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Hello , Mark wrote :
>>>>>I just remembered that these new ZAO's are less expensive then the older versions on the used market which seem to hover in the $800 range pretty consistently.<<<<
Congratulations on your purchase Mark.
Zeiss sure carries a lot of weight . These eyepieces are very will made and may be worth the new price .
I do however find it interesting that in 12 years the cost of making them has gone up that much. There is no doubt in my mind that most of the sets sold yesterday will never see the dark of night . They will be a collector set and thats ok . Back in (I think)95 or 96 , I purchased a 4mm 1 1/4 ZAO brand new for $ 164.00 .
There will be a lot of back and forth about which set is better or if there the same no doubt . Do I think there worth 800.00 , no I don't. And in the real world of viewing most people will be hard pressed to see the difference between ZAO's and TMB mono's and AP SP eyepieces on axis . I can see the sweat now when that Q-tip gets near the ZAO eyelens. If I had a set and used them I think I would send them back to AP for cleaning when the time came .

Leonard

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Leonard i think one of the biggest skills an amateur astronomer learns over years and years of heavily experiencing this hobby is cleaning optics.

It seems to me all the older gentlemen who have had decades of experience don't even hesitate or think twice when it comes to cleaning optics, even the ridiculously expensive ones that they own.

Am i as confident about cleaning my optics as these veterans? not by a long shot. My meade lx90 SCT has never been cleaned with liquids yet as it is only my first telescope and i haven't even been an amateur astronomer for much over a year. However, with quick learning and fanatic-like research I think anyone (even people with shaky hands) can successfully clean optics without harming them. I haven't used the cleaning liquids and optical tissues yet, but you better believe everything in my collection has been dusted with an ear syringe.

Soon as my optics require cleaning (never had any dew formation, never ever), I wont hesitate to sit down and carefully and attentively do everything the internet cleaning guides say, even though it will be my first time.

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Meade 8.25"(209.55mm) LX-90 EMC (SCT)

Albert Einstein =>
“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”
“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”

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