Bonco
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 2297
Loc: Florida
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Based on another thread here I bought a 80mm F15 Carton lens from Sheldon Faworski for $110 incl shipping. Background:
When I came to this forum I only had one refractor. My treasured F/5 Genesis. But I wanted to experience the long refractors offered in my childhood. So I bought a Polarex 76mm F/16 with equitorial mount. The mount and tripod still impresses me as they are superb. But..the optics proved to be ok but not impressive. Was able to find another Polarex lens on the other forum and installed it.
WOW!! huge improvement, Night and day difference. Next I wanted to check out other Japanese products from the same period. Bought a Tasco 10K 80mm. At first impressed but when I did a side by side comparo to the Polarex, the Polarex killed it in every way, contrast, sharpness, dark field etc. The Tasco was about equal to my less than impressive original Polarex lens.
Hmmm, so I buy a Towa 339, with a destroyed lens. I order the Carton lens. Tonight did a test. AWESOME lens likely equal to or better than my excellent Polarex lens. Later I'll do side by side comparo's. Jupiter was sharp to 250X with no fringe color. Vega was clean of false color. Pi Aquilae while dim was clearly resolved. Am I happy? You bet. Many thanks to those that recommended Sheldon and thanks to Sheldon for such a good product and rapid response.
Bill
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm
Towa 339 Restored
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5539
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Just what I expected to hear. I love mine, that's for sure. I'm likely one of the sources you heard it from about that Carton lens. Glad to help.
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor 90mm
1 SCT 8inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
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JayKSC
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 981
Loc: Florida
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I've often read great things about Carton refractors, their sharp images, and the mystique these (and other) older refractors held. In today's apo-focused refractor world, the potential of quality longer focal length refractors quite seems under appreciated.
- Jay
South Florida
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Refractor manic. 
My Sketches
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woodsman
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/12/08
Posts: 1069
Loc: Colorado Springs, CO
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Hi Jay,
I can assure you that these older refractors are not under appreciated here on the Classics forum. If you aren't a regular to this area of CN, stick around, you will really like what you see. Some of the scopes here are fantastic, and the variety is just great..
Rich
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artisticwoods
C-14 Orange Tube, C-8, C-5, C-90 Astro Model, C8 Schmidt Camera 8" f1.5, C5.5 Schmidt Camera f1.65, SPI 42mm f/19 Refractor, Sears 90mm f/15.56 Ref, Sears 80mm f/15 Ref, Swift 77mm f/13 Model 831, Scope 60mm f/11.7, Sears 50mm f/12
Unitron Model 140 75mm/1200mm, Unitron model 128 60mm/900mm
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JayKSC
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/05
Posts: 981
Loc: Florida
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Hi Rich,
I'll keep an eye on this forum. I have a 1958 Lafayette 60mm refractor on its original EQ mount that JakeJ (here on CN) expertly restored. It's a stunning telescope to look at and through.
 Jay
South Florida
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Refractor manic.
My Sketches
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desertrefugee
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/06/07
Posts: 1212
Loc: Arizona
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Quote:
Hi Rich,
I'll keep an eye on this forum. I have a 1958 Lafayette 60mm refractor on its original EQ mount that JakeJ (here on CN) expertly restored. It's a stunning telescope to look at and through.
Jay
South Florida
Yes. We've all commented on his (your) Lafayette. I and a couple others here have the same instrument, but of slightly later vintage. Mine is from late '60s.
Great scope, both in build quality and in performance-to-aperture ratio.
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"Illimitable ocean, without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, and height, And time, and place are lost." - Milton
-Darrell
Reflectors - 76 to 305mm (f4.7 to f9.2)
Refractors - 50 to 120mm (f5 to f16.7)
Binoculars - 6x15 to 22x100
N. Phoenix, AZ
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Bonco
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 2297
Loc: Florida
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Well... It's a thread about the Carton that I started, and appears to be hijacked. But hey I too have a pristine 60mm equitorial Lafayette and its has very good optics and the lightweight equitorial is very well designed, easy to use and very steady.
Hijacked Bill
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm
Towa 339 Restored
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Jae
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/13/06
Posts: 559
Loc: near Boston
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To keep in on thread - I wonder how the Carton 80mm lens would compare to the original, missing Towa 80mm. The Towa is awesome so I'd bet it gives it a good run. It would be a worthy comparo.....want to borrow my Orion/Towa for a spin ? That's what we should start..a sharing routine to keep the inventory from spiraling out of control - although it's too late for me 
Oh yes...did you check the baffle location on your Towa ota to make sure that it clears the full aperature of your Carton lens ? I wouldn't be surprised if you need to push it in a few inches towards the focuser end.
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Jae
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mikey cee
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/18/07
Posts: 3508
Loc: bellevue ne.
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Quote:
Oh yes...did you check the baffle location on your Towa ota to make sure that it clears the full aperature of your Carton lens ? I wouldn't be surprised if you need to push it in a few inches towards the focuser end.
I most definitely had to with my Selsi 247!  Mike
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7x35 and 10x50 sears tower binocs, 3" f/10 edmunds reflector, 2.4" f/11.7 manon refractor, 6" f/8 jaegers refractor, "The 8 Ball" 8" f/13.3 brandt refractor, 3" f/15.8 sans&streiffe refractor, 3.1" f/15 selsi refractor(towa 339), 2.4" f/15 sears refractor, selsi 30x30mm spyglass, criterion 5-draw 25x45x75x spyglass(1957), 4.25" f/14.8 tasco 20te.
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Bonco
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 2297
Loc: Florida
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Quote:
Oh yes...did you check the baffle location on your Towa ota to make sure that it clears the full aperature of your Carton lens ? I wouldn't be surprised if you need to push it in a few inches towards the focuser end.
No I haven't checked that but its a great recommendation that I'll do. Thanks, Bill
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm
Towa 339 Restored
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Doug76
Postmaster
Reged: 12/05/07
Posts: 5539
Loc: SE Louisiana, future Texan
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Quote:
To keep in on thread - I wonder how the Carton 80mm lens would compare to the original, missing Towa 80mm. The Towa is awesome so I'd bet it gives it a good run.
I can't say about the 80mm C vs T, but in a 60mm I own, the Carton lens bested the Towa lens. Stars are more pinpoint.
And of course I know how good the 80mm Carton is.
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Doug
Truckstop Astronomer
The Universe, the light of God, in all it's majesty
6 achro refractors 50mm-150mm
1 apo refractor 90mm
1 SCT 8inch
UO Abbe Volcano Tops
Faworski Ortho's
Panoptic 24mm
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Bonco
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 2297
Loc: Florida
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In my post I mentioned that the Tasco 80mm/f15 was about equal to my less than impressive original Polarex lens. The Tasco 10K and the Towa 339 OTA's are identical and I'm interchanging parts as I do my restoration. So my guess is that Unitron, Towa, Tasco, all had varying optical quality. On the othr hand I've not yet heard complaints of the Carton lenses. I don't know why this is so. I think the technolgy and manufacturing process of small achromats was totally mastered by the 50's and 60's. Why shave a few bucks in quality and offer a substandard lens? I think that Unitron/Polarex/Towa/Tasco would have been more concerned about their reputation. This is not to say that some and maybe most of their optics were superb.
Bill
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm
Towa 339 Restored
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Bonco
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 04/17/06
Posts: 2297
Loc: Florida
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Checked the baffel. I could see the entire lens with the draw tube extended about 12 inches. So I think it just fine.
Bill
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RV6
Meade 2045
6 inch f/4 RFT R. Fagin Optics
TV Genesis
2.4 inch Lafayette Equitorial
3 inch Polarex/Unitron Equitorial
10 inch Zhumell
PST 40mm Solar scope
4 inch F/15 Antares
2.4 inch Unitron Equitorial
Tasco 10K 80mm/1200mm
Towa 339 Restored
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