18 replies to this topic

[bob midiri]

Hi , I have two older eyepieces a TV 26mm smoothie and a Meade 26MM smoothie. Hope for a lens diagram of each before I take them apart, These were obtained by me used but apparently they had rough life and I see residue from moisture inside I want to clean. IIRC the Meade Smoothie was a 5 element design? So wondering if that would be the same 2:1:2 design of the Classic Celestron Ultima series. And what about the TV smoothie NJ 26mm? Any help on the lens diagram would be extremely helpful. Thanks In advance Bob

[Mike G.]

the old Meade smoothies are definitely 2-1-2 design and I have had mine apart but as I recall, the front and rear pair are somewhat difficult to differentiate visually.  I would not want to mix them up. 

[MisterDan]

Yes, the original Meade Super Plossl utilized a 5-element symmetrical design.  All of the "smooth" Super Plossls had 5 elements.  The succeeding Super Plossls - with "Japan" engraved on the black upper housing - shared the same 5-element design, but the subsequent models (with "Japan" stamped on the barrels), utilized a 4-element design.  There may have been some overlap between the upper housing Japan units and barrel-stamped Japan units -- some of the engraved Japan Super Plossls may have been 4-element models, and some of the barrel-stamped Japan models may have been 5-element units.  -But maybe not.  

 

The original Super Plossl's design was quite similar to that of the Celestron Ultima (aka Orion Ultrascopic, Tuthill Plossl, Parks Gold Series, Antares Elite, and Baader Eudiascopic), but it wasn't identical.  Other 5-element symmetricals include the Takahashi LE line (most of them) and a few of the original Vixen LV/Orion Lanthanum eyepieces (those without the negative Smyth field group).

 

Here's an image (link below) of the original Meade ad copy for the Super Plossl.  Although the referenced "Other Premium Plossls" diagram may not reflect the Tele Vue Plossl design exactly, it's a fairly accurate representation.

 

https://www.cloudyni...9-super-plossl/

 

Best wishes.

Dan

Edited by MisterDan, 04 December 2020 - 05:15 PM.

[Tank]

4 element on the TV smoothie and 5 element on the Meade smoothie
Google image should bring up orientation of the lenses

[bob midiri]

Yes, the original Meade Super Plossl utilized a 5-element symmetrical design.  All of the "smooth" Super Plossls had 5 elements.  The succeeding Super Plossls - with "Japan" engraved on the black upper housing - shared the same 5-element design, but the subsequent models (with "Japan" stamped on the barrels), utilized a 4-element design.  There may have been some overlap between the upper housing Japan units and barrel-stamped Japan units -- some of the engraved Japan Super Plossls may have been 4-element models, and some of the barrel-stamped Japan models may have been 5-element units.  -But maybe not.  

 

The original Super Plossl's design was quite similar to that of the Celestron Ultima (aka Orion Ultrascopic, Tuthill Plossl, Parks Gold Series, Antares Elite, and Baader Eudiascopic), but it wasn't identical.  Otehr 5-element symmetricals include the Takahashi LE line (most of them) and a few of the original Vixen LV/Orion Lanthanum eyepieces (those without the negative Smyth field group).

 

Here's an image (link below) of the original Meade ad copy for the Super Plossl.  Although the referenced "Other Premium Plossls" diagram may not reflect the Tele Vue Plossl design exactly, it's a fairly accurate representation.

 

https://www.cloudyni...9-super-plossl/

 

Best wishes.

Dan

Hi Dan for some reason this does not allow me to open?  Can you copy and PM me on it? Thanks so much Bob

[MisterDan]

Sorry about that, Bob.  I thought that gallery was set to "public," but it was still "private."

 

I re-set it to "public," so you (and anyone else) should be able to open the pic, now.

 

Best regards.

Dan

[bob midiri]

Thx Dan!!

[MisterDan]

Here's the image of the ad copy (instead of the original link):

 

From the March, 1986, issue of Sky & Telescope, for anyone wanting to dive into their library. 

Edited by MisterDan, 04 December 2020 - 05:37 PM.

[Starman1]

Keep track of the lens orientations as you remove them from the barrel and you don't need a diagram.

[CHASLX200]

I would guess the Meade 4000 eyepieces went from being very good for the first run, smooth sides to downhill with later versions made in the early 90's to even worse in the later 90's.

[Starman1]

I would guess the Meade 4000 eyepieces went from being very good for the first run, smooth sides to downhill with later versions made in the early 90's to even worse in the later 90's.

Well, they used different manufacturers at least 4 times in that period.  The originals were made by Kowa.

[CHASLX200]

Well, they used different manufacturers at least 4 times in that period.  The originals were made by Kowa.

I used to see whole sets for cheap around 1999 to 2004. So i just guessed they were not as good as the first run around 1987-88.

[bob midiri]

Keep track of the lens orientations as you remove them from the barrel and you don't need a diagram.

Yeh until you get interrupted 5 times , and I know me, I need to look at the diagram LOL. 

[bob midiri]

Well just got the 5 element Super Plossl 26mm it was 2:1:2, just like my Celestron Ultima made in Japan is, Some one before me must have taken apart since the eyelens was reversed. Now both convex sides are facing each other just like in the diagram now...before the convex side was facing my eye, now its in correct orientation and cleaned, the Field stop now is nice and sharp, cant wait to try it out

Edited by bob midiri, 04 December 2020 - 09:07 PM.

[MisterDan]

Wow and yikes!  I'm glad you were able to sort it out.  I'll keep my fingers crossed for some exceptional views (and maybe a few "wows" on your part).

 

Cheers and best regards.

Dan

[Mike G.]

The 26mm Meade 4000 smoothie is one heck of an EP. in my 6” SCT it just blows away other EPs!

[deSitter]

 

Here's the image of the ad copy (instead of the original link):

 

 

From the March, 1986, issue of Sky & Telescope, for anyone wanting to dive into their library. 

 

Aha! As I expected, it's more or less an Erfle! They just used a smaller field stop to hide the edge defects!

 

-drl

[deSitter]

I used to see whole sets for cheap around 1999 to 2004. So i just guessed they were not as good as the first run around 1987-88.

As I've mentioned several times - mine are super-sharp and high contrast across the board, all 9 of them. Adding another element would not improve them. You don't look through the sides, and being made in Japan is no magic bullet. The main aberration is lack of rectilinearity at the edge (slight pincushion). But that's what Orthoscopics are for.

 

-drl

[vahe]

I am not familiar with the 5 element Meade Super Plossl but the 4 Element TV Plossl is sufficiently sharp and adding an element is not going to improve the already fine performance of this old favorite.

.

Vahe

 

 

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