Some nice vintage Japanese glass

[F15Rules]

Being a happy owner already of a Takahashi 7.5mm LE (and having owned several similar so called "pseudo-masuyama" Japanese eyepieces in the past), I've been thinking of looking for one or two more from similar lines, such as the Celestron Ultima/Baader Eudiascopic/Orion Ultrascopic/Antares Elite/Parks Gold brands.

So when I saw quite an old advert for a Celestron Ultima 15mm recently, I thought it could fit nicely below my 7.5mm Tak and perhaps be more or less parfocal.. then, after I had ordered and paid for it, I realised that there was no 15mm in the original Ultima range, and I had in fact unwittingly bought a quite rare pre-Axiom Japan Ultima WA (wide angle) with a 70 degree field of view!

It arrived today and looks exactly like the ones pictured below. It's in mint condition with box, and looks almost unused. It will be interesting to see how it performs in my apo doublets.

Will report back more after first light..

Dave

[John]

I haven't seen any of those for ages - they look practically unused

 

[F15Rules]

Hi John,

Sorry for the delayed reply☺.

The photo is a stock one from the net although the one I bought looks identical in appearance and condition.

No first light yet (can you believe we've had to come back to the Midlands tonight for a daily event tomorrow, and the sky back home in Lincolnshire when we left was wall to wall blue sky and a hard frost forecast tonight!), but a brief daylight test was encouraging, although the eye relief is definitely tight.

I hope the sky might be clear tomorrow night..

Dave

[25585]

I have boxes of Astronomy back issues. Some have adverts for Ultimas as the newest best eps to get. 

[25585]

My oldest eyepiece that I can find is this 

[dweller25]

Good find Dave,

I have a pair of 26mm Celestron silvertop plossls going back to 1985

This is an internet photo, but mine are identical.

[John]

My oldest is this Japan-made 20mm "superwide" plossl. It's actually an erfle type design and manages to squeeze 82 degrees AFoV into the 1.25" barrel. These are listed in the 1990 Broadhurst Clarkson & Fuller catalogue. OK in an F/10 scope or slower but the astigmatism builds quickly in faster scopes - I guess they "pushed" the design just that bit too far !

 

[25585]

What are the differences between circle-M, circle-T, circle-V and double circle-V brands? I have seen some, and used to own a circle-V eyepiece myself.

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, 25585 said:

What are the differences between circle-M, circle-T, circle-V and double circle-V brands? I have seen some, and used to own a circle-V eyepiece myself.

Here's a CN thread on this subject.

[25585]

Fullerscope catalogue of eyepieces they sold in the 1970s to 1990s.

My 20mm Erfle was made for FS, still own it.

[F15Rules]

On 04/03/2018 at 00:07, 25585 said:

What are the differences between circle-M, circle-T, circle-V and double circle-V brands? I have seen some, and used to own a circle-V eyepiece myself.

Circle M - don't know

Circle T - Towa of Japan, decent but not "special" eps

Circle V = Vixen -  usually above average performance 

Double Circle V = not sure, could be earlier Vixen

Dave ☺

[25585]

My long lost Vixen Erfle 32mm

 

 

[Timebandit]

 

 

Well as I see this thread is about older Japan eyepieces 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully this Meade Research Grade will qualify for " vintage".

Eye relief a bit tight and not the best fov. But sharp Optics from the Ortho.

 

 

 

 

[F15Rules]

I like Meade RGOs (one of the few Meade products I do like!).

My favourite is the 7mm. They are very lightweight, comfortable to use with the volcano top,and very sharp.

Nice glass?☺

Dave

[Pig]

Cleared content.

[Timebandit]

23 hours ago, F15Rules said:

I like Meade RGOs (one of the few Meade products I do like!).

My favourite is the 7mm. They are very lightweight, comfortable to use with the volcano top,and very sharp.

Nice glass?☺

Dave

 

Thanks Dave. 

Yes I agree. Great eyepiece the RG Meade Ortho.

Shame the rest of the Meade gear does not seem to be to the same sort of quality standards.

This is something of " vintage " where a Meade product was on top of its game?