Celestron C5 127mm F/10 50x Spotting Scope

I have always coveted a Celestron C5 and finally got one. It is sturdy, well made, lifetime warranty and comes with a padded case for dragging around in the field. The only flaw, and it is not good, is the pathetic finderscope. The finder has a fixed focus and mine is set somewhere beyond infinity so nothing will ever be in focus. The finder mount is not the almost standard dovetail. The screw spacing matches nothing. So you need to get a universal dovetail base and a real finderscope. Ironically, my much cheaper Celestron C90 has a good focusable finder with a dovetail base. Go figure.

I recently bought this spotting scope and have been very impressed. I purchased it for combined terrestrial and astronomical use. Here are some considerations and observations. Since I wanted to be able to use this for astronomy as well, I purchased a star diagonal at the time of purchase. I purchased the Heavy Duty Alt-Az Mount as well. This set up is fine. The mount is lightweight enough to be easily moved around. Good for terrestrial viewing and good enough for astronomical viewing, although it is difficult to see stars high in the sky. Please note that this scope is the same optical tube as the Celestron Omni 127 XLT. At B&H, they sell the Omni 127 with the equatorial mount at a very favorable price. So, an alternative to consider would be to purchase the Omni ... MoreI recently bought this spotting scope and have been very impressed. I purchased it for combined terrestrial and astronomical use. Here are some considerations and observations. Since I wanted to be able to use this for astronomy as well, I purchased a star diagonal at the time of purchase. I purchased the Heavy Duty Alt-Az Mount as well. This set up is fine. The mount is lightweight enough to be easily moved around. Good for terrestrial viewing and good enough for astronomical viewing, although it is difficult to see stars high in the sky. Please note that this scope is the same optical tube as the Celestron Omni 127 XLT. At B&H, they sell the Omni 127 with the equatorial mount at a very favorable price. So, an alternative to consider would be to purchase the Omni 127 and then buy the 45 degree diagonal and alt-az mount if desired. This is more economical than buying the C5 and the CG-4 EQ mount afterwards. Also, mounting the scope on the alt-az mount is done by screwing the OTA to the mount. Since the OTA comes with a dovetail, it might be nice to find a Vixen clamp so you can just slide the OTA onto the mount. All said, very happy with this product.

I use the C5 for visual and imaging astronomy. I already own a Nexstar 8SE and wanted something smaller with the same type of capabilities that I could use on the Nexstar mount, an AstroTrac mount and a manual az/alt mount for travel purposes. The C5 fit the bill and I am very pleased with its visual and imaging performance. Already having a larger SCT, I know about the pros and cons of this type of design, so I'm not surprised by anything. It can share accessories with 8SE without the need for new accessory purchase. At 6 pounds, it is a nice fit for the AstroTrac mount. If you want visual capabilities between 50 and 150 (for most seeing conditions, this lightweight, highly portable scope meets the requirement. The supplied foam lined nylon carrying case is very ... MoreI use the C5 for visual and imaging astronomy. I already own a Nexstar 8SE and wanted something smaller with the same type of capabilities that I could use on the Nexstar mount, an AstroTrac mount and a manual az/alt mount for travel purposes. The C5 fit the bill and I am very pleased with its visual and imaging performance. Already having a larger SCT, I know about the pros and cons of this type of design, so I'm not surprised by anything. It can share accessories with 8SE without the need for new accessory purchase. At 6 pounds, it is a nice fit for the AstroTrac mount. If you want visual capabilities between 50 and 150 (for most seeing conditions, this lightweight, highly portable scope meets the requirement. The supplied foam lined nylon carrying case is very nice. Prime focus and afocal imaging work great with both a webcam and a DSLR camera. For my usage, it is an all around excellent purchase at an excellent price.