100 replies to this topic

[semlin]

interesting very cool looking binocular.  it looks like the prisms are quite small and nested inside the bell housing.  is it a roof prism design?

[Petsyk Alexey]

I have no data on the design of the BAS 30x90 and I could not find them. On one of the forums I came across a mention of the predecessor - TB 30x90. It is said that it was made on the principle of a telephoto lens - a triplet at the entrance and a Barlow lens glued in the middle. Then there are the prisms. The type of prism is not known to me.

[Petsyk Alexey]

I found a photo of a TB 30x90 binocular on the Internet. In addition, BAS-2 30x90 was also produced. A short description and photos are here.
http://www.old.astro...ction=4&tid=100

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[semlin]

that's a more conventional design with a porro system very apparent.  very nice, but i like the bas 30x90.

[Linn]

I have a TB 30x90. It needs a little work on the swivel eyepiece sections which allow setting the inter pupil distance. One side is stiff and the other too loose. 

[Linn]

Here is a review of the BAS 30x90:

 

https://www.binomani...kb-30x90-astro/

 

And a review of the TB 30x90:

 

https://www.binomani...so-sconosciuto/

[trainsktg]

I've had these Russian monsters in my vehicle go-bag for years and years. 

 

 

 

 

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Edited by trainsktg, 20 April 2023 - 11:54 AM.

[trainsktg]

Specs

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[luxo II]

The other thing I have a soft spot for are the wooden cases the Russians packed these in… solid wood, no knots, dovetails, brass fittings and leather handles and the patina of age…

Edited by luxo II, 23 April 2023 - 05:30 PM.

[Petsyk Alexey]

One of the readers of the article about school meniscus telescopes sent a photo of the telescope he found in 1945. Its number is the largest known at the moment. But the main thing is that the telescope was found with the original box. I have never met this axsoir before. Photos are published for the first time.

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[semlin]

what is the aperture on that?  i can't get a sense of scale.

 

the mount reminds me of the small satellite scopes that were sold in the late 1950/early 1960s like this unitron.

[Petsyk Alexey]

Lens 70mm. Presumably 1/10. No technical information about the telescope was found.

Edited by Petsyk Alexey, 30 April 2023 - 01:56 PM.

[semlin]

I want to tell you about another gem of my collection. Astronomical binocular BAS 30x90. It was produced at the Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant in the late 90s and early 2000s.

 

The device is completely made of metal, the eyepieces have a break in the optical axis of 45 degrees and individual diopter adjustment. The interpupillary distance can be adjusted over a fairly wide range. There is also a version of binoculars without a break in the optical axes, for terrestrial observations. It is called TB 30x90. There are no such binoculars in my collection, but according to user reviews, the image is not of very high quality.

 

The binocular is very heavy, so hand-held observations, even with an emphasis, are not possible. It must be mounted on a tripod - for this I made a fork mount. The binocular mounted on it is in an indifferent balance in any position, although for this it was necessary to equip the mount with counterweights.
http://www.old.astro...2&sub=2&gid=105

 

The device is very rare, I have never seen it on the secondary market. I bought my copy from a friend and partly by accident. And in those days when the binocular was sold in the store, I could not afford its price - then it cost about 800 US dollars, with my salary of 200 dollars a month. )))

 

today in the news the zagorsk zomz plant blew up.  it sounds like they were actually manufacturing explosives at the time of the explosion.  

 

leaving current events aside, it is a shame for a historic optics facility to be lost like that.

[Petsyk Alexey]

Yes, I saw the news. The plant, which produced large and small school refractors, has long been destroyed. Is it possible that this fate will now befall the plant that produced the bas 30x90?

[Tolomeo]

One of the readers of the article about school meniscus telescopes sent a photo of the telescope he found in 1945. Its number is the largest known at the moment. But the main thing is that the telescope was found with the original box. I have never met this axsoir before. Photos are published for the first time.

Just a note on the metal plate showing a triangle with Serial Number and production year: the same logo is shown in TAL eyepieces.
It also appears on the label of my TAL 100, one of the earliest RS models. It is one of the few produced with the 2 inch focuser and the purple lenses, like the first R models (the anti-reflection coatings soon changed in  blue-green in later production)

[JohnH]

By the way, the Maksutov ZLT-165 mirror-lens telescope was also manufactured at the Zagorsk Optical and Mechanical Plant. This is a meniscus cassegrain 165mm, 1/16. This telescope is not yet in my collection and I have hardly seen any mention of it on the Internet. There is only a model page on one of the sites. But I do not lose hope of finding him.

http://www.old.astro...action=4&tid=91

I saw one for sale years ago in Vancouver but this was before I bought my first Maksutov. With my passable Russian and lack of understanding, I passed on it.


A few moths latwr, I bought an 8" M809 Alter, and the rest is history. 6 later, still looking for a decent Russian School example.

[Petsyk Alexey]

I have not yet been able to find the zlt-165.

[Petsyk Alexey]

I found MShR 7 in my collection.
Apparently he was someone with a great passion for research.  All the screws were loose, even the lens was disassembled.  And it seems to me that they assembled it incorrectly.  Somehow I don't like the picture.  And the spacers between the lenses are not in place.
The mounting bracket to the rack was apparently painted by dipping.  There are streaks of paint hanging on the side.
The color shade is different.  Focuser, adapter ring, diagonal.  As they say, 50 shades of gray.
Montirlvka is very shaking.  Like jellied meat.  I don't know what you can see on it.  The tripod tubes from the plastic parts of the tripod simply fall out.  They are simply inserted, without securing with a screw.  Paper was added to make the fit tighter.  The stand apparently rotated at the base.  Additionally, it was riveted by someone at home.  In general, the latest modification of the MSR is not at all suitable for observations.  Only if shown in class at school, in the form of a visual aid.

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[Petsyk Alexey]

More news: another edition of my article about the school meniscus telescope has been published.  It contains clarifications and additional photos.  https://star-hunter....tov-telescopes/

 

In addition, an amateur astronomer, Igor Rozivika, conducted research on the optical qualities of USHT and TMSh.  the results are published in the second part of the article.  https://star-hunter....v-telescopes-2/

[deSitter]

Specs

7mm exit pupil! Those must be a hoot at night!

 

-drl

[Petsyk Alexey]

I have these binoculars.  2.3/40.  There's a huge exit pupil. The photo is not mine, from the Internet.

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Edited by Petsyk Alexey, 06 October 2023 - 09:06 AM.

[munirocks]

Great thread.

What I also find interesting is the variation in Mak optical designs; that is, some designs (like the Little Mak) inherently give an upright correctly oriented image -- no erecting prism needed. 

[Dave Trott]

I finally got around to doing enough restoration work on my Russian 70mm Maksutov School Telescopes to make a video.

 

 

Check it out: 

 

https://youtu.be/QpjChCAdjrA

 

 

[spartan1]

Just acquired this telescope which is not a TAL-1 as it has an external aperture of 140mm and the mirror looks around 125 mm. The rear of the primary holder has a metal plate showing it is Russian 1994 vintage. The focal length is about 805mm and the ota is 4mm solid aluminium. I attach photos including the 1.25" 3x Barlow, 15mm ep and a cross-hair insert. Any idea of the factory maker?

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Edited by spartan1, 10 May 2025 - 03:11 AM.

[Kefka1138]

Wonderful, wonderful thread! 

 

While all the MAK eye-candy is a superb treat, the two large binoculars are fantastic! Overall form and fit/finish is amazing.