Which EP should I buy next?

[DRT]

My favourite at the moment is my Baader MkIII Zoom - very versitile and great quality.

It is my birthday soon and I plan to add one EP to my collection, budget around £250-£300. Which EP in that price range do others think would add the most to my viewing experience?

95% of my viewing is with the 11" SCT and the other 5% with the 8" Dob.

[bomberbaz]

My favourite at the moment is my Baader MkIII Zoom - very versitile and great quality.

It is my birthday soon and I plan to add one EP to my collection, budget around £250-£300. Which EP in that price range do others think would add the most to my viewing experience?

95% of my viewing is with the 11" SCT and the other 5% with the 8" Dob.

broaden your question there my mate, too vague..........

[DRT]

broaden your question there my mate, too vague..........

OK. Forget that I have the Dob - I want to get the most out of the CPC1100. I have a Pentax SW 10mm, a Baader 8mm-24mm Zoom, a Baader Hyperion Aspheric 31mm, a Baader Scopos 35mm and a Revelation Astro 50mm. The last two of those have not yet arrived.

I enjoy moon, planetary and nebula and cluster observation. Light polution gives me problems with galaxies and faint DSOs.

I have only had the Pentax for a week but can't help thinking it is a bit redundant with having the Baader Zoom. My thoughts are drawn towards good quality, long focal length, wide-field EPs for my next purchase.

What is going to add to what I have in that area?

[jetstream]

21mmEthos/20mm ES 100-high contrast EP`s.The Ethos`s effect (100 deg AFOV) is something to behold,but is not for everybody or every object.

[RikM]

I would have thought with the Aspheric 31 and the Scopos 35 you would have it covered. The only thing I could think would be an LVW42 as that would give the widest field possible and is a really nice eyepiece to use. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-lvw-eyepieces.html check out the review here.

[John]

I have only had the Pentax for a week but can't help thinking it is a bit redundant with having the Baader Zoom. My thoughts are drawn towards good quality, long focal length, wide-field EPs for my next purchase.

Having owned the Baader zoom and used a Pentax XW 10 and now owning 5mm and 3.5mm XW's I really would suggest you don't make any hasty moves re: the Pentax XW 10mm. It's one of the finest eyepieces I've ever used and the zoom really is not in the same league when it comes to pushing the envelope of both deep sky and planetary observing. The XW's are superb eyepieces and the 10mm is possibly the best of them   

[DRT]

Having owned the Baader zoom and used a Pentax XW 10 and now owning 5mm and 3.5mm XW's I really would suggest you don't make any hasty moves re: the Pentax XW 10mm. It's one of the finest eyepieces I've ever used and the zoom really is not in the same league when it comes to pushing the envelope of both deep sky and planetary observing. The XW's are superb eyepieces and the 10mm is possibly the best of them   

John,

You have just scratched my itch to buy another XW, the 14mm being my current "need". With a 2800mm focal length on the CPC I'm not sure how useful the 5mm and 3.5mm XW's would be but I can see a use for 200x through a great EP. Perhaps I need to get out to a dark site (for the first time!) to test-drive the Pentax against the Baader? Fingers crossed that I get a spot off the waiting list for SGL9

[DRT]

I would have thought with the Aspheric 31 and the Scopos 35 you would have it covered. The only thing I could think would be an LVW42 as that would give the widest field possible and is a really nice eyepiece to use. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-lvw-eyepieces.html check out the review here.

Would you rate the Vixen 42mm over a Panoptic 41mm? Only a few £ difference so either one might do the job.

[John]

John,

You have just scratched my itch to buy another XW....... 

Sorry Derek ! - they are darned good eyepieces though 

[DRT]

Sorry Derek ! - they are darned good eyepieces though 

"Sorry, Darling, a guy on SGL told me to buy it (them)"

[John]

"Sorry, Darling, a guy on SGL told me to buy it (them)"

Well, it's worth a try !!!

[alan potts]

I would have thought that having a C11 with a focal length almost up there with my my own, a 10mm eyepiece was too short most of the time on that scope. The eyepiece itself is one of the best on the market, I would suggest it is the seeing that is not letting you enjoy its fine views, which will be better than the Baader zoom in all departments.

With the C11 I myself would not go shorter than 12mm and even at that seeing will have a say in how often it will find the focuser. Although I have a good array of very expensive eyepieces, if I were going to spend big it would be on a focal length that gives me around x180-x200, that can be be used most of the time on the objects you listed.

Alan.

[Pig]

I use the 17.3mm Delos for clusters etc...with you extra focal length, compared to my CPC 9.25, maybe the 12 or 14 mm Delos will suffice . All of them provide great views giving  a very demonic black background.

However, for the differing objects you mention in your post I do not think one eyepiece will be enough for you unless you go for a zoom,  you will then loose some FOV.

[RikM]

Would you rate the Vixen 42mm over a Panoptic 41mm? Only a few £ difference so either one might do the job.

I've not used either one myself, but have hear more about the Vixen than the Pan. I have the older Vixen 30mm LV and that is optically excellent and very comfortable to use. I have used a number of the Panoptic eyepieces and they are also very fine eyepieces. There is probably not a lot in it. I suggested it purely because the Vixen is touted as having the widest true field of any 2" EP.

John,

You have just scratched my itch to buy another XW, the 14mm being my current "need". With a 2800mm focal length on the CPC I'm not sure how useful the 5mm and 3.5mm XW's would be but I can see a use for 200x through a great EP. Perhaps I need to get out to a dark site (for the first time!) to test-drive the Pentax against the Baader? Fingers crossed that I get a spot off the waiting list for SGL9 

I didn't suggest an alternative XW because of your comment over the 10mm. Not all eyepieces suit all eyeballs. I love the XW's and they form the backbone of my EP set in 5, 7, 10, 14, & 20mm. If you make to SGL9 your welcome to try them.

The 14mm would give you 200x. It has been said though that from 14mm and longer the TV Delos range may be a better choice.

[bomberbaz]

Just a thought. Either the pentax or delos 14mm are setting you back around 250 quid. With the 50 you have left and bearing in mind you have an F10 very forgiving scope, what about a a Revelation 50mm/60 degree eyepiece to top it off  http://www.harrisontelescopes.co.uk/acatalog/Revelation_50mm_Widefield_Eyepiece_2_.html

Thats clocking up a 56 x view and 1.07 degrees of sky. Would love to have a go through that myself, bet the views are amazing.

[alan potts]

I noticed one or two were pointing towards the 17mm area and naming Delos. There is a 17mm Nagler on the secondhand classified at a give away price in my view. I have bought things from the seller and he always looks after gear. This would be a fine eyepiece to add to your case and believe me they do not come up very often and at this price never.

Alan.

[DRT]

I noticed one or two were pointing towards the 17mm area and naming Delos. There is a 17mm Nagler on the secondhand classified at a give away price in my view. I have bought things from the seller and he always looks after gear. This would be a fine eyepiece to add to your case and believe me they do not come up very often and at this price never.

Alan.

Thanks for the tip

[DRT]

Deal done on the Nagler 17mm

Now back to the original question: it is my birthday soon, which EP should I buy next?

[alan potts]

Many congratulations, you will not regret buying this I am sure. I would have had it myself if I were in England just to compare it with the 17mm Ethos. I will look forward to what you have to say by way of a first light report.

As for the original question I would still go for something in the 12-14mm area. I asked for a 12mm Delos for my Birthday but all I got was the wife saying " how many eyes do you have you have 3 cases full of eyepieces"

Alan.

[Pig]

Did you remind her of how many shoes she has Alan, having only 2 feet

[alan potts]

A little of subject but I started it, Shuan,

I am sad to say I have 46 pairs of shoes so I should keep my mouth shut on that score. Back to subject it would be nice if between the site members you could get the 17.3mm Delos, 17mm Ethos and Dougs new to him 17mm Nagler together, something make me think there would be some scratching of heads.

Alan.