Where are all the Intes?

[Captain Scarlet]

I have an Intes M603, a 6" Mak. I acquired it from a fellow SGLer, who I think slightly regrets having sold it, and I absolutely love it, coarse focuser and all. I hanker after a bigger one though, in addition. But they almost never come up. They have/had quite a large range, Maks and Mak-Newts, and they must have sold a good few scopes over the last 25 years, but you rarely see them on the used market. Why is this? Are they so valued that owners will be buried with them? I can sort of understand that, if so.

Cheers, Magnus

[Peter Drew]

I have a MN56, amazing telescope for its aperture.    🙂

[John]

I used to own an Intes MN61 150mm F/6 maksutov-newtonian (branded as Orion (USA). Superb scope, that was

I often wish I still had it and I suspect that many other Intes / Intes Micro owners are hanging on to theirs.

[jetstream]

50 minutes ago, Captain Magenta said:

Why is this?

Its the glass IMHO, in a tough package.

[Mr Magoo]

I have an Intes Micro M703 Deluxe, one of the last few made (2017) before Intes Micro stopped producing Maksutovs.

It's a joy to use, the optics are superb, absolutely solid build, collimation has held since since it's arrival, plan ahead for observing time and cool down is not an issue.

Also have an Intes Micro M500, that sees a lot of use because it is so easy to set up being small and light. Same build quality as the M703, same great quality views at the eyepiece. 

Both Intes Micro Maksutovs are robust and refined.

[pete_l]

8 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

they must have sold a good few scopes over the last 25 years, but you rarely see them on the used market. Why is this?

I reckon that nobody sells kit that works well. Not unless they absolutely have to.

What does get sold on is stuff that folk are dissatisfied with, things they want to get rid of to buy something better, or pieces that have a problem (which hopefully the seller is honest enough to declare).

Edited August 19, 2021 by pete_l

[russ]

9 hours ago, Captain Magenta said:

I have an Intes M603, a 6" Mak. I acquired it from a fellow SGLer, who I think slightly regrets having sold it, and I absolutely love it, coarse focuser and all. I hanker after a bigger one though, in addition. But they almost never come up. They have/had quite a large range, Maks and Mak-Newts, and they must have sold a good few scopes over the last 25 years, but you rarely see them on the used market. Why is this? Are they so valued that owners will be buried with them? I can sort of understand that, if so.

Cheers, Magnus

I used to own an M603 with a course focuser. I immediately regretted selling it. The optics were sublime. It really was a step up from an SCT. I could just never tease the same planetary detail from my C8 that I could from the M603.

[russ]

1 hour ago, pete_l said:

I reckon that nobody sells kit that works well. Not unless they absolutely have to.

What does get sold on is stuff that folk are dissatisfied with, things they want to get rid of to buy something better, or pieces that have a problem (which hopefully the seller is honest enough to declare).

Yes i think you are right. Although sometimes you get an itch for something different even when you are totally satisfied with the scope you have and it meets all your expectations. Mine was for more aperture with the C8. Plus getting spare parts for the Intes, even from the UK main dealer, was not easy. I sold my M603 for a low price because of the course focuser and let the new owner know the trouble i had trying to get the part needed. And failing to do so.

[F15Rules]

Magnus, thanks for starting this thread, it's been a while since good Maks were the subject of a decent conversation! I think perhaps they sometimes get mistakenly identified with an SCT design and yet in their optical performance I feel they approximate much more closely to a high quality refractor.

I've owned 2 M603s, one each of MK66 and MK67 and a wonderful Lomo Ylena 150..all were excellent scopes and I truly wish I still had one now. The Ylena was F14 and the Intes/Intes Micros from memory were I think F10-F12.

All were very solidly built, with superb optics and beautiful purple coatings on the corrector plate.

Here's a link to a thread I posted about a comparison with my Ylena 150 and an excellent Lyra Optics 4" F11 refractor. 

Also a few shots of the Ylena.

Great scopes, last for years and put up the closest views to a fluorite apo I've seen👍

Dave

Edited August 19, 2021 by F15Rules
Typo

[F15Rules]

Oh..and for Jeremy's and JohninDerby's benefit, one of the Ylena's best features was it's built in carrying handle!!😂

Dave

[Space Hopper]

I always hankered after one. I really fancied an Intes-Micro M703 0r M715

and once came very close to getting one from Widescreen. They were things of beauty with undoubted world class optics.

But i'd read about the thermal issues and the long cool-down times and that put me off, together with the fact that i'd by 

tying myself in to a pretty tight field of view, and that i really wanted a scope back then that 'could do it all' ie low power, wide field vistas, great high power Lunar /Planetary views,

a good double star scope, and something that would cool down fast and work well in poor seeing conditions (ie Derby) I guess i've always been a refractor guy at heart, all things considered.

One could argue a Mak-Newt would have been a better option, but then you have the extra bulk, and still have the thermal issues.

 

You read that the reasons the Russian manufactures all closed was due to alot of the opticians and staff there either retiring , or we contracted to do other work in Russia, either commercial or for the military etc.

But you'd think if there was sufficient demand, another company would perhaps spring up ??

Maybe theres not enough demand for what is a pretty niche product ?

 

 

 

 

 

[Macavity]

(If I'd had the money) Was tempted by a... ("Little Sibling" of Intes?)  7" MAK.
Quoting the (measured) optical performance of such scopes appealed too? 🤔
(On paper, anyway, quite a bit better than some popular SCTs).
 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Macavity

[Captain Scarlet]

Regarding my M603, for its own sake it was just as well I bought it. I dismantled it to try to address the coarse focusing and to shim the primary mirror to the focus-tube axis. When I removed the secondary central boss holding the secondary mirror, the mirror dropped out luckily right into my hand! The glue had completely degraded. Better my hand than onto the primary!

For last year’s conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, for example, it was my default instrument, permanently affixed to a tripod and mount.

M

[Wiu-Wiu]

Recently picked up this Mak (150/1500) with upgraded focuser. Built like a tank! Gives some lovely views of doubles and clusters, good for grabbing it on the go for a quick look from my lightpolluted garden. 

 

[markse68]

1 hour ago, Space Hopper said:

You read that the reasons the Russian manufactures all closed

Aren’t Lomo still going? Telescope express used to list lomo newt mirror (can’t find it now) and APM list some RC mirror sets- rather at the professional end of the price spectrum though 😳

https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/lomo-optics

Maybe they just can’t produce consumer grade products at a price point that’d sell?

[Nik271]

1 hour ago, Space Hopper said:

You read that the reasons the Russian manufactures all closed was due to alot of the opticians and staff there either retiring , or we contracted to do other work in Russia, either commercial or for the military etc.

But you'd think if there was sufficient demand, another company would perhaps spring up ??

Maybe theres not enough demand for what is a pretty niche product ?

 

 

 

 

 

I think there is still demand for Maks and other compact scopes with folded light path and long focal distance. Main reason for disappearance of the Russian manufacturers I think is that a lot of that market has been cornered by the big Asian guys i.e. Synta and GSO which give reasonable to very good quality standard optics at lower price points.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Nik271

[Andrew_B]

4 hours ago, markse68 said:

Aren’t Lomo still going? Telescope express used to list lomo newt mirror (can’t find it now) and APM list some RC mirror sets- rather at the professional end of the price spectrum though 😳

https://www.apm-telescopes.de/en/lomo-optics

Maybe they just can’t produce consumer grade products at a price point that’d sell?

For all that high end consumer scopes can seem expensive, I gather the prices are a fraction of what scientific and military optics sell for so companies that cater to the upper end of the consumer market usually do it as a sideline to other things. LZOS are a good example; they make incredible optics for the amateur astronomer but it's only a very small part of their business and the real work is in things like military and space optics and they couldn't run their massive facilities on the income from selling lenses to APM. I can only imagine how expensive one of their space-qualified 650mm aperture lenses would be!

Edited August 19, 2021 by Andrew_B

[Macavity]

For completeness... AND since my memory returned. lol! The more affordable
MAKs were marketed as "Ylena" - With some link... with the Intes line?  😉
https://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/intes-micro-telescopes.html
Optics notwithstanding, I love the clean / elegant look. 🙂

Edited August 19, 2021 by Macavity

[John]

One Russian optic manufacturer that you don't hear much about at the consumer optics end of things is Aries from the Ukraine.

They are probably best known for the Chromacor optical corrector back in 2001 which was designed to correct the CA and SA in mid-focal ratio achromats (especially the 120mm and 150mm F/8 Synta made achromats) but also produce some very nice apochromat refractors including this 178mm F/8 fluorite doublet:

The above scope was advertised a while back on the Astromart site "for a quick sale" at $14,990 !

Here is one of theirs aimed (presumably) at the professional market - a 14 inch F/12 triplet apochromat:

A "snip" at 295,000 euros !

 

 

 

 

 

[jetstream]

22 minutes ago, John said:

Aries from the Ukraine.

Glad you mentioned Aries John. Valery is one of the best if not the best optics producers out there. I would absolutely love one of his scopes and it absolutely wont happen lol!

Valery Deryuzhin of Aries, designed the AP Mak-Cass 10" 23% CO and no doubt countless others IMHO.https://astro-physics.info/index.htm?products/telescopes/10mak/10f146mak

 

"This telescope was developed for those desiring a no-compromise high-power instrument for all visual and imaging needs. Ideal for lunar/planetary, double star and high-resolution deep-sky observing.

Advanced Optical Design
The heart of this Maksutov is a special variation of the Gregory design using an elliptical primary and low-power corrector to achieve the lowest possible central obstruction, yet still maintain a reasonable focal ratio. The optics were designed by Valery Deryuzhin of Aries Instrument Company in the Ukraine. The design is coma-free and totally diffraction-limited from deep infrared right into the ultraviolet - a perfect match for today’s premium CCD chips. The small obstruction results in a telescope that shrugs off poor seeing as if it were a refractor, delivering high-contrast performance with super-tight star images. "
 

Edited August 19, 2021 by jetstream

[stuy]

I’ve had quite a few intes , intes micro scopes over the years!! 703,  mn86, mak cass 10” f15 , and a. 10” mak newt !! Incredible quality optics yet to see a bad one or even mediocre!!  Build is a bit agricultural but hey those optics are special  

ive only the 10” mak newt fully refurbished to new like condition with added starlight focuser also spring loaded secoundry 😉( paul-c)  superb craftsmanship.

and a 12” zen maksutov f9 , my observatory is finished had the zen on for a while but now the  10” mak newt is riding. High very high !!  As I’ve set up the AP1200  for a large apo As I’ve a 9” lzos  apo coming end of the year  ,  just need a couple of clear nights please 🙏

[John]

20 minutes ago, stuy said:

......As I’ve a 9” lzos  apo coming end of the year ........

Ohhhhh !!!!! (green with envy)

[stuy]

6 minutes ago, John said:

Ohhhhh !!!!! (green with envy)

I’m trying the apo route had sooo many maks of various configurations over many years but this came up and always wanted a really big apo so I’ve taken the plunge John , it will be permanently mounted in observatory due to it being heavy and 2.4m long !!! 

[jetstream]

47 minutes ago, stuy said:

I’m trying the apo route had sooo many maks of various configurations over many years but this came up and always wanted a really big apo so I’ve taken the plunge John , it will be permanently mounted in observatory due to it being heavy and 2.4m long !!! 

My hat is off to you!!

Very nice scope and I eagerly wait pictures and reports!

[neil phillips]

Meade made in irvine F15 7" Maks were good in there day.  I had two at different times