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Axiom-LX and Meade 5000 SWA reborn


russ

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I noticed that the Celestron Axiom-LX and Meade 5000 SWA have both been reborn. The Celestron is identical, just given a name change. They must have felt Axiom just wasn't selling it.

While Explore Scientific have released a new range called the 68 series, which are the old Meade 5000 SWA range in new clothes and some Nitrogen purging.

The Celestron Luminos:

Celestron Luminos 82º Eyepieces - Free Shipping - OPT Telescopes

The ES 68:

Explore Scientific 68º Series - OPT Telescopes

The Celestron look keenly priced at $129 (which will likely mean £129). Approx the same as the Skywatcher Nirvana but a bigger range to choose from.

While the ES 68 looks roughly the same price. I'm a big fan of the ES 82 N2 series, they took the Meade UWA, stripped off the bulky Meade casing and replaced it with a nicer Televue style slimline type. Very nice to use. Hopefully the 68 series will be the same.

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Thanks Russ.

I had a axiom 7mm lovely lens but too heavy for my setup - they are now released quite a bit cheaper and even if 129 thats a fantasic price as they are every way as good as a nagler and half the price?

I have the meade 20 swa and it is a lovely eyepiece - but again others in the range were just too big! Wonder if these will be lighter?

andrew

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I had the 34mm SWA and it's a whopper, real monster eyepiece. It's only downside, in my opinion only, is the oversized body which makes getting your eye in place not as comfortable as it should be. Which is why i think the ES version will be a good improvement. Same great optics but easier to use.

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The 10mm Luminos at £129 would be very tempting. So far I've stuck to a self-imposed limit of £100 per eyepiece and 68 degree FOV, which has me building a collection of Hyperions (which I really like).

Much as I'd like to try the 82 degree experience I wonder if I'm heading down a slippery slope ;)

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Hi Russ

a little heads up for you I purchased a Explore scintific 9mm 100* eyepiece from OPT

and it starts off with the price then postage for me was $73.00 (my choice)

then when it arrived on the door step 3days later I then paid £38.91 VAT

and £11.00 customs handling ( to check good in customs ) and I still saved £105.00

against british prices, Hope this helps you , by the way OPT are very nice to do busness with can recommend , one more thing free post is only in th USA

Doug

EssexUK

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Hi Russ

a little heads up for you I purchased a Explore scintific 9mm 100* eyepiece from OPT

and it starts off with the price then postage for me was $73.00 (my choice)

then when it arrived on the door step 3days later I then paid £38.91 VAT

and £11.00 customs handling ( to check good in customs ) and I still saved £105.00

against british prices, Hope this helps you , by the way OPT are very nice to do busness with can recommend , one more thing free post is only in th USA

Doug

EssexUK

Already bought the 11mm ES 82 from Opt and have the 6.7mm on the way too ;)

Would love the 100series but simply can't afford one.

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The 10mm Luminos (Axiom) EP is a brilliant and satisfying EP in my opinion, not sure why they have renamed it, got mine for £130 off of ebay haha.

Tried a few times to pick one up secondhand but too slow. It's nice that there are a few 82deg options, other than just the Skywatcher Nirvana, in the £100-130 bracket. Not used the Axiom (Luminos) but i can imagine its a very nice eyepiece.

These also put pressure on the Hyperion which is only slightly cheaper.

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Fantastic price those ES 82 but if FLO stock the "new" luminos, and can't say why they would not - as standard celestron stock. To get these 82deg in the £120 range without import from US would be a deal.

In using the 7mm axiom a few weeks ago on jupiter, with an f7 scope, yes not fast but enough to see imperfections, i could let jupiter drift out of the field with no perceptible degradation in quality - it is a top notch performer. And build quality is like a well crafted part for a quality car rather than a humble lens!

So fingers crossed for FLO.

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I managed to get a 11mm es 82 s/h for $60. $90 with shipping I'm waiting for it to arrive maybe I will be lucky and it will slip through without any additional charges but even if I do get charged extra I still think I got a bargin. And as long as it's performance is close to my nagler 12t4 the nagler is getting sold

Jake

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Hi Russ

please help me Stop me buying eyepieces I just taken delivery of another eyepiece this time it's a Meade 30mm UWA my it's a wooper can,t wait to try it out if it's as good as my 18mm i'll be very happy

Doug

Essex

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Hi Russ

please help me Stop me buying eyepieces I just taken delivery of another eyepiece this time it's a Meade 30mm UWA my it's a wooper can,t wait to try it out if it's as good as my 18mm i'll be very happy

Doug

Essex

hehe once you start there's no stopping :smiley:

Keep an eye on Spacemike on Ebay. He has, from time to time, some amazing deals on the Meade 5000 UWA and SWA ranges. Here's his shop:

spacemike2004 | eBay

So far he's had the UWA 4.7mm, 6.7mm, 8.8mm and 14mm. All were close to £80 delivered....brand new. I reckon the 18mm could be the next he offers. :)

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I managed to get a 11mm es 82 s/h for $60. $90 with shipping I'm waiting for it to arrive maybe I will be lucky and it will slip through without any additional charges but even if I do get charged extra I still think I got a bargin. And as long as it's performance is close to my nagler 12t4 the nagler is getting sold

Jake

You shouldn't be disappointed Jake :smiley:

It has the look and feel of a Nagler T6. And in the F4.7 250PX it performs wonderfully. Should get very close to the Nagler but won't match it.

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You shouldn't be disappointed Jake :smiley:

It has the look and feel of a Nagler T6. And in the F4.7 250PX it performs wonderfully. Should get very close to the Nagler but won't match it.

Close is good enough for me I very rarely do visual observing just now and then when the other half wants to have a look or when I don't have time to setup all the imaging equipment so I can't really justify having such an expensive ep (nagler) that rarely gets used its such a waste when I could sell it and buy some more imaging equipment and someone else could get some enjoyment from it

I will look to add some of the other focal lengths over the next couple of weeks

Jake

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Some very nice EP's mentioned here, I bought a Vixen LVW 13mm brand new at the Norman Lockyer fair in Devon at the weekend for just £99, £100 off! How can you resist that? Also bought the massive Axiom 23mm, a lovely piece, with another £33 off the list price, thanks FLO!

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Thanks for the tip Russ, that's a great idea. I have just spoken to Steve at FLO and just paid for the Ax. Brilliant service to let me have it on spec and then pay for it later, you can't get better service than that!

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Russ how does the weight of your ES compare to the meade UWA?

thanks, andrew

Andrew, weight wise they are approx the same. Main difference is the eyecup. ES have gone for a Televue style design, which i prefer. Meade have the wide bodied twist up eye cup which i couldn't get on with. But the Meade had superb optics and i know others like the Meade body. So its just a case of what you like.

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Thanks Russ

I am looking for something in the range of 12mm but size/weight is my main criterion. I'm a bit spoiled as my older meade 4000 uwa 6.7mm is about the same size as a normal plossl and these new eyepieces all seem so big!

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Andrew,

I'll have my new ES 6.7mm in a few days time. I'll post up some comparison pics and specs with the 4000 6.7 uwa we have. I know what you mean about the 4000 uwa. It's a spot on eyepiece and looks like a regular 4000 Plossl. The 8.8 and 14 are completely different beasts (and beasts describes them rather well). The ES 14 (and 5000 14) are definitely smaller than the 14mm 4000 uwa.

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