29 replies to this topic

[25585]

....and what new improved features are you hoping for?

 

Baader's site announcement has not changed. But I am still waiting....

 

Generally what I am hoping for is really a smaller Mk 5, all the mechanical benefits but smaller prisms to match smaller price.   

[munirocks]

Why smaller prisms? There are already cheap limited-aperture binos on the market. I don't think that yet another low-end unit would benefit anyone. They'd have to rename it Minbright, or Maxvignette.

[noisejammer]

I use Mk V's but I can see a market for a 23mm clear aperture set with superior mechanical structure.

 

The problem - as always - is price. At around $500 retail, you run directly into the bottom of the used Denk II market and - let's be fair - these would be preferred by most observers. The only solution is to omit expensive add-ons like the Glass Path Corrector .. and this compromises the performance on fast scopes.

 

Having been out of production for years, they are obviously not high up Baader's list of priorities. I honestly don't think we're going to see them. Ever.

[Eddgie]

Having been out of production for years, they are obviously not high up Baader's list of priorities. I honestly don't think we're going to see them. Ever.

I suspect that you are correct.

 

Back when the Maxbrights were first introduced, they were kind of alone in the entry level market.    Now, the market has made numerous choices available and while the Maxbright has several advanced features not found on the other lower priced units, people have demonstrated that they are unwilling to pay for those features, opting instead for BVs with even fewer feathers because they were less expensive.

 

This means that Baader would be very hard pressed to charge more for the design unless it was stepped up to a big prism design which would as you say, make it have to compete with used Denk IIs.

 

My guess is that Baader is looking at the marketing data and has simply decided that there is not enough volume and profit in it to make it worth doing.   Just too much competition from both the used market and the low end. 

 

So, I would not be holding my breath on seeing a new Maxbright, but that does not mean it will never happen.   I just think it is a long shot.   

[rob.0919]

I think it will happen, and they may also set the cat amongst the pigeons by introducing

their own version of the powerswitch.

[EverlastingSky]

It would be good to see the Maxbright 2.0 released. The T2 thread direct on the bino body of the original Maxbright, if I recall correctly, saved light path and was very useful for those who like the Baader T2 system and want to connect a diagonal directly. I was interested in buying the Maxbright original a year or so ago - but with an upgraded version in the works I held off and went with one of the modded microscope bins from Denis.

[emilslomi]

Inquired at Baader some time ago. Apparently they had hoped for a release in September, but ran into the same kind of trouble as with the Morpheus. That may indicate a release sometimes next year - maybe April or September, which would coincide with the two larger trade fairs in Germany. Patiently waiting ...

 

Cheers, Emil

[sonny.barile]

The availability of cheap adapters negates the need for Maxbrights to obtain a short path. It wouldn’t be an intelligent move to chase that sector of the market with a small prism binoviewer. 

[Astrojensen]

The availability of cheap adapters negates the need for Maxbrights to obtain a short path. It wouldn’t be an intelligent move to chase that sector of the market with a small prism binoviewer. 

I don't understand what you mean and what adapters you're talking about. Short light path is ALWAYS desirable in a binoviewer.

 

Myself, I waited patiently for more than five years for an upgraded Maxbright. Eventually I grew tired of playing the waiting game and bought a modded Zeiss bino from Denis, which is FAR better both optically and mechanically than the old Maxbright ever was and only has between 5 and 10mm longer light path and bigger prisms. And it was only modestly more expensive. 

 

I will NOT be buying the new "Maxbright II" unless it has some very interesting and desirable features.

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[denis0007dl]

I don't understand what you mean and what adapters you're talking about. Short light path is ALWAYS desirable in a binoviewer.

 

Myself, I waited patiently for more than five years for an upgraded Maxbright. Eventually I grew tired of playing the waiting game and bought a modded Zeiss bino from Denis, which is FAR better both optically and mechanically than the old Maxbright ever was and only has between 5 and 10mm longer light path and bigger prisms. And it was only modestly more expensive. 

 

Glad to heard you like it Thomas 

[Astrojensen]

Glad to heard you like it Thomas 

It is superb. There is nothing on it to not like. 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[denis0007dl]

Great!

Please share images of it, wondering whaz setup you use as well which eyepiece holders and eyepieces you use

[sonny.barile]

Thomas......I did not mean it to sound like a short light path is not desired. It is to say that a short light path can be obtained with other cheap binoviewers by means of adapters and a Baader t2 diagonal. Therefore you wouldn’t need to buy the more expensive Maxbright to be able to connect to the short diagonal.

Edited by sonny.barile, 01 December 2018 - 11:35 AM.

[Astrojensen]

Thomas......I did not mean it to sound like a short light path is not desired. It is to say that a short light path can be obtained with other cheap binoviewers by means of adapters and a Baader t2 diagonal. Therefore you wouldn’t need to buy the more expensive Maxbright to be able to connect to the short diagonal.

Ah, that explains it. I agree.

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[G-Tower]

Baader is pretty much a Zeiss wannabe and is capitalizing on it.

[Astrojensen]

Baader is pretty much a Zeiss wannabe and is capitalizing on it.

They did sell and still service Zeiss equipment and they have purchased the rights to produce a lot of stuff Zeiss had designed during the last days of their Astro Division, but never got around to actually build, before the division was closed. Much of their equipment was heavily inspired by Zeiss even before that and to be honest, a lot of it is really, really well made and in "the spirit of Zeiss". Their T2 adapter program is fantastic and can be a real lifesaver, as can the M68 adapters. 

 

So, Zeiss wannabee? Absolutely, but they're only capitalizing on it because they actually make products that are very Zeiss-like in quality and people recognize this and buy it. 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[G-Tower]

The last days of Zeiss' Astro division was a long time ago and now considered outdated.  Zeiss may have been the best but that was a long time ago. Plenty of scopes from Takahashi have tested better than Zeiss on the interferometer. They suffered from the same issues every other high end manufacturer did. Good but not aways the best...

[Astrojensen]

Who was talking about telescopes? The Astro Division was a lot more than just telescopes. 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark

[PJ Anway]

The last days of Zeiss' Astro division was a long time ago and now considered outdated.  Zeiss may have been the best but that was a long time ago. Plenty of scopes from Takahashi have tested better than Zeiss on the interferometer. They suffered from the same issues every other high end manufacturer did. Good but not aways the best...

Sure...all that Zeiss stuff was mediocre at best. Just send me all the Zeiss equipment you have and I will quietly dispose of it for you.

[nicknacknock]

Generally what I am hoping for is really a smaller Mk 5, all the mechanical benefits but smaller prisms to match smaller price.   

 

Actually, I'd love a much smaller and lighter binoviewer, geared specifically towards high magnification views, where wide prisms are not required.

 

Slap on a couple of lightweight short focal length eyepieces with a barlow element in the front to increase magnification (and permitting say twice the focal length on the eyepieces = potentially improved eye relief) and I am in lunar observing hog heaven.

 

Alas, I belong in the minority as well, like yourself

[Sarkikos]

I think the same way.  I monoview telescopes when viewing deep sky.   I never thought much of bothering with a binoviewer on telescopes for deep sky.  I know there are some observers who don't want to view anything in the sky unless it's with two eyes.  That is not me.  If I want to use two eyes for deep sky, I bring out binoculars. 

 

But for planet/lunar, I definitely see an improvement in detail and perceived contrast, and less aggravation from eye floaters.   I would be in the market for a binoviewer optimized for planet/lunar.

 

Mike

Edited by Sarkikos, 04 December 2018 - 10:58 AM.

[arlenhamby]

https://www.baader-p...incl.-case.html

[sonny.barile]

Actually, I'd love a much smaller and lighter binoviewer, geared specifically towards high magnification views, where wide prisms are not required.

 

Slap on a couple of lightweight short focal length eyepieces with a barlow element in the front to increase magnification (and permitting say twice the focal length on the eyepieces = potentially improved eye relief) and I am in lunar observing hog heaven.

 

Alas, I belong in the minority as well, like yourself

 

This already exists in many brands like the William Optics and the Celestron models. 100mm light path with approximately 20 mm prisms. You can’t really get much shorter than that and still have a competent design. The models mentioned are under $300. Why would you want the same thing but costing $200 more or am I missing the point...?

Edited by sonny.barile, 08 December 2018 - 10:39 PM.

[nicknacknock]

Had those. A decent design. But since I do not need 20mm clear aperture, I could use lighter / smaller. And would be willing to pay for this, but nothing is available.

[Astrojensen]

Had those. A decent design. But since I do not need 20mm clear aperture, I could use lighter / smaller. And would be willing to pay for this, but nothing is available.

With prisms smaller than 20mm, you start to run into some serious limitations as to what scope you can use the binoviewer on, if you don't want to barlow it heavily from the start, and with what eyepieces. Due to the limits set by the distances between the human eyes, you also gain less in size and weight reduction than you probably think, because you still need a stiff structure to ensure stable collimation and ability to hold the eyepieces firmly. If you want to go as small as possible, you also limit yourself to small and lightweight eyepieces, which means simpler designs. 

 

This all means that such a binoviewer is unattractive to the vast majority of the astro binoviewer market, and for good reasons, which again means that no one wants to make one. However, in the past, several high quality microscope binoviewer heads were made, that seem to fit your needs. I've certainly seen some from Zeiss and others (forgot who) that were quite small and compact, though I suspect they were solidly made and thus still quite heavy. They were all of the "sliding eyepiece" type, instead of the hinged type that is now common. 

 

 

Clear skies!
Thomas, Denmark