Help about chossing a good Barlow 2x

[zartrix]

Hi,

My name is Rodrigo from Argentina and im a starter in watching the skies. I recently bought a Skywatcher 200/1000 newtonian reflector with NEQ5 Mount and Goto/Synscan. The telescope comes with two standard ploss eyepieces (10mm and 25mm). With a single speed 2" focuser and a 2x common barlow.

I want to buy a Baader Hyperion Mark-III Clickstop Zoom Eyepiece 8-24mm for having a lot of eyepieces in one... and i want to buy a good Barlow.

I read that the good barlows lens comes with ED, 3 or 4 elements, and needs to be apochromatic. I cannot find some of that specifications in the barlow descriptions so i need to ask for your help.

What is the barlow that you people recomend if i want to spend less than 200 dollars?

I found this ones... 

This one its specifically maid for the Mark III Zoom as i read but its a 2.25X. Its ok for my telescope???

Baader Planetarium Hyperion Zoom 2.25x Barlow Lens

This are the 2X BARLOWS that i founded for less than 200 dollars:

Zhumell Telescope 2 Inch 2x ED Barlow Lens with Compression Rings

GSO 2" 2x ED Barlow Lens

Celestron 2" Luminos Barlow Lens

Explore Scientific 2X Focal Extender - 2"

Tele Vue 2X BIG Barlow - 2"

What are you think? i search for barlow comparatives or reviews in this forum and in internet, but i cannot found good information.
Thanks in advance people!

[Joseki]

I can't say how it compares to other barlows but I had that baader zoom & 2.25 barlow combination for a while and they're very good together.  Given the focal length of your scope it will cover a wide range of useful magnifications.  

however, I found that I'm quite happy with a couple of fixed length eyepieces (plossl).

 I now have the Skywatcher 'deluxe' 2x barlow (cheapo) which is supposed to be rubbish but I don't have the experience to notice any problems (or have gotten lucky) and a GSO ED 3x barlow which is also significantly less than 200 dollars and seems okay but didn't have them when I had the Baader.

btw, I found this thread comparing barlows:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/62298-barlow-and-a-few-eyepiece-mini-reviews/

[zartrix]

I can't say how it compares to other barlows but I had that baader zoom & 2.25 barlow combination for a while and they're very good together.  Given the focal length of your scope it will cover a wide range of useful magnifications.  

however, I found that I'm quite happy with a couple of fixed length eyepieces (plossl).

 I now have the Skywatcher 'deluxe' 2x barlow (cheapo) which is supposed to be rubbish but I don't have the experience to notice any problems (or have gotten lucky) and a GSO ED 3x barlow which is also significantly less than 200 dollars and seems okay but didn't have them when I had the Baader.

btw, I found this thread comparing barlows:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/62298-barlow-and-a-few-eyepiece-mini-reviews/

Thanks for the information John.

I need to ask... for what reason you stop using the baader zoom and the 2.25x barlow??

Thanks for the review, i already read that but there´s no comment at all about this baader barlow and the baader zoom eyepiece.

[Joseki]

Cheers, well I only sold it because I needed the money.  There's been some good reviews around about the baader zoom eyepiece and the barlow is supposed to be designed to work well with the zoom, plus it depends on where you're buying it from but here in the UK I got mine from FLO http://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-hyperion-zoom-eyepiece.html who had a discount when buying both together.  If a Baader product says it's been optically matched to another one, there's a good chance it's true I guess.  I have read a few reports of zooms that have failed, which would be expensive, but I never had a problem with mine. 

The only thing I can really add about the barlow is that it needs to be screwed on to the zoom (which you can see from the photos).  It doesn't add much to the length of it which is good but the downside is it takes a little bit more time to take on and off but that's less of an issue I suppose when used with a zoom.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I rather like the Meade Series 5000 2x TeleXtender I have. This is more like a Tele-Vue PowerMate, and is now sold under the Bresser SA Barlow branding. Excellent for planetary imaging too.

[SnakeyJ]

The baader zoom barlow was my favoured and most used for imaging, until getting the TV bug! I screwed it into the tube of my original SW 2x for wider visual. It has performed much better than my 2.5x and 5x ED barlows and, with a range of extension tubes, allows you to vary the power.

Worth looking to see if anyone is offering a bundle price on the zoom and barlow - this saved £50 when I got mine.

[JB80]

I think out of that list the ES focal extender should be comparable to the Bresser SA that was mentioned above as they are at  least optically similar and made by JOC. So if it comes down to availability then the ES may be worth a shot.

If you have to order from the US I have also read positive stuff about Siebert(I think that is who).

[-Aldebaran-]

Wouldn't the barlow only give the equivalent of three extra focal lengths with the zoom? 4mm, 6mm, 10mm? The rest being incorporated in the zoom.

I thought I read somewhere that a barlow wasn't particularly necessary in combination with a zoom, I know many don't use them and opt for more fixed length eyepieces, but I've also read some good results from the combination.

[zartrix]

I continue reading about reviews... and find this afov about the baader zoom:

24mm = Afov 42°  20mm = Afov 49°  16mm = Afov 52°  12mm = Afov 58°  8mm = Afov 70°

And someone is selling a used Celestron Ultima 2x Barlow in my country... i read that this barlow is a good one... right?

[John]

The Celestron Ultima 2x is a good quality barlow lens. Japanese optics, very nice

[zartrix]

The Celestron Ultima 2x is a good quality barlow lens. Japanese optics, very nice

And between the celestron ultima and the celestron luminous barlow? the same 2x booth...

Wich one do you choose and why?

[John]

And between the celestron ultima and the celestron luminous barlow? the same 2x booth...

Wich one do you choose and why?

I have never used a Luminos barlow so I can't answer that one.

[jetstream]

My vote goes for the Baader barlow-  that zoom should work well in your telescope. I would also buy something like the 24mm ES 82 for a widefield- these 2 eyepieces (+zoom barlow) would serve you very well.

[YKSE]

My vote goes to the dedicated Baader barlow too, since it can be screwed to the zoom, and be used both in 2" or 1.25" focuser, as shown in Ibase's pictures here:

http://www.cloudynights.com/topic/495140-yet-another-baader-mk-iii-zoom-thread-initial-impressions/page-5

An ES 28mm 68 degree eyepiece (2") can be your low-power and finder eypiece, it weights about the same as the zoom, This two eyepiece+barlow combination covers all your observation needs.

[Joseki]

using any other barlow than the Baader one the total length of barlow + zoom is going to be quite a lot.  The zoom is pretty large on it's own.  

[Tonynexevo925]

I use the Baader zoom and Barlow. Also have the 36mm Baader aspheric with the 2" click lock diagonal.

Haven't used any other EPs since getting these - really easy to use and for a relative beginner in imaging they also allow me to connect my camera.

I'm sure there are better but these are great for now.

[zartrix]

i was reading a lot... and found that the afov of the zoom are not great... 

Various friends told me that it´s better to buy two eyepieces with more afov than the baader zoom... and that for example buy a good barlow like the celestron ultima ED.

What eyepieces do you recommend for my telescope and for deep space, not planetaria?? my money for this, maybe is 200 for each ocular... 

[Highburymark]

Hi Rodrigo,

There are always compromises with zooms - unless you're spending a lot of money for the best (and the general opinion is that the Leica asph zoom is the best - but it's about £650 in the UK or 800-900 dollars!) fixed eyepieces will produce better images. Also - as you said - the fov can be disappointing with zooms. But on the other hand, the Baader zoom is very popular, and produces excellent images for the price. I think the most important thing is to work out how you want to use your scope - and what sort of magnifications you will need for your target objects. If you want to cover every angle, get a zoom, but if you have specific targets, like high magnification views of moon, Jupiter etc, you might be better served buying 2 or 3 really good fixed EPs and maybe a Barlow.