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Old 24-05-2019, 06:18 PM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
kids+wife+scopes=happyman

mental4astro is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sydney, australia
Posts: 4,979
Hi Peter,

The Saxon Cielo HD range is the same range as the Celestron X-Cel line, just rebranded. They are not "clones", just the exact same optical design but with a different brand name. These X-Cel eyepieces get good reviews when used in refractors, as you are going to use the 9mm in. For info pertainingto the 9mm, look up reviews for the 9mm X-Cel.

Alex.

PS, There is a popular myth that describes many eyepieces as "clones", a term that has inferred connotations of being a ripoff copy that is inferior.

Truth is, there is no such thing as "clones". There are actually very, very few eyepiece manufacturers in the WORLD, and there are only a limited number of eyepiece designs. As a result all "eyepiece brands" only have the same few manufacturers to produce their eyepieces, and it is common practice for the same EP optical design to be rebadged and rebranded.

It is however possible to have a factory to design and exclusively manufacturer a specific eyepiece set for a brand, or manufacture under license. TV used to manufacture in the US, with some EPs even being made in Japan (their plossl line), now everything is made under license in China.

There are many EPs that have been called "clones". One of the most popular to have described this way is the Baader Hyperion line, popularly said to be a ripoff of the Vixen LVW line. The only thing the two lines have in common is their colour coding of individual focal lengths & similar focal lengths, but otherwise they are optically totally different. The LVW's were offered rebranded only once as Orion Lanthanum Superwides, but these were a short lived line. So if you are after LVW's & come across these Orion Lanthanum's, grab 'em!

Curiously enough, no one seems to call the Saxon Superwides, or the Orion Stratus, or the Celestron Duo, "colones" of the Hyperions!! ALL of these are the same optical design, just rebranded and with a few aesthetic differences. Same blooming eyepieces that all perform really well in refractors, SCT'S and Maks, but all struggle in Newtonians, unlike the LVW's & Orion Lanthanum Superwides that perform really well in all scope types, something that is very rare in the eyepiece world.
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