Reviewer: Michael S

I bought the LaserMate Deluxe Collimater with the centering eyepiece holder( which I do really like for centering eyepieces ) to go along with my new 8inch GOTO Orion telescope. I was left very disappointed with its advertised ability to do a decent quick alignment. I used the collimating cap that came with the telescope and aligned it perfectly, I put this thing in the centering eyepiece holder and my beam is shinning on the wall or even inside the tube of the telescope. I re-align the scope with the lasermate and the scope is so out of collimation that I can not even see the collimation cap. My mirror is looking at the inside tube wall. So I returned it. I think its hit and miss on this product as I have read other stories of people having no problems. If the lasermate is aligned well, you will get a good strait beam, my beam propagated by the lasermate I purchased is way off at an angle.

Reviewer: Vincent Oliver

I use this nifty well designed device with my Orion 10 inch Reflector Telescope (10EQ G). It makes collimnating (aligning the mirrors) before viewing for the evening a snap! It takes only a few minutes and it's precise...and that's what's needed for great viewing thru a Reflector Telecope. Be sure to purchase the "Orion Precision Centering Adapter" for use with this product for best results and ease of use, as well as for use with all of your eyepieces. You can't go wrong here and it works...Practice a bit and you'll be a colimnation expert and you'll share the great views I see thru mine. Happy collimnated views !

Reviewer: Scott J

I bought this to supplement my Cheshire collimation tube and am glad I did. It greatly speeds primary collimation and will get you very close. It makes what use to be a chore into a simple affair and gets me close enough that star collimation is now something in my skill set and not a close enough affair any longer. Not a must have, but for a beginner it is definitely a good investment. You will get so much more out of a properly collimated scope that it is worth the money IMO.

Reviewer: richard

If you think you can visually align your optics, think again. I bought this item and found out how much I was off alignment, Easy to use...great product

Reviewer: Matthew Martin

Overall, I am very pleased with the laser collimator. I was a little hesitant at first to purchase this one given the inaccuracies mentioned by other users but decided to give a shot since I could return it if I was not pleased. Others reviews are accurate in stating that given its diameter being a little on the small side, there is some 'wiggle' room when placed in the eyepiece receiver. Steve's review provides a nice solution to this. I went to my local hardware store and picked up a similar product mentioned by him. Mine was not by Scotch, but by Intertape instead. The name of the produce is "Aluminum Foil Tape". It cost about $5 for an entire 10-yard roll...of which you only need a tiny amount. It is essentially aluminum foil with a strong adhesive use for vent/duct work. Be sure not to overlap the tape on the collimator. A single layer is all that is needed and it fits perfectly. Orion...if you can make eyepieces that fit perfectly, why not this collimator? Given the purpose of a such a device (precise alignment), it needs to sit perfectly centered in the receiver. Please consider a slight modification to your design so it's perfect right out of the box. I would give 5 stars if this design flaw was corrected. It's perfect otherwise and now does a super job with the foil tape allowing it to fit snugly without any 'wiggle'.

Reviewer: Carlos Irizarry

This is a great little laser collimator... if you can line it up properly in your scope! I first used the collimation cap that came with my XT6 to make sure everything was lined up properly. I then popped in the LaserMate but the laser shows that everything is way out of alignment even though it looks perfect when doing a visual collimation! The problem as others have stated is that when you put the LaserMate into a 1.25" focuser there is some play and you can wiggle the LaserMate from side to side even when it's tightened. (Note from Orion: We suggest orientating the telescope level to the horizon and not tightening the thumbscrew meant to secure the eyepiece. This will prevent the collimator from shifting in the focuser.)

Reviewer: Bernard Greer

I was given a 76mm refractor and discovered that the optics were out of alignment. All objects were out of focus. Following the procedures that came with the collimator, I was able to align the secondary and primary mirrors. This yielded crisp, in-focus images. For telescopes without a center mark, correct positioning of the mirror center mark is essential for good results. Be sure to follow the instructions to prevent gazing at direct reflection of the laser!

Reviewer: Steve Luce

I have found the LaserMate a very good tool in the process of scope alignment. Yes, there is a problem with the slop of the collimator as it fits into most eyepieces. As the collimator is shipped it is nearly impossible to use in critical alignments. But the collimator must be a little smaller than the eyepiece holder to be sure it fits in all scopes at all temperatures. I found an aluminum foil tape that is 3.6/1000 in thickness (adhesive backing and foil) that I applied to the collimator as a shim and it gave me a perfect fit in my scope. The length of the tape to make one lap is about 3.5 inches by one inch. The tape is very strong so I applied a very thin coat of oil on the collimator and then wiped it off, I before applied the tape to be able to get the tape off in the future. The tape is made by Scotch and is labeled Foil Tape 3311. The tape is a heating duct foil tape found in most hardware stores. Use one thickness ONLY. And if you try a different tape, be sure it is no more than 4/1000 total thickness total including adhesive. Once the tape was on the collimator, I rotated the collimator and the rotation was excellent - less than 1/8 inch error at a distance of 10 feet. The collimator came extremely well aligned with the tape around the collimator insert. My other comment is that the collimator battery life (using a CR2032) is about an hour not a good design if you use the collimator a lot or have a difficult refractor as I do! Overall it is a good collimator for the money.

Reviewer: Paul Frederick

I have the XT12is and the Laser Mate Deluxe makes collimation quicker than using the collimation cap provided with the scope. BUT, since it doesn't perfectly fit into a 1.25" focuser, I find that the results can vary often.

Reviewer: Michael J. Rodriguez

I order it and it arrived in just a fews days. Inserted it and had my big Dob collimated within minutes. Only thing I disliked is that once the laser is aligned in the center hole it is difficult to tell if it is REALLY centered perfectly. Once centered, the laser is diffused thus making it difficult to see if it is EXACTLY in the center of the collimator...as I mentioned before. Other than that it is a great buy and user friendly.

Reviewer: Shaw Scott

The LaserMate Deluxe is a great product! It is extremely convenient and makes accurately collimating my XT10 Reflector about a five-minute chore. I use it every time I set up or move the telescope to achieve maximum accuracy. It is spot-on exact (verified with the collimation eye piece cap) and makes adjusting the tilt of the primary mirror particularly efficient. Don't be put off by reviews which say that it oscillates in the focuser drawtube - it won't if you just orient the viewing screen toward the rear of the 'scope at the beginning of process and gently tighten the thumbscrew to secure it.

Reviewer: Richie

This collimator came with my XT8 Dobsonian. I found it to be wobbly and loose-fitting, and therefore unuseable. When it came time to collimate my scope I used the simple, plastic collimator cap with the little hole in it that also came with my scope. The laser collimator makes a good pointer or cat toy. Find a simpler collimator cap and use the money you would have spent on this and buy another eyepiece or a subscription to an astronomy magazine.

Reviewer: Vincent Walker

I received my LaserMate along with my 10 inch Dob. After carefully assembling the Dob, which was much easier than I was lead to believe, I drop the Laser in. Much to my horror the thing wobbled like a drunken sailor. No way is this thing going to align my scope. Put simply it's a really pricey pointer.

Reviewer: Jim Hite

My collimator came with my Dobson telescope. The first thing I did was to check its accuracy. I placed it in a V block, turned it on, and aimed it at a wall about 6 feet away. If you rotate the collimator slowly, the point of contact on the wall should not move. Mine did not move. It's close enough for a Dobson. I have become accustomed to taking the first two to five minutes with my scope and checking the collimation. With this tool, it is a very brief process and ends the jumping back and forth. This is not a toy. Use it with care.

Reviewer: William Davis

The other reviewer said it exactly. The LaserMate's barrel measures 1.242" OD. That's close to 1.25", but not close enough to prevent play. Good design, poor execution.

Reviewer: Marc

This is my first laser collimator and I must say it makes the process really super easy compared to the supplied cap that comes with the orion scopes. Definitely recommend this item if you want to collimate quick and easily.

Reviewer: Simsim

I got this item with my SkyQuest 8. Beleive me it is useless and I will tell you why. First, I used the standard collimation cap that came with the telescope, followed the instructions to put my telescope in perfect collimation. That was easy. Then I tried to test the collimation with the LaserMate. I found that my telescope is considerabily out of collimation, but that was not true and the LaserMate was wrong. A closer look and I realised that the LaserMate oscilates in the focuser, because there is too much tolerance between the LaserMate and the focuser. The LaserMate is not steady inside the focuser and touching or slightly pushing it from its side will move the laser beam here and there. It is not accurate.