Meade HD 60 degree range

[alan potts]

I was going to get a few of these eyepiece before I got a bad case of Televue fever. The thing that put me off was the very large price tag put on them by Meade Europe. They came to me at about 120 pounds give or take which I thought was a lot so I cancelled my order.

Has anyone tried them, bought one or more, or had a look through one at a star party.

How do they shape up? I am not going to get one but just wondered.

Alan.

[John]

I've not used one Alan but I've read on another forum that they are similar to, if not the same (optically) as the Celestron X-Cel LX's. Might be just gossip though ?

[alan potts]

John,

I wouldn't be shocked if they were the same. When I placed the order, which must be 2 years back I thought they may be a quality but cheaper version of the Radian. When I saw the price I bought Radians.

Alan.

[Capricorn]

Like John I have heard they are the same as the Celestrons.

However I have heard of people saying 2 other eyepieces were the same as each other when one has 5 lens and the other has 6, so have to be a different construction and so not the same.

You would need details of the number of lens and the number of elements in order to make a guess.

[AndyH]

Funny you should mention these eyepieces, as I was reading(via an online translator) a review of the line on a Russian astro forum..............

http://astro-talks.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=575

Andy.

[alan potts]

I can read that believe it or not. No idea what it means but i can read it. This range seems to have been a bit of a damp squib.

Alan.

[Spec-Chum]

Probably priced themselves out of the market. £89 seems expensive when you consider the x-cel's are £69 and BSTs are £47.

[nephilim]

I bought the Meade HD60 9mm (£86) & altho not sure about it been a copy of another type, I'm very impressed by it, compared to the stock 10mm EP that came with my scope the Meade blew it out of the water, very crisp,clean views & excellent eye relief especially if u wear glasses like me.

[alan potts]

If you go back to the top you will see that here in Bulgaria from Meade Europe they would have cost about 120 pounds. The price was 270 Leva that is now 112 pounds, now that is expensive if the Celestron is about the same and the BST could well be better.

Alan.

[nephilim]

Wow, thats very expensive, how on earth they can justify that sort of prie hike is beyond me.

[nephilim]

Wow, thats very expensive, how on earth they can justify that sort of prie hike is beyond me.

*price* hike

[alan potts]

Nephilim,

I really don't know how they price things. The Meade dealer here is a very good friend of mine so I know he is not to blame. You should ha seen the price of the Ultrawedge. This is going back a bit 2-3 years, the Megawedge I believe is the thing now. I have bought the new one from Tele House but the old one was priced at I think it was 460 or thereabout in England, it was 740 here. The funny thing is scopes are much the same.

If people are going to pay that amount then so be it, I won't that is for sure. Meade gear just don't hold money, you only have to look at some of the bargins on ABS to see that.

Alan.

[rwilkey]

I think Meade clone much from other designs and they have been done in the US courts for infringement. Orion US are another company who tend to clone a lot I think.

[bish]

I bought the 6.5mm because it was just the right size for what I wanted. I still have my 8mm radian too. For viewing planets I find it pretty much as good as the radian. No doubt there will be people who have done extensive testing, but for my usage it's fine.

[crazyjedi]

Anyone know how the HD-60 range compare to the 5000 super plossl's that I have?

Were the 5000 super plossl's clones of anything? They look fairly unique on the outside and inside.

Why did Meade phase out the 5000 plossl and replace them with the HD-60 range?

[E621Keith]

I thought the HD60, X-cel LX and BST all shared the same optical formula, and all based on scaled version of Pentax's XF.

If they cost £120 each then you may well just get a XF.

[alan potts]

Keith,

No that was what they were priced at to me in Bulgaria, they are much cheaper in the UK, which makes a change.

Alan.

[E621Keith]

Keith,

No that was what they were priced at to me in Bulgaria, they are much cheaper in the UK, which makes a change.

Alan.

How much does Pentax XF cost in Bulgaria?

In UK the Meade does have a price advantage, but as you said, the prices in your country is much higher, which may eliminate the price gap between the Pentax and the Meade.

Anyone know how the HD-60 range compare to the 5000 super plossl's that I have?

Were the 5000 super plossl's clones of anything? They look fairly unique on the outside and inside.

Why did Meade phase out the 5000 plossl and replace them with the HD-60 range?

I think the Meade Series 5000 super plossl were clones of the Japanese made version of Meade series 4000 super plossl which were 5 elements Masuyama in a Meade housing.

I'd guess the reason they discontinued it is because if someone upgrades from the kit plossl, they are probably not going to be interested in another plossl that cost more than a BST Explorer or TMB clones.

[alan potts]

Keith,

The Pentax would be less if that makes any sense. I have no intention of buying any of these, it was something that I was looking at when they were first announced. I have a full spead of Televeues now from 20mm dowm to 4mm so I don't need any more. I was just interested as to what they were like as they seem to have died a death. Lets face it at 120 pounds as it was and still is for me, money can be better spent and was.

Merry Christmas,

Alan.

[webboid]

In reply to the OPs original question. I do own several of these eps. For me they are a significant improvement on the standard SW ones. An example M82/M81 proved impossible to observe from my back garden in my 200P. When I got the meades they could be seen very easily. Just to check that maybe previous conditions might have been the problem I swapped back to the standard sw eps at the same time of viewing with the meades & the galaxies literally disappeared. I had the chance to briefly compare views of Orion nebula at Kelling in my scope with a Pentax XW & both views were comparable to my inexperienced eyes. Having now used them for several month I have noticed that the edge is not so sharp for focus but they are very nice & comfortable to use.

[crazyjedi]

How much does Pentax XF cost in Bulgaria?

In UK the Meade does have a price advantage, but as you said, the prices in your country is much higher, which may eliminate the price gap between the Pentax and the Meade.

I think the Meade Series 5000 super plossl were clones of the Japanese made version of Meade series 4000 super plossl which were 5 elements Masuyama in a Meade housing.

I'd guess the reason they discontinued it is because if someone upgrades from the kit plossl, they are probably not going to be interested in another plossl that cost more than a BST Explorer or TMB clones.

Weren't those old Meade 4000's something of a legend in their own lunchtime? I seem to recall there being much consternation when Meade launched their latest line of "4000"s and people discovered that they were rather inferior to the original 4000's