Out with the eye-lashes

[alan potts]

I have just taken delivery of a 5mm Hutech orthoscopic which was sent to me by an on site member, and I thank him for that. I have not had a chance yet to use it due to grey wet fluffy stuff that seems to be hanging around for too long now.

Just playing with it briefly I have to ask the question how does anyone use the 4mm version shave their eye-lashes or pluck them maybe? This for me at least really is the limit and I think whilst it may well be an excellent ocular I believe I may tire of it rather quickly on any given night, I can see 5 minutes use being hard work. We will see though.

Alan

[Merlin]

Personally, I wouldn't have a 4mm ortho. The BAADER 6mm I have is the limit for me.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

i use 4mm ortho Alan.it is different when you use these eyepieces against bright light,as i assume this is what you did yes there you will see all your eye lashes,but when used in dark,that problem disappears.So dont worry,get your scope out when weather permits and you will be surprised that it is not that bad.4 and 5mm are great for moon or planetary observations and are not that hard work.

[John]

I've owned a few "volcano top" 4mm orthos which were tight but manageable. Glen from Lyra Optics loaned me the 4mm Fujiyama for a while and I reported on it on here last year sometime. Optically just as good as the others but finding and holding that tiny eye lens in the dark against a flat, black eyepiece top was sometimes quite a challenge. Glen told me that he lobbied the folks who make them to incorporate a raised section around the eye lens to ease use but they did not do that in the end.

I've just picked up a 5mm Baader GO which should be with me next week so I'll have an alternative to the Pentax XW 5mm when I'm in a masochistic mood

I must return the Astro Hutech 5mm to FLO sometime - I'm sure the optics are eaxactly the same as the Baader GO's though.

A while back I had the University Optics 5mm HD ortho (same optics again I reckon) and a TMB 5mm Supermono and was comparing those for some weeks. Even though you need to apply yourself to using such eyepieces more than, say, a Pentax XW or a Delos, there is a certain satisfaction and intimacy to be had from holding Saturn or Jupiter in that tighter frame as you study it. You certainly get to know how to control the scope with subtle nudges - you need them !

These are not eyepieces for everyone though, just as hyper-wide ones aren't either.

[nightfisher]

I use the volcano top ortho`s, when i got my 5mm i thought i would struggle, but found it a nice ocular, so i added the 4mm this is a good ep but rarely gets used what with me owning long focal length scopes

[Dave In Vermont]

Before you go after your eyelashes with a pair of scissors next to your eyeball - which sounds like a surrealist short movie - you might consider putting a small dab of something like petroleum-jelly on them - and then push them upwards. They might just stay up and away from the lens of the ortho EP.

Ortho's are my favorite EP's for planetary subjects.

Clear & Sticky Skies,

Dave

[Mark at Beaufort]

I was able to try out the 6mm and 9mm Hutech last winter thanks to John and FLO. I was able to see fainter stars than my 8mm Ethos when I went looking for a SN. The only thing I disliked about the Hutech was the lack of a rubber eyeguard. One freezing night I spent too long looking at one particular object only to find that my eye socket seemed frozen to the metal eyepiece.

In the end I decided not to buy any Hutech EPs preferring my Pentax zoom with a Baader barlow. But that's me.

[bish]

I used trim my eyebrows before going out with some of my old eps. I've had some slightly painful lump grow above my eye over the last few months so have to use long ER only now.

[Charic]

Alan.......you trim your eyelashes and you'll need to keep wearing those Sunglasses. 

[alan potts]

Good points made as usual from the site membership.

To pick up on Dude with the tubes point I did hold the eyepiece up to the light in fact and never really consided I would use it in the dark, so I leant something there for sure. I don't see it being an issue with planets but could be on the Moon, we will see.

The good thing with orthos now is if you buy secondhand you are not spending the same as an Ethos say unless it is on one of the very rare ones like an XO, Supermonocentric or dare I say ZO ll, the latter two may always be missing from my collection due to price. I have looked very fondly at the 2.5mm XO still on TS site which they have in stock but would have to really go and buy a scope for it with a F/L of around 600mm. I was thinking of a 90mm APO triplet but not a Lomo of Lzos.

To pick up on John's point the BGO and the Hutech are very much alike, if not the same. It is a shame we don't know the full story surrounding these it would be interesting to know everything. One thing that can be said is the timely arrival of the Hutech stopped the price spiral of the BGO, I paid 85 pounds for the 9mm BGO at the start of the spree and that was by no means the top price I saw. Even then I never saw the rather rare 12.5mm up for grabs and have not noticed one since. I will try out the 5mm and see how I get on and maybe try a 4mm at a later date.

Just on a light-hearted note back in the late 80's I had a girl friend that used to use a funny little instrument of evil torture to bend and cruve the eye-lashes upward making them look rather nice. The things women do to look just right, maybe one of those devices will do the trick and with a red light in the observatory, who knows.

Alan. 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

here we go Alan, special tool for you:

[alan potts]

In the words of a fellow Countryman Billy Connolly " that's the very fellow". How anyone could use them I will never know it used to make me whince, anyway it looks clear for tonight so maybe I can give the 5mm an outing.

On another related subject:

I don't know if was you Dude with the Tube or John that posted once the 2.5mm Pentax XO has the same ER as the 5mm. I would have thought that if the ER reduced at the same ratio for this eyepieces as other surgury would be need to use it.

Alan. 

[moriniboy]

I have a 4mm 0.965" Circle T, now that really is close up work and virtually un-useable as the eyepiece exit is only 3mm

[Dude_with_the_tube]

I have a 4mm 0.965" Circle T, now that really is close up work and virtually un-useable as the eyepiece exit is only 3mm

P1050185a.jpg

here is my 4mm Meade RG ortho,has exactly the same opening and same 3mm eye relief,barrel diameter doesnt affect anything and it is perfectly usable just use that tool above for eye lashes and you will be fine.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

In the words of a fellow Countryman Billy Connolly " that's the very fellow". How anyone could use them I will never know it used to make me whince, anyway it looks clear for tonight so maybe I can give the 5mm an outing.

On another related subject:

I don't know if was you Dude with the Tube or John that posted once the 2.5mm Pentax XO has the same ER as the 5mm. I would have thought that if the ER reduced at the same ratio for this eyepieces as other surgury would be need to use it.

Alan. 

i do not have pentax XO 2.5 and havent posted anything about that eye piece Alan,but yes,i do have Pentax XO 5mm and eye relief is tight.If you are ortho fan then you will not have any issues with it.On papers XO5mm states eye relief of 3.6mm,but i did measure it and for me it was more or less around 3mm actually,maybe a tiny bit less,but i would say 3mm,I think Bill Paolini measured it as 2.5mm.As for Xo2.5mm according to manufacturer eye relief of that EP is 3mm,where in real life i would think it is going to be less,never the less,who ever did that statement is actually correct,more or less both eye pieces have about the same eye relief. Despite sort of tight eye relief,if you are planetary observer,i would highly recommend 5mm XO,its on par with ZAO and will give you exceptional views not only on planets but also DSo`s if you have a short focal length scope.

Actually found his review:http://www.cloudynights.com/page/articles/cat/user-reviews/eyepieces/eyepieces-3mm-13mm/the-pentax-5mm-xo-a-planetary-weapon-of-choice-r1993

[alan potts]

I wouldn't want to mis-quote anyone but I think a barlow arrangement was mentioned though it was a thread from mid last year if I recall. When we start talking orthoscopic you both have a lot of knowledge on these.

Anyway sky it clear and 5mm ortho is outside but no instrument of torture on habd yet, I showed my wife and she laughed having never seen them before, I'm not sure she believed me when I told what they were for.

Alan

[Dude_with_the_tube]

good luck with that 5mm BGO,will be interesting to hear what you think of it

[John]

It was interesting how quickly the production of the abbe ortho design was resumed in Japan following the retirement of Mr Tani who made the "volcano topped" desgns and the demise, apparently from the effects earthquake / tsunami of the factory that made the Baader GO's. The Astro Hutech, Fujiyama and University Optics HD orthos are really very similar cosmetically mechanically and optically to the Baader GO's. It's almost as if the manufacturing equipment and designs were simply re-located to another factory.

There is a nice set of Zeiss ZAO II's on UK Astro  Buy & Sell if anyone is interested

FWIW the Pentax XO may be orthoscopic in optical characterstics but it's optical layout is somewhat more complex than the abbe ortho design used in the Baader GO's etc:

[alan potts]

I am really thinking about the last 2.5mm XO at TS as these just don't come up S/H I am even thinking of looking at the States sites to see if I can get one and that is something I said I would not do again.

Anyway for what it is worth I had a good 30 minutes with the Hutech 5mm on Mars which is far from well placed but better from here than from England. Whilst Mars was a bit jumpy and there was plenty to see even though at X200 in the M/N 190mm was far from optimum. I could even see a bit of detail on the tiny disc when things settled though I have no idea what I was looking at. Considering the elevation of the planet it was sharp from time to time and viewable, I rather enjoyed it but no test of an eyepiece like this, must wait for Jupiter. 

Oh John, set of ZO ll when you do not see a price advertised that to me means it is too expensive, I could well imagine 2,000 pounds was being asked and with the Sumerian to pay for next week I will pass on that one, but who knows, one day.

I don't think I will need the lash extractors after all.

Alan

[Dude_with_the_tube]

set of ZAO II with barlow,you are talking easy 2500.Are they worth that money? For a collector maybe,for end user nah.

good to hear that your Hutech is living up to expectations Allan

[John]

.....Are they worth that money? For a collector maybe,for end user nah.....

Who's to say what other folks should and would pay though ?. The ZAO I's and II's seem to be widely agreed to have been the best there has been in planetary eyepieces (for the non glasses wearer obviously). No more will be made.

I believe the current owner of that set has used them - I've actually used the 6mm one from that set

[Dude_with_the_tube]

i agree with what you are saying John,everyone is free do what they want and how they want,yes they are the absolute best planetary eye piece also at the "best" cost.

Current owner was in my house 2 days ago

[John]

i agree with what you are saying John,everyone is free do what they want and how they want,yes they are the absolute best planetary eye piece also at the "best" cost.

Current owner was in my house 2 days ago

Well I hope he is well - I last met him in person at the SGL star party a few years back and thats when I put the 6mm ZAO in my Vixen refractor. The trouble is that I can't recall much about the experience

[Dude_with_the_tube]

yeah he is well,new house purchase forces the sale so reluctant one.

experience must be rather good one then if it was forgotten?

[laservet]

I used to trim my eyelashes to use a 4 mm ortho (that little eye lens is a pain to clean), now I use a longer eye relief eyepiece instead.

Short of cutting them off, washing your eyelashes with soap and water just before going out to observe makes a really big difference.