Meade Research Grade Orthoscopic 16.8mm

1.0 Poor quality but okay views

Good views when it was in okay shape

Lenses separated with time, coatings deteriorated or were misapplied

This eyepiece came with my first scope back in the 1980s. It now has lenses that are separating and coatings which were either applied poorly or have just gone bad. Interestingly, other eyepieces and a barlow, all from Meade, have not stood the test of time either. The views were okay for the most part, but I feel that a good quality plossl can give views that are actually better than this Meade Ortho.

Having said that, there are others with Research Grade Orthos who have been very happy with their eyepieces, so maybe mine just got beat up too much....I was a kid back then so I really didn't take good care of the eyepieces. Supposedly orthos are great for planetary and lunar viewing. Perhaps some newer orthos will do better. Since the Meade RG Orthos are no longer made and only available used, ask about their quality before buying one. Otherwise, just stick with modern eyepieces which can provide better performance.