Review of the Phoenix F3 60 53 Telescope

Introduction

• Telescope model: Phoenix F3 60 53
• Focal length: 360 mm
• Diameter of lens: 53 mm
• Price: $29 on lightinthebox.com
• Cheap, entry-level telescope aimed at beginners and hobbyists

Unboxing Contents

• Telescope main body
• 34 cm tall tripod
• Mount for tripod
• Two eyepieces: Hugin 20 mm, H 6 mm
• Erecting eyepiece with 1.5x additional zoom

Telescope Basics

• Telescope has an objective lens in the front and a mirror inside
• Collects light to form an image on the mirror, magnified by the eyepiece
• Focus adjustments with wheels
• Magnification calculation:
  • Formula: focal length of telescope / focal length of eyepiece
  • 20 mm eyepiece: 18x magnification
  • 6 mm eyepiece: 60x magnification

Using the Telescope

• Attach eyepiece and tighten with the side screw
• Focus on an object by adjusting the wheels
• Smartphone mount bought separately for $10 to capture images via phone
• Used electrical tape to secure eyepieces for stable mounting

Performance & Observations

• 18x magnification: edges blurry, better clarity without phone attachment
• 60x magnification (labeled “Moon”): clear image, less blurry edges
• Green coated glass in eyepiece for reducing glare; removable for better clarity
• Greater difficulty in stabilizing high magnifications due to play in the eyepiece area

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Inexpensive, good price-to-performance ratio
• Suitable for beginners and kids
• Easy to set up and use
• Decent image quality for the price

Cons

• Build quality is mediocre, many components are made of cheap plastic
• Stability issues at higher magnifications, especially with phone
• No instruction manual
• Image quality using the phone camera doesn't match direct viewing
• Image is horizontally flipped

Final Thoughts

• A good starter telescope with reasonable performance for the price
• Not suitable for serious astronomy but great for casual viewing and as a gift
• Recommendation to use without phone for better image clarity

Additional Tips

• Follow on social media platforms for updates and more reviews
• Look out for YouTube stories for additional content and tests
• Engage with the community for troubleshooting and tips