Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

The telescope was very simple to assemble. It only took less than a hour to assemble. The views of Saturn through the 10mm eyepiece were great. Know I want to buy the 10 inch Dobsonian.

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

I was looking for a telescope that would give me a lot of options in what I can view without spending too much and this scope does just that.

I was iffy about the Dobsonian base as I've never used one before, but its easy to use and doesn't move around at all once you get the tension right on the adjustment screws.

I would suggest getting a nice set of lenses to go with this scope. The included eye pieces are good but to get the full use of this scope you are going to need a larger array of sizes for viewing.

All in all, a great scope for the money.

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

Here's an update to my lengthy review below with a solution to the '30mm fully inserted won't close-focus on Moon:

Like many reviewers here, after loosening I could only get the focuser out to the 3" mark (on top of the tube), which meant I had to *not fully insert* the 30mm eyepiece to get close focus (The Moon). The closer an object is—the farther out you have to crank the eyepiece tube to focus on it.

HERE'S A FIX: Underneath the focuser are two silver thumbscrews. The one farthest from your eye is the 'focus lock'. If this is tightened, the focuser won't move. If this is loosened the focuser will function and you can focus in/out to the 3" mark. However, if the focus lock knob is loosened *even further*, almost so it is falling out: you can focus in/out to the 4" mark. This actually allows the 30mm eyepiece (fully inserted into the focus tube) to focus the Moon.

I was actually able to achieve focus with a fully inserted 30mm EP during the Super Moon on 5-5-2012. And the Moon doesn't get any closer than that! I still had room to focus past the Moon too—I didn't look, but the Moon was probably focused at about 3 1/8"—leaving me all the way to 4" to focus on anything closer than the Moon (whatever that may be).

Mike from Detroit

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

I really love this Z8 Dobsonian. I read numerous reviews in various forums and ultimately decided on the Z8. It was within my budget and the extras it came with make it an extra sweet deal.

The quality is outstanding. The base is solid and moves smoothly. The side cams for altitude adjustment are also easy to adjust and very smooth. The 30mm EP and 9mm Plossl are great EP's. The finderscope is easy to focus and zero. Collimation is a snap, and the fan at the base is an awesome addition. I am waiting for a full moon to test out the moon filter.

First light with the Z8 showed incredible views of the moon, Saturn and the Orion nebula. I couldn't take my eyes off of Saturn it was awesome. I recently added a Zhumell 2" 2X Barlow and my viewing pleasure has doubled!

The Z8 is a great Dob right out of the box. I have added a 2" Barlow and will be trying a Meade zoom EP in the future. Haystack has been great - fast shipping, and a great user friendly website. I would definitely recommend the Z8 as well as Telescopes.com

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

Comments about Zhumell Z8 Deluxe Dobsonian Reflector Telescope:

I received this scope April 30th and have used it 7 or 8 times since then. My wife and I sat out and easily found Saturn and M104 in the first few nights of star gazing. The stand puts the eye piece at perfect height for sitting and scanning the skys. The telescope itself is very well constructed and the eyepieces are comfortable. This is a great "still easily portable" telescope for enthusiasts and beginners. I experienced some of the same issues as other reviewers such as the 2" EP must be lifted slightly out of the holder to gain focus but it did not distract from the overall experience at all. The collimator did fail after just a few uses but was promptly replaced. Overall this was a great replacement for my last 3" refractor and I challenge anyone to find a better telescope at this price.