I'm completely on-board! I found a "black tube" C-90 in a charity shop a couple of years back for just $25 US. It had a little cosmetic damage but the optics looked great. Took it home and added it to the collection of assorted Maks and short-tubes that I've collected over the past 50+ years of observing...and then forgot about it! A year later (just pre-COVID) I was packing for a star party and on a whim added the C-90 to the pile. Best move of the year! Under clear, black West Virginia skies I came to the same realization you did...THAT is one fine little telescope. It goes everywhere with me, these days.

I watched your video when I already wanted to buy the C90, and thanks to you I discovered the small and awesome AZ-GTI ! I have now the same combo as you, C90 on a AZ-GTI and the Celestron Zoom Eyepiece (but with a 14mm 82° eyepiece on the way) :) . For the finder I 3D printed a holder for a green laser pointer I already had, it works really well and it's very compact, but I'll maybe buy the Rigel Quickfinder like you because it's more discrete ^^ . I also 3D printed a dewshield and did the flock paper mod inside the back tube to increase contrast... And all of this fits in the Celestron backpack ! It's really awesome to be able to travel so easily with this and to be able to lift the whole with one hand :-o . The optics are also realy great, stars are really sharp and I can see a beautiful airy disk without prior collimation. One mistake I made is that I didn't bought the original Skywatcher tripod with the AZ-GTI because I wanted something smaller... But seriously, if you wanna buy it, go for the Skywatcher tripod, it's maybe bulkier but it's REALLY stable, and this Mak NEEDS stability.

Well, John, you called it. Guess who just ordered a C90 as his 3rd telescope? I'm headed out to visit my daughter in Edmonton just before Christmas so this is not an Astronomy focused trip. HOWEVER, this past July I took my NexStar 6SE with me and loved observing at Elk Island National Park near Edmonton and at Jasper National Park. I couldn't face going back without a telescope so, here we are. From my other scopes (I can't believe how little time this took) I have an astronomy tripod, a good 90-degree diagonal, a selection of eyepieces, and I can't wait to try out the C90. Thanks for validating my choice and please keep up the excellent work.

Great review! My 5th telescope was a Celestron 4se ota bought used for travel and planets even when I was home I'd set it up for planets while I used bigger scopes for DSO's. I recently bought the adapter for my dslr hoping to try it out soon.

Maks have that little extra bit of optical pixie dust sprinkled on them that makes them punch far above their weight. Dunno how or why, but they just do. I'll suggest the Celestron NexStar 90 instead of the C90. Same optical tube, but, like you said, the C90 is designed for terrestrial use. The NexStar 90 comes with the 90-degree diagonal, two eyepieces, and a perfectly good red dot finder that's located in the correct place for ease of use. Plus, the NexStar 90 is already on a computerized/motorized mount/tripod, so no need to buy another one, like the perfectly good AZ-GTi that you show in your video. The cost of the package you've put together is $239 (USD) for the C90 plus $379 for the AZ-GTi = $618. The NexStar 90 is $420, all in. Or, there's also the AZ-GTi package with the scope included. The 102 Mak on the AZ-GTi is $555 - more aperture, still small enough to be easily portable, and still cheaper than the combo in the video.

I have a little Firstscope dobsonian. Looking for one of these now as an inexpensive camera lens for photos. Should also be great for camping, especially with a small tabletop tripod. Edit: got an older model c90. So far it's been great! It works well on my video tripod with fluid head (i.e. slow motion) and the odd focuser makes it a little more compact, length-wise. It's way lighter than a comparable 4se. So yeah... get one! It's a fabulous scope.

You know since last week I started getting interested into telescopes and spent days on forums and yt looking for the ideal all-in-one telescope: portable and able to be carried on a plane in a bag, with good optics (for both planets and DSO) that would make people go "wow" and enough potential to scale up to astrophotography if I get interested later on. you absolutely convinced me that this MAK is the telescope I been looking for

Nice. I just bought an AZ GTi mount and tripod. But, I use my Orion Observer 134mm Newtonian (6.5 pounds) on it, along with a SVBONY SV405CC camera for EAA.

I have a question, What size is the male threading on the back of the scope?

Whowoo, yep, I'm off to buy one. Thanks very much! X

Thanks for the video! I'm about to buy the Celestron C90, but I'm unsure about what tripod I should get. As a beginner, ideally I'd like to start with a tripod that cost me less than the telescope itself. What would you recommend?

Im literally in the confusing process of trying to select my first telescope. I have been guided towards the c90. Just as Im about to purchase, I see your video saying it should not be your first lol so confusing! For the reasons that Im mostly just looking to start very basic! moon, and other planets in our solar system. Learning how to find them in the sky. Ive read that the finder with the c90 is not that great and should be replaced with a red dot finder. Im also looking to travel with it to places. And lastly, its apparently very low maintenance and does not require adjusting (whereas Dobsonian heritge table tops are not travel friendly, and do require some maintenance. ) Does this all sound correct to you?

For $129, that's a great deal.

I bought it as my first scope even when you warned not to hehe but i dont regret it i started with moon and planetary even without tracking and had amazin results then i bought a startracker (not the go to now i regret) and better pics also with a zwo plante camera, now im starting deep sky and bought the asiair, the road couldve been easier but it made me learn from the basics, and i think with the asiair polar align and finding things will be easier anyways j wanted to thank you for me is also the best scope. Oh and the 3x xcel celestron barlow works incredibe in the moon its spectacular the procesed pic of crater plato and mountains

Can you post a link to your view finder. I connect mine to a star adventurer. But finding stuff with the view finder is horrible. I was considering a green laser pointer.

What's a good value star diagonal to use if one needs to buy one. Celestron Dialectric worth it, or the Celestron Prism?

Hello i wanna scope that can clearly see people in their garden at like 800-1000 yard is it a good choice

It all there in the video. Sorry. Great video and very formative Thanks

I cant decide if I should go with this, or the Skymax 102. I have a DSLR camera and the Star Adventurer 2i I'd like to pair it with. What do you think?

Currently saving up for a C90MAK as a broke college student, counting the days till I have enough

Hi, should I buy a Celestron 6mm ultra wide eyepiece to use in this C90 telescope? The magnification will be 208x, will the image be clear and bright?

I am thinking of buying one, but I keep hearing/reading reviews that this telescope is dim. Like the main complaint. What are your 2 cents on this? Nice video's for beginners! Off course I subscribed :)

I've ordered one online, but just read a review about it having a major alignment problem. I dont know if I should cancel the order, or just take my chances? Thanks.

Can you please name the other devices that you used to take the astro photos. Great job

Wish you could go much slower and actually teach us what exactly to buy and how to use it . The scope and mount .

What your suggestions for first telescope?

Hold up. There’s no reason for that finderscope to be on the bottom. Rotate the scope along the bearing axis, relocate the Rigel, and you’re good, right?? I’m guessing if it were that obvious you’d have done it though. Would you mind explaining the problem a bit more? My C90 is on the way so I don’t have one to tinker with directly yet.

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I loved this video.!! I am researching for my first telescope and this is one of my two final choices. The other being the Astro-tech 60mm ED. I need portability (for airline travel and camping), ease of use and durable. This will be taken into cold climates (I live in Estonia) so I will buy a dew shield and be careful of condensation… Anyway I would (realistically for now) like to attach my iPhone 14 pro to either rig and get photos of planets (if possible) , Milky Way and other sky objects. I may eventually get into using a dslr but this will be for visual mostly I could certainly also use as a spotter for wildlife but that is not the main goal…. I’m torn. :)