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Japanese optics testing
Hello Roland and everyone ,
The Japanese must a different cultural outlook on such things . Its most unfortunate but here in the U.S.A. using reviews with hard data most likly will result in the loss of ad revenue or as has happened in the past the threat of large amounts of revenue loss. The two popular atronomy magazines here IMO would not have the courage to print hard data reviews and and take there lumps. To change our culture both magazines would have to agree to do it together and and let the **** hit the fan. But I wont hold my breath. Leonard Sorry, that is only your subjective opinion. While it may be enough to convince you which eyepiece to buy, it does not provide much useful information to others. Objective testing requires actual data. Resolution as a function of contrast would be a start, but no one reviewing eyepieces seems to want to bother with such things. This lack of objectivity is the usual way things are tested here. Most reviews in the two astronomy magazines lack hard data because they simply publish what some amateur finds in his visual examination of a product (the recent eyepiece review and Solar Filter review in Astronomy are examples). Rarely is a test instrument used to determine any parameter. This is in total contrast to the Japanese magazines where the staff has access to a complete optics lab. There, the products are thoroughly tested using standard accepted methods and the results are published. Roland Christen |
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Test reports (was: Japanese optics testing)
Hello, Roland,
I have mixed feelings about quantitative testing since some American camera magazines like Popular Photography do it and I feel that the reports are biased anyway and obscurantist to boo. Sky & Telescope appears to have a policy of testing only products that are available off the shelf with no waiting period. Therefore some high quality products like Astrophysics, Mag1 Portaball, Teleport, Starmaster, and Obsession, never get tested. This is the all the more surprising given that S & T's statements that its "demographics" show their subscribers and readers to be primarily well-educated middle-aged managers and professionals. Bill Meyers [The] lack of objectivity is the usual way things are tested here. Most reviews in the two astronomy magazines lack hard data because they simply publish what some amateur finds in his visual examination of a product (the recent eyepiece review and Solar Filter review in Astronomy are examples). Rarely is a test instrument used to determine any parameter. This is in total contrast to the Japanese magazines where the staff has access to a complete optics lab. There, the products are thoroughly tested using standard accepted methods and the results are published. Roland Christen |
#3
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Test reports (was: Japanese optics testing)
Of course, one potential problem with in-depth, quantitative optical testing
is that you're only testing one single unit, not the entire production run. While, granted, with the "better" brands quality control is quite good, that's no gaurantee that it's perfect, and with the "lesser" brands (such as the oft-maligned Synta or others such as Meade or Celestron) where quality control might be an issue, the test of a single telescope (or eyepiece, or whatever) won't tell you too much unless you happen to get that particular unit. It's still of limited value and won't necessarily tell you what the same model, same brand scope that you bought will be like. That said... it still would be nice to see reviews that are a good mix of qualitative and quantitative testing. It certainly couldn't hurt-- that is, us, as the consumers-- but even then you shouldn't read too much into a review of a single unit. |
#4
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Test reports (was: Japanese optics testing)
Bill Meyers wrote:
Hello, Roland, I have mixed feelings about quantitative testing since some American camera magazines like Popular Photography do it and I feel that the reports are biased anyway and obscurantist to boo. Sky & Telescope appears to have a policy of testing only products that are available off the shelf with no waiting period. Therefore some high quality products like Astrophysics, Mag1 Portaball, Teleport, Starmaster, and Obsession, never get tested. This is the all the more surprising given that S & T's statements that its "demographics" show their subscribers and readers to be primarily well-educated middle-aged managers and professionals. Maybe they assume such folks are into instant gratificaton g |
#5
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Test reports (was: Japanese optics testing)
I agree with you. Sampling is a huge problem in consumer product testing,
especially since consumers are concerned about receiving a bad example of the product. A standard deviation measure, or at least a broader sampling procedure, is needed. Bill Meyers Bettrel wrote: Of course, one potential problem with in-depth, quantitative optical testing is that you're only testing one single unit, not the entire production run. While, granted, with the "better" brands quality control is quite good, that's no gaurantee that it's perfect, and with the "lesser" brands (such as the oft-maligned Synta or others such as Meade or Celestron) where quality control might be an issue, the test of a single telescope (or eyepiece, or whatever) won't tell you too much unless you happen to get that particular unit. It's still of limited value and won't necessarily tell you what the same model, same brand scope that you bought will be like. That said... it still would be nice to see reviews that are a good mix of qualitative and quantitative testing. It certainly couldn't hurt-- that is, us, as the consumers-- but even then you shouldn't read too much into a review of a single unit. |
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