UK source for Olivion eyepiece and who owns one

[bomberbaz]

http://www.eyepiecesetc.com/mobile/product.aspx?ProductCode=7102220

Foundcthis and wondered who has one, what its like and is there a uk retailer for it

tia

steve

[rory]

Most likely you can get the same eyepiece here, in all but name bomber . Many if these are rebadged for different companies . I know olivon do the same eyepiece that we know as the bst starguider here, except its pricier.

[John]

I'd put a fair bet bet on that eyepiece being optically the same thing as the Skywatcher SWA 70 degree 22mm. OK it looks quite different but the specs are just the same (8 elements, 70 degrees, 20mm eye relief, 2" fitting etc,) and the Chinese are offering the same optical sets in a bewildering range of body styles these days and I've seen what I think is the same optical design in half a dozen or more different "skins".

Makes it confusing for the consumer to know what they are getting though 

[ronin]

I know that some of the Oblivion eyepieces are sourced from Barsta, and the SW 70 degree ones comes out of Barsta as well. So I suspect the optical train is the same.

Barsta do 2 70 degree eyepieces which for all I know are the same optics in a different shell. The other is sold as an Astro-Tech.

Does make getting a fair deal difficult.

[nicks90]

what makes it also more difficult is that although it might come out of the same factory and have the same 'specs', that doesnt mean it is actually the same.

they may use different glass types, different coatings etc to achieve different price points. So although you may think it is the same - company A may have put in their order for an 8 element, 70 degrees, 20mm eye relief, 2" fitting at $35 a unit and Company B asked for the same but at $25 a unit. So Barsta might use more ED glass elements in one version, or better multi coatings in another etc etc etc

personally I find the whole process of selecting EPs to be horribly stressful, as I am on a tight budget and want everything for nothing. But i have come to rely on trusted user reviews on here to guide me. Plus using the recommended suppliers who you know will give you money back if it doesnt suit you or your scope.

[bomberbaz]

just asking as i may buy something around that size and sell on the maxivision 24/82. Like you all say, the rebadges, copies etc make it all rather confuddling.

Not in a rush so time to ponder

[michaeldurban]

I must say...I also get a bit confused sometimes..

GSO's and BST's... Paradigm ED's and Starguiders...

Isn't Olivon represented in the US now?

Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon..

I'm seriously considering starting a line of my own aluminium

2" focusers for newtonians..

but that's another story..

[Phil Creed]

I used to own a 22mm Astro-Tech AF-70, which I think is a clone of the aforementioned 22mm 70-deg Olivion eyepiece, the 22mm Celestron Ultima LX, etc.  I had an f/5 refractor and a 12" f/4.9 w/o coma correction as my test chambers.

It's hardly perfect, but it's not bad.  An f/5-ish scope is pretty hard on eyepieces, but it was sharp out to around 80-85% from the center.  When I borrowed a Paracorr for the 12" f/4.9 dob, the 22AF-70 cleaned up nicely around the edges; sharp past 90%.  Main aberrations are mild off-axis astigmatism and a little field curvature.

I used to own a 21mm Baader Hyperion.  The 22AF-70 (and, I suspect, the 22mm 70-deg Olivion) beat it pretty handily.

Clear Skies,

Phil

[alan potts]

I wonder if they are all the same or are some made to slightly higher spec with regards coating. This seemed to be the case with ExSc and Meade, designed the same with one or two exceptions but many thought the coatings were different and of course ExSc filled theirs with gas. It would be nice to get two the same focal length and have a dam good look throogh them over a long period usinf different targets.

Alan.

[John]

I wonder if they are all the same or are some made to slightly higher spec with regards coating. This seemed to be the case with ExSc and Meade, designed the same with one or two exceptions but many thought the coatings were different and of course ExSc filled theirs with gas. It would be nice to get two the same focal length and have a dam good look throogh them over a long period usinf different targets.

Alan.

Such comparisons would be useful but they are rarely possible unfortunately. I'm hoping to be able to do just this soon though with the William Optics XWA 101 degree 9mm and the new Skywatcher Myriad 100 degree 9mm eyepiece both of which look identical but there may be subtle differences under the skin.

Having a helpful supplier such as First Light Optics willing to facilitate such comparisons is a great bonus

[ScottS]

what makes it also more difficult is that although it might come out of the same factory and have the same 'specs', that doesnt mean it is actually the same.

they may use different glass types, different coatings etc to achieve different price points. So although you may think it is the same - company A may have put in their order for an 8 element, 70 degrees, 20mm eye relief, 2" fitting at $35 a unit and Company B asked for the same but at $25 a unit. So Barsta might use more ED glass elements in one version, or better multi coatings in another etc etc etc

personally I find the whole process of selecting EPs to be horribly stressful, as I am on a tight budget and want everything for nothing. But i have come to rely on trusted user reviews on here to guide me. Plus using the recommended suppliers who you know will give you money back if it doesnt suit you or your scope.

This is why I also find these forums invaluable. There's so much good advice to be had when making an otherwise difficult decision.

[alan potts]

Very true Scott, I wish I had been a memeber long before I was, there are a lot of things that I would not have done if I had read some of the advice on here first.

John,

Yes it is something that would be very useful to many and myself for that matter, the outcome may well be they are the same, but it is the not knowing. I think it is that because they will be so similar they may be difficult to tell them apart if there is a difference, one reason why I mentioned the long test. This under normal weather is fairly easy for me as I get a lot of nights under the stars and I truely feel they are going to need a spead of both scopes and conditions.

I sometimes wonder if someone gave me a Televue that was taped over so I could see it was one whether I would come to conclusion they are the same, I hope I would.

Because of where I am I either have to buy them or borrow the odd one, I still have the Pentax 3.5mm XW to put against my Delos which should be getting airborn soon.

Alan.

[luminova11]

We must be careful here not to confuse Olivon with Olivion. Olivon being discussed here is a respected Canadian manufacturer/importer who founded their business on spotting scopes, whereas Olivion is a budget brand normally found for sale on that auction site.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

[John]

We must be careful here not to confuse Olivon with Olivion. Olivon being discussed here is a respected Canadian manufacturer/importer who founded their business on spotting scopes, whereas Olivion is a budget brand normally found for sale on that auction site.

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

Olivon astro stuff looks like Synta and Barsta stuff re-badged to me. Nothing wrong with that though Konus, Saxon and many other names do just the same.

[Phil Creed]

I've owned the 22mm and 13mm of the Astro-Tech AF-70s and borrowed the 17mm Celestron Ultima LX.  Based on the AFOV, eye relief and #elements, the Olivion 70-deg series look like clones.  I bought an 8mm AF-70, but had to return it due to defective lens assembly.

Of the three, I'd say the 17mm Ultima LX was the best.  Just a touch of off-axis astigmatism, with field curvature being the prominent edge aberration.  Basically, the kind of EP that will look magical if you've got a Paracorr, and pretty good even w/o coma correction at f/5.

Clear Skies,
Phil

[rwilkey]

Hi Steve, you have the MV24/82, why do you need a 22mm?