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Advice of EPs


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Hiya folks,

Recently purchased a Skwatcher Explorer 150P, now i'm looking at a couple of EP's to begin with and i was wondering if anyone could recommend this EP i saw on amazon - "Seben 31.7mm 1.25" Zoom 8-24mm FMC EP"

Here's the link if you want to take a closer look "http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00663XV8S/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8"

How does this compare to purchasing e.g. a Plossl EP set such as this "http://www.amazon.co.uk/Choose-Quality-Plossl-Telescope-Eyepiece/dp/B00BCI52DE/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1440970004&sr=1-4&keywords=telescope+eye+piece+set"

The OPA does already come with a 10mm and 20mm EP + 2x Barlow. Any advice would be really helpful! 

Thanks,

A

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and also check ep's held in retail stores or by members of the local astronomy group.  Take the time to talk to others and see what they have.  That being stated, the expertise on this site will be a treasure albeit a labyrinthian one! :)

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As mcolbert suggests, hook yourself up with a local group.... the Central Scotland Observers Group, google CSOG, we are a forum based group who meet at various dark sites in and around the Central Belt, closest to you is probably Harperrig in the Pentland Hills. You will get the chance to try, and look through various eyepieces and scopes - this will help you decide what works for you and your scope before rushing in and buying something unsuitable.

L.

PS.... My experience of "full sets" are that only a few of the set gets used and the rest stay in the case, and you already have 2 of the set supplied with the scope!

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The 8-24mm Seben zoom is absoluteley fine, and comes out of the same factory as many other 8-24mm zooms. Their other zoom, however you cannot say the same for.

But ditto comments above, use the supplied ep's, if you can join a local astro club and see what others have and what may suit you best. The BST starguiders have a great reputation for value and quality.

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With the low cost zooms (most of which come from the same factory as far as I can see) the 8-24mm work quite well for their price. The 7-21mm ones are really not too good at all though.

Personally I prefer to use fixed focal length eyepieces but I can see the appeal of a low cost zoom as a step up from the stock eyepieces supplied with the scope and to give you a feel for what focal lengths work well for you.

I'd not pay £55 for a Seben branded one when you can have a Celestron branded one (with a better re-sale value if and when you move it on) for £10 less:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Celestron-1-25-8-24mm-Zoom-Eyepiece-for-Telescope-Sky-Watcher-High-Quality-UK-/171763399105?hash=item27fde579c1

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Don't buy a plossl set ! Get quality fixed focal length EP's over as much time as you take to save for them.  Quality over quantity & no need to spend a fortune.  Second hand will get you that 1/3rd off new price.  

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Hi abodee,

I've also got a SkyWatcher 150p, and as damnut referred to them, I can also recommend the BST EPs.  They're 1.25" and work well with that scope.  I can't say much on zoom EPs because I don't own one.  I used the stock EPs for the first few months, and then over a period of 12 months, bought the BSTs.  For more variation on magnifications, I stuck with the stock x2 barlow that came with the scope, but eventually I replaced that too.  The BST Starguider EPs I got from Skys The Limit, an ebay shop.  The proprietor of the shop also allows EPs to go out on a trial basis as far as I can remember, so if you don't like them, then you can return them.  But, please, check this first just in case circumstances have changed.

The EPs aren't particularly heavy, but are very well built with twist up eyecups.  When compared side by side along the stock EPs, the 25mm BST offers me much better resolution a good clean image across all but the absolute extreme edge of the field of view.  But it's still a huge improvement on the pieces that came with the scope.

I don't wear glasses when observing, so they are not a consideration I have had to make.  But, if you do wear them, it's important you take that into account too.

Hope this helps,

Tony

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