Revelation eyepiece kit

[AlexB67]

It will be mainly planetary to start with until I find a nearby dark site, plus the stock 25mm EP isn't bad it's just not great.

For planetary the 5mm BST would be a better choice I think, it will give you 130x in the Heritage, though the 8mm gives very pleasant views of them too if you don't mind the reduced mag, Seeing jupiter is the main one on show right now and bright and big anyway . That being said, you would not use the 5mm for much else, the 8mm will give you more scope and wider use on various deep sky targets, so would probably be a better initial investment. Only if planets are what you are really after in the short term,  and if you can save up in time before going DSO gazing would I buy the 5mm first. 

[ronl]

this link is very good and advises and helps you understand eyepieces,

it tells you the good and bad points of the various types and price range,

http://www.swindonstargazers.com/beginners/eyepieces.htm there is a

section about the BST Starguider which I use myself and I find them very

good and great value for money. 

[Big_Daz]

Thanks Ron, I have read that brilliant post on EP's and I know that I really like the sound of the BST's. They have great reviews it was just that the Revelation Plossl's were cheaper and more of them, so I was trying to get people's input on them, I still fancy the BST's more though and will probably end up getting those.

[wookie1965]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-25-8mm-BST-Explorer-Dual-ED-eyepiece-Branded-Starguider-/161134743886?refid=store

This is where i buy all my eyepieces from Alan is a great bloke. Here is a review of them http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1914

Regards

Paul

[Big_Daz]

Looking at them now Wookie, great minds and all that.

[wookie1965]

Looking at them now Wookie, great minds and all that.

Read the review give you a good idea what they are like.

[AlexB67]

I m sure you'll find them nice to use, I have a fastish scope at f4.7 and in no rush to want to replace the focal lengths I have, the 25mm being the most problematic in terms of giving distortions of various kinds across the view, which depending on what you are looking at is not a problem anyway, but if I had to pick one to replace, that is what I would replace first. 

I can't say  I've had any problems with backouts at all  with the BST eyepieces as stated in that review for the 25mm.  Also BST eyepieces compared to a stock plossls that come with many scopes are about as easy on the eye as smearing margarine on sandwiches, comparing it to say a 10mm plossl is more like putting hard butter on a sandwich in terms of eye placement   .  The key is to turn the twist eyecup to the desired height to get it for work for you, mostly quite far out it seems, many say so, and I find this too. When the eyecup is screwed in too far you can get some blackouts, but interestingly I tend to find it only happens when viewing a little early on without being properly dark adapted and the cup is too far in,  but once my pupils dilate it goes away, however, eyes can be funny thing and what is an issue for one may not be for another   

Alan is a great bloke too btw, very helpful, not happy or satisfied, return no questions asked.  If I am not mistaken take a look at classifieds, astro buy and sell or even the bay, I think I saw one or two recently second hand at a reasonable price.

[Reeny]

Thanks Ron, I have read that brilliant post on EP's and I know that I really like the sound of the BST's. They have great reviews it was just that the Revelation Plossl's were cheaper and more of them, so I was trying to get people's input on them, I still fancy the BST's more though and will probably end up getting those.

I have 9mm and 12mm Revelation Plossls, with the 2.5x Barlow (2.1x actual mag)

At the time eyepieces were around £30 each, and the Barlow £39 = £100

If I needed another plossl, it would have been cheaper for me to buy the kit.

The kit is only £110 plus postage at one retailer.

However - the 200P dob has benefitted greatly from the 68 degree Maxvision EP's from Explore Scientific,

So much so that the Revelations will be used on the old 3"scope, or on the moon where maximimum light capture is not too critical.

Consider the BST's and a good quality Barlow.

Something similar to the 2.5x Revelation will double your eyepiece magnification for £32 +postage.

http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/Revelation_Astro_2_5x_Barlow_Lens.html

The 2.5x has been measured by a forum member at an actual 2.1x magnification.

[Reeny]

Sorry - I should have said that the Revelation Plossl's work great, and give nice clear views when the scope is set-up correctly.

But they are Plossl's, a

And there are better alternatives available.

The Maxvision EP's make the stars sparkle with the additional light they capture, and they have a much wider field of view.

The BST's are 60 degree, but for the price they come well recommended.