7 replies to this topic

[Bearcub]

For example, many eyepiece lines been created years ago, yet they are still sold. Does that mean they are the same as they begun in production years ago or they are also improved?

 

Or.. if they improve eyepiece from same line they are forced to rename it?

[SeattleScott]

There are some improvements for long running series. Look at TV Plossls. The name of the series didn’t change, but the eyecup, coatings and focal lengths did. Granted this series doesn’t have a special name like Delos or Ethos.

But typically if the name is the same, the eyepiece probably hasn’t changed. I have heard of some older LVWs having a little different barrel height than newer models which can be an issue for making binoviewer pairs, but normally there aren’t any changes without a redesign. Changing one thing can impact other things as the eyepiece is essentially an optimized system. The coating works with the glasses and the figure of the glasses to optimize performance. So if you change something, other than minor cosmetic changes, it can affect other things, which means you might as well just do a redesign.

[CrazyPanda]

It probably depends on the company. It's very common in any industry to make changes (good or bad) to a product overtime without changing the model/name. Sometimes it will get a new sku or a new serial number series marker to designate the change, but it's not guaranteed.

 

In astronomy, I know that Tele Vue makes changes without changing the model name

 

Some examples:

 

Tele Vue will improve the eyepiece with new coatings over time.My 24mm Panoptic (which I bought last year) has better coatings than the 19mm Panoptic I bought 25 years ago. You can tell this by how much brighter the environmental reflections are in the 19 Pan.

 

The 35 Panoptic changed from having a deeply recessed eye lens to one that's near the top. The version I have is the older one with the recessed eye lens. The newer one better supports Dioptrx because of this.

 

I have two 11mm Tele Vue DeLites separated by about 5 years which have different field stops and internals (visible by looking through the field lens). They perform the same though - sometimes re-designs are just to standardize components or manufacturing processes to optimize manufacturing costs without necessarily improving the product.

 

I can't speak to other companies, but it's pretty common for a product to undergo changes without changing the product name/model.

 

It's also possible that a company will start cutting corners and make the product worse over time.

 

In an ideal world, companies would be required to be transparent about changes to a given product in its lifetime, along with demarcating those changes with new serial numbers or product skus. Then consumers can be informed. Or perhaps take on a similar approach to the auto industry. The Ford F-150 of today is obviously radically different from when it was first introduced. Those model changes are differentiated by year (though yes, changes within a model year are common, but often not significant).

Edited by CrazyPanda, 09 September 2024 - 09:28 AM.

[TOMDEY]

Eyepiece manufacturers seem pretty honest in their disclosures. I don't think I've ever seen an eyepiece offering quality diminish with time... they most often stay the same or maybe improve. Other commercial products, not so much. For mass-marketed stuff, "New and Improved" almost always means that the original had one or more fatal flaws... which they patched on the cheap... and hope to keep selling. e.g. The leaky Pocket Hose with junky adapters... now selling the sturdier ~improved~ ones. e.g. The scratchy My Pillow that was impossible to slip into the case... now selling the slippery ~improved~ ones. e.g. The Solar Generator with feeble solar cells... now selling with a double solar panel, where far too feeble is now just plain too feeble. Stuff like that.

 

But eyepieces no, they are typically as good as ever or possibly better --- except for those exceptionally dastardly "safety undercuts", where new and improved became new and worsened.    Tom

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[quilty]

I specially suspect that the ES 6.7 fell off somehow. It did definitely at size

[dan_h]

Or.. if they improve eyepiece from same line they are forced to rename it?

 Forced?  By whom? 

 

There are no Eyepiece Police and there is no Association of Eyepiece Manufacturers.   

 

dan

[Starman1]

For example, many eyepiece lines been created years ago, yet they are still sold. Does that mean they are the same as they begun in production years ago or they are also improved?

 

Or.. if they improve eyepiece from same line they are forced to rename it?

Sometimes coatings may improve (Naglers).  Sometimes the barrel design improves (13mm Ethos, 35mm Panoptic, 24mm Panoptic, KUO 28mm 82°).

But usually the eyepieces are the same, at least optically. 

[csrlice12]

The Brandon's have changed clothing numerous times....they possibly updated coatings somewhere along the way....they've been marketed since the late 1940s.