SpectrumOI Telescope for Adults & Kids, Premium Maksutov AZ Telescope, 70mm Aperture with Aspherical Eyepiece

I received this telescope as a present from my wife. I was skeptical about a 4” refractor telescope at this price but my doubts were dispelled after I assembled and used the telescope. This is not my first telescope. I have been in amateur astronomy for almost six decades. Assembly of the Polarlink refractor was easy. There’s a YouTube video from Spectrum Optical that takes you through the procedure. The optical tube is all metal. The focuser is very good. The finder is a zero power red dot one that may be replaced later as you gain experience. For a beginner, it will be sufficient. The included eyepieces are adequate as well as the barlow. If the telescope is to be used for astronomy the included Amici prism diagonal should be replaced with a common mirror diagonal. The smartphone mount works very well and it’s easy to use for taking images of the moon.The optics of this telescope are surprisingly excellent. Mine came well collimated (aligned). Chromatic aberration (purple halo around bright objects) is well under control. I observed Saturn and was able to see the Cassini division and one cloud belt plus the moons Titan and Rhea. On Jupiter the telescope provides great views of the belts and even the Great Red Spot. Lunar views are excellent and impressive. At high power stars look like they should in an achromatic refractor of this size.The mount is adequate. I did not find big issues with it except that the movements in Right Ascencion were stiff. This required some adjustment that is probably beyond a beginner and is something that Spectrum should address by careful testing. Polar alignment easy and also explained in the YouTube video. I was able to adapt a Meade battery clock drive to the telescope. It works very well.This telescope can be put up in a few minutes and it is ready to go. The weight of the whole mounted telescope is not much either.I would recommend this telescope for someone starting in astronomy on a budget. You get everything needed in one package.

The ExploraPro 90mm refractor is a decent starter scope package. Three-and-a-half inches of clear aperture, and an f/7.3 focal ratio, which is kind of a sweet spot as far as I'm concerned. With that focal ratio, you can still get some decent wide-angle views, but it also allows for some respectable magnification when conditions allow. The scope is an achromat, so it is going to show a wee bit of false color on the brightest objects like the moon or Venus, but it really isn't much, and some people may not even notice it. For all other astronomical objects, it's a non-factor.The focuser is the basic rack and pinion type, nothing special but works fine. The red dot finder helps but like most straight-thru finders, it can be difficult to use when looking for things higher up in the sky. (I always use an aftermarket RACI finder on all of my scopes...much easier on the neck.) The included diagonal is a nice bonus as well.The tripod is lightweight, and as expected, is subject to vibrations anytime you touch the scope, whether focusing or tracking, even with the slow-motion controls. It's not a terrible tripod, but as most experienced astronomers know, the mount is often just as important than the scope. Adequate would be the best word I can come up with.Comes with a standard dovetail, so the scope can be mounted on another mount & tripod if desired. Likewise, you can mount another dovetail-equipped scope on this tripod as well.The included eyepieces are low end MA's, lower grade than Plossls, but they are adequate. The 20mm and 10mm work fine, but the 4mm I received is next-to-worthless. No eye relief, false color, and extremely small exit pupil make it difficult to use. I would recommend purchasing a Celestron 8-24 zoom...mine works quite well with this scope. The Barlow will double the magnifications of the eyepieces.I haven't yet tried the cellphone holder for taking pictures, and not sure how sturdy it is in actual use.Overall it is a nice setup for the money. And the dovetail allows for interchanging different scopes/mounts if you advance in the hobby. I would recommend this package for kids or adults starting out in the hobby, or for an experienced user who may just want a cheaper scope for quick and easy grab-and-go observing sessions. Four stars.

Excellent quality optics for a beginner. The mount is a little shaky, but is serviceable. The right angle correct image diagonal supplied works well. The eyepieces are serviceable and the case is handy.

Absolutely blown away by this telescope! As a novice astronomer, I was hesitant about investing in a telescope, but this one exceeded all my expectations. Cannot believe that this little guy actually comes with all glass optics and the clarity of the images it provides is breathtaking, and the ease of assembly and use make it perfect for beginners like myself. Highly recommended

I am very satisfied with this telescope. It was easy to put together and the phone holder feature is awesome! Just pull the rubber off of the lens and twist the mount on. My only complaint would be is that when you go to adjust the focus the image gets very shaky and you have to wait a few seconds with out touching the telescope for it to stabilize. The tripod itself is very sturdy the shaking is only at the body of the telescope due to the single arm mount. Other than that I love it! Would recommend!

Sharp images, smooth focuser and above average stock eyepieces make this a diamond in the rough considering it is only a beginner telescope. Get one and see for yourself. I really like f/5.7 speed, nice to the eye.