Eyepiece advice

[Astral Enigma]

Astral, note that the 24mm MV is a 2" (50.8mm) barrel.

Ahhh is it... Thanks. I've been struggling to find that out, though I did find something somewhere suggesting it was 1.25" but can't see anything 'official' anywhere! Cheers - looks like I won't be going that route yet, then.

[Astral Enigma]

Ahhh is it... Thanks. I've been struggling to find that out, though I did find something somewhere suggesting it was 1.25" but can't see anything 'official' anywhere! Cheers - looks like I won't be going that route yet, then.

No - hang on a minute (I'm going blind!) - it appears to say here: http://www.explorescientific.co.uk/en/Eyepieces/Maxvision-68-Okular-24mm.html that it's a 31.8mm barrel, which is 1-1/4".....

[Paul73]

Astral, note that the 24mm MV is a 2" (50.8mm) barrel.

Sorry to contradict.

But the 24mm MV 68° is 1 1/4". The 28mm 68° is 2".

I have both.

Paul

[rwilkey]

Hi Paul, thanks for correcting, the ExSc (EU) website has it as 50.8mm in their blurb, only quoting what I read, it also says the 18mm is 50/8mm.  Must be an error on their part. I have the 82 degree series and their 50.8mm barrels start at 18mm.  Very confusing.  Specs here: http://www.explorescientific.co.uk/en/Maxvision-82-Okular-24mm.html?listtype=search&searchparam=82%C2%B0

[Ruud]

Hello Robin, Maxvision has two 24mm eyepieces. One is 82° and 2", the other is 68° and 1.25".

[Paul73]

Glad that that one is cleared up!

Is it the ES or the MaxVision 82° that everyone is recommending???

Telescope house sent me an email earlier inviting me to buy the ES 30mm 82° Jfor nearly £300!!!! I wouldn't have to spend that much more for a Nagler!

Paul

[Astral Enigma]

It's the MaxVision from Explore Scientific (which I assumed was what ES stood for?) that I had understood was worth a try... consequently that's what I've ordered - 16mm version for 59 euros, plus p&p and no doubt a hefty charge for paying in euros! But exchange rate is supposedly quite favourable at the moment so I'll wait to see what it actually costs me!

[Ruud]

These are all the Maxvisions:

The 16mm is a 68° model.

These eyepieces were made by JOC for Meade, who tried to sell them for three times the price they cost now. When Meade and JOC broke up their relation, JOC got stuck with a whole load of Meade series 5000 SWA (68°) and some Meade series 5000 UWA (82°) eyepieces. These are now being sold as Maxvisions.

I know that the 68° MVs are very good. I have four of them. I can't say much about the 82° MVs (The last two in the image)

[Paul73]

It is well worth the money. You will get a lovely neutral view.

The cap will keep falling off and drive you potty. But once in the scope it is really nice.

The 20mm is my go to big Open Cluster eyepiece, the 24mm is my Galaxy hunting weapon, the 16mm gets me just that little bit closer.

[bomberbaz]

Brandons have a pedigree and are very high quality eye pieces.Brandons are highly thought after in USA (specially the old vintage Ep`s) and not overly common in UK,but i bet a few people do have them stashed up.Considered as very fine planetary eyepiece.Aparently even the thread for filters is different and only brandon filters will fit.

never looked through one myself,have been recommended by quite a few people,but kind of other priorities got in first.For sure i will get one at some point and test fire it.

There are quite a few reviews on brandons,very interesting reading material. 

right ok thats all well and good but you are still paying over 200 quid for what is effectively a plossl. Don't think I am rubbishing them as I dont have any experience with them but you can get orthos or TV plosls for a hell of a lot less.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

right ok thats all well and good but you are still paying over 200 quid for what is effectively a plossl. Don't think I am rubbishing them as I dont have any experience with them but you can get orthos or TV plosls for a hell of a lot less.

yes you can but there are also plossls and orthos out there what will cost well over 200 quid a piece

For example: Clave plossls demand 300usd these days a piece and are considered The finest plossls out there. Then obviously Zeiss orthos ZAO1 and ZAO2 will be in the league of crazy prices,Pentax 0.965" orthos will go for 350usd a piece and the list goes on.

At the end,if there is a demand,there will be price and there are people out there who are willing to pay that price for sometimes very marginal increase of contrast or detail.

Interesting hobby isnt?

[bomberbaz]

yes you can but there are also plossls and orthos out there what will cost well over 200 quid a piece

For example: Clave plossls demand 300usd these days a piece and are considered The finest plossls out there. Then obviously Zeiss orthos ZAO1 and ZAO2 will be in the league of crazy prices,Pentax 0.965" orthos will go for 350usd a piece and the list goes on.

At the end,if there is a demand,there will be price and there are people out there who are willing to pay that price for sometimes very marginal increase of contrast or detail.

Interesting hobby isnt?

Cough cough, no idea what you mean dude #delos #pentax 

[rwilkey]

Glad that that one is cleared up!

Is it the ES or the MaxVision 82° that everyone is recommending???

Telescope house sent me an email earlier inviting me to buy the ES 30mm 82° Jfor nearly £300!!!! I wouldn't have to spend that much more for a Nagler!

Paul

Hi Paul, I got my ES82 30mm from Agena Astro in the US and it was much cheaper, even with import charges, about £210 in all, pretty good compared to TH. Also, it arrived within 8 days.

[bomberbaz]

the 24mm 82 degree is a 2" ep, not sure if that was cleared up.

[cutepetgroomer]

Well the Meade MAs that I have work well in my 70mm scope the 40 is a regular one where the 25mm is what I call super wide

[bomberbaz]

http://www.365astronomy.com/eyepieces-317mm-125-explore-scientific-eyepieces-c-4_25_453.html

It appears we have a good competitive source for ES/Maxivision ep's here. They are a little more expensive but I do know Zoltan from 365 is a very good fella to deal with, just saying.

steve