Another EP question

[jambouk]

We've had a scope donated to my society, a Vixen A80Mf, and an Orion Optics EQ-5 mount. We don't have any EPs for it. Can anyone recommend two EPs to go with it; it will become a loan scope and will potentially be lent out to the old and young. I have a diagonal with a mirror I can put into the "bundle". Ideally under £50 for the two EPs.

Thanks

James

[triton1]

How about a couple of Revelation plossls from telescope house they start at £22 each.Same as the GSO ones I think.

[damnut]

Hi James,

A couple of used bst's.. Should be a few on EMS. If its going in to EMS stock there are a couple of eps from me there too. Great scope for lending out too.

[triton1]

Maybe an 8mm and a 25mm?

[ronin]

Couple of plossl's say 10mm(ish) and 25mm(ish).

Check ABSUK but the problem of getting used is that you have to wait for whatever to appear and then you have to be the one that gets them. Have direct experience of waiting then not being the onethat gets there first. However there are usually a few eyepiece up for sale so no harm looking.

[jambouk]

Thanks all. It's for Nottingham Astronomical Society.

Is one 10mm plossl pretty much the same as the next one, irrespective of manufacturer. I seem to recall the stock plossls I got with my SW 127 Mak were pretty poor; upgrading them to Meade 4000s was a massive leap forwards.

Thanks.

James

[jetstream]

I can think of one for sure- my SW120ED came with 2 eyepieces, one good the other not so much. The 20mm "LET"(?) has been compared to many eyepieces and it shows well, I've seen people give them away... If we were closer I would give you this one- it is actually a good eyepiece.

[damnut]

James,

Has it got a 2" diag have a 28mm LER surplus.

Drop me a pm if you would like it.

[jambouk]

It will only take 1.25" kit; but offer much apprciated.

It looks like Argos do that 20mm EP Jetstream mentions, so i'll keep that on the back urner for a 20mm job, now just need something in the 10mm bracket.

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sky-Watcher-SkyWatcher-1-25-20mm-Long-Eye-Relief-Multi-Coated-Eyepiece-20581-/120922168018?nav=SEARCH

Thanks again all.

James

[Charic]

How about a couple of Revelation plossls from telescope house they start at £22 each.Same as the GSO ones I think.

.....or Astroboot £15 each.  And yes,  these are good eyepieces on a budget, they feel quality, look good, and have a nice sharp bright view.

[Andy Mitchell]

The 32mm GSO/Revelation Plossl is good value, works well, and is pleasent to use. I would imagine the same applies to the 25mm. The 10mm is likely to be optically good, but less pleasent to use. With the Plossl design your eyeball wants to be something like 2/3rds of the focal length away from the eyepiece. 6mm is getting rather close and rules out people who need/want to keep there specs on.

The suggested BST Starguiders do have long eye relief across the range and are pleasent to use, but do cost more. A longer focal length Plossl and a barlow might also be an option.

[John]

For a loan instrument I wonder if a low cost zoom lens might be worth considering ?.

I used one of the Seben 8-24mm zooms for an outreach event a while back and it was very popular with folks who had not used a scope before. They are low cost (about £35 ?) and quite robust, have a soft rubber eye cup and decent eye relief and the optical quality would be really quite useable in a long focal length scope like the Vixen refractor. The zoom range gives magnifications of 38x - 114x which should be enough to show what scopes can do.

[jambouk]

I like the idea of a zoom lens; can only find the 7-21mm for under £50 though.

JD
 

[John]

I like the idea of a zoom lens; can only find the 7-21mm for under £50 though.

JD

This Celestron branded 8-24mm zoom is basically the same item as the Seben and Skywatcher ones:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Celestron-1-25-8-24mm-Zoom-Eyepiece-for-Telescope-Sky-Watcher-High-Quality-UK-/171763399105?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

The 7-21mm zooms are not as good by quite a margin for some reason.