Binoviewing with Pentax XP 6.5mm - 19.5mm zooms

[Mark at Beaufort]

Several months ago I bought this zoom which I have to say is very good. I have used it with my 4" Astro Tech APO and Skywatcher 180mm Mak/Cass for Lunar/Planetary and Double Stars.

Because the zoom is not large I wondered how good it would be for binoviewing. I have been using binoviewers for some time mainly with 25mm and 15mm plossls.and have been very pleased with the result. However, because my binoviewers have a twist cup to tighten the EPs it can be a bit frustrating switching EPs in the dark.

Well I have bought a second Pentax zoom and was able to view the Sun this morning through the Lunt Herschel Wedge and Continuum filter on my 4" APO. Well the view was excellent and the contrast was better than the plossls. I viewed in detail sunspot 2209 and zoomed in for a closer look - excellent.

Now I am waiting to view Jupiter with the Mak/Cass

[YKSE]

Sounds great ! Mark  Binoviewing is fun

[101nut]

I use a Leica ASPH zoom for solar viewing and love it - both with the Ha (Coronado Solarmax) and a white light (ED80, Baader Herschel Wedge with continuum). 

I was curious about the practicalities using zooms in a binoviewer ... is it simply a case of getting into the routine of setting the focal length of one eyepiece, tweaking focus then setting the other?

AndyG