be honest...

[RikM]

That's the sort of increase I feel it gives. Reading around the subject, the 'shorty' type barlows seem to increase EP eye relief more than the longer style.

[Naemeth]

That's the sort of increase I feel it gives. Reading around the subject, the 'shorty' type barlows seem to increase EP eye relief more than the longer style.

Is the TAL x2 a 'shorty' type or the longer one?

[rory]

the talx2 i believe is a shorty.

[John]

The TAL x2 and X3's are the "shorty" format. I've no figures to prove it but I felt the short barlows I've used did push out the eye relief more than the longer format ones. Uncomfortably so with longer focal length eyepieces.

We've come a bit off topic now though

[crazyjedi]

Wow this thread ran and ran . . . At a somewhat oblique angle to the initial thread but still very informative :-)

[jabberwocky]

Well I've now had first light on the 7mm nagler and I've got to say its anything but a disappointment, a joy to use, comfortable and stunning views of Jupiter.

I guess whether a high end eyepiece ends up being disappointing depends upon what you are upgrading from, if you are used to cheap plossls then a nagler will be a massive improvement, but if you are upgrading from a uwan or nirvana then the difference may not be worth the outlay, also the speen of the scope will have an effect on the perceived improvement.

[Dellis]

Not an eyepiece but scope, 'upgraded' my C8 to a C11 (CPC variety) and was less than impressed. Having said that the C8 was exceptional and I'm guessing the C11 less so.

Dave

[John]

Not an eyepiece but scope, 'upgraded' my C8 to a C11 (CPC variety) and was less than impressed. Having said that the C8 was exceptional and I'm guessing the C11 less so.

Dave

They do vary in optical quality, apparently. I've also heard that some folks feel their larger SCT's just never quite reach ambient temperature. That shouldn't be a problem if the scope resides in a shed or observatory though.

Even further off topic than barlows though !

[E621Keith]

They do vary in optical quality, apparently. I've also heard that some folks feel their larger SCT's just never quite reach ambient temperature. That shouldn't be a problem if the scope resides in a shed or observatory though.

Even further off topic than barlows though !

I heard some SCT enthusiast is the US will keep buying and selling their SCT in the hope they will eventually find a good one. However, it is said the quality has became more consistent after Celestron moved their manufacturing to China.

[Astro_Baby]

Pretty much everything I have bought has been ok and about what I expected but I do reserach before I buy, the only mild disappointments have been......

TMB Planetary II in 6mm where the view was a bit soft

ES100' 14mm where I found I just wasnt keen on the whole 100' degree thang....optically its a beaut and sharp as a tack bu ai find the super wide FOV a bit distratcting.

5mm Baader Hyperion...blacked out and beaned super bad for me....others liked it but I found it the most uncomfy EP I have owned.

Its all verypersonal with EPs and one persons " tack sharp to the edge heaven" is another persons "pincushion hell or eye relief hell"

[ollypenrice]

Indeed. Even at F6, the Nikon shows better lateral CA correction and tighter stars than the LVW.

The Nikon is also more resistant to internal reflection and scatter, and these are visible even at F10 for high contrast targets like planets and bright stars.

I am beginning to think fast Newtonians may be false economy. You need to spend a lot more on high quality eyepiece to get a comparable wide AFOV to SCT.

Well, on the other hand you could say that to get a nice wide field (but still only half as wide as in a fast Newt) you'd need to fork out for a Nagler hand grenade for the SCT! So a smaller, cheaper EP with a shorter FL will give a wide field in the Newt more economically than a hand grenade for the SCT. We can't win!!!

Olly

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Well, on the other hand you could say that to get a nice wide field (but still only half as wide as in a fast Newt) you'd need to fork out for a Nagler hand grenade for the SCT! So a smaller, cheaper EP with a shorter FL will give a wide field in the Newt more economically than a hand grenade for the SCT. We can't win!!!

Olly

Alternatively, you get a William Optics SWAN 40 or TS Paragon 40 or Aero 40. All very affordable and give a slightly bigger view than the 31T5. The Moonfish 30mm 80 deg would probably even work decently in an SCT.

[Spec-Chum]

The moonfish works decently in an f6 newt imho

I'm certainly in no rush to upgrade mine.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The moonfish works decently in an f6 newt imho

I'm certainly in no rush to upgrade mine.

There you go, it should be fine in the SCT then. I know the TMB Paragon 40 works well in the SCT, but after getting a 31T5 Panzerfaust, I found the extra 0.09 deg FOV was not really making me grab the Paragon any more, so I sold it. Very occasionally I have some second thoughts about that, I must say, because it was a stonkingly good EP. The proceeds of the sale did go towards my XWs, and those are really, really great.