mitchelln Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I finally managed to try out my binoviewers with my 300P.I have to say they transform the experience. Viewing is much more comfortable. I could look at the Moon, Jupiter and especially M82 for many minutes without strain.I initially used the included 1.6x barlow to achieve focus, but I have to say it did degrade the view and obviously narrows the FOV. So I locked the 300P back on the second set of truss holes and achieved prime focus without the barlow. Then views then was fantastic. I've managed to get a 2nd 10mm Baader Ortho from the classifieds section and Jupiter was just lovely. A pair of 20mm's were great with M82 and the Moon.So pretty chuffed all in all Ideal now will be to keep an eye out on the classifieds for a 2nd Baader Zoom. A couple of decent 32mm's (suggestions welcome!) might be nice as well, but this will all have to wait for a budget top up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark at Beaufort Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 The experience of binoviewers does make viewing of the Moon and Planets much more enjoyable. The only comment I would make about your proposal to have two Hyperion zooms is to make sure your nose will fit between the gap. At the SGL star party last year I was able to borrow an extra Baader zoom and to be honest I found it difficult to get both eyes in the right position.I would recommend trying to borrow before you spend the cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike73 Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I use the same binoviewers in my Mak, can't praise them enough.The supplied 20mm EP's work very well IMO, I was actually quite shocked as I didn't expect too much from them. I also use 18mm BCO's but to be honest the supplied WO 20mm EP's really are more than capable of giving great views, I also see that TS sell their own rebranded(?) WO EP's which I think I may try at some point in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroJOE Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 The experience of binoviewers does make viewing of the Moon and Planets much more enjoyable. The only comment I would make about your proposal to have two Hyperion zooms is to make sure your nose will fit between the gap. At the SGL star party last year I was able to borrow an extra Baader zoom and to be honest I found it difficult to get both eyes in the right position.I would recommend trying to borrow before you spend the cash.This is a good point and I don't necessarily disagree although it's worth remembering that you can unscrew the twist up eye caps on the Baader Zoom's to make a bit more room for said snout I've never traced my family tree but I'm pretty sure I must have Roman ancestors somewhere and I still just about manage with 2 zoom's in my Bino's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowbs Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I must admit I really like the idea of Binoviewers, do you find you would want to view everything and use them all the time if EP's would allow, or are there still times you are quite happy to be squinting down the single EP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark at Beaufort Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I use my binoviewers as follows - 4" APO frac for observing the Sun only. If I study double stars I use a single eyepiece. 180mm Mak/Cass use binoviewers for the Moon and Planets only rarely use a single EP with this scope. In my 6" Newt and 10" Dob I use my TeleVue Ethos EPs only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark in Macc Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Nice report, my sentiments exactly. The supplied EPs are pretty good and are the ones I use the most. I do like EPs with rubber eyecups with binos. They are more comfortable than ones with solid tops. 32 mm EPs might cause vignetting. 25 mm TV plossls are sweet though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantuk Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 A Pair of these work surprisingly very nicely with WO bv's:http://www.telescopehouse.com/acatalog/OVL-Sky-Watcher-9.0mm-Ultrawide-Eyepiece.htmlAnd they don't cost an arm and a leg. Get a pair of winged eyeguards to go with for an enhanced and immersive experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchelln Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Thanks for all the replies everyone. Very useful information! Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Hopper Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Defiantly best to try out the zooms first as suggested.I think you'll be ok though, but they will put a lot of weight on your focuser.There's guys on the CN binoviewer forum that use them. If you have one already though, this is the best cost effective option.32mm eyepieces won't work well. Vignetting will be very noticeable.The 20's supplied will give about as wide a field of view as the WO bino can give.To fully illuminate the field stop on a 32mm Plossl (or the highly regarded Tv 24mm Panoptic) which I think is the same at 27mm you'd need a bino with the same sized prisms........and there's only one on the market..........The Baader Mk5 Giant binocular viewer. Guess what.....it's 4- figure territory !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchelln Posted February 23, 2014 Author Share Posted February 23, 2014 I've got a MoonLite focuser, so weight shouldn't be a problem. I also have a variable weight system on the back of the OTA to keep everything balanced. I hadn't considered vignetting, so you guys have saved me disappointment and cash I think the zoom is the way to go. It looks like there is enough clearance. Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchelln Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 Took my scope and binoviewers to the Wessex Astronomical Society public meeting on Saturday. Had Jupiter in the binoviewers at 10mm. A little loss of contrast due to the closeness of the Moon, but still a very lovely sight.About 100 people took a look and I counted 34 "Wows" What was noticeable is that at previous events people took a look through the single eyepiece and then after 10 seconds or so they look away. I believe this is a common reaction. With the binoviewers people were looking for ages. For the first time I was having to ask people to let the next person have a go. People were coming back again and again and were saying it was the easiest scope to look through and they could really look around the view.Chuffed to bits with them basically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLO Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Curious, how do bino viewers compare to binoculars with regard to "immersiveness" (the feeling of being there).The 3d immersive effect noticed when observing the sky through binoculars is experienced not because each eye has it's own ocular (as with a binocular) but because the brain is processing the view using information from both eyes. The same 3d effect is experienced when observing through a binoviewer fitted to a single telescope. This is because being a million+ year old species we have evolved to use both eyes so if our brain is allowed to process info from both eyes, we see more. Interestingly, after we have noticed something extra thru a binoviewer, we can then see it thru a single eyepiece. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjgreen Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I got my mkV from Telescop Service for £933 (a hefty saving) and it was shipped UPS and in my hands within 3 daysThe pan24 & MkV is a view to remember but is it worth the extra dosh - its fractions once again. Mars was great in the binos - the detail comes out & globulars are not to be missedFor me, the biggest plus is DSO, I see more in galaxies with the MkV & pan24 then in cyclops with the Nagler22I would also push the delos for binos, they are so comfortable to use but my 2800 focal length pushed me to the pans... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjgreen Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Oh, and filaments on the sun are definitely more "3D" with binos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Dragon Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I would say I feel more out among the stars using binos, there is an undeniable loss of light but balanced by the gain in signal to noise, it does it for me.I still use mono for some things, including finding feint objects and would not want to give up low power mono in a refractor but after much going between the two, with 6" aperture as a minimum, binos are very immersive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheldondave Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Seems like I need to add a set of binos to my retirment shopping list.Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AstroAdam Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 I've always wanted to try some binoviewers. I'll have to try and seek some out at the next star party... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchelln Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Binoviewer nirvana achieved Two words sum up the experience so far - "oh my" Just as well I have a counter weight system in place though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacaille Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Could you use the bino eyepiece to have a webcam (e.g. Neximage) in one and an eyepiece in the other for ease of focusing and alignment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchelln Posted June 1, 2014 Author Share Posted June 1, 2014 Could you use the bino eyepiece to have a webcam (e.g. Neximage) in one and an eyepiece in the other for ease of focusing and alignment?Now that's an interesting idea!You would need an eyepiece that you could exactly match the camera's focus though. Also the cam would only get half the light of course. Sent from my GT-N7105 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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