Meade Rangeview ED 20-60x 80mm spotting scope (1 Viewer)

Meade is asking $350us for this spotting scope, which is half the price for an ED glass scope. I’ve never heard of Meade before and I can’t find reviews for the Rangeview.
Has anyone purchased the Rangeview? Would really appreciate some feedback.
https://www.meade.com/rangeviewtm-ed-spotting-scope-20-60x80mm.html

Hi Mark and welcome.

Meade were apparently the largest telescope maker in the world.
They had a factory in Mexico.
They have been bought by a Chinese company.

Usually in competition with Celestron, whose products are usually from Taiwan.
China doesn't recognise Taiwan.
Celestron products are usually better than Meade.
Skywatcher products similar to Celestron, same maker.

Regards,
B.

Hi,

well, the marketing blurb is not very reassuring:

- "Premium Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) Glass: Providing Precise and Maximum Light Transmission for a Bright, Crisp Image" - yeah right... last time I read up on optics ED glass (and an appropriate partner glass) was used to limit chromatic aberration...

- "Porro Prisms With Dielectric Coatings...": Porro prisms rely on total internal reflection and don't need a dielectric mirroring. But yes, the scope does not have the little offset between EP and the objective optical axis typical for a porro prism construction... so it might have a Schmidt-Pechan prism which might have dielectric mirroring - and hopefully phase coating too...

- "Tripod Adaptable": Yeah right - you can actually use a tripod at 60x magnification... if hand held is too shaky...

But jests aside - it's a made in China scope (and they manage to make very decent astro scopes) - if you buy from a place with a good return policy and know how to properly test scopes, you might have a pleasant surprise - or a return for the dealer...

PS: Welcome to Birdforum!

Joachim

Thanks for the feedback.
Not too concerned that they are made in China. Vortex, Celestron are made in China too and still put out fairly decent optics. Even Zeiss is sourcing some optics manufacturing to Asia. Just a reality of our global economy (as is pandemics, apparently).
After I posted here I read that Meade filed for bankruptcy protection in December 2019. That does concern me.

Hi,

yeah although it remains to be seen if the chinese mother will indeed let go Meade down... I doubt it...

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bay-Area-telescope-company-says-Asian-13739535.php

Joachim

The different parts of Meade have been in liquidation, I think, numerous times over many years.

The whole world is probably now bankrupt.

We are up to our eyeballs in debt, probably to Mars, as the whole world always seems to owe more money than it has.

B.

jring said:

Hi,

yeah although it remains to be seen if the chinese mother will indeed let go Meade down... I doubt it...

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bay-Area-telescope-company-says-Asian-13739535.php

Joachim

Click to expand...

So, Chinese optics company Meade is being sued for colluding with other Chinese optics companies by “American” optics company Orion who sources out it’s entire line to Chinese optics manufacturer, Synta. You need to be a detective to know who is suing who and where your optics are really being made!

Back to the topic.
Still curious to know how Meade’s Rangeview ED at $350us (20-60x 80mm) compares to other similar spec ED scopes that cost twice as much. Would think that a scope with these specs at this price point would be a big deal.
I can't find any reviews (customer or professional). We can speculate that it is junk, but until someone actually tests it, we can’t really know. Maybe it is junk, maybe not. Unfortunately, during this pandemic I can’t go to my local optics store to try one out and I don’t think anyone in my city carries Meade even if I could.

The big difference is Synta is I think Taiwanese and mainland China denies Taiwan exists.
With the virus Taiwan did very well, but the WHO doesn't allow Taiwan in because of pressure from China.

I would much rather buy Celestron or Synta than Meade or Bresser who seem to be connected to Meade.
I think that the Taiwan quality control is better than Chinese quality control on average.

ED glass means different things to different people. China raw glass on average has more problems than glass from other places.

The Meade scope may be O.K., but I doubt that it will be a cherry, although one could win the lottery.

B.