BST Wide Angle eye pieces

[Warped Drive]

I was just browsing " Skys the Limit " on ebay I am thinking of getting the 18mm BST Starguider ED  to add to my 5mm and I see they now have or maybe they have had them all along and I didn't notice, a BST Wide Angle series in a 25mm, 20mm, 9mm, 3.2mm and 2.5mm 58deg ( the Starguider claims to be 60 deg ) Has anyone any experience of them , they about €20 less than the Gtarguider range except for the 2.5mm which is dearer would the 25mm or the 9mm be worth a punt as a replacement for the eye pieces that came with the Heritage 130p. 

[rwilkey]

Hi Warped Drive, the 18mm Starguider is a great ep, possibly the best in the range, however, they are all good and well worth the money.  You don't need the high mags (2.5mm or 3.2mm!)  If the other ep's are €20 less then the quality will not be so good, basically you get what you pay for, I think.

[Warped Drive]

Very true , I was going for the 18mm Starguider as the replacement for the 25 mm MA that came with the scope as I was thinking it would give me a similar FOV with it's superior optics with a bit more mag ( I realise the FOV part may not be correct) and because the 25mm doesn't seem to get as good a review as the rest.

As a replacement for the 10mm MA should I go for the 8mm or the 12mm?

[wookie1965]

I bought the 18mm and 8mm first the 8mm gives fantastic views of Planets. I Have now bought the 5mm,12mm,15,and the 25mm which i found to be a great eyepiece.

[inedible_hulk]

I don't understand why people don't like the 25mm, it's my second favourite of the four (5,8,15,25) I own.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[alro]

I have 8, 12, 15, 18 , they work real good for me, the 18 is also my favourite, i will add 25mm and 5mm to my herd.

al

[ronin]

For some reason the 25mm was once rererred to as the "worst" of the bunch.

So it stuck, somewhat unfairly, as there are 6 of them and when a person reviews something like this they feel they have to pick a "best" and a "worst".

In review I read that it was referred to as the "worst" did not if I recall actually try them all, I am 100% sure the 5mm was not included in it at the time.

The whole lot are good, the 25mm included, you can get better, however I suspect that better means something like twice the cost, or more. Try the new TV Delites when they eventually appear. They will be better, except 1 Delite will cost 5 BST's.

BST's are not high cost high end eyepieces, they are very good budget/mid-range ones that perform better then many others.

And Inedible_hulk, stop hesitating, go buy the other 2. You DO need the 12mm and the 18mm believe me, you will not sleep peacefully until you do. :grin:

[Warped Drive]

Right as I have the 5mm and the 25mm MA is probably the better of the two original ep's that came with the scope, I should get the 12mm first then the 18mm and then the 25mm. What would you recommend for the Heritage 130p as a main set of ep's: ( 25mm, 12mm , 5mm) or (18mm, 8mm, 5mm.) or (18mm, 12mm, 5mm) I could fill the gaps later when I get a bigger scope.

[alro]

Based on 25mm with a fov of 60, that would potentially show you same amount of sky as a 32mm with fov at 52 but bigger,

i would maybe go with 25mm 15mm and 5mm or 8mm, with x2 barlow guving you 25mm 15mm 12.5mm 7.5mm and 5mm 2.5mm

that being said 18 is my favourite. 5mm barlowed may be to much mag, im not sure

al

[rwilkey]

Hi Ronin, it was the Cloudy Nights review that sparked the criticism of the 25mm, completely unfairly as this was picked up by many and the label stuck, but nothing wrong with the 25mm.

[ronl]

The BST wide angle eyepieces are for planetary observing, and the Starguiders are

for general and planetary use, I have a couple of the wide angle but I prefer to use the

Starguiders, which are more comfortable to use, due to the twist up eye cup, the wide

angle don't have this function, and the Starguiders are well worth the extra few pounds,

or in your case euro's,the range of Starguiders are all good for me, from the views and

the comfort, and not forgetting great value.

[Warped Drive]

Yes I do love the look and the feel of the Starguider , chunky and solid, and most important the image it produces is superb. So I suppose it will eventually be the whole range.

( Ah bankruptcy my old friend! I've come to be with you again)

[kalasinman]

I have a BST 27mm. Twist up eye cup, but not Starguider. I like it very much, as long as I take off my glasses the views are great.

[Saganite]

+1 for the 18mm BST, wish I had kept it.

[alro]

Yes I do love the look and the feel of the Starguider , chunky and recommendd most important the image it produces is superb. So I suppose it will eventually be the whole range.

( Ah bankruptcy my old friend! I've come to be with you again)

yes, they are a solid piece of kit, if you accidentally drop one they look as if they will bounce right back into your hand! i dont recommend trying that though!

Most importantly imo the views are stunning and i find really comfortable.

Al