101 replies to this topic

[hfjacinto]

I recently somewhat filled out my eyepiece set back to what I had before I sold all my 1.25" but as some of the eyepieces I sold are no longer available I replaced with newer ones and in some cases I am happy, but a few I have been looking and actually haven't been available to find even in the classifieds for over a year.

 

So are there any older eyepieces you miss and would like to see available again?

 

For me, at one point I had a set of Zhummel Planetaries, Meades, Celestrons, Hyperions, Brandons, Plossls, Orthos and a few others.

 

I sold them to get 100* or to get Televue or to buy cameras/filters/etc.

 

Most I was fine with as they were good, but the replacement was better, a few I wasn't impressed with (Radians and Brandons just never attracted me). But a few I would buy again if I could.

 

Of the series I owned, I always liked the Meade 5000 series UWA but not the later series, the series made by JOC, I believe the dates were from 2012 to 2019. They were really good eyepieces and a bargain compared to the Naglers. While I no longer have the 4.7 and 6.7 , I can always get a 4 and 6MM De Lite, the Meade UWAs were great and while a few new eyepieces have taken their place, they currently don't yet meet "almost a Nagler at 50% of the cost".

 

So what old series would you like to come back?

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Edited by hfjacinto, 15 May 2025 - 08:16 AM.

[25585]

Vixen LVWs particuarly. 
 

[Avgvstvs]

I really miss the 22mm Panoptic, I should have never sold it. Dual 1.25 & 2" light and wonderful views

[Astrojensen]

Zeiss ZAO's at the original price would be nice... Ditto for the Zeiss Jena 0.965" orthos. 

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

[Lensman]

I have a couple older Takahashi MC ortho's - HI 4mm, and or 7mm. These are solid performers. I'm kind of back filling my short focal lengths now and I just got a current (Agena) Masuyama 5mm, not too impressed with its ergonomics. So more older Taks.

 

I simply love my TV 3-6 zoom Nagler, wished I could get a 2-4.

Edited by Lensman, 15 May 2025 - 09:31 AM.

[cbowlsby]

The Orion Ultrascopics and their clones

[russell23]

For me the following eyepieces I had and sold I would love to get back to use with my 102mm f/11 refractor:

 

35mm Ultrascopic

36mm and 30mm Silvertop plossls

28mm Pentax XL

 

They show up from time to time but I haven't gotten around to offering to buy one.  If I had owned a 102mm f/11 refractor at the time I owned any of those eyepieces I probably never would have sold them, but they did not work as well with the faster scopes.

 

Dave

Edited by russell23, 15 May 2025 - 11:10 AM.

[hfjacinto]

I used to have the 35 mm ultrascopic, that was an eyepiece that I wasn’t sad to let go.

[Vertigo]

So what old series would you like to come back?

Hello,

 

TMB Supermonocentrics.

 

Andreas

[helpwanted]

I'd like to try Koenigs again, I should have never sold my 16mm, they came in 24 & 12 also

[Refractor6]

   I don't miss any of the old gems because I still have them   ... complete set UO/ Antares orthos, set of Orion/Vixen LVW's and my various Antares Elite and Celestron Ultima's and Antares 2" and 1 1/4" barlows to complete my collection.....others too in the mix no longer available.

 

 Haven't bought a eyepiece since 2006 and living now in the middle of the boonies away from big city civilization {and light pollution} and every telescope shop closed and gone out of business in BC Canada it will stay that way.....happy to keep using the old stuff folks.

[russell23]

I'd like to try Koenigs again, I should have never sold my 16mm, they came in 24 & 12 also

I have several samples of the University 2" 32mm Konig.  It works great with the 102mm f/11 refractor.  I really liked the 24mm and 16mm but they lack the eye relief I need for glasses.  I remember there was a time when I used the 24mm with a 3x TV barlow so that I could use it without my glasses.
 

[Kefka1138]

Celestron Ultima Series for me as well. Still need the dang 24mm   and would love to experience the 2'' focal lengths. 

[jrmacl]

Zeiss ZAO's at the original price would be nice... Ditto for the Zeiss Jena 0.965" orthos. 

 

 

Clear skies!

Thomas, Denmark

 

Hello,

 

TMB Supermonocentrics.

 

Andreas

Right? Remember when the supermonos were $195?

[jrmacl]

The Orion Ultrascopics and their clones

Aren't the new 2-1-2 Masuyama MOP's the same as the Orion Ultrascopics, Celestron Ultimas, Parks Gold ect?

 

edit: unless you're talking about the 3.8mm with the added Smyth/Barlow like the Tak LE's

Edited by jrmacl, 15 May 2025 - 04:39 PM.

[vtornado]

Meade HD60.  Yeah I know they are celestron XCel-LX but the price is higher and the casing seems more bulky on the Xcel-lx

[jack45]

The Axiom LX series, missing the 19mm,15mm,10mm, and 7mm. Excellent eyepieces, all of them.

 

 

Clear Skies!

Edited by jack45, 15 May 2025 - 05:21 PM.

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

I used the Meade "Research-Grade" series for a long time, was quite happy with them, and still use some of them occasionally.

 

Clear sky ...

[cbowlsby]

Aren't the new 2-1-2 Masuyama MOP's the same as the Orion Ultrascopics, Celestron Ultimas, Parks Gold ect?

edit: unless you're talking about the 3.8mm with the added Smyth/Barlow like the Tak LE's

Are they? I mainly was talking about the 35mm, I’m unaware of any modern remakes

[Chris MN]

I used the Meade "Research-Grade" series for a long time, was quite happy with them, and still use some of them occasionally.

 

Clear sky ...

+1 on that!  I have the complete set and use them regularly with my C11.   My goto for planetary viewing.  For planetary, I would take them over my T6's.  Very sharp views.

[saemark30]

Clave plossls.

 

They don't build plossls like they used to.

[helpwanted]

I have several samples of the University 2" 32mm Konig.  It works great with the 102mm f/11 refractor.  I really liked the 24mm and 16mm but they lack the eye relief I need for glasses.  I remember there was a time when I used the 24mm with a 3x TV barlow so that I could use it without my glasses.
 

I had a 12mm as well and it was like a contact lens, in fact I remember my eye actually making contact with it !

[dmgriff]

I have the no longer in production Tak Abbe MC Ortho in 18, 12.5, 9, 6, 4mm that I will never sell. Excellent eyepieces. 

 

Seems there are more "Wanted" ads than "For Sale" in the Classifieds if I was looking for the 32mm and 25mm for a complete set.

 

A Tak TPL 33mm was offered and traded for a Tak Abbe 32mm....

Edited by dmgriff, 15 May 2025 - 08:01 PM.

[Aleko]

Baader Genuine Orthos (BGO, not BCO). Outstanding color rendition when viewing double stars. 

[jrmacl]

Are they? I mainly was talking about the 35mm, I’m unaware of any modern remakes

Here's the 35mm, "Ultra-premium Masuyama eyepieces were offered briefly in the mid-1980s before going out of production a few years later. Since then, these legendary eyepieces have only been available - fleetingly - on the resale market. Now, after nearly 30 years, Masuyama eyepieces are back in production and updated with modern glass and multi-coating technology." :

 

https://agenaastro.c...5mm-mop-35.html