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25mm BST vs 32mm plossl

davedavedave

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davedavedave

davedavedave

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Hey fellow stargazers,

Am looking to add my next eyepiece to my collection, this time at the low powered end of the spectrum. I'm a big fan of the 8mm BST I have so am tempted by the 25mm version. I'm just wondering if there are better options for a similar price? A 32mm plossl would give a similar FOV and be a shade cheaper. Also considering the vixen NPL 30mm or the Baader classic ortho 32mm.

Thanks for any advice guys,

Dave

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Charic

Charic

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The 32mm Skywatcher Panaview is your next eyepiece if you want wide angle? M31 only just fits inside the SW MA 25mm. The expanse offered by the Panaview is very good. M31 ( from a dark site ) will amaze you through the 32mm. The 32mm is dearer, but I wont be selling mine anytime soon. The 18mm or 25mm BST are still very good eyepieces if you want to stay under the £50 mark.

Using the focal ratio f/6 I now have a 6mm ( WO SPL ) a 12mm BST and 18mm BST. See the patern? this works well for the 200P Skyliner!

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ronin

ronin

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The final field of view is close to identical, but the object in the view is a little bigger with the BST.

If you get the plossl you lose the par-focal aspect, not a great problem but it is a factor.

The other "odd" aspect is that the plossl will have an eye relief of 20-22mm and some find this too much as you may have to hold your head and eye away from the actual eyepiece (probably worse if you do not wear glasses).

The BST's look nice as a group, it is considered cruel to keep one on it's own without at least one other and preferably more. The AAEC (Astronomers Against Eyepiece Cruelty) will be in touch if you keep that lonely 8mm on it's own. :ohmy: :ohmy: :ohmy:

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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wel I will give you my view of the Vixen plossl in that they are fantastic. Lovely piece of glass and would love to compare against a televue.

As for the BST eyepieces, all I now is they get great reviews and offer a heck of a lot for the price, and its got the extra field of view. 

If you arnt worried abot the extra FOV given by the BST though, go for the Vixen, better glass iyam

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davedavedave

davedavedave

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Thanks for the replies,

My budget is around £50, preferably below. The AAEC will be pleased to know that I do intend to add another BST! Probably the 12mm.

I like the look of the vixen 30mm, sounds like the quality is a bit better and have to admit I'm swayed by the idea of Japanese optics. An 8,12 and 30mm plus a barlow would give me a nice mix too.

So i'll probably be asking about barlows soon as well!

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bomberbaz

bomberbaz

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Thanks for the replies,

My budget is around £50, preferably below. The AAEC will be pleased to know that I do intend to add another BST! Probably the 12mm.

I like the look of the vixen 30mm, sounds like the quality is a bit better and have to admit I'm swayed by the idea of Japanese optics. An 8,12 and 30mm plus a barlow would give me a nice mix too.

So i'll probably be asking about barlows soon as well!

I have the 25mm Vixen NPL and it is a lovely eyepeice. I would bet it compares very well to anything else out there in the current market. 

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Space Beagle

Space Beagle

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BSTs and a Panaview 32mm for use in a 200p??

Probably the best set up you could go for, seem to be made for eachother!!

Like Charic and Sirius Starwatcher  I have used them all in my own 200p over the last few years, and the combination just works really well

Saying that, i'm not giving up my Televues any time soon...... :evil:

Doc

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Charic

Charic

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Donkeiller......My reports are not very scientific,  but I will let you know how the EP feels and the result it provides  me. My thoughts at present for the  use of the 3.2mm are for  Lunar observations, on a good night it will be like flying over the surface, already experienced with Barlowed  EP's, 

Knowing Alan, its probably already on its way, but hopefully should be here by Wednesday.

The main problem I'm having here at present is the really awful weather conditions at night, that don't favour  testing   EP's. I have some new Plossl's  too and still need to test my 6mm SPL in better conditions without any clouds or atmospheric disturbances, so my report could be some way off the way things are panning out at present.

Just wish I  didn't have to go  back to work,  during my 2  Year break,  there was nothing else to fit in with my diary, so I could go out any-time, any place, anywhere. The weather was better too?

Roll on my lottery win / full time retirement.

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Paul73

Paul73

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Hi dave

Just to throw another one in to the mix ES Maxvision 68 for £66 http://www.365astronomy.com/Explore-Scientific-MaxVision-68o-Eyepiece-24mm-1.25.html theres a few threads on SGL at the moment about the MV's.

Also the MV is 1.25" so no need to flaff around changing back and forth from 2" if that was a problem. Too much choice  :confused:

+1 for the MV. Very comfortable to use once you twig that it has a twist up eyepiece.

Paul

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davedavedave

davedavedave

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Thanks for your further replies, lots of food for thought.

I've never been sure about 2" eyepieces. Does it mean changing the eyepiece adapter every time you switch eyepieces? Also things like barlows and filters are geared to be 1.25" or 2" so it seems easier to keep everything at one or the other size. What's other people's take on this?

Phoobar, that has thrown something new into the mix! I hadn't been aware of these EPs before and would be tempted to go a little over budget for such a good sounding EP. Sounds like people have had supply issues in the past with them. Has anyone bought one recently?

Thanks for the advice again everyone

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John

John

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You do need to switch adapters from the 1.25" to the 2" to use the larger format eyepieces and you do need 2" filters and a 2" barlow if you wish to use them with a 2" eyepiece. The filter issue and the barlow one can be got around because you can use 2" barlows and filters with 1.25" eyepieces. The adapter issue you are stuck with really.

Despite this many folks end up with a 2" eyepiece or two because they are looking for the wider fields of view that they can deliver. A 32mm 1.25" eyepiece can still show a 1.38 degree true field in your scope though, which is large enough to show most deep sky objects. So it's quite feasible to stay with 1.25" only.

It only really becomes an issue when you want to fit the whole of a large object such as the Andromeda Galaxy or the Pleiades into the same field of view. There must be some demand to do this though from the sales of 2" eyepieces !

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davedavedave

davedavedave

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Thanks for clearing that up John.

For the price difference, I think I will stick to the 1.25" EPs for now. The big 2" EPs I will add to my 'one day' list which is growing all the time! I will also wait until I live somewhere with dark enough skies to make the best of them as right now, even if I had an eyepiece which could fit all of Andromeda in, I'm not sure I would actually be able to see the outer, dimmer regions anyway.

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phoobar

phoobar

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Dave

Ive had mine around a month/6 weeks from 365astonomy, they came alright but 365 seem to have slight communication issues at times, the owner is not a bad guy, other people here on sgl use http://www.explorescientific.co.uk/ without any issues.

Apparently the ES MV's were made for mead to sell as premium EP's but the order was cancelled and so ES are selling them cheap (I think thats how it goes?) anyway very happy with mine, extremely comfortable to use, the 24mm is quite large but not massive, the 16mm is what I would call the perfect size for an EP and lives in my scope.

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Paul73

Paul73

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Forogt to say that there is limited stock but they are available, once they are gone they are gone!

They have been sayin that for a while.... I think that ES own the designs now.

They are great eyepieces for the money. 24mm gets the most use in my scope but the 16mm is gloriously clear contrasty views but slightly are more uncomfortable for prolonged viewing. The 20mm is a lovely "big/mid open cluster" eyepiece - Black black sky with bright diamonds. Lovely.

I'll be replacing the 16mm with the Delos 17.3mm at some stage ...... But no rush.

Paul

Ps. I have bought happily from Expore Scientific in the past. Have also used 365 with no issues but not for these eyepieces.

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