1st TeleVue

[Naemeth]

My 1st TeleVue eyepiece arrived today (2nd hand) . I've now got an 8mm TV Plössl, and the first thing that struck me is how small it is! (Unfortunately my camera is currently out of charge, so pictures will have to be added later)

Just had a little test holding it up to my eye to check I could see the full field, and positioning is surprisingly easy. Once my eye is up close it's surprisingly comfortable, must be down to the design. It feels nice and snug, and, luckily, my eyelashes don't get in the way (one of the things I was worried about).

Just looking forward to first light .

[andrew63]

Hopefully the start of a beautiful relationship! andrew

[faulksy]

I was like that last week with my t4 22mm lovely arnt they, just hope this isn't that slippery slope

[Qualia]

Just been up on the roof top white light solar viewing and came back down really appreciatve of the TV plossls. Detail was spectacular and image crisp and sharp throughout. Both in the f/5 and f/10 they're cracking EPs and the only 'drawback' to really premium-premium TV EPs I can figure out is their narrower true field of view and perhaps tighter eye-relief for glass wearers. I'd be interested to here your opinion on eye-relief with the 8mm but seriously, I've been thinking that from about 11mm and longer, unless one wants to spend a whole load more, really needs that widerfield, there's not a lot of need to upgrade on a set of TV plossls. True lifers.

[Naemeth]

The eye relief is tight, but it is comfortable. Obviosuly, in the field it may be a little different, and I would normally wear glasses for observing. However, at a small enough exit pupil (around 2.5mm - or a 12.5mm eyepiece in this scope) in my left eye my astigmatism becomes invisible. Even though I have astigmatism, I even don't use my glasses with my 26mm (5.2mm exit pupil).

I found that, with my quick test, as long as I kept my eye fully open, I could rest it on the eye guard and it was surprisingly comfortable. Build quality is superb, and the ergonomics have been thought about thoroughly enough to make this a very comfortable eyepiece. Even though it only has 6mm eye relief.

EDIT: P.S. Thanks for the eyepiece John

[swamp thing]

Congrats on the new TV Jonathan. So begins tthe path to optical bliss, but financial ruin

[keithatrochdale]

They are a good set of eyepieces to have and always good as a reference.

For your scope I would be looking for the TV 15mm and then the TV 11mm.

You could also try a 2x barlow with the 8mm on a good night.

[alan potts]

Many congratulations on your first Televue. Be careful though, if you want to see what can happen visit the My eyepiece case thread, this is what happens when all medical help has failed.

I will keep my fingers crossed for some good weather for you.

Alan.

[Naemeth]

Steve, it does look that way... it doesn't help that I love the Vixen LVs either... they're not exactly cheap new (and there are loads of them).

Keith, I will not be barlowing, I do not like barlowing. At all. I'm not sure why, I just can't get on with barlowing (or maybe it's the barlow: Tal x2). However, I do agree that a 15mm would be a good next choice, then the 11mm..

Alan, having seen your 3 EP cases, I can see what you mean. But what is wrong with owning them all if you use them?

[alan potts]

Naemeth,

The thing is they all get used. I have 6 scopes now which is excessive I know, but I have about 200 clear skies a year, maybe more. I would never do this back home but here they can be used. Just to give you an example, April I had 21 clear skies when do you get that in England, I really wish you did. I know there is nothing like having a new toy and not being able to try it out. Anyway lets hope for to-night for you.

Alan.

[Naemeth]

Afraid not tonight, it's raining all night according to the forecast, with a possible break at 22:00.

[alan potts]

I hope it was clean rain. I woke this morning at 5.30 and the sky was a brown colour, and it was starting to spit. You should see the colour of the cars, they are covered in a sandy mud. Some sort of strom in the Sahara by all accounts.

Well will it be 22.00hrs with an umberella and crossed fingers.

Alan

[Charon]

I hope it was clean rain. I woke this morning at 5.30 and the sky was a brown colour, and it was starting to spit. You should see the colour of the cars, they are covered in a sandy mud. Some sort of strom in the Sahara by all accounts.

Well will it be 22.00hrs with an umberella and crossed fingers.

Alan

Just think what its like here then Alan, Africa is only 250 miles away. My black car is now pink!! Weather reports are more dust on it's way, so no point washing it.

[Naemeth]

Barely got any viewing at all. I was chasing at stars through the clouds . It was difficult to get the focus position right without any stars to focus with (in between clouds). I eventually got there, but got almost no real observing done.

Arcturus was really nice and bright (even with the clouds) with a slight yellow tint, very nice to look at. I slung Arcturus to either side and didn't notice any deterioration in the image, and the background was lovely.

Most of my time out was spent seeing whether the 8mm would provide enough eye relief or not. If I'm honest, it's like the design has been perfected to be used comfortably. I can see the entire field of view and don't experience any kidney-beaning, my eyelashes don't appear to get in the way either. The eye cup is comfortable to rest on and provides a complete seal around my eye - I didn't even notice when the lights in the bathroom were switched on (right behind where I was observing) until I opened my closed right eye (thus blinding myself ). I'm really very impressed, and I've only used it on a few stars .

//

Just before I got to observing however, I noticed that the shroud I had made for my Heritage (a long time ago) actually blocked some of the light from the secondary mirror, so I managed to remove the extra bits. As it turns out, I've probably being causing the vignetting I've been noticing for some time - the views seem quite a bit brighter now .

[John]

I'm glad you like it Jonathan

[Naemeth]

Had a bit more observing. Clouds cleared for a bit - but they've come back with a vengence.

Saturn at 81.25x (8mm) was slightly sharper than at 92.85x (LV 7mm) last Sunday. But there is really no way to tell whether or not this was down to the eyepiece, or it was just seeing. The 8mm is expectedly sharp both on and off-axis, and I didn't notice any sort of drop-off.

I've come across the first flaw with the 8mm TV plossl, and it's not really with the eyepiece, just my focuser! When my eye is in the eyepiece, I can't focus without hitting my nose, and focus is sometimes moved slightly by my nose. The TV plossl also seems to focus right at the edge of the range of the Heritage, but this shouldn't be an issue as I can get an extension tube if necessary. At this position too, the Heritage focuser slops and never stays at the same angle to the optical path (not the most useful thing when trying to test an eyepiece!)

Seeing was okay today, not great. The clouds were all over the place though, so a completely clear night may yield slightly different results.

John - I'm enjoying it very much, just wish the clouds would go away so I can actually use it properly!

[Qualia]

Disappointed to here you didn't quite get the clear night expected, but if there's one virtue this hobby teaches us it's patience. Hopefully when the clouds role by, you're going to note that razor sharpness and gentle hue of these wonderful plossls which like a decent ortho still act as a standard-bearer and if - in the end - you decide the plossl isn't for you, no worries, for you're not really going to lose much if you sell it on . Still, I bet that green and black look wonderful in the EP case.

[Naemeth]

Disappointed to here you didn't quite get the clear night expected, but if there's one virtue this hobby teaches us it's patience. Hopefully when the clouds role by, you're going to note that razor sharpness and gentle hue of these wonderful plossls which like a decent ortho still act as a standard-bearer and if - in the end - you decide the plossl isn't for you, no worries, for you're not really going to lose much if you sell it on . Still, I bet that green and black look wonderful in the EP case.

It does. Makes 6 of my eyepieces (inc. 1 barlow) look cheap and two mildly jealous.

I can't help but want a 25mm...

[Naemeth]

Wow, what a few hours of observing! Only 10 minutes or so with the Moon though to compare the TV 8mm Plossl and the LV 7mm, and it showed me that they are very similar in terms of performance. A summary of differences:

The LV gives a (blue) "ring of fire" around the field stop (the TV plossl doesn't)

The LV is more prone to blackouts if your eye isn't in the right place (easy to find)

The whole FOV is more comfortable to see in the LV, and it is just more comfortable than the TV plossl.

In terms of sharpness on the Moon and contrast, I couldn't separate them, at all. In fact, I think I preferred the view from the 7mm, although this was probably due to the increase in magnification more than anything else.

[andrew63]

I have a few Vxen LV and TV plossl - and would agree they perform admirable. I think for budget prices, they are a step up from the BST explorer, xcel etc - slightly sharper and with an edge also in contrast.

andrew

[bingevader]

My TV plossls were a rather splendid step up from the SW standard plossls.

Small but perfectly formed.

Although I doubt I'll ever be able to afford anything else from the TV range, I can't imagine ever needing to replace these two.

CHeers

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I see the green and black slope has been slippery indeed. It started out with one less than a month ago, and how many are now in the case?

[Naemeth]

I see the green and black slope has been slippery indeed. It started out with one less than a month ago, and how many are now in the case?

4 now with 3 LVs .