One award-winning astrophotographer calls the fast, wide field, of the Meade LXD75 Schmidt-Newtonian "a killer low-cost imaging platform"

The Meade LXD75 series is the perfect "step-up" telescope for anyone who wants to see farther and begin to explore astrophotography with a Meade DSI Imager.  This telescope series gives you a solid GoTo Mount with time-tested pointing and tracking accuracy and enough aperture to capture the faint light of tantalizing deep space objects.   It also makes premium optics (including the elite Schmit-Newtonian optical design that only Meade makes) affordable to everyone.  The Meade LXD75 German Equatorial Mount is the most sturdy, worm gear driven, computer-compatible telescope mount you will find for the money.  Add a fast f/4 focal ratio 8" or 10" Schmidt-Newtonian and you have a set-up tailor-made for Meade's DSI Imagers (f/4 is the optimum focal ratio for any DSI, DSLR, or CCD Imager).

The entire Meade LXD75 series is built around the sturdy LXD75 German Equatorial Mount that can also be used with other old or new optical tube assemblies in your collection.