Payday on Thursday, EP buying time me thinks!

[Dazzyd]

Payday on Thursday with a load of overtime PLUS it's my birthday on the 15th so I think I'm going to get 2 maybe 3 EPs. I think I've pretty much decided on the Vixen NPLs so the question now is, which ones? I've got a 150PL with a 1200 focal length. The scope came with a 25mm, 10mm and x2 barlow but the more I'm using the scope and the more I'm getting used to it I'm finding the 10mm isn't as good as I'd hoped and putting the barlow on makes it worse (duh, tell us something we don't know Daz lol). So, I think I'd like to get a 25mm then if I'm going for 3 EPs it'll be a 10mm and 6mm. OR do I maybe get the 30mm for DSOs and initial spotting and then get an 8mm and then a 4mm to push the scope when doing planatary stuff (Saturn and Jupiter I'd love to see closer and better quality). I know 4mm (300x) would be pushing the scope and the viewing but would it be worth going for if I wanted to get some nicer views of the planetary 'beauties'?

I'm also thinking the 30mm would be superb for things like the Orion Nebular later in the year. Am I right though?

I know there are SO many posts about EPs on here but I'm that close to the "Add to cart" button that I can taste it and I just want to buy wisely.

Thanks for any advice you guys (who know WAY more than I do LOL) can give

[boabsta]

Maybe just buy a decent zoom ep?

[paul schofield]

The Vixens are nice ep's I own a 15mm and its great. Personally I prefer the BST Explorer/ Starguiders. I find them more comfortable to look through and they feel better to me in quality. The 8mm BST is my main planetary ep and on clear nights barlows easily. Good luck with your ep choices.

[Tinker1947]

The Pentax XF is a really nice EP, just depends on your budget...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pentax/PentaxXF85.html

[rwilkey]

The Vixens are great ep's, especially the 30mm, but my choice in the higher mags would be the 12mm and the 8mm BST/StarGuiders, the 4mm you suggest would not be useable in my view.

[Dazzyd]

Thanks. I'm thinking then (may well be ordering tonight) 30mm Vixen and then an 8mm BST. That will keep me going for a couple of months until I budget another £100 for maybe a 15mm BST and possibly 6mm BST ready for Jupiter viewing in a few months time. I'm guessing for things like the Orion Nebular the 30mm will be more than enough to see it nice and large in the EP

Tapped with my own fair fingers on my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[euphony]

Just received a Vixen NPL 10mm, but I can't tell you if it's any good or not as it literally arrived today. I noticed that the actual bit you look through is incredibly small compared to all the other eyepieces I have (including the 10mm it is replacing), so it'll be interesting to see how easy it is to use (it says 50 degree field of view, which doesn't seem possible looking at it!).

Fingers crossed it's alright though!

[Astrosurf]

For my two penn'orth, I love my Hyperions as they have great eye relief and are excellent quality, but they're rather pricey!

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-hyperion-68-degree-eyepiece.html

Alexxx

[rwilkey]

Daz, sounds like a good first choice, on the 6mm, BST only do a 5mm and that is pushing it a bit for UK in my view.

[Dazzyd]

Yeah I think I'll use the 30mm Vixen and 8mm BST as testers to see which I prefer. I'm not going to be disappointed with either so it's not as if I'm going to regret buying one over the other. I usually wear glasses for close up and reading but for observing I don't need them, my views are much sharper without them so I won't suffer from eye reliefs that's aren't suited to spectacle wearers. So for £80 for the two ill have a couple of nice EPs that will do me proud until I'm ready to add to them

Thanks for all your advice guys, it's all going into my brain bank for when I buy some more EPs later in the year

[LukeSkywatcher]

4mm or 5mm is pushing it for our weather conditions. 6mm upwards is fine for most nights. 8mm is perfect for planets (IMHO). I look forward to your thoughts on both the NPL and the BST. I hear they are pretty similar in performance.

Cant go wrong either way........as you say and it will dictate which range you settle on in the future.

[russ.will]

Silly question time, but do you collimate the scope regularly? I used to think the 10mm Skywatcher MA was rubbish, but when one came with a refractor I picked up, I tried it for a laugh.

I didn't laugh, because it wasn't that bad and the only thing that had changed in the intervening months was my competence at collimation.

Russell

[Dazzyd]

I'm leaning more to the 8mm because it should give some nice views and if I really want to push the scope to the max I can barlow it to 4mm. I'm still not sure whether to go for the 30mm or the 25mm to go with the 8. I currently have the 25mm that came with the scope so it's whether the 8x difference (30mm=40x, 25mm=48x) is going to be worth it. Will the 30 give me that bit more versatility when looking for DSOs? If it's a better month that expected I may get a medium range 15mm EP too

[Dazzyd]

Yes Russ I do but only use the 35mm film canister method at the mo (with a very small hole to reduce side movement when looking though it). Got to get a Cheshire yet but I'm actually quite confident (rightly or wrongly or course lol) that if it's out it'll only be by a gnat's thingie

[LukeSkywatcher]

I have the 30,15mm and 8mm NPL and a 25mm NLV. The NLV range is quite a bit more expensive then the NPL range but to be honest i am not a fan.

Anyways...........my point is that 8,15 and 30mm is a nice range to have and you wont need a barlow. However the barlow will allow you to have the same magnification and offer better eye relief on the EP's.

8mm+2x = more comfort then 4mm alone...................etc etc.

p.s.~~~32,30,25mm are all good for scanning the skies for DSO.

[Dazzyd]

Yes I'm edging more and more to the 30, 15, 8 combination. Just waiting to see what I can budget on them this month (dictate whether I go for 30 & 8 or 30, 15, 8), should know in just over an hour when I check my account then it's straight over to FLO and hitting the "add to basket" buttons LOL

[LukeSkywatcher]

If you can only get two, then i'd go for the 8mm and 30mm. 8mm for the planets and 30mm for DSO hunting. The 15mm can be added later and you already have a 2X barlow to work with on the 30mm to give you the 15mm.

I'm learning to live without using a 2x.

[russ.will]

I'd go with something in the 30-32mm range to compliment the 25mm, a 12-15mm because you will be surprised how much you use it and a better Barlow. I have a 5mm and in my 200p, it didn't really offer anything that my 8mm doesn't on all but a few nights. A bigger image yes, but duller and with no more detail. It's only really come good on the 300p as that can really hit it with some light and the bigger aperture gives a greater angular resolution, so there's a corresponding increase in detail too.

With that selection of EPs and a good Barlow, you will have a 32, 25, 16, 15, 12.5, 10, 7.5 & 5mm which is a pretty good spread for circa £100 using your existing EPs. Until next pay day that is.

Don't underestimate the need for a good Cheshire if you are going to push magnification too.

Russell

Sent from my iPad

[LukeSkywatcher]

Just to throw a cat amongst the pigeons:

With regards to a 30mm NPL as a DSO hunter, how about a 32mm GSO?

In my opinion its a much better EP and is about the same price as NPL 30mm.

It really is my favourite EP. Mine is trashed now but i have very fond memories of DSO hunting with it.

[Dazzyd]

It's on my list Russ but not sure whether to go with the standard chesh or the premium one (both from FLO), I think the only difference really is the anodising.

Barlow, I know the Tal barlows are like gold dust, is there a decent alternative for around the same money?

[LukeSkywatcher]

It's on my list Russ but not sure whether to go with the standard chesh or the premium one (both from FLO), I think the only difference really is the anodising.

Barlow, I know the Tal barlows are like gold dust, is there a decent alternative for around the same money?

I bought a Revelation 1.5-2x barlow not long ago and i just cant get any joy out of it with my scope(s). So i would say avoid that one.

Weird because Revelation are known to be pretty good.

I think i just got a monday morning one.

[Dazzyd]

Paul yer pain! LOL You're giving me yet more options!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Least i am not bias. I love NPL's but there are other options.

[russ.will]

It's on my list Russ but not sure whether to go with the standard chesh or the premium one (both from FLO), I think the only difference really is the anodising.

Barlow, I know the Tal barlows are like gold dust, is there a decent alternative for around the same money?

I think Cheshires, unlike laser collimators, are consistent enough for it not to matter - Just having one is the important bit, because of the big difference it makes to short focal length EPs. I'd get that, before the barlow.

I must confess that, although I have a Barlow, I seldom use it, because it's too much of a faff. As you inevitably end up changing the EP at the same time, it's easier just to change the EP to something closer to what you want.

I can appreciate that some like to spend time framing subjects, just so, and that a Barlow helps with eye relief on short FL Plossls. However, with things like the Starguider/Explorer & NPLs so cheap, you quickly build up a selection that renders the Barlow redundant, and they don't have tiny eye relief to need sorting in the first place.

Russell