Planetary eyepiece

[flanker]

Hey folks

I'm looking for a bunch of planetary eyepieces to start some serious planetary observation. I have a 4.7 inch achromat. I'm stuck between the following options:

1. Orion edge on

2. Celestron x cell xl

3. Baader classic orthoscopic

4. University Optics HD orthoscopic

5. Stellarvue planetaries

Can you help me remove a few of these from my options?!

[John]

Do you like and / or need long eye relief or do you wear glasses when observing ?

If the answer is "yes" to any of these then the orthoscopics will not suit.

[flanker]

Yes I do wear eyeglasses.. so the orthoscopics are out. Help me choose amongst the other three!

Also, looks like Televue Radians are out of the market. Is there anything else in the Televue stable which does better than these things for planets?

[jetstream]

Some respected member say that Vixen SLV's are very good and with nice eye relief.

[rwilkey]

Hi there, the Orion Edge On eyepieces will work well in my opinion, they have good eye-relief (20mm) which is what you need, I would suggest the 6mm for best view of the planets, or 9mm for a more varied 'use' eyepiece.  I have not tried a wide range of TeleVue ep's, but many have short eye-relief, I believe this is true of the Naglers, perhaps John could chip in here please?

[flanker]

Okay! I'm expecting it to be better than Celestron or Orion. Please correct me if I'm wrong. And, is Vixen stuff still made in Japan?

[flanker]

Okay. My existing collection of EPs: 4mm Plossl, 15mm 70 degree Moonfish, 26mm skywatcher LE 2" and a 32mm Celestron Plossl. The 4mm looks like a pinhole to look through and I never found it comfortable.

[John]

Okay! I'm expecting it to be better than Celestron or Orion. Please correct me if I'm wrong. And, is Vixen stuff still made in Japan?

The Vixen SLV eyepieces are not made in Japan but are still exellent and comfortable eyepieces with lots of eye relief and views which rival orthoscopics.

If the TV Radians are not an option the newer Delos would be excellent but they are costly as are Pentax XW's which are in the same league.

If you wear glasses to observe I'm surprised you find the 4mm plossl useable at all as it's eye relief will be tiny.

[flanker]

So, help me choose between TV Delos, Pentax XWs and Vixen SLV! Price isn't an issue. Saved enough to make a buy of a lifetime

I found the 4mm Plossl usable, much to my surprise! Jupiter crosses the field of view in seconds and I need to constantly keep the scope moving.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

Nagler type 4 was made for glass warers in mind and had longer relief.

As for what to choose,well,I will pass on that.read the reviews,there are plenty of them available and make your own mind up as at the end you will be the one using them.

[ghostdance]

I've never owned/used a Delos, Pentax or SLV, but your 'buy of a lifetime' comment sounds like you're in the right area with the above and wouldn't make a wrong step with any of them. I agree with the Dude, think it's review-reading time

[nightfisher]

Hi flanker, what is the 4.7 inch scope, what is the focal length as this has a bearing on the eyepiece used, i would be tempted to go with the SLV

[scarp15]

Televue Delos do seem to come up second hand fairly frequently. I have the 10mm and have recently purchased from a member on here a 6mm. The 10mm I have used in a variety of scopes and is quite stunning as a planetary ocular and excels on galaxies to. Due in part to the eye relief and also eye placement, it is the most comfortable to use / observe with eyepiece I have owned (even more than my former 35mm Panoptic).

[Damo636]

Price isn't an issue. Saved enough to make a buy of a lifetime

With this statement in mind & meaning no disrespect to the equipment in your signature, for "serious" planetary observation, I'd look into adding a more specialised scope first. A nice 5" apo refractor or 6" reflector with excellent opics for example?

[John]

With this statement in mind & meaning no disrespect to the equipment in your signature, for "serious" planetary observation, I'd look into adding a more specialised scope first. A nice 5" apo refractor or 6" reflector with excellent opics for example?

I think Damo makes a good point. A decent investment in a scope upgrade would bring many more performance gains than even the best eyepieces.

[flanker]

I have recently got a 4.7" achromat with a Baader Contrast Booster. Didn't get the time to update the signature!

[flanker]

It's a f9 scope. Not too much CA and a bit gentle on eyepieces.

[Dude_with_the_tube]

120mm F9 refractor will do very fine for planetary observations.

You,as a glass wearer need a long eye relief eye pieces so the candidates are:

Vixen SLV,Televue Nagler Type 4, Televue Delos and Pentax older model XL or newer model XW. these are all sort of premium quality EP`s and will serve you well.

Good luck with whatever you get.Just remember there are second hand markets where you could pick them up cheaper,but might need to wait a bit.

[flanker]

Okay. Thanks!

[flanker]

One quick doubt. Why is the Vixen SLV priced way lower than the others?

[Pig]

That is a good question,,,,,,,,,, because it certainly isn't because the SLV's are inferior to look through  

Labour, the quantities produced, materials and brand are the usual factors of costs

[flanker]

How would Stellarvue planetary eyepieces rank? Do they come under the same league?

[John]

I believe the Stellarvue Planetary eyepieces are quite probably the same as these:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p3582_Astro-Professional-LE-Okular-6-mm-Brennweite---55--Feld---1-25-.html

http://www.altairastro.com/product.php?productid=16767&cat=0&page=1

http://www.365astronomy.com/5mm-SPLER-Super-Planetary-Long-Eye-Relief-Eyepiece.html

And possibly very similar to the William Optics SPL's too.

I can vouch for the quality of the Vixen SLV's though. I have 3 on long term loan at the moment and they have matched anything I've compared them with in terms of image quality, including Tele Vue Ethos and Delos, Pantax XW's and Baader Genuine Orthos which are a sort of benchmark planetary eyepiece.

Vixen have a long pedigree of producing quality optics.

[Roy Challen]

I would have thought that if a 4mm plossl is usable for you then longer focal lengths should also be ok (thinking of Televue plossls here), and so should orthos

[flanker]

Another query. How would any of these planetary eyepieces compare against a Powermate and a long FL Plossl? I'm guessing that I'll get the same eye relief and I can get a bigger bunch of eyepieces for the same price.

I know that the Plossl design excels at 20mm FL or more and that a Powermate is a thing which does absolutely nothing apart from giving a magnification factor (unlike a Barlow).