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Old 14-06-2012, 10:45 AM
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mental4astro (Alexander)
kids+wife+scopes=happyman

mental4astro is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: sydney, australia
Posts: 5,005
Hey there,

A lot of optical gear out there comes "from the same factory". Brand names, house brands, generic brands, all source their gear from a few manufacturers. We think that a lot of brands actually make their own gear. Most don't!

Andrews sources their gear from the same places as Saxon does. The difference may be the coating standard that the other requests on the lenses, but the actual optics are the same. Other changes that may be requested are the appearance of the stuff. The result is you get a huge price range, from bargain Andrews gear to paying for a brand name - And it is the same gear!

I'll give you an example. The Baader Hyperion eyepieces, Orion Stratus and Saxon Wide Field are all really the same eyepieces. The Saxon and Orion ones are identical too! The differences are the "modular" design of the Hyperions, making them unique to Baader (maybe the coatings too, but I'm not sure). But the only difference between the Orion and Saxon eyepieces is the writting on the outside, and maybe the packaging. They are the same eyepiece - take your pick.

Look carefully. You may find the same item at a bargain price if you know what to look for if a brand name sticker isn't what you want.

Edit: I need to note that all three of the eyepiece models I mentioned are actually all very, very good eyepieces at a good price! I have three Hyperions myself, and if I came across the Saxon's or Orion's, I pick them up without hesitation.

Last edited by mental4astro; 14-06-2012 at 12:48 PM. Reason: more info.
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