Skywatcher Planetary Eyepieces

[FLO]

These new Skywatcher Planetary Eyepieces with five fully multi-coated lens elements are designed for high magnification observing.

They offer low distortion, high contrast, 16mm eye-relief and a wide 58 degree field of view.

Currently available in 2.5, 4 & 5 mm focal lengths but 6, 7 & 9 mm are in the pipeline.

Please see our website for an up-to-date price.

[Spec-Chum]

Interesting, but the comparisons to the highly regarded TMBs will be inevitable

These are slightly cheaper tho!

[Naemeth]

I've got to admit, these look a lot like eyepieces I already have that used to be called "TMB Design", but are now BST Wide Angles. Both from Sky's the Limit, and probably manufactured in China, could these be the same eyepieces manufactured somewhere else?

[russ.will]

It's more likely that they're the same EPs manufactured in the same place, so the pricing will be interesting.

[FLO]

I've got to admit, these look a lot like eyepieces I already have that used to be called "TMB Design", but are now BST Wide Angles. Both from Sky's the Limit, and probably manufactured in China, could these be the same eyepieces manufactured somewhere else?

If they are the 'same' then we will remove them from our website. I know the various TMB-type clones have quite a following here on SGL but I also understand they have problems with batch-to-batch consistency so we don't offer them.

We have a 30-day return policy so all our eyepieces need to be consistently high quality. We are confident these Skywatcher eyepieces will perform reliably so we have added them to our website

[fredster]

They look the same eyepiece as the one Skies the Limit sell but that is no bad thing. I would say they are consistently praised, very few negative posts towards them and your pricing is very good to boot. Don't remove them, its a good alternative to the bog standard plossl. Wider field, twist up eyecup and far superior eyerelief. At theses focal lengths these are a much much better bet than a Plossl (of any brand) and undercut the Celestron X-Cel LX by some margin.

Just my 2p worth

[russ.will]

Agreed. I had the 8mm - It wasan easy to use, fine little EP and was surprisingly sharp to the edges of my F5 200p. I certainly haven't heard many complaints about these the or the TS Planetary HRs, which seem to broadly be another clone. At the FLO pricing of £40, they're an easy recommendation, with a focal length to suit nearly every eventuality (once SW bring them out).

[Naemeth]

If they are the 'same' then we will remove them from our website. I understand the various TMB-type clones have quite a following here on SGL but I also understand they have problems with batch-to-batch consistency so we don't offer them.

We have a 30-day return policy so all our eyepieces need to be consistently high quality. We are confident these Skywatcher eyepieces will perform reliably so we have added them to our website

If you want, I could quite easily order one to test against my own eyepiece (same focal length), and do a side-by-side comparison, and then email you the results.

I wouldn't remove them, they are a brilliant eyepiece to recommend for beginners at a lower price point than the X-Cel LXs.

[FLO]

Nobody else mass produces affordable quality optics like Synta/Skywatcher so we are confident they will perform well, consistently

[billybob]

im about to order one so i will soon see

[FLO]

... 6, 7 & 9 mm are in the pipeline.

Skywatcher have release some more Skywatcher Planetary Eyepieces in 6, 7 and 9mm focal lengths. 

At only £37 they are remarkably good value for money! 

[scoobee]

I have one william optics SPL ( 6 mm ) and a couple of club member have the full set 3,6 and 12.5 which in our opinion are the real deal

How do these compare?

[FLO]

I have one william optics SPL ( 6 mm ) and a couple of club member have the full set 3,6 and 12.5 which in our opinion are the real deal

How do these compare?

The William Optics SPL series are optically better and have a better fit and finish. 

There are some who enthusiastically recommend these eyepieces (aka BST, TMB-type, etc) at every opportunity but I am not so sure. They perform well for their price and are significantly better than the in-the-box eyepieces supplied with most telescopes but there is nothing magical about them. They won't compete with the WO SPL or Celestron X-Cel LX series. 

HTH, 

Steve