what's wrong with seben telescopes

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by chris lewis

Seben are inferior telescopes. I fix entry level Chinese scopes for a local importer of Chinese scopes here in N.Z. I have had 3x Seben reflectors - 2x 6in. versions - which I sold as they had CLEARLY inferior optics and build qualities - all on a wobbly mount - and an 8 in. Newt. which I kept. Some of the 6 in. versions and below use the internal barlow [Birds-Jones design] to double the F/L, reduce the inherent aberrations found in spherical mirrors and also enbles them to use a 'short tube' design scope. With the 8 in. I replaced the spherical mirror with a GSO parabolic version - with modifications - which made it usable. They are not Synta produced. They came from the 'Fuding Yixiong Co'. [Site below]. They produce most of the entry level scopes you see on E. bay and as sold in departmental stores. The Seben Web site - [Google it] - which is based in Germany but imports these Chinese scopes and renames them and sells them on E. Bay - also advertises model plastic R.C. cars along with its scopes !
Best to avoid.

http://www.yxgx.com/enggsjj.htm

Thanks Chris, you experiences seem to be one of the most reliable yet. Nothing beats first hand experience, I guess.

[RichardjJones]

I use the Seben Big Boss 1400-150 Reflector Telescope that was given to me as a gift 2 years ago. As my first scope I can not say weather it is good or bad. I have compared it to other scopes I have looked through on club observation nights & the quality stands up, club members think it is not a bad scope. I have spent many hours observing and find the scope easy to use with sharp image focus on good seeing nights.
Collimation is a issue, a club member thinks he will be able to collimate so I will keep you posted on how we go with that.
I have some astro & solar photography that I have taken with the scope that may be of interest http://immersionimagery.com/easygallery/176.html

If I was to give advise to someone who was looking to buy the scope I would tell them that it is not a bad starter scope for the price as you are getting 1400mm even if it is with an inbuilt barlow but would also suggest that they spend a little extra as cost always = quality

[dazastar]

Originally Posted by RichardjJones

I use the Seben Big Boss 1400-150 Reflector Telescope that was given to me as a gift 2 years ago. As my first scope I can not say weather it is good or bad. I have compared it to other scopes I have looked through on club observation nights & the quality stands up, club members think it is not a bad scope. I have spent many hours observing and find the scope easy to use with sharp image focus on good seeing nights.
Collimation is a issue, a club member thinks he will be able to collimate so I will keep you posted on how we go with that.
I have some astro & solar photography that I have taken with the scope that may be of interest http://immersionimagery.com/easygallery/176.html

If I was to give advise to someone who was looking to buy the scope I would tell them that it is not a bad starter scope for the price as you are getting 1400mm even if it is with an inbuilt barlow but would also suggest that they spend a little extra as cost always = quality

I'm going to have to comment here. I purchased a "big boss" a few years back. What a piece of garbage! You could not even make out Saturn as it was all distorted. They advertised it as a catadioptric and got away with it by putting a crappy barlow in the focuser (which made the image worse). The mount had heaps of play it it. I had to buy a focaser and shorten the tube to get it to focus properly without the stupid plastic barlow lense just to use it - and still it was barely passible.

I will say this though, they have zoom lense that kicks. In fact - it is the exact same lense that celestron sells for 3 times the price (with T2 camera adapter under the rubber hood). I have purchased about 5 of these zoom eyepieces as they have impressed collegues at astrofest, and my local club etc.

Bottom line:

Scopes...appauling, stay away - get a descent GSO from Andrews or Bintel.

Accessories....Different story - Good EP's and filters etc priced fantasticly affordable.

[mswhin63 (Malcolm)]

Originally Posted by dazastar

Scopes...appauling, stay away - get a descent GSO from Andrews or Bintel.

I totally agree. My first scope and was lucky to have the patience to explore other option otherwise I would have given it away.

[Shiraz (Ray)]

some time ago, I spent some time with one of their 150/1400 Newts with internal Barlow, as mentioned by others. Corrected spherical optical system was inferior - a lot better than the naked eye, but nowhere near as good as a parabolised 150 scope (eg GSO). Regards Ray

[catweazel (Allan)]

I baught a 76x300mm seben toy before christmass.

first scope, nothing to compare it with.
spent the holidays repairing one of the uni's 8"' neutonians, used the seben EP's (the toy came with 4 EP's, 2xBarlow and 1.5 erecter).

so for the $80 i spent on the seben, i found:
I like astronomy
i want something bigger then 8"
the seben EP's turned the broken 8" into something usefull.

money well spent.
you get what you pay for.
my next scope wont be a seben.

(i then baught a set of seben filters, but they turned out to be 0.9" so can't comment on the quality)