Quick Summary: The LX200 ACF series from Meade is a phenomenal telescope best known for its amazing clarity, anti-coma features, and incredible visual astronomy views. Let's look at how it performs for Astrophotography.
Introduction
The Meade LX200 ACF series is a line of incredible time machines, full stop. The 14" version is the best of them
Key Specifications
- Brand & Model: Meade LX200 14" ACF
- Type: Schmidt-Cassegrain (SCT) telescope
- Price Range: thousands of dollars if you can find one
- Key Features:
- 14" is a HUGE light bucket that sucks photons in from across the Universe
- At almost 150 pounds (scope, mount, and tripod) it laughs in the face of any breeze less than category 1 hurricane
- Huge online communities for support, mods, and information
- UHTC (Ultra High Transmission Coatings)
- Best For: Staring at the night skies and taking galaxy and planetary pictures
Design & Build Quality
- Built like an actual tank. Only moves with two people; lift with your knees.
- ~100 pounds for scope and fork mount plus another 50 for the tripod
- Observatory-class telescope
- Get the optional micro focuser and it provides razor-sharp views without any shake
- This is the best telescope I will ever own
I need to say that this thing is built like a tank. I purchased mine new in late Februrary as part of the High Point Scientific sale of Meade inventory after Meade went out of business in 2024. Yes, it was expensive, but it was also 40% off, new, came with a warranty, an extended warranty, and is backed by HPS. I figured I will never have a chance to own a new 14" telecope cheaper than that for the rest of my life. The problem was, where to put it? It's 16" in diameter and 32" long before attachments.
I've named it the Astropotamus Rex.
Mount Requirements
If you defork it, you lose the GPS, AutoStar, and microfocuser control capabilities since they're built-in to (or connect to) the fork mount. At basically 60 pounds, you're pushing the limit of anything other than a top-end mount. I thought long and hard about an EQ8R Pro, a CQ350, various high-end APT, 10Micro, and others. There's also no room in the AstropotaPOD even if I had a mount that could hold it. So I figured it would be parked on the lawn on its tripod under a TG365 cover until I could figure out what to do with it.
Then I found a brand new Meade Ultra Wedge from someone through a cloudynights want-ad I posted. The price was reasonable and all thoughts of an EQ mount were replaced with "wedge on a tripod." It took a while for the weather to calm down to where there wasn't any snow, rain, or killer heatwaves, but at the beginning of August, I got it up on its wedge with the help of a friend. TG365 cover and all. Sadly, I haven't had much time to use it other than that night (I had to) and a couple nights after. Wildfire smoke and a full moon, and a full workload in the mornings, kept me from doing much. But now I have some time and plan on doing some visual and DSLR work.
Keep in mind that if you get something like this, you're not going to want to move it once it's in place. So if you do get an EQ mount, you need to have that on a pier or in a structure or some place where you don't mind the scope being out in the weather 24x7. That's where the TG365 comes in. If you do put it in a structure, a dew shield or camera or other attachments may make it even larger than it is already so you may need to lower a pier or raise a roof. A SkyShed POD will fit it if you don't leave a dew shield on it, and I'm actively searching for a second nearby used POD that I can use just for this scope.
Performance & Features
- 3556mm focal length, f/10 (356mm) aperture
- Mirror lock
- GPS built-in to the fork mount
- AutoStar (see below)
- If you can find a Meade Ultra Wedge it makes an incredible EQ mount AP machine
I cannot stress how amazing it feels to stare into the front end of A. Rex while it's just sitting there, doing nothing. Staring through a 23mm Celestron Luminos eyepiece at a full Moon is even more awe-inspiring. Rexxie brings in so much light that I literally can't stand it. I have a 1.25" circular polarizer filter but I guess I need to get a 2" one for this perfect combination for staring at the Moon (after it's been dimmed a bit).
I've named it the Astropotamus Rex.
I've taken exactly one picture with Rexxie using my cell phone to snap the moon through the eyepiece. It was mainly "Proof of Life" than anything else. Staring at the Moon was awesome, but the wildfire smoke was really too dense at the time. I haven't done much else with it yet, but it just hums with photonic energy (as someone on Star Trek might say) and I can't help but think that it will abosrb photons from ancient Cosmic structures better than any telescope I've ever owned.
I might even get to try it out for the next few nights. The Moon will be waning and the nights are getting colder and clearer.
Ease of Use
- A relative term, this thing does bounce around a lot when you tap it. So don't tap it. Use the micro focuser for focus and the AutoStar for movement.
- The field of view of a 14" telecope with a 23mm eyepiece is about a half of a degree. So finding things in the night sky can be very tricky. Proper alignment with the AutoStar will make a huge difference.
- I did purchase the computer connection cable as well, so I can control it with NINA and the like, but I haven't connected it yet. Small steps, y'all.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Sucks in photons like a Hoover
- Insanely bright images thanks to the UHTC
- Mostly coma-free thanks to the ACF design
Cons
- Heavy as f
- Expensive as f new (see next line)
- No longer made and Meade is defunct (but many are in the wild, available used)
- Needs a hard-to-find wedge or an expensive mount if you want to make it EQ mode
EQ Mount or Wedge
Not switching it to EQ mode isn't as bad as it sounds. Alt-Az is much easier and cheaper, and software these days can de-rotate things if you need to. There's also field derotators that you can put in your imaging train to deal with field rotation before it happens, if that matters to you. I went with the wedge because I had an opportunity to buy a new one for less than a field derotator, and those are hard to find in the first place. Since I'd just dropped all my cash on the scope, a new mount was out of my reach as well, so the wedge just fit the bill perfectly.
AutoStar
The included AutoStar was version 4.2l (that's a lowercase "L") and I'm informed that it is buggy. Luckily, there are some on-line groups that have both better firmware and even someone who makes new AutoStar compatible handsets. I plan on doing the update but likely not getting a new AutoStar but we'll see. Maybe I'll want a spare.
Who Should Buy This?
- Ideal for fixed-mount observatory style observation and astrophotography
- Best suited for any visual use, plus galaxies and planets
Final Verdict
If you can find one, and you can afford it, you should buy it.
Compared to my refractors, it's such an insanely different beast that it's not even worth comparing. Let's compare it to my Celestron C8 instead.
| Celestron | Meade | |
|---|---|---|
| Focal length | 2032mm | 3556mm |
| Aperture | 8" | 14" (3x) |
| Weight | ~13 pounds | ~60 pounds (4.5x) |
| Availability | New & Used | Used only (no more Meade) |
| Wow-factor | Wow, that's cool! | Holy F*** What Is That? |
Where to Buy
- At this point, you can only find these used on the various marketplaces. You might find a new one from High Point Scientific someday if they uncover one in a crate somewhere, but with Meade out of business, these are now an endangered species.
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FAQs
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Q: Will it work with my DSLR/CMOS/CCD camera?
A: It will if you have the right visual back adapter -
Q: Is it good for planetary astrophotography?
A: It is exceptionally good for this and is one of the primary reasons I bought it -
Q: Can it show me the rings of Saturn?
A: It does if you put a good eyepiece in it. In fact, those rings might end up cutting your eyeballs, they'll be so sharp!