Wasted $60 on a cheap telescope from Amazon that I couldn't even use

Bought one of those $60 refractor telescopes on a Prime Day deal last summer. The tripod was so flimsy it shook every time I touched the focus knob. Couldn't get a clear view of Jupiter at all, just a blurry smudge. After three nights of frustration I packed it back up. The return window had closed by then so I'm stuck with it. Been borrowing my neighbor's binoculars instead and honestly see more. Anyone else get burned by a cheap scope and find something decent under $200?

2 comments

2 Comments

andrew8549d ago

Binoculars are the real budget secret. People sleep on them.

robert_smith369d ago

Honestly, I gotta push back on that. I spent $40 on a pair of Nikon Action Extreme 10x50s and took them to a music festival, and they were basically useless. You can't see anything clearly from far away because of all the vibration, even with the image stabilization turned off. Plus, the field of view is so narrow that you're constantly scanning back and forth just to find the stage. For the same money, you can get a cheap used DSLR with a zoom lens that actually captures a shot instead of just making you dizzy.