Ronald Davis said:
Hi Everybody,
I found an Orion 120mm f4 refractor for sale on scope trader and it has a ton of stuff that goes with it. Already have a mount for it but before making an offer wanted to see if others thing its a good deal. See http://www.scopetrader.com/120mm-f5-Refractor-with-Lots-of-Extra's/?l=/Classifieds/displayad.asp&ad=2748.
Thanks for your help!
Ronald:
This is the way I see it:
I don't know what you are planning on doing with the scope but the price seems quite high to me. Typically the Orion 120mmm F/5 refractors go for about $300. Look at this ad and looks what it includes:
http://www.astromart.com/classifieds/details.asp?classified_id=665124
As far as the added value of all the extras in the ad you found, they seem mostly aimed at Astrophotography and this is definitely not a scope well suited to astrophotography. This is a very fast achromat that will provide nice low power, wide field views but will show a great deal of false color at higher magnifications and in photographs.
From the Orion website:
"This telescope was not designed for high-power examination of planetary or lunar surface detail; for that we recommend the AstroView 120, with its longer focal length. Rather, the 120ST excels for breathtaking, wide-field images of deep-space delectables set against their stellar backdrops."
http://www.telescope.com/control/telescopes/refractor-telescopes/orion-astroview-120st-equatorial-refractor-telescope
So this is the way I look at it:
If you want an 120mm F/5 Achromat for widefield viewing, you don't need all that extra stuff, find one for $300 and enjoy it.
If you want a scope for general purpose use, consider your budget, your mount and make a decision. In this price range, an achromat will provide you with more aperture but the mechanicals will be Spartan and there will be noticable false color. An ED or APO scope will be smaller but provide cleaner crisper views and be better suited for astrophotography.
If astrophotography is you goal, I would suggest starting with an 80mm APO, even an ED-80, many great photos have been taken with an ED-80.
A scope like this 120mm F/5 is best suited for someone who has other, more versatile scopes and is looking for an affordable widefield refractor.
That's my two cents...
Jon
