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Good deal for this kit?


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I was browsing amazon and i saw this kit on sale at 60% off for $80. It includes: 4mm, 6mm, 12.5mm, and 32mm Plossl EPs, 2x Achromatic Barlow Lens, Yellow, Orange, Light Red, Green, Light Blue Filters and a polarizing filter and CrystalView Moon filter.

Is this a good deal/ is it worth getting? Ive seen single EPs going for about this much. 

If it helps I have a 3" 700mm NEWT with only the mediocre stock 10 and 25mm EPs

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I am not a huge fan of these kits. I would go for individual EPs. The kits often have a number of EPs that will see little use. The same holds for the filters. Eye relief is also very short on Plössls with short focal length, so if you wear glasses while observing, they are next to unusable. For others they are not very comfortable.

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If I were you I would spend that $80 on a 2x barlow and a good quality 30-32mm wide angle EP. Remember that the 2x barlow allow you to take every EPs basically make it 2 EPs. Just don't go for too high a mag with your EPs and your scope will only allow so much before you start loosing contrast. If you have too high a mag for your scope images will come out blurry and seem to be like you can never achieve focus. With the 2x barlow with your current EPs and a 30-32mm EP you will have a total of 6 options to choose from. 5mm,10mm,12.5mm,15-16mm,25mm,30-32mm. I think this will give you a suitable amount of options for that budget. Plus the a nice 30-32mm wide angle will give a much better eye relief. Just my 2cents.

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The 4mm plossl is as close to useless as you can get, willing to suggest that the 6mm is almost the same. The eye relief on them would be bad. So in effect 2 plossls remaining that should be useable.

I have yet to buy a filter of any sort, so I am not sure what use the coloured ones would be either. Remember a filter removes light, so you will never get more through then actually hits the front of one. One of the laws of thermodynamics forbids that happening.

The barlow unable to comment on, the only barlow I have came with the scope I bought 12 years ago and it has never been taken out of it's blue and white Meade box.

I will say that if you want better then the supplied items then you will have to jump in and buy something, then put them in the scope and look through them and find out if they are better.

Personally I would look around for 3 plossls at say $30 each and do it that way. Say 8mm, 12mm and 32mm. Minor problem is that I cannot see anything that matches on the 3 US retailers I have looked at.

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Don't waste your money!! Few years ago with my first scope I initially bought the Celestron Kit, although it gave me more choice to experiment with eyepieces it's a expensive way to go about it!!! To be honest you don't need a 4 or a 6 completely useless!!! Astronomy shops will sell you a decent Barlow and eyepiece without breaking the bank, you can do without the rest of the stuff in the kit.

I know own Televue eyepieces and the difference even in the Televue posses is massive. My advice is buy the best bit of kit for your budget.

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Thinking about it - you have 4 lenses, a barlow, and 7 filters plus a case - for $80. Once you take off the value of the case it doesn't leave much of an average cost per item amongst what's left - even at the full retail value it's barely $10 per item. This isn't even an upgrade on supplied eyepieces - just more choice of a similar quality.

I got caught out too by this kit when I got my first scope and was equally disappointed - some pieces were unusable. Better to spend your money on two or three better eyepieces s/h - you'll see a fair step up in quality at around $30-$35 per piece. :)

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