http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/ Refractors Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:05:33 GMT hpholcomb http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29553 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29553 Hey George, D&G Optical makes very specialized refractors. I don't think a achromatic refractor with an FR of 12 or higher and starting above $1500, shipping Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:36:18 GMT Star Buddy http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29552 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29552 ... If you liked the views in a Chinese f/8, you will love the American Made D&G, low, medium and high power. And a much better made lens. Is it worth Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:25:11 GMT Doug http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29551 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29551 Celestron and Skywatcher are the same. The Meade is not, but is optically near identical. Take your choice. I own the C6R myself, and wouldn't dream of letting Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:18:30 GMT George http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29550 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29550 Thanks for the advice, Buddy. I'll do that!. After my Club's public viewing at a nearby park, where I operated a "very nice" Celestron 6" f8, I got the Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:57:28 GMT Star Buddy http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29549 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29549 ... George, none of the one's you mentioned are, IMHO, "above average." They ARE the average. If you want an achromat of superior quality for a very Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:39:42 GMT George http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29548 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29548 Looking for a 6" achromat of "above average??" quality and I tried out the Celestron 6" f8 last week With a WO VR1 minus violet filter it performed admirably Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:28:34 GMT Star Buddy http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29547 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29547 ... Walmart knows that customers would literally walk out the door with them, unpaid, like they do so many TV's. Then bring them back without a receipt and get Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:10:23 GMT gnowellsct http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29546 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29546 Well, I mean, they could afford to stock a few Tak FS102s. You know, in case someone just dropped in with a hankerin' for a fluorite. Just one or two per Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:49:05 GMT Star Buddy http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29545 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29545 ... Such stores carry merchandise based on what they think their customers are interested in and can afford. Walmart doesn't think their customers likely to Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:43:27 GMT Star Buddy http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29544 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29544 ... Hi Greg, thanks for the explanation. What you say makes a lot of sense. I'm a refractor buff, yes, but I'm also (and more to the point) a /telescope/ Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:22:49 GMT gnowellsct http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29543 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29543 I dunno. There seems to be an optics community in Japan that runs around doing telescopes, cameras, industrial optics, what have you: kind of an optical Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:14:54 GMT gnowellsct http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29542 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29542 Bud, you are a refractor buff, so it makes sense that you would buy refractors because of their quality aperture. I volunteered information on something Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:40:22 GMT William Hamblen http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29541 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29541 ... The Jena Telemators existed because the E German government decided to put a telescope in every primary school in the county. I thought about getting one Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:22:23 GMT Guido Santacana http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29540 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29540 How about Royal Astro Optical in Japan. What happened to this company who used to make excellent achromatic refractors back in the 50s and 60s? Clear Skies, Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:32:42 GMT Rich Wood http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29539 http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Refractors/message/29539 Greg; In the latter half of 2007 Pentax changed ownership. Via a stock buying offer Hoya obtained over 50% of Pentax stock making them the majority