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International orders*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.
| 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 |
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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.
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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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
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.
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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!)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
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?
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