When it comes to quality telescopes, you must mention PowerSeeker’s name. The two quite popular reflector telescope models from PowerSeeker are 114EQ and 127EQ.
Suppose you are uncertain about choosing between PowerSeeker 144EQ and PowerSeeker 127EQ. In that case, this article will clear up all your confusion. Though both the telescopes come from the same manufacturer, these models have their differences.
Let us start by taking a closer look at both of the telescopes individually.
Celestron PowerSeeker 114EQ
Celestron Powerseeker 114EQ is a Newtonian reflector telescope. This telescope is a very good choice for beginners. 114EQ is also relatively compact and light. It also has a German equatorial mount featuring a slow-motion altitude rod.
114EQ comes with two eyepieces, one 20mm and the other 4mm. It also includes a 3X Barlow lens. But using the Barlow lens is not recommended because using too much magnification on a telescope having a relatively low aperture can produce a distorted image of the object.
As the name suggests, this telescope has a 114mm (4.49″) objective lens, which helps it to capture more light and, in turn, produce images having higher contrast and better details. In addition, the telescope’s focal length helps to determine its magnification capability. 114 EQ has a decent focal length of 900mm (35″).
It also has an impressive focal ratio of f/8 which means it can produce images with high magnification with a narrow field of view. Speaking about magnification, 114EQ can produce a magnification of 45X to 225X. Of course, you can increase the maximum magnification up to 3 times by using the included 3X Barlow lens.
Though this telescope is advertised as portable, buyer reviews tell a different tale. Many of the buyers complained about the telescope being too heavy and not being portable at all. They also complained about the telescope having a bad eyepiece and being very hard to set up.
Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ
Celestron Powerseeker 127EQ and Celestron Powerseeker 114EQ have a lot in common. Both being a Newtonian reflector is one of them. Because of its features and good reputation, this telescope is also very famous among beginners. This one also has a German equatorial mount accompanied by a slow-motion altitude rod.
Due to its compact size, carrying this telescope around is not a hassle. This telescope can even produce a more detailed image because of having impressive 127mm (5″) aperture. Like 114EQ, 127EQ also comes with a 20mm and 4mm eyepiece and a 3X Barlow lens.
A respectable 1000mm (39″) focal length ensures a high magnitude of magnification. It can produce 50X to 250X magnification, increasing to 750X using the included 3X Barlow lens. Once more, using the included Barlow lens is not recommended.
127EQ is on the heavier side of the scale. It weighs about 9.7 kg. And has a focal ratio of f/8, similar to the 114EQ. Which means it provides a similar narrow field of vision.
127EQ has its faults too. According to many users, this telescope gets misaligned very easily, as a result of which frequent collimation is required. But due to the lack of a center dot for collimation, many users find collimating this telescope very hard.
Celestron PowerSeeker 114EQ vs. PowerSeeker 127EQ
Optics:
Powerseeker 114EQ has an aperture of 114mm compared to the 127mm aperture of 127EQ, which means 127EQ can capture more light. 127EQ can also pick up dimmer objects better because of having a bigger aperture. Images having more contrast and more clarity can also be captured by 127EQ.
There is a difference in focal length between 114 EQ and 127EQ. 114EQ has a focal length of 900mm (35″). On the other hand, 127EQ has a 1000mm (39″) focal length. As a result of which, 127EQ can provide more magnification than 114EQ. Besides, because of having a shorter focal length, a broad field of view is provided by 114EQ. On the contrary, a comparatively narrow field of view is provided by the 127EQ telescope because it has a longer focal length.
Regarding magnification, 127EQ again stays ahead of 114 EQ because of its larger aperture. We know the magnification of a telescope is directly proportional to the aperture. That is why 127EQ can provide a maximum of 250X magnification, and 114EQ provides 225X magnification.
Both telescopes have a similar focal ratio of f/8. The focal ratio number determines the speed of the telescope and the amount of light it can collect. For example, 114EQ and 127EQ have a focal ratio of f/8, so they can be considered slow telescopes.
Finderscope:
Both the power seeker 114EQ and 127EQ share the same finderscope. However, both of them have a normal 5×24 finderscope which is not of premium quality.
Mount:
Again, both of them have a similar German equatorial mount. This mount is very convenient for the smooth tracking of astronomical objects. German equatorial mount also helps in ease of transportation.
Celestron PowerSeeker 114EQ vs. PowerSeeker 127EQ: Comparison Table
| Comparing factor | Powerseeker 114EQ | Powerseeker 127EQ |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 37 x 16 x 10 inches | 29.92 x 16.73 x 8.46 inches |
| Weight | 18.9 lbs (8.6 kg) | 21.38 lbs (9.7 kg) |
| Aperture | 114 mm (4.49″) | 127 mm (5″) |
| Focal length | 900 mm (35″) | 1000 mm (39″) |
| Ease of collimation | Relatively easy to collimate. | Difficult to collimate Because of lack of center dot for collimation. |
| Viewable objects | You can see all the planets of the solar system except for Neptune and pluto. Having a smaller aperture negatively affects its light-capturing ability hence you may miss a lot of other celestial bodies. | Similar to 114EQ, you can expect to see almost all the planets of the solar system. But you can expect to see a lot more celestial bodies with this telescope, thanks to its larger aperture. |
| Eyepieces | 20mm and 4mm eyepieces but usage of 4mm eyepiece is not recommended because it makes focusing on object harder. | 20mm and 4mm eyepieces. Again, the usage of 4mm eyepiece is not recommended. |
| Mount | German equatorial mount. | German equatorial mount. |
| Suitability for Astrophotography | Not suitable for astrophotography. | Not suitable for astrophotography. |
| Dual purpose functionality | Not suitable for terrestrial usage. | Not suitable for terrestrial usage |
| Finderscope | Normal 5×24 finderscope. | Normal 5×24 finderscope. |
| Magnification | With the included 20mm and 4mm eyepiece, you can expect a magnification of 45X with 20mm and a magnification of 225X with 20mm eyepiece. | Again, 50X magnification with 20mm eyepiece and 250X magnification with 4mm eyepiece can be achieved by the 127EQ. |
| Price | Below 150$ | Above 150$ |
| Focal ratio | f/8 | f/8 |
| Design | Standard Newtonian reflector. | Bird-Jones Newtonian reflector. |
| Barlow lens | Included 3X Barlow lens | Included 3X Barlow lens. |
Final Thoughts
114EQ and 127EQ are both excellent telescopes. Both of them can provide a good image and a great stargazing experience. But 127EQ always stays ahead of 114EQ in terms of picture quality because of having a larger 127mm aperture.
127 EQ can capture more light compared to 114EQ. Besides, 127EQ has better magnification power (250X compared to 225X). As a result, more distant objects can be observed using the 127EQ.
Though 127EQ weighs 1.1 kilograms more than 114EQ, user reviews reveal 114EQ has a very bad reputation for portability. But 127EQ, despite weighing more, has no such complaints mainly because of its dimensions. 114EQ is much longer and narrower compared to the broader and short construction of 127EQ. As a result, carrying 127EQ is much easier.
127EQ falls behind 114EQ when it comes to ease of use. User reviews of 127EQ inform us about its collimation problems. 127EQ, a Bird-Jones type Newtonian reflector telescope, requires frequent collimation, and the collimation process is not easy.
114EQ has a questionable build quality according to its users. But there are no complaints about the build quality of 127EQ.
Now the question that might cross your mind is, which of them should you buy? Which one of them provides the most value for the money? Well, the answer depends on your requirements.
As mentioned before, 127EQ has a superior aperture and can capture images in more detail and contrast compared to 114EQ. 127EQ can also observe the dimmer objects better. 127EQ weighs more but is more portable than 114EQ. So if you want to buy a telescope that produces the best quality image and has decent portability, Powerseeker 127EQ is the perfect choice for you.
However, though 114EQ can not produce as detailed and contrasted images as 127EQ, the 114EQ has no collimation problem that 127EQ has. Collimation can be a pain in the neck for beginners. And also, because 114EQ costs less than 127EQ, the PowerSeeker 114EQ is the best pick for beginners and stargazers on a tight budget.
Last update on 2023-06-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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