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Orion LaserMate Laser Collimator
| Brand | Orion |
| Part Number | |
| Availability | available |
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Product Info
Overview
Reviews
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Mar 16, 2008
Basic laser
Pros:Price, size, easy to use, long battery life.
Cons:Not very well suited for scopes with long tubes
Comments:The Orion LaserMate collimator was the first device I purchased for collimating my Meade 8" Schmidt Newtonian. I tried collimation with a collimation cap and just could not figure it out, so I purchased the LaserMate. After placing the laser in the focuser it took me about 1 minute to get the optics aligned. The basic LaserMate collimator works well in short scopes which you can reach the collimation screws while looking down inside the front of your telescope tube. If you have a longer newtonian you will be jumping back and forth from the front of your scope to the rear of your scope when using this device. So basically if you have a smaller newtonian this device will serve you well. If you have a larger newtonian you want a laser collimator with a side cut out so you can see what your doing from the rear of your scope. My LaserMate served me well until I went with a larger scope, but now the little laser is retired. I used it for 4 years on the original batteries and they still work!
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? YesJan 31, 2008Good accessory for a cheap price.
Pros:Lightweight, inexpensive, efficient battery use.
Cons:Easy to lose screw, no rear port viewer.
Comments:I often use this laser collimator in combination with a collimation cap or sight tube to align my Newtonians and it seems to do an outstanding job. I've actually used a couple of more expensive laser collimators before, but settled on the Lasermate due to its light weight (I don't like a lot of weight on my focuser when collimating). In addition, my other laser collimators really ate up the batteries while the Lasermate seems to last quite a long time on a single set.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
There are some drawbacks with the Lasermate. For one thing, it turns on and off with a set screw that you either tighten or loosen by hand. Make it too loose and you risk losing the screw. It also lacks the angled rear view port common on many laser collimators these days, which is a very useful feature to have when collimating your primary mirror.
Overall, this is an excellent accessory to get if you don't already have a collimation tool for your Newtonian. I'm sure I'll eventually replace mine with something that's a bit easier to use, but for now I'm in no hurry.Sort by
