Zoom EP

[ObscuredbyClouds]

OK ive decided on a zoom EP for my f/5 200p and have come up with these 3 in my budget, so which one would probably be best pls

Celestron 8-24

meade 4000 8-24

meade televue 8-24

Also will they work fine with a Tal barlow ?

Many thanks

[Stargazer_00]

Hi there. Can you link where you would purchase these so I can see the pricing? Most people opt for a Baader Mk 3 zoom as all, I wonder how these are priced by comparison.

They should all work well in my view. Essentially zoom eyepieces are like having a case full of medium/high end plossls in one object but suffer from a slight pinching of AFOV at the lower magnifications.

[John]

The Hyperion is optically the best of the ones mentioned but even that is not quite as good as a high quality plossl (ie: a Tele Vue plossl) or the fixed focal length Hyperions.

Barlowing a zoom will add to the compromise. It will work but the resulting short focal length eyepiece would be someway off the performance of a good short focal length eyepiece, say an orthoscopic.

I fully appreciate the appeal of zooms but there is just a little lost in performance over good quality fixed focal length eyepieces. If you are OK with that, no problem

There have been issues reported of the Hyperion Mk III zooms seizing up at cold temperatures. I don't know how common these issues are though.

These are just my opinions based on trying the eyepieces mentioned.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Ah thanks, they range between 60 and 80 pounds new. Am on a budget with new baby due in august so want to pick something up without breaking the bank for obvious reasons.

[estwing]

wise words from John...nice to see someone supporting the best team in S-O-T.

[Stargazer_00]

The Baader zoom retails new for quite alot more than the budget. I can understand the limitation so I'll offer up some advice in the £60-£80 range.

I assume that you already have the supplied 10mm and 25mm plossl. And you mention a Tal Barlow so I presume you have a barlow covered and that the barlow is 2x.

My advice would be to purchase some fixed focal length eyepieces to pad out what you already have.

You currently have

25mm

12.5mm (25mm in barlow)

10mm

5mm (10mm in barlow)

now this is by any measure a good spread.

I would first advice the ubiqutious 32mm Plossl. This is offered new around £30, or second hand around £20 if you find a seller. Let's assume new.

This eyepiece has a pretty good spot in most people's eye piece selection particularily early on. It's good for widefield viewing and to locate more troubling DSOs. It would also barlow to 16mm and give you something extra.

I'd start with that upgrade only to be quite honest. I'd work with the other eyepieces and see if you find them weak or if you find you need a magnification somewhere you dont quite have. When you identify that spot I would purchase another eyepiece from the same range as the Plossl as the shorter focal lengths retail for around £20 new so you may pick up a real bargain second hand if you keep an eye out. I suspect that you would find you wanted something like a 7.5mm plossl perhaps which would be good for planets and at a push could be barlowed if you had a night of exceptional seeing.

I feel this would give you better options than the zoom eyepieces you originally posted. I am not aware that any of them have a particularly good reputation and I honestly believe you need that 32mm in your collection more than the offerings in the range of the zoom.

[ObscuredbyClouds]

Thanks for that Stargazing00, makes sense now. Back to the drawing board lol

[knobby]

How about a 15mm BST, excellent value and fills in the gaps nicely...

It'll be great for Saturn in the Tal Barlow and nice for globs on its own.

£50 skies the limit or 30 ish if you can find one used.

[Stargazer_00]

I was going to suggest the 15mm but for the budget I felt the 32mm Plossl was the priority.

[knobby]

I think the op has plenty of options now and I guess it'll be down to what he likes to observe most...

Both the 32 and the 15 will be good additions (in fact your suggestion of the 32 is very close to mine when barlowed )

Go the 32 route for Pleiades etc. Or the 15 for planets barlowed ...

Its great spending other peoples money!

[Eastridge]

I don't have the range of expertise of some above but having been in a similar situation - and having bought both a 32mm and a low price zoom in the last months I'd agree that the 32mm is a higher priority.

It's better for general use, getting around the sky, finding etc.

I like our cheap zoom and it gets used a lot for finding the sweet spot and is very useful. But not more so than the 32.