No brainer question..pls help..tq

[Moses_C]

Hi all again,

As i've mentioned b4, i'm new to astronomy stuff. My question is, how good is the Televue and the Baader compared to let say my Celestron eyepiece that came as a package? I know this sounds stupid but i really want to know since i dont own any of those brands yet (hopefully i will someday).

I read people say good things about them. Can anyone please educate me more on this brands? Any positive or negative comments are welcomed. I would appreciate it alot. Also, is there other brands as good as them which i should know about bcoz currently i know only this two brands.

I'm willing to learn from any of you far more experienced astronomers and users...any tips, advise, explanation, etc. are all welcomed. I do hope to own one or maybe a few of those brands' eyepice someday.

Thanks!

[DOBBY]

Different types & makes of eyepieces work better with different types of 'scopes & focal-lengths... what 'scope do you have ? what are you wanting to view ? Planets ? DSO's ?

[Moses_C]

Ya thanks for telling. Sorry didnt include my gear list.

I have a C5 Spotting Scope. It comes with a 25mm eyepiece. So, i have only one right now.

I plan to get one (hopefully only one..budget reason ) good eyepiece to get as much as possible magnification for digiscoping with my dslr. Mostly land use, not so much for outer space. i read somewhere that people either use barlow lens or eyepiece projection to do so. Is it better to use barlow or projection? I dont know...which one will give better quality? I hope you and others who have tried b4 can tell me more. If eyepiece projection is better, then should i go for televue or baader, or is there another good brand, or maybe a better way to stretch the image? How will my 25mm perform compare to those brands? Is it very bad or just so so? I dont mind loosing a bit or a lot of brightness but i dont want to lose detail in a way like the glass in the eyepiece cause the image to become useless or very blur...er, sth like that...sorry, i dont quite know how else to say it.

Ya, i already have the T adapter and T ring...er, anything else you need to know do let me know.

Thank you again.

[ollypenrice]

At prime focus you will already have a decent focal length withouut magnifying with an EP, I would have thought. 1250mm is a looooong lens!! You'll have a heck of a job keeping it still if you try to barlow it and the 'seeing' (the turbulence in the atmosphere) will surely eat up any extra resolution the additinal magnification might have provided. I've done some bird photography with an astro scope of 950mm FL and that was pretty long.

Olly

[Tinker1947]

I use Baader Hyperions, there a mid range EP quality is ok, viewing is good, the other thing about them they with the additional T43 ring allow a camera to be attached, so once your set-up with mount and scope these will allow Prime Focus, that's the camera straight into the focus tube, and the magnification the different EP's can give, there would also be the need for a Coma Corrector bit more expense but this Astro stuff has never been cheap to get into, I'm still waiting for the importors to supply FLO with the Baader Coma Corrector so i can't say what the Camera, Coma Corrector, EP set up will do for images...

[Moses_C]

At prime focus you will already have a decent focal length withouut magnifying with an EP, I would have thought. 1250mm is a looooong lens!! You'll have a heck of a job keeping it still if you try to barlow it and the 'seeing' (the turbulence in the atmosphere) will surely eat up any extra resolution the additinal magnification might have provided. I've done some bird photography with an astro scope of 950mm FL and that was pretty long.

Olly

Yeah you're right it's a looong lens by itself! You are right too turbulence play a part in disturbing the resolution. However, i will use it mainly for videos..so i think should be fine.

Still, i do hope to stretch it quite a bit more...maybe with sth like an "8mm" eyepiece or maybe 4mm or 3mm. Or maybe like the 5x barlow i found on google. Do you have any experience doing that? Also, i see you have a lot of Televue EP in your gearlist...is it fantastic compared to normal EP like mine? How abt compared to say Baader? It's ok if its just your personal opinion, as i really would like to know b4 burnig some more cash Thanks for sharing!

[Moses_C]

I use Baader Hyperions, there a mid range EP quality is ok, viewing is good, the other thing about them they with the additional T43 ring allow a camera to be attached, so once your set-up with mount and scope these will allow Prime Focus, that's the camera straight into the focus tube, and the magnification the different EP's can give, there would also be the need for a Coma Corrector bit more expense but this Astro stuff has never been cheap to get into, I'm still waiting for the importors to supply FLO with the Baader Coma Corrector so i can't say what the Camera, Coma Corrector, EP set up will do for images...

Hi Tinker, thanks a lot for sharing!

So, does it mean if i use a Baader 8mm eyepice and T43, then i would need a coma correctpr to go with it? Actually, how bad is the the coma effect on the baader? Can i do without it? Hope you dont mind sharing. Thank you again!

[Moses_C]

Ya one more thing...how good is webcam performance, say philips toucam pro, compared to Canon 550d...eps. in terms of ISO, frame rate, and resolution? Bcoz when i use the 550D, i can digital zoom it quite a lot...is the toucam or other kind of not so expensive webcam capable of doing so? If yes, i would consider buying one just for digiscoping...hopefully it can at least match the iso and frame rate...i would definitely prefer if one that can have very good iso..er, say better than 550D and reasonable frame rate to view real time video and mayb some recording too at dawn and dusk.

There is this video i found on youtube, where this guy use the toucam and baader hyperion 8mm to do very high magnification. That's why i would like to know if the baader is better or the televue.

Here's the link if interested:

Telescope & webcam Super Magnification - YouTube

Sorry guys if this sounds too silly to ask...coz i have a lot to learn still..just started my journey from earth, then maybe space, then infinity and beyond...lol :p

Thanks!

[John]

You will not need a coma corrector for a C5 so thats some money saved !.

Most eyepiece brands will work well in the C5 as it's a slow scope - focal ratio of F/10. Pentax and Tele Vue eyepieces do offer noticable improvements over the standard issue eyepieces and even over the Baader Hyperions but those differences may not be so noticeable in an F/10 scope. It's worth noting that a single Pentax XW eyepiece costs more than a C5 optical tube does so you have to be practical in deciding what to get !.

When I had a C5 I found that around 200x was about the maximum useful magnification for viewing the planets and the moon. I found a 6mm eyepiece (208x) quite useful and an 9mm (139x) for when viewing conditions were not quite so good.

[Tinker1947]

My use of a Coma Corrector, just refers to using a Camera attached to a Baader, this on my scope causes the stars on the edge of the fov to turn into tear drops all aimed at the centre of the fov in a image, the Coma Corrector should i hope correct this, Baaders used as a normal viewing EP are not affected, sorry if i gave the wrong opinion...

[Moses_C]

You will not need a coma corrector for a C5 so thats some money saved !.

Most eyepiece brands will work well in the C5 as it's a slow scope - focal ratio of F/10. Pentax and Tele Vue eyepieces do offer noticable improvements over the standard issue eyepieces and even over the Baader Hyperions but those differences may not be so noticeable in an F/10 scope. It's worth noting that a single Pentax XW eyepiece costs more than a C5 optical tube does so you have to be practical in deciding what to get !.

When I had a C5 I found that around 200x was about the maximum useful magnification for viewing the planets and the moon. I found a 6mm eyepiece (208x) quite useful and an 9mm (139x) for when viewing conditions were not quite so good.

Ok, thanks. That means televue generally has better (or at least a bit) quality over baader. So, i will consider the televue more then.

Can you explain a bit why f10 wont make much difference? I dont understand this concept yet. thanks.

[Moses_C]

My use of a Coma Corrector, just refers to using a Camera attached to a Baader, this on my scope causes the stars on the edge of the fov to turn into tear drops all aimed at the centre of the fov in a image, the Coma Corrector should i hope correct this, Baaders used as a normal viewing EP are not affected, sorry if i gave the wrong opinion...

Alright....it's ok..no need to apollogize.

So, that means attaching a camera and baader in a way can cause coma? Bcoz i plan to use it most of the time with camera.

Also, is the toucam or sth similar (cheap ones) worth buying and used in place of my 550D? Can it provide better ISO at low light and useable frame rate? The 550D creates a lot of noise in the video and it is quite dark....that's why..

Tq!

[Moses_C]

You will not need a coma corrector for a C5 so thats some money saved !.

Most eyepiece brands will work well in the C5 as it's a slow scope - focal ratio of F/10. Pentax and Tele Vue eyepieces do offer noticable improvements over the standard issue eyepieces and even over the Baader Hyperions but those differences may not be so noticeable in an F/10 scope. It's worth noting that a single Pentax XW eyepiece costs more than a C5 optical tube does so you have to be practical in deciding what to get !.

When I had a C5 I found that around 200x was about the maximum useful magnification for viewing the planets and the moon. I found a 6mm eyepiece (208x) quite useful and an 9mm (139x) for when viewing conditions were not quite so good.

How come First light optics dont have any Televue products??? I only found only Baader stuff...am i wrong or its bcoz of sth else?

Yeah, the pentax and televue prices are quite ridiculous for an average guy...but considering their quality is ridiculously superb (frm what i read at least).

So, best bet for me...the Hyperions... :-P

If i go for the 3.5mm Hyperion with the t-adapter and attach it to my 550D, what kind of result would i get for live view video (not photo)? Let's say if the 3.5mm is a bit too much , how about the 8mm Hyper...will the image look ok with the 550D live view plus the 5x and 10x digital zoom? Sorry to ask all these questions...coz i really want to know the effect of it b4 burning money. Can you or anyone with some experience on this pls give some feedback before i buy it ? Thank you very much indeed!

Lastly, is a webcam much more useful than the 550D for live view video viewing (ie. without recording) of terrestrial subjects and mayb astro stuff as well? Is the celestron Neximage camera better than the 550D for the earlier mentioned purpose? I also really want to know...coz if it is, i may want to buy the Neximage just for viewing things on earth thru the C5. Can you or anyone please tell me your experience with webcam or the neximage cam? Ya, i really want to know that's why i try to ask and explain as detail as possible my plans....hope some of you will be willing o reply...it doesnt matter if it is positive or negative or beginner or expert or just your own personal opinion...i would really appreciate it all! So, many many thanks to you, John...and all who did and will try to help and advise. THANK YOU!

[Moses_C]

I want to clarify as well that i dont have any local telescope shop in where i stay...so i wont have the chance to test out all those eyepieces and see for myself, instead of asking all these somewhat "silly" questions, as some of you may think.

Once in a blue moon will i get the chance to ask a favour from someone to buy it either in the UK or US for me...and i wont get a second chance if i make a blunder out of the purchase. :-P

So, thanks for help again.

[Marki]

Hi

I'm no expert on these matters, being pretty much a newbie myself.

I have a baader hyperion clickstop zoom (the mark III) along with the matching baader x2.25 Barlow. I am very happy with these items and consider them to be way superior to the celestron eyeopener set eps and the basic ones that I got with my Nexstar. I also have a TMB planetary III 9mm, a BST Explorer 15mm and a BST Explorer 25mm. These as individual eps are nearly good if not better than the equivalent settigns on the hyerpion zoom, in my view. I haven't tried any single focal length hyperions yet, so can't say if they are better than the zoom settings. I guess FLO don't do Televue as they don't have rights and/or they don't think they want to compete in that expensive market?

I'm not up on the webcam/imaging side of things yet. I use a pentax K-X in prime focus, and recently got a DFK imaging source camera to learn with ( First Light Optics - DFK 21AU04.AS Colour) . I have not tried using any of these with my telescopes for terrestrial imagin so can't really compare.

Well not sure if any of that helps you. I find the whole ep/camera accessories thing to be a minefield! Still gently trying to find my way through!

[Moses_C]

Hi

I'm no expert on these matters, being pretty much a newbie myself.

I have a baader hyperion clickstop zoom (the mark III) along with the matching baader x2.25 Barlow. I am very happy with these items and consider them to be way superior to the celestron eyeopener set eps and the basic ones that I got with my Nexstar. I also have a TMB planetary III 9mm, a BST Explorer 15mm and a BST Explorer 25mm. These as individual eps are nearly good if not better than the equivalent settigns on the hyerpion zoom, in my view. I haven't tried any single focal length hyperions yet, so can't say if they are better than the zoom settings. I guess FLO don't do Televue as they don't have rights and/or they don't think they want to compete in that expensive market?

I'm not up on the webcam/imaging side of things yet. I use a pentax K-X in prime focus, and recently got a DFK imaging source camera to learn with ( First Light Optics - DFK 21AU04.AS Colour) . I have not tried using any of these with my telescopes for terrestrial imagin so can't really compare.

Well not sure if any of that helps you. I find the whole ep/camera accessories thing to be a minefield! Still gently trying to find my way through!

Hey, thanks so much for your time and sharing your experience with me on the baader zoom and other brands EP...lol, i'm such a newbie myself that i even had to google what were the TMB and BST you mentioned!

Really thanks for all the explanation...yeah, every bit helps a ton!

Hope to learn more thru your experience with the other gadgets you yet to try..cheers!

And ya, for now, i'm quite confident with the Hyperions based on your own reviews, as well as others previously...ya, i shall go for the Hyper...just havent determine yet whether to select 8mm, 5mm, 3.5mm or maybe the zoom. :-P Just plan to buy only one for the most magnification and have good resolution...:-)