TeleVue - 2.5X Powermate & Everbrite Star Diagonal (1.25")

[Scorpius]

Greetings Fellow Stargazers,

Just ordered the TeleVue 2.5X Powermate and the Everbrite Star Diagonal to replace the barlow & diagonal that shipped with my Nexstar 8SE. Since these are two of my most often used devices, I thought it would be good to have some quality optics in that part of the light path. From what I've read, these should make a difference in what I'm viewing through the scope and might even help me get some better pictures (the Powermate I mean since I don't use the diagonal for imaging) - however not too sure about the pictures since I'm still learning about planetary imaging.

Anyway, these will be my first TeleVue products and I'm excited to try them out once they arrive. There's a new moon next weekend so if I get lucky and have a few clear nights around the same time, there should be some good seeing to take advantage of.

Since I have zero experience with TeleVue  - and now that I've spent the dough - was just hoping to get some confirmation that their optics are as good as everyone says...

[alan potts]

Televue make optics that are about as good as you can buy. I have the 2 inch diagonal and it is bomb proof though I have to say optically I see no difference between the TV's and my older Meade 2 inch, but the build is better. I owned a 2 inch X2 Powermate and that was superb as well but sold it due to lack of use as I have rather a lot of other TV eyepieces.

I have done a number of reviews on Televue eyepieces and others and found them to be better than say Meade eyepieces but not by a massive amount. Differences are often subtle and require best conditions to see but every TV eyepiece I have is sharp to the edge in my fastest scope (F5.26) and you cannot say that about some of the others.

Whether you think the difference is worth the extra spend is down to yourself but personally I would not change my collection.

Alan

[hippie]

My TV 2" 20mm EP & 10mm are my most used EP's  .

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have made most of my best planetary and solar images with the TV 2.5x PowerMate combined with the Celestron C8 and Lung LS35 scopes. Really great optics.

[Scorpius]

Hey Guys - Thanks for the input on TeleVue's products. I was pretty sure I made a good decision but after plunking down almost $400 for the two, it's still good to hear that TV optics generally live up to folks expectations. I mostly got the star diagonal to "match up" with the Powermate  in terms of quality but as michael.h.f.wilkinson has confirmed, my main hope is that the Powermate will make a measurable difference in the quality of my solar system images.

Also, just wanted to correct myself on something before someone else points it out. The new moon is actually weekend after next not this coming weekend as I incorrectly stated in my OP...

Thanks again for the replies,

Scorpius