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Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope

  • Price: $159.95
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  • B&H # CEC90M
  • Mfr# 52268

Product Highlights

  • Angled Viewing
  • Multicoated Optics
  • 45° Erect-Image Diagonal
  • Erect-Image 8x21 Finderscope
  • 32mm Eyepiece - 39x Magnification
  • Standard Tripod Mount

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The compact and highly-portable C90 MAK Spotting Scope from Celestron is a powerful spotting scope with a Maksutov-Cassegrain optical path, a 32mm eyepiece, and an erect-image 45° diagonal that also corrects the view laterally. Because the finderscope and the diagonal both provide corrected images, the C90 is an excellent choice for terrestrial and astronomy viewing.

The 32mm Plossl eyepiece provides the user with a remarkable 39x magnification. Higher levels of magnification and wider fields of view can be experienced by substituting the included eyepiece with appropriate 1.25" astronomy ocular.

The C90 comes with an erect image 8x21 finderscope that provides a wider FOV to aid the viewer in locating subjects and targets easily. The finderscope mounts conveniently to the side of the C90's OTA and it removes easily for storage and transport.

The entire system is tripod-adaptable - the C90 is equipped with a standard threaded tripod mount that's stable and secure. The rear of the C90 features built-in T-mount threads for mounting an SLR camera for astrophotography or digiscoping applications.

Performance Details
  • Multicoated optics
  • Focal Length : 1250 mm, f/13.89
  • 32 mm 1.25" Plossl eyepiece: 39x magnification
  • Integral standard 1/4"-20 threaded tripod mount
  • Built-in T-adapter threading for use with SLR cameras
  • 8x21 erect-image finderscope for rapid subject location
  • Compact and portable Maksutov-Cassegrain optical design
  • 45° erect-image diagonal for terrestrial and astronomical applications
Magnification 39x
Objective Lens Diameter 90 mm
Field of View 68.0' @ 1000 yd / 20.73 m @ 1000 m
Minimum Focus Distance 15.0' / 4.57 m
Exit Pupil Diameter 2.3 mm
Eye Relief 20 mm
Weatherproofing Not specified by manufacturer
Dimensions Length: 16.0" / 41 cm (with diagonal and eyepiece)
Weight 5.0 lb / 2.3 kg

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
CelestronC90 MAK Spotting Scope
 
4.3

(based on 12 reviews)

Ratings Distribution

  • 5 Stars

     

    (5)

  • 4 Stars

     

    (6)

  • 3 Stars

     

    (1)

  • 2 Stars

     

    (0)

  • 1 Stars

     

    (0)

92%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Strong magnification (6)
  • Bright eyepiece (5)

Cons

  • Poorly illuminated (3)

Best Uses

  • Astronomy (8)
  • Shooting (5)
  • Bright conditions (4)
    • Reviewer Profile:
    • Casual/ recreational (11)
    • Was this a gift?:
    • No (10)

Most Liked Positive Review

 

Versatile Terrestrial/Astro Viewing

I use for both terrestrial and astonomical viewing, and telephoto lens. Needs to be mounted to a motor drive (telescope) for astro viewing. Lightweight, easy to pack. Doesn't need a T adapter...Read complete review

I use for both terrestrial and astonomical viewing, and telephoto lens. Needs to be mounted to a motor drive (telescope) for astro viewing. Lightweight, easy to pack. Doesn't need a T adapter for SLR, just need the adapter ring for your camera. Backpack does not have a padded area to store eyepiece, diagonal, or finderscope. Dust caps not included for eyepiece or finderscope. Diagonal does not seal to optical tube (gaps around diagonal tube) may let dust in. No tripod included.
BHPhoto has the very best price. Pretty decent scope for the price.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

 

Solid scope but not good for astronomy

I bought this scope a few months ago as my first astronomy telescope and I'm slightly disappointed. It's great for planets and the moon at high power but views of anything other than that are...Read complete review

I bought this scope a few months ago as my first astronomy telescope and I'm slightly disappointed. It's great for planets and the moon at high power but views of anything other than that are dim and underwhelming. The long focal length and high F ratio mean that the field of view is very narrow, the magnification very high and the amount of light that reaches your eye is faint. The lowest possible magnification for this scope is about 40x which is frustratingly high. More magnification is definitely not better (for astronomy anyway). Objects are dim and float out of view very quickly at 40x. However, It is very solidly built, images of the moon or planets are crisp and clear and it performs well at higher magnifications. It would make a decent long-range spotting scope, though it is pretty heavy.

Reviewed by 12 customers

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5.0

Good scope

By Omer

from Ankara, Turkey

About Me Casual/ Recreational

Verified Buyer

Pros

  • Sensitivity Controls

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Astronomy
    • Bright Conditions

    Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

    I am very satisfied with the image quality and handling of the scope, although the eyepiece that comes with it is rather weak in magnification and is not that easy to view with.

    • Was this a gift?:
    • No

    Share this review

    (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

     
    4.0

    Excellent value, compact and portable

    By range_monkey

    from Southeast Texas

    About Me Casual/ Recreational

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Bright Eyepiece
    • Eypiece selection
    • Strong Magnification

    Cons

    • Tad bulky for my purpose

    Best Uses

    • Astronomy
    • Bright Conditions
    • Shooting

    Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

    I plan to use the C90 MAK scope primarily as a spotting scope for long range rifle shooting. I'm hoping it will allow me to score targets at 300 yards but I don't really expect it to perform much beyond that distance.The lens that came with the scope is crystal clear, the little sighting scope is very useful for getting pointed in the right direction. The ability to change lens is fantastic and I also bought a 8-24 zoom lens for use at the rifle range. The included 32mm lens gets in the ballpark of 40x magnification, more than enough for casual observation of birds or something like the moon. The 8-24 zoom lens gets me about 50x-150x magnification. From about 100 yards away I can clearly read the brand and number on a golf ball sitting in the grass.The downside of the zoom is it's hard to focus at maximum zoom and the viewable image is a little dim. There are probably more expensive zoom lenses that would perform better but for only [$] it's great.

    • Was this a gift?:
    • No

    Share this review

     
    5.0

    Very good scope!

    By D.P

    from US

    About Me Casual/ Recreational

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Bright Eyepiece
    • Not expensive

    Cons

    • Made in china print

    Best Uses

    • Astronomy
    • Bird Watching
    • Free movies neighbor TV
    • Shooting

    Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

    I bought this scope for my 9yo Daughter, birthday.
    I'm very surprised by good quality (even it says "made in china").
    Most times, when I buy China "stuff" - I need to spend additional money to fix it. Not here.
    The view thru 32mm eyepiece is very clear and sharp.
    DO NOT BUY eyepiece shorted than 10mm, makes no sense. Buy 12mm good quality eyepiece , it will give you about 105x magnification - pefect for Moon and stars (for beginners).

    Good, heavy tripod with many metal parts is needed for this telescope.

    If you use this scope for range - checking .22 holes from 70 yards - no problemo, on any color target.

    • Was this a gift?:
    • Yes

    Share this review

     
    5.0

    Great Little spotting scope.

    By Beginner tim

    from Lewisburg, Ohio

    About Me Casual/ Recreational

    Verified Buyer

    Pros

    • Fast and easy set up

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Astronomy

      Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

      I used the scope to see Jupiter last week, with a gso 15mm eye piece I could see three of Jupiters moons and the rings on the planet.
      It's really very easy to set up, with my Celestron CG3 tripod for quick views. I'm ready to look at the moon in about ten minutes.
      It's going to be a little hard to add a better view finder, because of the screw holes.
      Over all I love the Celestron C90, and have bought one for my 25yr old son. He enjoys it also.

      • Was this a gift?:
      • No

      Share this review

       
      5.0

      Fantastic value for the money

      By Dave

      from Australia

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      Verified Buyer

      Pros

      • Clear optics
      • Great Value for Money
      • Portable

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Astronomy

        Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

        I bought this little scope for some planetary astro-photography and just a long focal length lens for my digital SLR camera. Although the clear nights have been few and far between since purchasing the scope I know I am going to get a lot of use for it. I plan to take it to South Africa on a safari next year as it is so portable.
        Well done Celestron (I also have a Celestron refractor telescope).

        • Was this a gift?:
        • No

        Share this review

        (4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

         
        4.0

        Versatile Terrestrial/Astro Viewing

        By MO

        from Seattle, WA

        About Me Casual/ Recreational

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Easy dslr attachment
        • Nice finish
        • Portable

        Cons

        • Diagonal does not seal
        • No dust caps for eyepiece
        • No dust caps for finder
        • No padding for attachment

        Best Uses

        • Astronomy
        • Photography
        • Shooting

        Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

        I use for both terrestrial and astonomical viewing, and telephoto lens. Needs to be mounted to a motor drive (telescope) for astro viewing. Lightweight, easy to pack. Doesn't need a T adapter for SLR, just need the adapter ring for your camera. Backpack does not have a padded area to store eyepiece, diagonal, or finderscope. Dust caps not included for eyepiece or finderscope. Diagonal does not seal to optical tube (gaps around diagonal tube) may let dust in. No tripod included.
        BHPhoto has the very best price. Pretty decent scope for the price.

        • Was this a gift?:
        • No

        Share this review

        (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

         
        4.0

        bargain spotting scope.

        By New Potty

        from Niagara, Canada

        About Me Casual/ Recreational

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Compact
        • Good construction
        • Price
        • Strong Magnification

        Cons

        • Poorly Illuminated
        • Slow focusing

        Best Uses

        • Astronomy
        • Bright Conditions

        Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

        I already own an older model "orange" C90 scope. This is a classic MAK scope, and has a reputation for being a great little "grab and go" telescope. I learned recently that Celestron is discontinuing the new C90, as advertised here. It has some technical improvements over the old model, for example, a standard 1.25" eyepiece (the old one uses 0.96"), and a more convenient focusing mechanism. I therefore decided to buy new new C90 while I had the chance!

        I plan to use the C90 for casual astronomy. It is less useful as a daytime telephoto lens, because it is too dim, and focusing is slow. (Check out the Celestron site to see some of the amazing astrophotography people have done with the C90!)

        • Was this a gift?:
        • No

        Share this review

        (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

         
        4.0

        A Good Value for the Money

        By Paul S

        from Fresno, CA

        About Me Casual/ Recreational

        Verified Buyer

        Pros

        • Bright Eyepiece
        • Strong Magnification

        Cons

          Best Uses

          • Shooting

          Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

          I use this scope for target spotting at the rifle range. This scope coupled to my 69 year old eyes allows me to read the numbers on the target rings at 100 yards without difficulty. It is perfect for my application. It also produces a good image out beyond 300 meters. Next, just for drill I'll point it at the moon on a clear night and take a look.

          • Was this a gift?:
          • No

          Share this review

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          5.0

          Small, light and very clear

          By Old Parallax

          from Bedford

          About Me Casual/ Recreational

          Verified Buyer

          Pros

          • Bright Eyepiece

          Cons

            Best Uses

            • Digiscoping

            Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

            I bought this to spot and take photos of objects 5 miles or more away. It does a great job. Small, light and easy to carry, the images are very clean and clear.
            The included plossl eyepiece is bright and easy to use, with a 2X barlow and 24mm eyepiece it's up to 100X. Very nice indeed. Planning on connecting a DSLR to this for long telephoto shots.

            So far I am very pleased. Great scope and great value for money.

            • Was this a gift?:
            • No

            Share this review

            (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

             
            4.0

            Nice Dual Purpose Scope

            By Birder Jason

            from Elgin, TX

            About Me Casual/ Recreational

            Verified Buyer

            Pros

            • Solid build
            • Strong Magnification

            Cons

            • Limited light-gathering

            Best Uses

            • Birding

            Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

            The C90 MAK is a solid, versatile little scope. It provides bright, sharp views of birds during the day, and decent night viewing for the moon and planets. I live an area with limited sky views and pretty severe light pollution, so this meets my needs in the astronomical realm. I do recommend getting a Celestron star diagonal to replace the 45° Erect-Image Diagonal for a clearer view.

            • Was this a gift?:
            • No

            Share this review

            (1 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

             
            3.0

            Solid scope but not good for astronomy

            By SpaceCadet

            from NYC

            About Me Casual/ Recreational

            Verified Reviewer

            Pros

            • Strong Magnification

            Cons

            • Heavy
            • Poorly Illuminated

            Best Uses

            • Bright Conditions
            • Shooting

            Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

            I bought this scope a few months ago as my first astronomy telescope and I'm slightly disappointed. It's great for planets and the moon at high power but views of anything other than that are dim and underwhelming. The long focal length and high F ratio mean that the field of view is very narrow, the magnification very high and the amount of light that reaches your eye is faint. The lowest possible magnification for this scope is about 40x which is frustratingly high. More magnification is definitely not better (for astronomy anyway). Objects are dim and float out of view very quickly at 40x. However, It is very solidly built, images of the moon or planets are crisp and clear and it performs well at higher magnifications. It would make a decent long-range spotting scope, though it is pretty heavy.

            • Was this a gift?:
            • No

            Share this review

            (0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

             
            4.0

            Good telescope

            By Cheezwinegap

            from suburbs of Chicago, Illinois

            About Me Casual/ Recreational

            Pros

            • Bright Eyepiece
            • Strong Magnification

            Cons

            • Poorly Illuminated

            Best Uses

            • Astronomy

            Comments about Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope:

            This is not really a spotting scope. It's more like a telescope. The first night it was clear, I went out and looked at Jupiter. I saw 3 of the 4 moons. Two things that are a problem. Number 1 is I couldn't really focus it good enough. Number 2 is if you focus in on it, you'll notice that a black dot appears. I don't know how to collimate it. Anyone help?

            • Was this a gift?:
            • Yes

            Share this review

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            What's in the Box

            Celestron C90 MAK Spotting Scope
            • Nylon Backpack
            • Objective Cap
            • Limited Lifetime Warranty
             
             
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