Telescope Reviews: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36mm's?

· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt

· Submit a Review / Article

Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums

Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User

You are not logged in. [Login]

Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online
FAQ · Calendar

Equipment Discussions >> Eyepieces

Pages: << 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | (show all)

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5272052 - 06/14/12 10:40 PM

Here's a tone comparison between a regular stock Celestron 25mm plossl vs. the Edmund "Scientific" RKE 28mm on the 2012 Venus Transit:

Shots were taken afocal with the same digicam, a low-cost Kodak Easyhare using an Orion 127mm Mak 6/6/2012; the tone difference is apparent.

Best,

Post Extras:

mmclure
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/30/10

Loc: Sacramento, CA USA

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5272210 - 06/15/12 01:34 AM

Quote:

Yours is a special one then; any idea what year it hit the market?

Nary a clue. It came with a used Astroscan (in fact seeing the odd-looking RKE in the auction photos is part of why I decided to bid on the scope.) My guess (and thats all it is, a guess) is that it's one of the very first RKEs before they switched to the familiar orange band. Like the 1 1/8" it does not have any filter threading.

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: mmclure]
#5272795 - 06/15/12 12:46 PM

Okay, thanks.

Best,

Post Extras:

Daniel Mounsey
Vendor - Celestron

Reged: 06/12/02

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5522222 - 11/16/12 02:45 AM Attachment (24 downloads)

At first, I thought Bill P. was interested in our handheld microscopes but NO! he used it to look at a 28mm RKE!

Post Extras:

BillP
Postmaster

Reged: 11/26/06

Loc: Vienna, VA

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: Daniel Mounsey]
#5523112 - 11/16/12 03:58 PM

Yup...never leave home without it

Actually...an amazingly handy tool for examining eyepieces

...including how dirtly an eye lens remains sometimes after what one thinks was a cleaning

(Don - it has made me finally appreciate ROR).

Edited by BillP (11/16/12 04:00 PM)

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: BillP]
#5523348 - 11/16/12 07:27 PM

Lol.. thanks Daniel for posting, now there's a face that goes with such an illustrious name in the EP forum!

Is there a link for the hand-held microscope? If it's good enough for Mr. BillP, so it will be for me. Great idea to make sure my RKE28 is absolutely dust free on the surface before putting it to use and enjoy the floating views.

Best,

Post Extras:

greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5523436 - 11/16/12 08:32 PM

I have always found a magnifying glass to be more than adequate. But for really poor eyesight the microscope might be needed I guess.

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: greju]
#5523439 - 11/16/12 08:37 PM

Thanks, yes, I know, but have had an eye out for these hand-held microscopes for some time now (for other non-related purposes), and this provided a good excuse to finally get one.

Best,

Post Extras:

DaveJ
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/07/05

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: Daniel Mounsey]
#5523991 - 11/17/12 09:21 AM

Quote:

At first, I thought Bill P. was interested in our handheld microscopes but NO! he used it to look at a 28mm RKE!

Hi Daniel,

When you say "...OUR handheld microscope..." I assume you mean "Celestron handheld microscope." With that assumption in mind, I checked the Celestron site and can't find anything like that except for a couple digital models. The one that BillP is holding doesn't look like a digital one SO this begs the question: Do you have a link to these?

Post Extras:

orion61
Vendor(Clear Edge Optical)

Reged: 10/20/07

Loc: NW Iowa BURRRR

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: mmclure]
#5524130 - 11/17/12 10:48 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I knew about only three - Edmund Scientific 1 1/8, Edmund Scientific Co. RKE (orange banding), and Edmund Optics RKE (orange banding).

Add #4 - Edmund Scientific RKE (no orange banding) which is what I have. The body looks like the 1 1/8 but it's definitely an RKE (and is labeled as such.)

Those came out in 1976 or 78' if memory serves me seems they added the Red/Orange band with the 79' Astroscan
introduction..

Post Extras:

mark8888
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 09/24/10

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: DaveJ]
#5524184 - 11/17/12 11:20 AM

Quote:

Quote:

At first, I thought Bill P. was interested in our handheld microscopes but NO! he used it to look at a 28mm RKE!

Hi Daniel,

When you say "...OUR handheld microscope..." I assume you mean "Celestron handheld microscope." With that assumption in mind, I checked the Celestron site and can't find anything like that except for a couple digital models. The one that BillP is holding doesn't look like a digital one SO this begs the question: Do you have a link to these?

Not sure, but I think it's probably THIS guy.

Post Extras:

DaveJ
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/07/05

Loc: NE Ohio

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: mark8888]
#5524282 - 11/17/12 12:24 PM

Quote:

Not sure, but I think it's probably THIS guy.

Thank you, Mark and Daniel (via PM), for the link. I've just ordered one. I'm already thinking of other uses beside highly OCD eyepiece cleaning.

Post Extras:

mark8888
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 09/24/10

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: DaveJ]
#5524355 - 11/17/12 01:17 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Not sure, but I think it's probably THIS guy.

Thank you, Mark and Daniel (via PM), for the link. I've just ordered one. I'm already thinking of other uses beside highly OCD eyepiece cleaning.

haha cool... yeah I'm also considering buying one, but I don't think I'd use it on eyepieces, actually. I kind of don't want to go there.

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: orion61]
#5531123 - 11/20/12 09:49 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

I knew about only three - Edmund Scientific 1 1/8, Edmund Scientific Co. RKE (orange banding), and Edmund Optics RKE (orange banding).

Add #4 - Edmund Scientific RKE (no orange banding) which is what I have. The body looks like the 1 1/8 but it's definitely an RKE (and is labeled as such.)

Those came out in 1976 or 78' if memory serves me seems they added the Red/Orange band with the 79' Astroscan
introduction..

Good info, thanks!

Best,

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5531134 - 11/20/12 09:56 PM

Just placed an order for the digital hand-held microscope here which is cheaper by $5 from the previous link posted. For the cost of a plossl, not really expecting much, but it may provide the means for examining the many EP's in the stall with microscopic scrutiny.

Best,

Post Extras:

killdabuddha
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/26/11

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5532195 - 11/21/12 12:41 PM

We love the effect for BVing. Dunno whether we'd have been as happy at their new $85 price tag vs. the $62.50 that we and most have paid. Probably so, but that's quite a jump?

Post Extras:

Dave Ittner
sage

Reged: 05/29/12

Loc: SF Bay Area, California

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: killdabuddha]
#5532222 - 11/21/12 12:54 PM

It's an outrageous jump - 36% increase. But if the demand for the series is the reason and it doesn't drop off those prices will probably stick. Another possibility is cost of manufacturing has increased (ie glass) forcing them to raise prices. I wish I knew.

Prices for used RKE's could creep higher ~ $55 or more?

IMHO I am pretty sure overall demand for all astronomical gear is down (including eyepieces). I am seeing prices drop for used TeleVue Ethos eyepieces. Have you folks noticed that?

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: killdabuddha]
#5532596 - 11/21/12 04:27 PM

Quote:

We love the effect for BVing. Dunno whether we'd have been as happy at their new $85 price tag vs. the $62.50 that we and most have paid. Probably so, but that's quite a jump?

Yes, agree, it's quite a jump and wouldn't be surprised if those on the fence decide not to take the plunge. Must have been all the attention the RKE28 was getting here on CN that made the demand go through the roof that drove the price up, but that's just a speculation.

Best,

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: Dave Ittner]
#5533506 - 11/22/12 08:17 AM

Quote:

Prices for used RKE's could creep higher ~ $55 or more?

Possibly more if the $85 tag price sticks, used EP's are usually 20-25% less of retail price.

Best,

Post Extras:

ibase
Vendor Affilliate

Reged: 03/20/08

Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N

Re: RKE 28mm on the way! What to expect vs. 27-36 new

[Re: ibase]
#5614837 - 01/10/13 02:18 AM

Encouraged by seeing BillP above with the digital microscope together with his RKE28mm on hand, I've ordered and have received one:

Celestron Deluxe Handheld Digital Microscope

Best,

Post Extras:

Pages: << 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | (show all)

Extra information

12 registered and 19 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: ausastronomer, Scott in NC, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 15663
Calendar Event: 03/08/12

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics