Celestron CPC 800 vs 925 - size and portability
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 มิ.ย. 2023
- If you’re like me, and you’ve been trying to decide whether the CPC 8” or 9.25” are portable enough for you before you commit, I’ve decided to make video about how they compare in size and what it’s like to manoeuvre them. I’m pretty average size and fitness, so hopefully this will be helpful for those who are wondering whether they can lift them up and set the down easily!
The CPC series is absolutely brilliant in my opinion, but you do have to lift the optical tube and mount as one unit. I find that the 925 model is pretty much at the top of my abilities, as someone who has to set up the telescope from scratch every time I want to use it. The 1100 would be out of the question completely!
When I first decided to get one of these, I saw lots of videos about their setup, but couldn’t really tell how they would compare size-wise, and I went with the 8’ worried that I wouldn’t be able to lift anything larger. Fortunately, there was a 925 for sale near me, and I was able to try it out before committing to purchase. Personally, the size and weight difference between them enough to really notice, and there are a few knacks about how they get up on the tripod, so I do hope this is of use to anyone who is wondering which one would be right for them.
Once planetary season is back, I will be able to compare them in terms of imaging as well - exciting times ahead! - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Thanks. Demonstrations comparing lifting of different telescopes are helpful. The specifications just don't fully indicate how much more awkward lifting the next size up telescope can be.
Hi Ivana, thank you for your lovely video, I have the CPC 8'', didn't want a scope too heavy to manoeuvre, it's a lovely scope. Clear skies to you x
I ended up going with the 8”, your video was super helpful in my deliberation. I saw that you posted the comparison - no doubt the imagery is bigger, both are excellent images. I plan to take my 8in with me in my campervan, so size and weight was the biggest factor.
Awesome, glad it was useful. I loved my CPC800, such a wonderful scope. Good luck!
I actually love it, when ladies share about their telescopes and astronomy. This hobby seems to have many male enthusiasts ( not saying it’s a bad thing). But having a female perspective is great!
🔭Hi Ivana, Great video comparing both scopes. I just got the CPC 800 so that I have a field carry scope. Already have the CPC 1100 in my ObservaDome Observatory. The 11" "beast" replaces vintage C8 that was in there for years. It really helps to show how you need to lift these scopes on the tripods. Thanks Again❤
Thanks, really glad it was useful! Good luck, the observatory sounds amazing.
Nicely presented demonstration! For “portable” scopes, those two are monsters! Glad you get to enjoy them.
I’ve put much eye time through my Meades at half the apertures of yours. 😊
Thanks for the video. Very very helpful.
Thank you! Very informative and friendly.
Nice presentation, nice voice. Keep updating more videos.
This is a really helpful video.
Great video! Thank you!
I was curious what people thought about the weight. I'm new to Astrophotography am considering buying something similar sooner or later. Taking baby steps before I splurge on a system.
Nice video Ivana. I have a Celestron 14" Edge HD. I'm a planetary imager like you. I have my Mount on wheels which makes setting up easy if you have room. Also, I use a card table to set my OTA on to so I can catch my breath before sliding it on to the mount. I enjoy your videos.
Gracias por el video y por la oportunidad de aprendizaje que brindas en el. Me dedicaré a ver el resto del material de tu canal y me suscribiré. Saludos
Muchas gracias por los comentarios amables, buena suerte con tu astronomía!
@@CellistOnTheRoof No he podido evitar ver ya todo tu material en esta plataforma y las impresionantes fotos planetarias que compartes en Instagram en donde ya te sigo. Estaré en espera de más videos para continuar con la oportunidad de aprender de ti. Gracias y saludos
Years ago I had the CPC1100. I’m thinking of getting the HD version. I’m also torn to the Meade lx600 or lx800 in 12”. You have a great scope and celestron and Meade are great
Great video :), the lift wasnt akward. U lifted both with grace. Grats on the 925 CPC, its a great telescope which has some unique specs in the Celestron SCT series.
Thanks! There was some huffing and puffing, hence the music 😄
Very vice and informative video! I have the CPC8" but use the Celestron Wedge which makes the Tripod ridiculously heavy to carry. Maybe someday I will upgrade to the 9.25 or 11".
Excellent comparison. Storing the scopes at table level height might make the initial lifting easier.
Looking forward to seeing how the planet images come out and sensing a Barlow and ADC investment in your future. : ) Enjoy and great video!
Storing them at waist level would be great, or even on the tripod, but I don’t have that sort of space! Barlow and ADC have been in use with the 8” for a while now and will be coming out when planets come back 😊 Thanks!
Great Video, Please keep them coming. I've just inherited a 8SE with a ASI622 and utterly confused on what plugs into where and what filters to use. Maybe if you find the time you could do a guide on the basics i.e. connecting the camera, filters and general setup.
Sure, I can do that! You’ll get it all sorted by then though - the nosepiece of the camera goes right into the back where you’d put an eyepiece, it’s that easy. Camera USB3 cable into the blue slot, other end into laptop ISB hub. With filters, you just need a UV/IR cut to start with. You’ve got a great bit of kit there! If you look at my Instagram, there’s lots of photos I’ve done with that exact same setup. Thanks and good luck 😊
i have bothof them, this is a great video for astro beginners.
Great information for beginners to think about when purchasing their first scope. Bigger always seems better until reality sets in. As they say the best scope is the one you'll use.
Thanks! Yes this is why I’ve been mulling it over for a while and only now decided to go a size up. That and the fact that larger scopes catch more atmospheric turbulence, something to consider when imaging from somewhere like my location!
The saying is the scope that it easiest to use is the one you will use the most and I agree I have been doing this off and on for almost 20 years. Nice to have the aperture the more light the better but if is difficult to set-up chances are it will sit un-used more.
I’m 65 years old and own a vintage 1970 orange tube C5 (inherited from my surveyor grandfather) and a C8 Classic purchased in 1986-both are fully optioned, have dual tines and are equatorial wedge mounted. The C5 is so much easier to work with, to setup and transport. They say the best scope is the one you can most frequently and easily set-up to use… Regardless, am now looking at my first computerized C8, after having manually leveled , oriented the mount then aligned equatorially for so many decades, the options today are superb. I have to laugh when I see people giving poor online reviews due to modern Alt/Az mount alignment issues-if only they’d had to learn to do it the ‘proper’ way… Thanks for your great review :-) -the scopes look wonderful, wishing you clear, awesome views!
Great point to cover. I like the fact your subject was only of the mounting, rather than covering multiple subjects. Sometimes my attention span (short) gets the best of me. I was curious as to the imager you were using on the 9.25. I have the CPC1100 and it is a job mouning it. I have the wedge and dread having to try to mount it, but first need an imager. Good job!
Hi! I mainly use the CPC for planetary/lunar rather than using a wedge to try and make it do DSO, especially since I’d have to get the Fastar then as well. So the cameras that I use with this one are all planetary - 662mc and 462mm!
Good info Ivana. Setting up and taking down a scope every night can be a right pain regardless of size. As we've had some clear nights I've been leaving mine set up in position recently (with suitable rain covers) I would like a permanent observatory but do not have the space.
Wouldn’t a permanent obsy be amazing! I don’t enjoy setting up and taking down every time but there’s no other option when you’re in a small English townhouse. How a telescope model carries and how one size compares to another becomes so much more important!
Good video. I have the CPC11 and I never lift it from sitting on the ground standing upright. I kept it tilted on it's side in a trunk. I use my right arm only to grab onto the large handle to initially to lift it out of the trunk, then my left arm quickly grabs the other fork arm to centre onto the tripod pin. Clear skies Mark 😊
Thanks! I applaud you for wrangling the 11” on your own 😊 It’s completely impossible when you’re in as small space as I am, I have 4x4 space outside and that's it!
I would put another handle on the other side. I would use hose clamps to hold it onto the side support if I couldn't bolt it on if the material couldn't be bolted without damaging it.
Love the cpc line! would be nice if celestron made a cpc 6”
I bought the 8" because of it portability to performance ratio. I never realised the 9.25 is SO much bigger.
Nice setting up video...with the 925 worth having something to lift the scope on to and get steady make it a two part lift..easier on the body and saves accident or injury
My thinking this that 1inch of aperture is really not going to make that much difference is worth the extra weight?
Did you ever post the image comparisons of the 8 vs 9.25? I'm torn between the easier portability of the 8'' or the extra light gathering ability of the 9.25!
I have! I’ll try and link it but in case it doesn’t work out, my Instagram is the same name (Cellistontheroof), and there’s a Saturn comparison photo if you scroll down just a touch!
instagram.com/p/CxLox2wspem/?igsh=MTJ1OHhxc3A1eGxteA==
They are big beasts !!!! I had my eyes closed on the final scope :) It's a struggle putting my Edge HD 11 on its EQ6-R Pro, but these look heavier !! It doesn't help that I'm a weedy weakling and old - although I did top the Magneteer's Strava group again, in a losing battle to get fitter :( :(
Yes these have the added mount base! As much as the 11” aperture is appealing, I’d never be able to do it unless it was permanently set up, and in a tiny townhouse that’s never going to happen.
Nice vid. Looks easier then carrying my 12 dob. Mybe just looks that way.
Something like this would be nice in the city as there are few stars to star hop with. The 9.25" is suppose to be better optically. Ask you a question. What are those gears made out of in these mounts? I had a Meade 8" Goto. It worked fine for a couple of years then the plastic gears broke. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars to have it repaired, I took it off the mount, added a dovetail, and now use it on an equatorial mount. The optics are good. Clear Skies!
They’re all metal gears in the CPC!
Love it. The CPC800 is very convenient, but yeah that 925 is a beast to lift in one go - and I carry my 2nd grader on my shoulders… won’t even get into the 11” - it’s a monster.
Look into HyperStar imaging for DSO in light polluted areas - total game changer, I have some videos on my channel.
Thanks! I’ve only got a HEQ5 Pro and don’t really want to deal with huge wedges, so for DSO I’m planning on going the RC route - we’ll see, I have yet to graduate from my small RedCat 51 😊
Great video!!.. I guess they save you a fortune in gym membership
If only! I need a gym membership just so I can lift the 925 😄
I think there pins that go into the mount that make easier. I think ed tang covers this.
As a female with a 127mm Newtonian, I wish I could have carried my scope around before I bought it or someone my size would have made a great video like this. Sometimes it's about the awkwardness and not just the weight. While I don't let anyone touch my scope, I do often beg for friends and family to move the Mount out, since I don't have an observatory...yet.
Absolutely! I would have loved to see someone my size handle them in a video - that’s why I figured I should make one while I have them both! Thanks 🙏
What kind of imaging will you be using the CPCs for?
I've inherited a CPC800 and it would be very interesting to learn how you configure and control the scopes.
Thanks
Hi! I’m using them for planetary, lunar, and ISS. If you’re interested in what sort of photos the 800 can produce, there’s loads on my Instagram. I’ll try and make a video about the setup! Good luck with your CPC, it’s a brilliant scope.
@@CellistOnTheRoof
Thanks for replying.
I've been reading about using an off axis guider with derotation. This seems to work in alt-az no need for a wedge.
Personally I’m a fan of dedicated proper kit for DSO, so I’ve never tried modifying my planetary kit. Good luck!
Great vid, Ivana! How on earth do you balance one of these things? Maybe they don’t need balancing like my News and HEQ5Pro? New video idea maybe?
Thanks Tom! Indeed they don’t need balancing, there’s an in-built bubble in the tripod and then the whole mount-OTA combo just sits on top. Being alt-az, it’s really forgiving!
@@CellistOnTheRoof Looks like I need to upgrade, LOL
Not a good time to tell you the 8” is going to be selling then? 😄
@@CellistOnTheRoof Stop temping me to buy more amazing stuff, LOL. I don’t think my office can take it anymore.
CPC 925 is it a beginner's telescope Or Intermediate or Professional??
What would you recommend a Celestron CPC 800 Deluxe HD or a Celestron CPC 9.25?
For planetary? I wouldn’t choose the HD series because they have an in-built corrector/field flattener, which for planetary imaging isn’t necessary and it’s another layer of glass in the optical train.
Thanks for your quick response
Have you tried or are you able to use a wedge with them?
I thought about it but ultimately decided not to bother. For DSO imaging I decided to get a dedicated EQ mount, and for everything else the Alt-Az CPC does the job just fine!
I just ran across this vid, and it is REALLY entertaining. I have had a CPC 800 now for years and it is NOT what I call handy and I am over 6 feet tall and over 200 pounds. The 800 is plenty heavy and more than clumsy enough to make moving it through doors and narrow hallways a bit of an hassle. I actually think the author, at 5 ft 4 inches, has an easier time picking her's up. I have to bend and strain my back more. I am sure I could handle a 9.25 with no extra problems, but I don't see the point upgrading for an inch and a quarter of aperture. I don't even want to consider toting around an 11 inch model. Too much. Overall though, the CPC is a very stable rig once you get it assembled. I use a right angle finder and a Telrad on mine.
On a bit of a side note, if you happen to have a Nexstar 4/5SE or 6/8SE mount, it will fit on the CPC heavy duty tripod, which is an improvement over the standard Nexstar tripod as far as stability is concerned. I picked up a lone 4/5SE mount on Ebay, so I use it with a C5 tube and my tripod for an lighter on the go rig.
Thanks, and that’s a great tip about Nexstar. The tripod for CPC really is brilliant and more stable than anything else I’ve tried.
@@CellistOnTheRoof The only adjustment I had to make on my tripod was to lower the center pin just a touch. It was a bit too high for the 4/5SE mount. Now it is perfect for both the Nextstar and the CPC.
As far as cameras go, my original is a ZWO ASI120MC. I just upgraded to a ASI678MC, but haven't had the opportunity to use it yet. Believe it or not, it is too cloudy this time of year here in New Mexico, USA. I haven't ever, as of yet, had to quickly take my telescopes inside when it started raining. That isn't much of a problem here. 😊
❤
Asides from the sturdy mount, what are the differences between the evolution 8 and cpc 8?
I’ve never had the Evolution, but from having a glance, I’d say it’s really well geared towards visual use. It has the inbuilt battery and wifi, but the single fork mount is not what I’d personally go for. Great scope though!
@@CellistOnTheRoof it makes me wonder, because that mount looks sturdy enough for the 8 in sct.
can you hook a pvs14 night vision to it?
2 inch eyepiece is a must for me, which the 8 inch telescope does not accommodate.
It does, all you need is a 2” visual back adapter.
@@CellistOnTheRoof OH! Thanks.
I have the 9.25 GOTO. Do you have any problems with 3 star alignment?
Hi, I don’t use it often but I haven’t had issues!
I just started using SkyPortal alignment feature on my 8SE and it took me 3 times out before I got what I was doing wrong but now no problems and once aligned it puts objects right into the center of eyepiece every time. If you are like me, if all else fails follow the instructions. Clear Skies!
Is it easy to get it to auto track the planets ie keep in the center of view finder
Beide schöne Teleskope aber das C 9.25 hat die bessere Optik.
9.25 is better if one has a fixed personal dome...where mobility is not required...
Do you think that 1" of aperture makes a noticeable difference?
@@Rick-or2kq Of course, it does.
11” and 14” is even better
Looks expensive looking at places no one will ever go to
As humans, curiosity about our own universe is something afforded to few, but if you can do it - it’s wonderful. 2nd hand, these telescopes are 30-40% cheaper than new and usually in mint condition. Astronomers tend to take very good care of their equipment.