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Crazy Eyepiece Prices

Started by Kevin Conville, 03/05/2004 10:59PM
Posted 03/06/2004 08:20PM #10
Kevin Conville:
"Paul, Tom-
Then, taking this from the reverse direction based on your premises...

Since the Pentax XWs and XOs sell for the same price and what dictates that price is the level of polish, coatings, precision, etc. than one can/should conclude that the XWs are of inferior build quality to the XOs.

This is accounting for the extra, larger elements, and polishing and coating them.
If they are built to the same price point than apparently the larger eyepiece is dumbed down.

I don't think this is the case, and I don't think this has much to do with it at all. It's marketing and market share.

In the case of TMB one can probably make an argument for them being boutique, with a garage band budget as compared to a giant like Pentax.
Same with AP.
These companies make and sell boutique scopes and really have no other choice but to sell boutique eyepieces at boutique prices if they make them at all. After all they're TMB and AP, not Celestron or Meade.

Understand that I'm not questioning the quality of these eyepieces or even if they're worth it. That's up to you to decide. I'm pointing out that these cost as much or more (in some cases) than larger, more complex designs of very high repute and that it may be primarily market driven."
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I'll bet if you were to take a Monocentric, change the cosmetics a bit and re-badge it, then sell it for $400. there would be people who would buy it and convince themselves and others it is superior.
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I once had a friend who had a business re-lining brake shoes for vintage/collectable motorcycles. He was lamenting to me his mediocre sales and so-so profit.
I told him to double his prices.
The logic being that people who collect expensive motorcycles WANT to pay more as this means it is of better quality.
It took a bit of convincing but he did it.
His sales grew dramatically and the company expanded.

Same materials, same process, different perceptions.
Posted 03/06/2004 08:26PM #11
"AP eyepieces- $249?!
Monocentrics- $200?!
Pentax XOs- $339?!

What am I not understanding about the construction of these that would warrant their prices other than disproportionately high margins and marketing BS?"

After reading all the replies so far, there really is no standard reply to your question, the answer should be on a personal level, if you feel, for instance, that a UO ortho is every bit as good as a Zeiss AO, then you have answered your own question, why spend all that money if both eyepieces perform the same, as seen by your own eyes of course.

Thanks,
Vahe
Posted 03/07/2004 03:41AM #12
I've been in mechanical design for almost 40 years. There are certain truths that cross into all fields.

More is not better
Cost is not synonamous with quality
Cost of quality reduces as quantity increases
There is always a high and low tolerance
A niche market product will always sell for what the market will bear
Just some thoughts on this hot topic.
Rick H


Same skies, older eyes
Posted 03/07/2004 12:29PM #13
Whew! This thread has meandered all over the place...

The AP's are a new product, produced to AP's specifications by Valery Deryuzhin in Ukraine, I believe. We're not talking about mass production here, so the unit cost will be higher, particularly as the development and production costs have to be recovered. I know AP will be machining the barrels in-house, and they are a very small company. This will also add to the cost. AP fans ("connoisseurs?") trust Roland Christen's obsessive attention to detail and quality, and will pay for the quality that results. I'm assuming that the same can be said for the TMB's. So, based on the above, no one is being "played", particularly when there are excellent (and mass-produced) orthos being made in Japan and sold by UO etc for a reasonable price that offer excellent performance. As long as there are choices and alternatives, I see no problem with a manufacturer selling a product at a price of their choosing to a niche market that is willing to pay the asking price.

As a suggestion, why not purchase a TMB, an AP, a UO or whatever? Try them out and compare them. See for yourself if they live up to the hype. When you're done sell what you don't want on Astromart. I'll have the opportunity to try some TMB's later this year, and hopefully a pair of AP's at around the same time. I'm not going to pass judgement or make assumptions on their worth until I've had the opportunity to try them first-hand and compare the views in both, as well as with some UO orthos and TV Plossls.

Value is in the eye of the beholder.

Cheers,

- Craig