What is your favourite manufacturer? - Page 2

h0ughy (David) · #21 31-08-2005, 10:38 PM

Now lets see, Meade is on top then Celestron and then the no name brands chinese optics. Gee we must be easily fooled Eh!

Eardrum73 · #22 25-11-2005, 09:49 AM

For influence it would have to be Meade, their adverts and colorful space nebulas really did the trick. I even saw one with a hot looking chick on it.... or was that a Saxon adverT????

Anyway...
Didn't end up with a Meade though, GS 12' DOB instead..... although my most desired scope would be the C9.25 with goto and forkmount.

Most influenced: Meade
Most desired: Celestron
The one I married: GS 12' DOB

Orion · #23 25-11-2005, 06:15 PM

Obsession Telescopes.

http://www.globaldialog.com/~obsessiontscp/OBHP.html

Dave47tuc (David) · #24 26-11-2005, 10:19 AM

Well in the early years I use to love the Parks and Unitron ads.

Later I brought 3 Meade SCT's and I would have to say I brought the LX3 on what the ad said.

Meade & Celestron remind me of Ford & Holden.

xelasnave · #25 04-02-2007, 06:37 PM

Meade started the dream for me when I noticed gotos.
Astro Physics have an interesting approach that is very clever. It appears one must go on a waiting list which seems to get the attention of anyone with cash as they are used to simply buying what they want..but having to wait provides their buyers with a sence of "getting something" better because of the wait. I like the Astro Physics 150 apo and eq mount and would love one (but I dont have the cash) and that is starnge because I have never sampled the views to be able to compare..although photos taken with them make them seem very good. In the meantime I will be happy with a Meade, a Celestron, a Skywatcher and a Bintel 12 inch, I dont know who made the binos however.
I am a little impressionalbe with any astronomy advertising.
alex

snowyskiesau · #26 04-02-2007, 07:50 PM

It wasn't any manufacturers advertising that got me started, it was walking past an
astronomy shop every day on the way to/from work.
After a few visits 'just to look around', ended up buying a Celestron C8.
This was in 1991 when the range of telescopes was very limited compared to today.

The advertising that has most effect on me these days is this damn forum! I wish people
would stop selling things or at least stop including photos.

Ric · #27 04-02-2007, 08:01 PM

Meades advertising probably influenced me a bit this time around with the LX200R but it was still researched first before purchasing. My first scope was the C8 and at 16 years of age I was more influenced then by advertising, still it was a great buy and I still use it after 30 years.
My loyalties are split right up the middle, I love them both.

Cheers

ving (David) · #28 05-02-2007, 10:16 AM

porsche, there is no substitute

huckabuck · #29 05-02-2007, 10:16 AM

i vote for Orion. while their advertising isn't as obvious as the big boys the customer service is without a doubt top-notch. they have sent me several parts after i somehow smashed the originals. at no cost!!! NOT EVEN SHIPPING!!!

Striker (Tony) · #30 05-02-2007, 11:17 AM

There is no doubt Meade & Celestron has made a huge impact to astronomers around the world......and lets face it if these guys wern't around I doubt there would have even been a market for the likes of Taks and RC's and AP's.

I dont think amatures would spend 10's of thousands off dollars without atleast having a taste of this great hobby with more affordable gear like Meade , Celestron, GS.

How many people do you know who have just started in this hobby getting a huge Takahashi OR RC on Tak EM400 mount with a SBIG STL camera....not many I hope.

jase (Jason) · #31 06-02-2007, 10:20 PM

I'd second Tony's comments. I was actually looking for the Bisque brothers in the list who make the Paramount ME, TheSky, TPoint etc. These guys have had a profound impact on amateur astronomy equipment to say the least.

Though, I'd have to say my all time favourite is Takahashi. They have been around for well over 30 years. ...And to this very day still make their own parts.
http://www.sbig.com/mb/tak/takpics.htm - check out the foundry pics from SBIG's visit! Don't forget to see Yuyama-san, the legend behind the revolutionary FSQ modified petzval design.

Quality not quantity.

GeoffW1 (Geoff) · #32 22-02-2007, 09:22 PM

Now, this deserves deep deep thought.

Meade is way ahead in the poll, and they do make a wide range of very attractive stuff. What other manufacturer has assisted them to bling bling telescopes to the masses? Hm?

How many of us found it so easy to get a half-way decent budget telescope as a startup because of this same manufacturer? Hm? I did.

Which one offers a range of budget but-still-usable eyepieces to suit poor people like myself. Hm? Although they are certainly ot unique in that.

Now I would really like to say it was R M Williams, but no, I have to vote for Guan Sheng because of their ubiquitous presence, sort of an acknowledgement.

GeoffW1

astroron (Ron) · #33 23-04-2007, 04:50 PM

I had always wanted a Celestron and went to the USA and brought one back.
I have never been a fan of Meade, my mantra is wait a couple of years after Meade has brought out a product then think about buying it.

duncan · #34 24-04-2007, 12:52 PM

Well Tasco was what originally got me going back in the 70's. But then all the flashy adds from Meade and Celestron. But now i'm buying a 12"Dob from Bintel. I guess you get what you can afford!!
Cheers

ps. I voted OTHER because Bintel have been so helpful.

casstony · #35 26-04-2007, 10:55 AM

Meade's advertising had a strong influence on me getting into the hobby. Now that I'm aware of the variability in product quality and the varying suitability of a particular instrument to a particular observer, I'm not influenced much at all by advertising. It's all too easy to purchase a faulty product or a quality product that doesn't suit my needs.

Rodstar (Rod) · #36 26-04-2007, 01:36 PM

Well I started out on Meade, but then, when bitten by aperture, Obsession caught my eye until someone very kindly pointed me in the direction of Peter Read (www.sdmtelescopes.com.au), and I have never looked back.

Other: SDM is definitely my favourite.

matt · #37 26-04-2007, 01:58 PM

I'm a Celestron man...for now.

However, casstony's comment about the variability of mass-produced gear rings very true and I have most definitely experienced that first hand through the 9.25.

Perhaps it's only really become an issue since the Synta buyout, but it's most definitely an issue.

Adrian-H · #38 08-05-2007, 01:43 AM

id imagine that meade has the heavyest form of advertising out of all of them, seems it works too.

ispom · #39 08-05-2007, 03:19 AM

I have a 100-1000 Carl-Zeiss-Refractor,
my favorite is Zeiss

MortonH · #40 08-05-2007, 10:16 PM

I remember 20 years ago seeing magazines with the old orange C8, and the cool-looking black C-90. So when I finally got my first serious telescope, it was a Celestron. However, since then, I've always felt that Meade SCTs were somehow better. Never used a Meade scope, but there's something about their advertising...

Having said all that, experience teaches you that advertising and reality are two different things. I like TeleVue and William Optics for striving to make quality products and for making advertising claims that are borne out in reality. I miss my TV-85....