Zoom eyepiece on a 130/650 newtonian

[Jazzmatazz]

Hey guys,

Whats your opinion on zoom eyepieces and whats your recomendation for a 130/650 newtonian on a 100€ budget?

Thanks in advance!

[YKSE]

There're many zooms in the market, with variable qualities, many of them are just not up to the standard of fix focal length EPs, with exception of a few zoom.

Baader Mark III is THE zoom of the many stargazers, it's a little more expensive than your budget, I'd recommend that you save a little more, and a used Baader Zoom will be just over 100£.  I think it is better getting something you will keep using, than buying something just collecting dust after first light.

Good luck with your choice.

[bomberbaz]

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories.asp?p=0_10_5

A few on here to have a go at. If you use the search facility top left of this page you should find reviews for most of them.

The baader mentioned by YKSE is supposedly one of the better options although i haven't used one personally. But if the price tag is too high then the opticstar £99 version might be an optin and is under budget (by 1 whole pound  )

steve

[Farnsworth]

Hi,

it depends on what focal lengths you'd like to cover with the zoom eyepiece. I personally have a 5-8mm Speers Waler Zoom for higher magnifications with my 8 inch f/6 dobsonian. It's a great Zoom eyepiece with a constant appearent FOV of 84°. However, it weights almost 700g and might thus cause balancing issues on smaller scopes. Also you can only get it on the second hand marked and even there it mostly sells for 200€+.

CS

Yasin

[AndyWB]

Is this a Heritage 130p? Just it matches those numbers too, and if so, the weight of a lot of zooms might be a bit much for the plastic focusser thing. It'd be up to the likes of the Lunt 7-21 zoom eyepiece I've got (though never tried in the Heritage) - but the Hyperion Zoom is a much bigger (and better) beastie.

If it's not a Heritage 130p, please ignore this post!

[AndyWB]

Actually, this thread may be relevant at the moment (similar question): http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/231736-skywatcher-heritage-130p-heavier-eyepieces/ 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have a WO Zoom II (7.5-22.5mm). Good quality, and not too heavy. Bit sharper than the Lunt I feel, and clearly better eye relief. I have seen the same ones sold under the Robtics brand:

http://www.robtics.nl/product_info.php?cPath=28_53&products_id=1217&pID=1217&language=en

TS used to stock them as "Flatfield Zooms" but they no longer seem to have them. Astroshop.eu does have them under the Omegon brand

http://www.omegon.eu/omegon-7-5mm-22-5mm-zoom-eyepiece/p,33244

[Jazzmatazz]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!!

@ AndyWB its a AStromaster )))