starter scope and very portable and easy to set up.
Overall - the ETX90 Observer is an OK scope to get used to setting up a GOTO unit, however you will probably outgrow it fairly quickly.
Because this is a short focal length scope it provides very wide views which is one of the reasons I purchased it. Today this is my grab and go scope and the one I take on vacations.

Size & Weight

Height

56 in.

61.5 in.

Width

33 in.

39 in.

Depth

28.6 in.

33.7 in.

Weight

11.72 lbs.

18.91 lbs.

Features

Optical Coatings

Multi-Coated

UTHC

Finderscope

Red Dot

Star Diagonal

Internal 90° Degree Diagonal

Accessory Tray Included

Extras

1.25” Super Plössl Eyepieces: 26mm (15x magnification) & 9.7mm (41x magnification), Backpack included, Computerized, GoTo Dual-Fork Mount with DC Servo Motors

Computerized, GoTo Dual-Fork Mount with DC Servo Motors, Removable OTA - Added Versatility & Customization Options, Hard Carry Case and Tripood Bag included, 1.25” Super Plössl Eyepieces: 26mm (15x magnification) & 9.7mm (41x magnification)

Software

AudioStar™ - 30,000+ Objects Database

Accessory Tray Included

What customers say about "Features"

Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) Observer Achromatic Refractor Telescope

The AutoStar audio dialog was extremely annoying, had to turn it off in the controller. The tripod is rock sold.
The magnetic compass has a bit of a fuss so be sure to know true north independently to ensure a good alignment.
The audio with the Goto is a nice touch, especially for beginners.
This scope is nice for the price and very portable. But mine never worked correctly. I
A disappointing problem I am having is that the AudioGuide system is impossible (so far for me) to set up accurately enough to find any Solar System object within the field of view with the tools given.

Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004) Observer Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

The included correct image 45 degree angle works well to turn this into a spotting scope.
The Included red dot finder works very well. Nuff said about that. Just make sure it is aligned with the scope.
This is a great starter scope and very portable and easy to set up.
The magnetic compass has a bit of a fuss so be sure to know true north independently to ensure a good alignment.
Good starter scope that quickly becomes aggravating. Alignment is also very difficult.

Mount Information

Mount Type

Tripod mount

Tripod Material

Aluminum

Dovetail

Vixen-Style

Legs

1.25" steel tube legs

What customers say about "Mount Information"

Meade Instruments ETX80 (205002) Observer Achromatic Refractor Telescope

Even with the tripod lashed on the front of the pack, the whole operation is super lightweight and yet low vibration compared to others I've used in this price class.
The tripod is very lightweight, and not totally in a good way.
For the price, the tripod is stable enough and it is easy to align.
The backpack is also pretty cheezy, and the tripod is super flimsy.
A real concern is that the the tripod is too light weight for the scope.

Meade Instruments ETX90 (205004) Observer Maksutov-Cassegrain Telescope

The tripod is rock sold.
The setup is very easy and the tripod seems stable for casual observing.
For the price, the tripod is stable enough and it is easy to align.
If you plan to use it as a tabletop scope, without the tripod, it will work well. However on the included tripod it is too shaky.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

Manufacturer

Link