234 replies to this topic

[Argonautt]

Brandon's fake apo.  Truly a fascinating scope.  It was a screwed-up apo with skewed achromatic colour correction, instead of red/blue edge, you got pink and cyan!!  Interestingly, the one I got had a kind of a "fixer" lens in the front  of the 1-1/4 inch diagonal which sort-of cleaned up some of the colour error.  The 2 inch model didn't have that.

Very curious for any more information on this / how it came to be. On a related note I remember vaguely reading somewhere that the Christen triplet's claim to APO performance was equally as poor (someone offered to compare their cheaper doublet to it with total confidence it would do better). I'm pretty new to this story though.

Edited by Argonautt, 04 August 2022 - 06:16 PM.

[norvegicus]

NOS still wrapped in plastic Jason 313, maybe a tad over priced:

https://dayton.craig...7516912737.html

That’s worth at least $60

[Terra Nova]

That’s worth at least $60

And not a penny more!

[sdedalus83]

Very curious for any more information on this / how it came to be. On a related note I remember vaguely reading somewhere that the Christen triplet's claim to APO performance was equally as poor (someone offered to compare their cheaper doublet to it with total confidence it would do better). I'm pretty new to this story though.

The Brandon was a disaster. I’ve read reports of some of them being nearly ST80-like. My Christen triplet is a 94mm Brandon and its purple fringing is in the same realm as my SV102ED and Meade 127mm f9, both fpl51 equivalent doublets. The 4” and 5” f6 APs would be somewhat worse but still better than an f15 achromat of the same aperture.

[CHASLX200]

The Brandon was a disaster. I’ve read reports of some of them being nearly ST80-like. My Christen triplet is a 94mm Brandon and its purple fringing is in the same realm as my SV102ED and Meade 127mm f9, both fpl51 equivalent doublets. The 4” and 5” f6 APs would be somewhat worse but still better than an f15 achromat of the same aperture.

I had a 80mm version and it was fine as a sweeper.

[Toddeo]

The Brandon was a disaster. I’ve read reports of some of them being nearly ST80-like. My Christen triplet is a 94mm Brandon and its purple fringing is in the same realm as my SV102ED and Meade 127mm f9, both fpl51 equivalent doublets. The 4” and 5” f6 APs would be somewhat worse but still better than an f15 achromat of the same aperture.

I'm the owner. I'll try to get some photos of the moon-if the clouds cooperate tonight. When I had it out earlier-I saw no color when viewing the Moon. The only reason I'm selling is that I now have 15 telescopes, the Wife is shaking her head wondering why???????? Plus I happen to have a few scopes that are the same size and or close in aperture.

[CltFlyboy]

Let's please take all discussion posts off this thread and into their own threads so we don't clutter this one up.

Thanks!

[Littlegreenman]

Brandon's fake apo.  Truly a fascinating scope.  It was a screwed-up apo with skewed achromatic colour correction, instead of red/blue edge, you got pink and cyan!!  Interestingly, the one I got had a kind of a "fixer" lens in the front  of the 1-1/4 inch diagonal which sort-of cleaned up some of the colour error.  The 2 inch model didn't have that.

See this post here on CN from 2005. The last poster in the thread gives an explanation of how the under-performing Brandons came to be. This jives with other postings I've read over the past 20+ years on this and other forums.

 

https://www.cloudyni...take-rectified/

 

LGM

Edited by Littlegreenman, 04 August 2022 - 09:20 PM.

[CltFlyboy]

Sigh. Again, please stand up a new thread to discuss specific nuances and/or disagreements on specific scopes. This thread is solely for posting leads on classics from CL, eBay, etc.

[PawPaw]

A rarely seen Goto 12.5 cm reflector set complete with Mark -X

 

https://zenmarket.jp...ode=d1059388889

[Terra Nova]

Great price on four old-style (gold straight letter) Unitron 0.965” eyepieces from a very good seller. The 6mm ortho alone can often fetch the asking price.

 

https://www.cloudyni...gold-lettering/

[clamchip]

Here's a great deal on a equatorial mount:

https://www.cloudyni...t-with-weights/

 

Robert

[CHASLX200]

Here's a great deal on a equatorial mount:

https://www.cloudyni...t-with-weights/

 

Robert

I would go 500 smackers if it was local.

[apfever]

Here's a great deal on a equatorial mount:

https://www.cloudyni...t-with-weights/

 

Robert

 

I would go 500 smackers if it was local.

 

For a clear more general value reference: It is a steal at $50 but has issues. It would not be considered remotely close to 500 by any regular standards.  There is no DEC tangent arm assembly. I've never seen an electronic side box on the motor assembly so probably some mods inside. No radiused saddle blocks. No feet levelers. The DS16 version has the shortest pier pipe these were put on. Ad states it is rusty, "ancient", and hasn't been used for 17 years. 

 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat for $50 if it were local but I've had several, restored a few, and find them fun and easy to work with except for the badly engineered altitude lock. I could see asking between 100 and 200 in a large metro market but not in "...twenty five miles East of Eugene Origon".

 

This is the same mount head as the Meade Research Grade (MRG). It also has all three of the original DS16 weights. I've had a complete DS16 blue tube with rotating rings that required all three weights. It worked. I even hauled it to big star parties like the RMSS.  In my opinion, anything requiring all three weights is TOO MUCH for this mount even though it won't actually break anything. It might gall and jam the altitude lock. 

 

YMMV

Edited by apfever, 05 August 2022 - 07:31 PM.

[Eric P]

Older Taks on AM by the same seller. FC-125, Epsilon 200 and a TS 65

https://astromart.co...strograph-84029

[flywing1]

Swift 838 in rough shape (no tripod), $50 in Fredericksburg, VA

 

https://www.facebook...5e-317699140277

[Lemmon714]

Swift 838 in rough shape (no tripod), $50 in Fredericksburg, VA

 

https://www.facebook...5e-317699140277

I contacted the seller about the 838.  It's a local pickup only.  I asked about taking it to the UPS store for shipping.  It takes an hour in the store and is a big ordeal.

[Kasmos]

Swift 838 in rough shape (no tripod), $50 in Fredericksburg, VA

 

https://www.facebook...5e-317699140277

Other than the missing stuff, it's really not that bad. Especially for $50. My 839 was in about the same shape and it's coming along nicely. 

[CHASLX200]

For a clear more general value reference: It is a steal at $50 but has issues. It would not be considered remotely close to 500 by any regular standards.  There is no DEC tangent arm assembly. I've never seen an electronic side box on the motor assembly so probably some mods inside. No radiused saddle blocks. No feet levelers. The DS16 version has the shortest pier pipe these were put on. Ad states it is rusty, "ancient", and hasn't been used for 17 years. 

 

I'd buy it in a heartbeat for $50 if it were local but I've had several, restored a few, and find them fun and easy to work with except for the badly engineered altitude lock. I could see asking between 100 and 200 in a large metro market but not in "...twenty five miles East of Eugene Origon".

 

This is the same mount head as the Meade Research Grade (MRG). It also has all three of the original DS16 weights. I've had a complete DS16 blue tube with rotating rings that required all three weights. It worked. I even hauled it to big star parties like the RMSS.  In my opinion, anything requiring all three weights is TOO MUCH for this mount even though it won't actually break anything. It might gall and jam the altitude lock. 

 

YMMV

I have no choice but to offer way over normal prices since these mounts are never in FL. Shipping them is out, so i would pay someone who is coming to FL to drop off a mount like this if there was a way to set up some kind of thread for people that travel from state to state could make some gas money dropping a item off on the way. Say i was heading to NY and someone in SC wanted my C102 or someone's  scope i could then drop it off on the way.

[semlin]

another televue on the canadian classifieds.  this time a fluorite genesis f5 100mm.  i think this seller is also flipping it as i recall another for quite a bit less several weeks back. 

https://astrobuysell....php?view=64728

[Mike W]

another televue on the canadian classifieds.  this time a fluorite genesis f5 100mm.  i think this seller is also flipping it as i recall another for quite a bit less several weeks back. 
https://astrobuysell....php?view=64728

That's a $900.00 scope with quite a bit of color. Good for low power
sweeping otherwise get an SDF.

[bob midiri]

Nice lookin C14 w a lot of nice accessories!! https://www.cloudyni...omplete-system/

[CHASLX200]

Nice lookin C14 w a lot of nice accessories!! https://www.cloudyni...omplete-system/

I would jump if local and if it had freaky sharp optics.

[Piaget]

Sans & Streiffe 76.2 x 910 on GW ... Nice wood case , wood tripod & well built simple 2 axis mount ... OBJ looks clean ... Nice package ... No bids ... https://shopgoodwill.../item/149394885

[bladerunner6]

Here is one in SE Michigan.

 

https://detroit.crai...7513837959.html