Meade Instruments Infinity 70 AZ Refractor Telescope Review Research

Written by Astrosyo

The Meade Infinity 70 is widely regarded as one of the best budget refractor telescopes available for beginners. Reports from numerous users suggest it delivers solid optical performance for its price, with a reasonably sturdy build and accessories that outperform many competitors in the same price range.

With its 70 mm aperture, owners report being able to see Jupiter and its four Galilean moons, Saturn’s rings, and even the polar ice caps on Mars under good conditions. The Moon appears detailed, revealing craters and mountain ranges. For deep-sky objects, performance is limited due to the small aperture, but brighter targets such as the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda Galaxy can still be observed. As with any small refractor, optimal results come from observing under dark skies far from city light pollution.

The included Kellner eyepieces are considered quite good for a telescope in the $70 range. The 26 mm eyepiece provides 27× magnification, while the 9 mm offers 78×. A plastic Barlow lens is included, which doubles the magnification of any eyepiece, though some users suggest upgrading to higher-quality eyepieces for better performance.

The rack-and-pinion focuser features a tension control knob and works with any 1.25″ eyepiece. Reports describe it as smooth and sturdy for the price. The included tripod is functional but somewhat shaky at higher magnifications. While not a deal-breaker for most, this is a common compromise in the budget category.

The red dot finder is a standard inclusion in entry-level scopes and is regarded as easy to use and effective for target acquisition.

Overall, the Meade Infinity 70 sits right at the point where a budget telescope becomes genuinely useful for astronomy. Its biggest draw is the low price: stepping up to an 80 mm model would typically cost nearly twice as much, making this scope a strong value choice for those starting out.

In-Depth Review and Technical Specifications

At around 70–80 mm of aperture, refractors become capable of showing both solar system and some deep-sky targets with decent detail. Anything smaller than this often performs worse than a good pair of binoculars, which is why the Infinity 70 is a practical entry-level option. While not a powerhouse, it offers enough capability to keep beginners engaged, especially at this low price point.

Optics and Eyepieces

With a 70 mm aperture, observers have reported surprisingly good detail on Jupiter’s moons, Saturn’s rings, and Mars’ polar caps. The lunar surface is bright and clear. Some online sources claim that the Apollo landing sites are visible, but in reality, no amateur telescope can resolve them — instead, you’ll see the surrounding craters and mare regions in sharp detail.

Deep-sky performance is limited by the small aperture. Bright objects like the Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy can be seen with some detail, but faint galaxies and nebulae will be difficult to observe without dark skies. Star clusters, however, remain enjoyable targets.

The included eyepieces are three-element achromats, modified from classic Kellner designs. The 26 mm eyepiece at 27× magnification is particularly pleasant for wide-field viewing, while the 9 mm at 78× provides higher power but is less forgiving. Many users upgrade to better eyepieces over time for improved sharpness and contrast.

Tripod and Mount

The aluminum tripod is generally adequate but can introduce vibrations at higher magnifications. The alt-azimuth mount offers basic horizontal and vertical movement, with tension knobs for each axis. Owners report smooth horizontal motion but note some resistance in vertical adjustments — especially when pointing far up or down, where the tube may drift slightly toward a balanced position. For the price, it’s usable, but not ideal for high-power planetary work.

Given that the optical tube is long and relatively light, the stability is acceptable for low to medium power. For more demanding observation, a sturdier tripod or mount would improve the experience.

Accessories

The accessory package is above average for this price category. Many budget telescopes ship with poor-quality eyepieces and no finder, but the Infinity 70 includes serviceable eyepieces, a red dot finder, a diagonal, and a Barlow lens. The focuser is a mostly plastic rack-and-pinion model that works well enough for 1.25″ eyepieces.

The Barlow doubles magnification (e.g., the 26 mm eyepiece at 27× becomes 54× with the Barlow). While this is useful for beginners, optical quality is limited, and experienced observers often replace it with a better eyepiece for high magnifications.

The 90° diagonal prism helps with comfortable viewing and generally introduces minimal image distortion, according to user feedback.

Drawbacks

The biggest drawback is the mount and tripod. While usable, they lack the smooth, stable movement that greatly benefits observation at high power. This is an expected trade-off at the $70 price point but should be considered if stability is a priority.

Conclusion

At around $70, the Meade Infinity 70 offers a solid entry point into amateur astronomy. It’s widely recommended for beginners who want a capable scope for lunar, planetary, and bright deep-sky viewing without a large investment. If mount stability is a concern, the Orion FunScope 76 offers an alternative, though with slightly less optical power.