45 replies to this topic

[ponybird]

I bought an Astromania 9x50 finder scope for my 8" DOB and it does the job, no complaints. Appears to be the same as the Orion and maybe some others. Also have a couple Svbony red line eps in 9 & 15mm and Svbony 2x barlow that work well for me and fit my budget. The 12mm Xcel-LX is probably my favorite but my sharpest is a 25mm Sirius plossl but it's use is limited due to eye relief.

[Starman1]

Just a note: Their 70° SWA eyepiece in 22mm is the same optics as the renowned (but now gone from the market) Olivon 70.

It is a better eyepiece than the price suggests.

[ed_turco]

Just a note: Their 70° SWA eyepiece in 22mm is the same optics as the renowned (but now gone from the market) Olivon 70.

It is a better eyepiece than the price suggests.

I've noticed the same thing, too many times.
 

[sojourneyer]

Consider the Televue Powermates as the better choice between them and a Barlow

Yeah, if you want to pay 4X the price for one TV EP

 

You can get Astromania on Amazon and have a 30 refund policy.

I just saw their Zoom 8-24 EP on Amazon and it is identical to the Meade Zoom.

In fact the case holding the EP says MZT8-24 which is identical to the case for my Meade. The MZ is Meade Zoom. Those numbers are not on a sticky label but actually printed on the case.

 

https://www.amazon.c...QK7X2VZX7&psc=1

 

Heck with a 30 day return policy how can you lose?

 

PS They have their own Amazon storefront which does not use Alibaba.  The storefront now is set up similar to SVBONY's.

Edited by sojourneyer, 17 November 2020 - 06:22 PM.

[CrazyPanda]

Nevermind, Bing is my friend ;-)

https://telescopegui...the-difference/

 

Still curious on people's thoughts on Astromania products.

Astromania tends to sell the same generic Chinese optics and parts as everyone else, but charges the most for them. Case in point:

• $53 - 6mm Astromania "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B0140UAI8E/
• $39 - 6mm Svbony "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B08GYRK1MJ/
• $30 - 6mm Meoptix "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B07H8YZHFT/
• $50 - 6mm Orion Expanse: https://www.telescop...iece/p/8920.uts
• $35 - 6mm Agena "Gold Line": https://agenaastro.c...a-eyepiece.html

These are literally all the same eyepiece, but Astromania is more expensive than even the Orion name brand version of this eyepiece series!

 

I've seen that consistently across their products. Everything from barlows to camera adapters to finder scopes. They are almost always more expensive than the other generic Chinese brands (Svbony, Gosky etc...)

 

There's really nothing special about Astromania. They are just a store front brand for the same Chinese goods as the dozens or so other generic store front brands on Amazon, Ebay, and AliExpress.

 

If you're explicitly tapping into this part of the consumer market, then my advice to you is shop around and buy the cheapest version of the thing you want and don't worry about who the brand is.

 

Sometimes the cheapest will be Astromania, sometimes it will be Svbony, sometimes it will be Gosky, and sometimes it will be some other random brand that has maybe 2-3 products in its store. I got my 6mm "Gold Line" from a brand called Yoshoo for $9.88, for example.

Edited by CrazyPanda, 17 November 2020 - 11:11 PM.

[Bowlerhat]

Astromania tends to sell the same generic Chinese optics and parts as everyone else, but charges the most for them. Case in point:

• $53 - 6mm Astromania "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B0140UAI8E/
• $39 - 6mm Svbony "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B08GYRK1MJ/
• $30 - 6mm Meoptix "Gold Line": https://www.amazon.c.../dp/B07H8YZHFT/
• $50 - 6mm Orion Expanse: https://www.telescop...iece/p/8920.uts
• $35 - 6mm Agena "Gold Line": https://agenaastro.c...a-eyepiece.html

These are literally all the same eyepiece, but Astromania is more expensive than even the Orion name brand version of this eyepiece series!

 

I've seen that consistently across their products. Everything from barlows to camera adapters to finder scopes. They are almost always more expensive than the other generic Chinese brands (Svbony, Gosky etc...)

 

There's really nothing special about Astromania. They are just a store front brand for the same Chinese goods as the dozens or so other generic store front brands on Amazon, Ebay, and AliExpress.

 

If you're explicitly tapping into this part of the consumer market, then my advice to you is shop around and buy the cheapest version of the thing you want and don't worry about who the brand is.

 

Sometimes the cheapest will be Astromania, sometimes it will be Svbony, sometimes it will be Gosky, and sometimes it will be some other random brand that has maybe 2-3 products in its store. I got my 6mm "Gold Line" from a brand called Yoshoo for $9.88, for example.

They're not all the same though.

 

Astromania has proper website and some original eyepieces.  Svbony has original scopes and eyepieces. Gosky has some original scopes as well.

Personally, I have dealt with svbony's customer service and they're really helpful.

 

Generic chinese brands are even worse, something like datyson, angeleyes-these are the real unbranded OEMs, those kinds which only sells at aliexpress. You wouldn't really trust them with any service guarantee.

[JethroXP]

I will say this, Astromania's customer service is pretty amazing.  I purchased an illuminated crosshair 12mm eyepiece.  The illuminator was acting strange, would only turn on every few tries and wouldn't stay on.  I emailed them and they immediate sent me a new one.  Super happy with how responsive they were to fix the issue.

[CeleNoptic]

They're not all the same though.

 

Astromania has proper website and some original eyepieces.  Svbony has original scopes and eyepieces. Gosky has some original scopes as well.

 

 

I'm wondering what do you mean under original?

 

Also would be good to have links to their original stuff.

 

Thanks.

[Bowlerhat]

I'm wondering what do you mean under original?

 

Also would be good to have links to their original stuff.

 

Thanks.

https://astromaniaop...obstructed-view

https://www.svbony.com/SV503/

 

I mean..if they're the actual OEM maker and selling them directly, they are indeed the original. It's just like Long Perng's Aquila. 

[Starman1]

Astromania, Svbony, and Gosky are all resellers of products made by other factories.

Those are only 3 of many many resellers for the same products.

Tracking down the actual factory that made the product would be quite difficult since, in most cases, the manufacturer doesn't advertise that they even make the products.

One example: KunMing United Optics used to display a lot of the products on their website that they made, but, over time, nearly all have disappeared from the site as they became

more popular to resellers selling under their own brand names.  They sell to APM, Altair, Orion, Meade, Celestron, Omegon, Telescope Service and many other companies.

Plus, the source for the products is usually proprietary information, so unless you know someone on the inside......

[Kukulkan]

I ordered 2 identical eyepieces on 9/2/21 from Astromania for my binoviewers. One arrived quickly, in just 3 or 4 days, from Amazon (though no emails). Then a couple of days later I got an email from Astromania that the second eyepiece was being shipped. Still not here. When I emailed Astromania yesterday they sent "tracking slips" for both, including stating that the second package was USPS and arrived 9/15. The first tracking slip is wildly inaccurate, stating the 1st eyepiece was delivered twice in Houston and finally to me in San Antonio several days after it actually arrived. The tracking slips are from "17Track". I do not read good things about 17Track on the internet. Any advice on how to coherce Astromania to make good on this? 1 eyepiece is worthless in a binoviewer lol!

[RLK1]

I ordered 2 identical eyepieces on 9/2/21 from Astromania for my binoviewers. One arrived quickly, in just 3 or 4 days, from Amazon (though no emails). Then a couple of days later I got an email from Astromania that the second eyepiece was being shipped. Still not here. When I emailed Astromania yesterday they sent "tracking slips" for both, including stating that the second package was USPS and arrived 9/15. The first tracking slip is wildly inaccurate, stating the 1st eyepiece was delivered twice in Houston and finally to me in San Antonio several days after it actually arrived. The tracking slips are from "17Track". I do not read good things about 17Track on the internet. Any advice on how to coherce Astromania to make good on this? 1 eyepiece is worthless in a binoviewer lol!

I'd wait a bit longer before being overly concerned about it. It's possible the first one shipped via amazon which had it in stock while the second one is shipping from China which would, of course, take longer. I read a similar story about an eyepiece from Svbony which also ships from China and it arrived in due time.

I'd be patient and give it more time to arrive...

[Bkoh]

I ordered 2 identical eyepieces on 9/2/21 from Astromania for my binoviewers. One arrived quickly, in just 3 or 4 days, from Amazon (though no emails). Then a couple of days later I got an email from Astromania that the second eyepiece was being shipped. Still not here.
...
Any advice on how to coherce Astromania to make good on this? 1 eyepiece is worthless in a binoviewer lol!

If you paid by credit card, wait for the statement, then call the card issuer and dispute the charge for non-delivery of goods/services.

[Ringo]

Yeah, if you want to pay 4X the price for one TV EP

 

You can get Astromania on Amazon and have a 30 refund policy.

I just saw their Zoom 8-24 EP on Amazon and it is identical to the Meade Zoom.

In fact the case holding the EP says MZT8-24 which is identical to the case for my Meade. The MZ is Meade Zoom. Those numbers are not on a sticky label but actually printed on the case.

 

https://www.amazon.c...QK7X2VZX7&psc=1

 

Heck with a 30 day return policy how can you lose?

 

PS They have their own Amazon storefront which does not use Alibaba.  The storefront now is set up similar to SVBONY's.

I've been pleased with Astromania products that I've used, such as their dual knob mount clamps.  I purchased one these 8-24 Astromania Zooms a few months ago to play with and was blown away at the quality for the price.  Several years ago I used to have a Celestron and Meade Zoom together and after comparing them both side by side with my older Japanese made Zoom from the 90's I sold them off because the Japanese Zoom, although not as wide a field, was superior in clarity, sharpness and contrast across the field through the entire mag.  So now I compared this recently released Astromania Zoom to my Japanese Zoom and was blown away that the sharpness and contrast seemed to be just as good, and with longer relief and a wider field of view.  I swapped them out, back and forth and didn't miss the clarity and sharpness of my Japanese Zoom when using the Astromania.  I just didn't see a difference other than a pleasingly longer relief & wider field.  Whether the Celestron/Meade Zoom is better than they used to be I don't know.  But hear me now and believe me later, this Astromania Zoom is totally sic for 62 bones.

Edited by Ringo, 21 September 2021 - 06:11 PM.

[vtornado]

I have the astromania branded tmb clones 6 & 9 mm.

They are the best clones of this line of eyepiece that I have.

Some of my other TMB clones rattle, and two have been soft.

Maybe astromania does QC?

[TerryD1]

Just a note: Their 70° SWA eyepiece in 22mm is the same optics as the renowned (but now gone from the market) Olivon 70.

It is a better eyepiece than the price suggests.

I know I'm late to the party on this topic, but do you know if the rest of the Astromania eyepieces in this series are of the same quality as the 22mm?

[Starman1]

I know I'm late to the party on this topic, but do you know if the rest of the Astromania eyepieces in this series are of the same quality as the 22mm?

They are not.

In my f/5 scope (f/5.75 with Paracorr):

 

The 32mm is a standard Erfle derivative and best in f/8-f/10 and longer.  It was horrible in my scope.

The 17 is close to the 22, and has a trace edge of field brightening only at the very edge.  It and the 22mm are the best in the series.

The 13 has the worst edge of field brightening I've seen in an eyepiece, coming in from the edge 50%of the field width!

The 8 has EOFB, too, but is a bit better than the 13.

The 5mm is just OK, and the 3.5mm I don't have experience with.  I don't have many nights when 525x allows for a good eyepiece evaluation.

[TerryD1]

They are not.

In my f/5 scope (f/5.75 with Paracorr):

 

The 32mm is a standard Erfle derivative and best in f/8-f/10 and longer.  It was horrible in my scope.

The 17 is close to the 22, and has a trace edge of field brightening only at the very edge.  It and the 22mm are the best in the series.

The 13 has the worst edge of field brightening I've seen in an eyepiece, coming in from the edge 50%of the field width!

The 8 has EOFB, too, but is a bit better than the 13.

The 5mm is just OK, and the 3.5mm I don't have experience with.  I don't have many nights when 525x allows for a good eyepiece evaluation.

Thanks Don!  What would be your thoughts on the Astromania 17mm vs. the Baader Hyperion 17mm, keeping in mind that I'm sensitive to eyepieces that black out easily.  I'm returning a Celestron X-Cell LX 7mm because of that, despite it's good reviews.
 

Edited by TerryD1, 29 December 2021 - 03:12 PM.

[Starman1]

I would guess it is the long eye relief that leads to blackouts. The Astromania has a long eye relief like the Hyperion, so is likely to have the same issue with blackouts.
It might be better to look for eyepieces with less eye relief.

[TerryD1]

I would guess it is the long eye relief that leads to blackouts. The Astromania has a long eye relief like the Hyperion, so is likely to have the same issue with blackouts.
It might be better to look for eyepieces with less eye relief.

That's interesting because I don't have that problem with the astromania 22mm or the Celestron 30mm Ultima Edge.  I thought maybe it's because the last element or scope side of the X-CEL LX 7mm is so small.

[Starman1]

That's interesting because I don't have that problem with the astromania 22mm or the Celestron 30mm Ultima Edge. I thought maybe it's because the last element or scope side of the X-CEL LX 7mm is so small.

Small focal length, small apparent field, and small field stop means small lenses in the eyepiece.
People who use long eye relief eyepieces without glasses need some way to hold the exit pupil position, like a tall eyecup or a rollup eyecup.
Some can hold the exit pupil easily, but many cannot.

Edited by Starman1, 29 December 2021 - 11:03 PM.