Fake eyepieces?

[CanesVenatici]

Hi John,

It sounds to me that you have pretty much convinced yourself that it's dodgy.mIf I were you I WOULD return it just for peace of mind, there are too many questions whith to be answered with it, £37 is a lot of money really. Better safe than sorry IMHO.

I would be tempted to say that the proof of the pudding is in the seeing. So I would take a peek though it first to see if you think it is worth what you paid for it, and keep it if you think it is.

[Ags]

I have no doubt that my TS Planetaries come from a production line that at some point produced the real TMBs. Obviously they are all made in China, but TMB and TS are able to specify different features even though the production line is the same. They can specify different coatings, different QC criteria etc. In contrast if something is sold with the TMB mark when it has not been made for or distributed by TMB then I would expect zero QC and bare minimum production standards, just like any other counterfeit goods.

[Ags]

Sorry, let me clarify that I don't know if anyone is selling counterfeit goods and I am not accusing anybody. I am responding in general to the statement that it is ok to buy goods bearing somebody else's mark. If it is good enough, the manufacturer can put their own name on it.

[johninderby]

I compared a couple of the genuine TMB versions to the Skys the Limit clones. Result, the clones were more consistent in quality and were just as good optically if not better.

John

[cs1cjc]

I would certainly question the likely quality control of fake products.

I also have concerns about quality control of products that are sold by major players in this industry without any branding. For example Skywatcher Aero eyepieces (apparently another TMB design) come totally unbranded.

Clearly with Tele Vue you are not only getting a proprietary design, but also Tele Vue QC and ongoing support if you need it.

[Steve]

Surely we can discuss TeleVue products without cynicism or rosy glasses.

Personally speaking, I'll tip-toe carefully around whether or not TeleVue have 'dedicated factories' but they do clearly have a firm grip on quality control and value their reputation highly. This shows in the quality of their products and after-sales support.

Speaking as ADMIN, unless you have evidence that a retailer is selling fake products please don't accuse them of doing so.

[CanesVenatici]

Sorry, let me clarify that I don't know if anyone is selling counterfeit goods and I am not accusing anybody. I am responding in general to the statement that it is ok to buy goods bearing somebody else's mark. If it is good enough, the manufacturer can put their own name on it.

To me a 'counterfeit' is something made in a different factory to the original, but which claims to be identical in all ways to the original, including place of manufacture, and is sold as such. In such terms the TMB 'clones' are hardly counterfeits.

Having read some of the discussions relating to the manufacture of 'TMB' eyepieces, it seems that the term 'Genuine TMB' is, like 'Plossl' or 'Newtonian', effectively little more than a designation of the design, not a guarantee of quality or place of manufacture.

Some have argued that the factory that first made these for Thomas Back did so under the understanding that they could also independently market eyepieces of that design in order to defray the tooling costs and so forth. It has also been argued that Thomas Back was quite happy to see eyepieces produced by others as a 'TMB' design, just as one sees 'Plossl' used. I can also see how the estate of Thomas Back would like to reclaim 'ownership' of the 'TMB' label / design.

Perhaps more important from a user point of view, and as one of the other threads linked to on here has noted, there appears to be no discernable difference in quality between those eyepieces currently sold via the marketing company TMB Optical, and the 'clones'. In fact, the only eyepieces that have been reported as being shoddy were some of the 'genuine' versions, such as the 6mm. I also fail to see why a 'TMB' that is not marketed via TMB Optical should be necessarily inferior, especially given that they are probably made side by side on the same production lines. In my experience even cheap generic Plossl eyepieces cannot be dismissed as having 'zero QC and bare minimum production standards'.

By the way, I have an 8mm TMB 'clone' and it is a perfectly good eyepiece, well worth the price paid. I have also bought some other stuff from Alan as 'Skys the limit' and would have no doubts about buying another of these eyepieces from him.

[Ags]

I apologise once more for expressing myself so rashly. I own TMB clones myself (TS brand) and personally I am happy with the eyepieces and happy that they carry the TS brand.

[bobbyowl]

I've basically shot to the end of this link...as intersting as it is, but have you considered that as the seller has a gold plated feedback status, that this item is cosher. If its as good as you say it is, and you want it...get it. Or buy it on Paypal and youre covered if its not.