Meade 4000 [JAPAN] - 5 Element oculars

[Charic]

......and there I was, thinking that I had secured two of the original 5 element designed Plossl's that Meade produced by virtue of the stamping on the eyepiece? ( allegedly the better designed EP  )

It would appear that if JAPAN, is stamped on the body, you could well have the 5 element version, and if stamped on the barrel  the 4 element variant, just like mine 
The other fairly obvious difference ( after further investigation )  is the lack of an eye-guard and the smooth  top on the genuine 5-element EP's.

It solves an issue as to which set to keep ?

[John]

Just to add to the confusion, I believe there were Japanese made 4 element Meade 4000 series plossls as well which also have Japan on their bodies. They (apparently) don't perform quite as well as the 5 element design.

The history of the Meade 4000 series plossls is complicated to say the least !

 

 

 

[Mak the Night]

They have this secondhand 4000 at Rother Valley Optics: http://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/meade-15mm-japanese-4000-series-super-plossl.html

 

[Charic]

Cheers Mak the Night.....still looks like my  4 element version!

I've also read too that Hyphen code 1's were the ones to own, the version on sale is code 2, if thats correct.

Like John said, all very, very confusing, and a little bit of a let down to be honest, akin to that priceless painting one owns, that turns out to be a fake cheap print?

The Meades still work, I just favour my other Plossl EPs.

[John]

Those ones at Rother Valley are way overpriced IMHO

You should be able to get the 4 element Japanese ones for around £30 used, maybe even a little less.

If you see any Celestron Ultimas / Orion Ultrascopics / Antares Elite / Parks Gold plossls those are worth considering. They are a 5 element design executed in Japan (same as the best of the Meade 4000's) and really very good. You can sometimes get those for somewhere around £30 apiece on the used market.

 

[Mak the Night]

You're welcome. I'm not sure whether that's a 5 element or a 4 element Meade. I have a Japanese 5 element Antares 15mm Plossl and it has an orthoscopic-like quality. I imagine the 5 element Meade EP's would be the same. They have a reputation for it.