Buy 2 eps or 1 ep and use a barlow?

[Leebert]

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a couple of better eyepieces for use with both scopes but, using the calculator sticky, I end up with a approx 8mm and a 14mm ep covering 3 of the power selections (shared between the two scopes).

I already have a skywatcher 2x barlow that came with one of the scopes and a 3x Tal barlow.

Would I be better off to get the two eps or get a good 14mm ep and use the 2x and 3x barlow with it as required?

[Bart]

Lee, you probably need to detail what scopes you have to allow experts, not I, offer their help.

Bart

[Leebert]

Good point!

The scopes are a Skywatcher 127 and a Skywatcher 200p.

When I did the calculator in the ep sticky, I came up with similar figures for two of the eps but at different power bands. I was thinking of getting an 8mm and a 15mm BST explorer (not 14mm as I said in my earlier post). As I have a 2x and 3x barlow, I considered just getting a 15mm one and using the barlows.

I am guessing though that a 15mm BST through a 3x Tal barlow might end up a bit dark or have a narrow field of view?

[Mr Spock]

With the 200P a 15mm would give you x67, x133, and x200 which is a good selection. The 15mm and 3x Barlow would be too much for the 127, though on it's own (x100) and 2x (x200) would be fine.

[AWR]

I'll second what has been said.

15mm is a nice FL EP for the 127 Mak. I occassionally barlow it to get x200 but more often use my 9mm at x167. Is your Skywatcher barlow up to the job?

15mm with a 3x barlow on the 200P would give you x240, which will be good on days of great seeing. The 2x Barlow will give x160.

Andrew

[todd8137]

eps my vote

[Moonshane]

personally I prefer to buy more eyepieces than use Barlows but this is just my choice. there's not much difference optically in truth.

my preference is for one wide field eyepiece, one mid range and then 2-3 higher power. you could achieve most of these with the combinations you mention including a barlow.

[GJBC]

2 eyepieces every time the less glass in the way the better IMHO there can be flex in the image train when using a barlow distorting the view.

[LukeSkywatcher]

3X barlow on a scope of this size (127mm) is way too much............with a 15mm EP.

2X+15mm will be ok but only on really good nights.

The 200mm should handle 3X but i would say stick with 2X.............even with the 200mm scope.

I'd say a 3x barlow is wasted on a 127 but may be ok for a 200.

A 14mm EP will work perfectly on both.

I never had much faith in Barlows since i got a crud one with my 1st scope (Celestron 90mm refractor). Then i moved on to a Skywatcher Heritage 130P scope and a Tal 2X and it was a brilliant combo.

I stupidly sold the TAL and got a Revelation 2x and then a new 8" SCT scope.

The Revelation 2X is useless with the 8" SCT.

I'm now of the opinion that i really dont want/need any barlow. The views i get with just my EP's is far better.

[swamp thing]

Hi Lee

Why not hold fire and try a few of ours next time you're up RC it'll give you some good ideas.

You can't beat a bit of hands on experience buddy.

Regards Steve

[Leebert]

Thanks for the replies all.

Cheers for the offer Steve - I just need to get my backside up there when it's not cloudy!!