hmm, slight difference in weight but still good kit.

[bomberbaz]

Only did this for a bit of fun comparing weights of eyepieces but also to highlight that size isn't everything (no pun intended) & cost doesn't always matter to any new people.

I am guessing this as actually been done before on more than one occasion but not perhaps with this set of eyepieces so here we go with a brief overview of them. I haven't seen enough light to do a detailed comparison and maybe I will get round to doing one at some point in the future, for now this (mainly) weight based comparison is it..

Three sets of very similar sized eyepieces in terms of width, (one exact match)

BST 8mm WA plossl vs Tele vue 8mm Delos

Skywatcher 20mm Super Plossl vs Maxivision 24mm 82 Degree eyepiece.

GSO 32mm plossl vs Celestron Axiom 31mm LX eyepiece.

First the 8mm eyepieces.

These are actually the closet together in weight terms but the furthest apart in terms of quality to me. The diference in eight is not that apparent and both feel good in the hand. The biggest issue is the eye relief on the BST is right on the limit for a specs wearer like me whereas the Delos has 20mm and is very comfortable to use. View wise with limited time behind the Delos is ahead for sure but given the price difference, I would expect nothing less. I still do rate the BST eyepieces though. They punch above thier weight in terms of quality vs cost.

25/24mm

Although not the heaviest of the three premium eyepieces the Maxivision comes out as having the biggest differentiation in terms of % difference. It is 13 times heavier than the compared to plossl. "13 TIMES !!!" It really feels like quality and is very nice to handle. The plossl simply doesn't give you anything like that feel.

The view into the Maxivision is far more emmersive giving you that wonderful spacewalk type experience right across the full field and importantly to me the eye relief (ER) is also very comfortable. The Celestron plossl may not give you that same space walking view but the ER is still very comfortable and full FOV is easily seen without moving your head. Also the views them selves are good and clear accross a good portion of the eyepiece at F5. 80% or more.

32/31mm

Time to bring out the beast and I almost felt sorry sticking the BST next to it, i am sure it looked to be shaking at the weigh in The Axiom have the biggest overall weight (not % ) difference at 1275gm (2.8 pounds). The beast actually feels a little too heavy and counter weights are a must imo, although it still gives you that nice feel of quality associated with the heaviness. However I wont knock the GSO, although not it the same league as the Axiom, it still has the nice, quality feel with it and the views back this up. Again only had a limited amount of time with the Axiom but I felt like I was almost falling in on the occasions I have had a go with it, truly wonderful and 100% crisp views across the whole FOV. I didnt feel as though I had to move my eyeball about that much either to get the full FOV. The GSO performs absolutely great with a lesser FOV and you dont get the same emmersive feeling as with a wide FOV although I really have no issues with it. It will stay, as will the other plossls with my grab n go scope.

I guess the weight difference is largely down to more high quality glass in the premium EP's. this allows them the extra wide FOV that most of us want and clarity across a the full FOV even in fast scopes. However if anyone is thinking about buying EP's and they don't want to bust the bank (or pull a muscles carrying them, trust me my EP case now weighs a ton) then the lightweight cheaper plossls will not let them down.

Steve

[John]

Interesting comparison Steve. The 8mm Delos is actually a bit heavier than the 8mm Ethos which is slightly surprising.

Is the top pic, right a BST then - I thought they looked different to that ?

[bomberbaz]

Is the top pic, right a BST then - I thought they looked different to that ?

That is what I thought when I recieved it but I assumed it must be the said eyepiece as it came from the shop off ebay. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-25-8mm-58-Degree-BST-Wide-Angle-Eyepiece-/380664540376?pt=UK_Telescope_Eyepieces&hash=item58a15fecd8

I had a 15mm and it didnt klook the same so guessing they have changed it slightly !!!

[John]

It looks like one of the Mk 2 TMB planetary clones to me. The BST's have maintained the same looks right through except the branding varies from time to time.

Sorry to nit pick but the 25mm on the right in the 2nd set of pics is a 3 element eyepiece rather than a plossl. A sort of wide field modified achromat I believe.

Most of the Delos and 82 degree eyepieces weight is glass but I believe the SWA's like the Maxxvision 16mm have large bodies around relatively streamlined optical sets - some folks on the Cloudynights forum strip them down to lighten them !

[AlexB67]

I think you are right John, I just ordered the 8mm BST explorer today and it looks exactly the same as all the other ones with the same eye relief and 60 degrees FOV, contrary to the one shown by Bomberbaz, which of top of my head I think is 58 degrees, a little cheaper at 43 pounds versus the BST ED starguider explorer at 47 pounds sold by Alan at sky's the limit.

[AlexB67]

Did not mean to intrude, nice article by the way, a minor point

[Moonshane]

great post, shows the size differences well! I agree the eyepieces seem to be what people call TMB planetary type clones rather than BSTs which are like this http://www.ebay.co.u...d=380664540376

I had both and felt the BSTs were slightly better.

[bomberbaz]

Then it appears the one i purchased was./ is wrongly badged. Most annoying but a little too late to do anything about personally as i got it a good while back.

Good point about the maxivision being "bulked out" as it were, although i have no intention of trying to strip mine down.

[Moonshane]

I'd not worry. the differences were slight to my eyes and you have far better quality now.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

nice comparison. I agree 82 deg FOV is great. Even the MaxVision's 68 deg seems slightly cramped when compared to the 82 deg of my 22 Nagler. The MaxVision is still a very nice EP.