32mm plossl

[Joe12345]

I'm getting tired of having to change between 1.25" eyepieces and my 28mm maxvision so I'm looking for a 30 - 32mm plossl to replace it. I've had a look around and found the main options:

vixen npl

antares

celestron omni

revelation

televue plossl

I really like my vixen slvs with their twist up eyecups so the npl would be the obvious option, although if another cheaper one gives better views, I'm open to suggestions.

I don't really have a budget in mind as I'm not planning to buy it straight away.

[John]

What scope are you using the eyepiece in ?

In a fast scope such as F/6 or faster I'd go for the Tele Vue because they are designed and tested to work well in faster scopes. If the scope is something like an F/10 SCT or refractor then the eyepieces you list will all work pretty well.

I rather liked the twist up eye cup of the Vixen 30mm NPL (though the SLV's one is even better) and it compared pretty well with the optical performence of the Tele Vue 32mm plossl when I compared them although the Tele Vue eyepiece was a little better corrected at the field edges in my F/5.3 dobsonian.

 

[Joe12345]

Thanks,

How much better is the tv? It will be used in f5 and f6 scopes but I don't really mind about the edges too much. If there's very little difference I don't want to spend an extra £60.

[bomberbaz]

I have a 25MM npl and its a little cracker. Doesn't get a lot of use but wwhen it does it never fails to perform.

Steve

[Mr Fiery Jack]

The TeleVue 32mm plossl is one of the best eyepieces I ever owned, and I have a owned a few (Mostly TeleVue) I would have to buy another imminently should anything happen to mine. 

[Mak the Night]

The TeleVue 32mm Plossl is superb; everything from the build quality to the generous eye lens size. I can't recommend it enough. 

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=51&Tab=EP_EPL-32.0

[John]

While I loved the TV 32mm plossl (I think I've owned 4 over the years !) I found that I needed an eyecup extender when using it to get my eye to the correct position. The standard TV eye cup isn't quite tall enough to match the eye relief.

 

 

[Mak the Night]

I'm OK with the 32mm TV Plossl's 22mm eye relief, it's actually about the same as my 25mm Hutech orthoscopics. I definitely need the eyeguard extender with the 40mm TV Plossl though!

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=158

[John]

4 minutes ago, Mak the Night said:

I'm OK with the 32mm TV Plossl's 22mm eye relief, it's actually about the same as my 25mm Hutech orthoscopics. I definitely need the eyeguard extender with the 40mm TV Plossl though!

http://www.televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=158

When I tried the Hutech 25mm ortho the big downside of the eyepiece for me was that the eye relief caused me to have to "hover" my eye above the top of the eyepiece which meant having to keep my head very steady and also allowed stray light to get onto the top of the eyepiece and the eye lens causing unwanted reflections and reducing contrast.

Here is the report I posted at the time:

 

 

 

 

[Mak the Night]

5 minutes ago, John said:

When I tried the Hutech 25mm ortho the big downside of the eyepiece for me was that the eye relief caused me to have to "hover" my eye above the top of the eyepiece which meant having to keep my head very steady and also allowed stray light to get onto the top of the eyepiece and the eye lens causing unwanted reflections and reducing contrast.

Here is the report I posted at the time:

 

 

 

 

Thanks John, that's a very informative report. Yes, the long eye relief can take some adjusting to. I suppose it's a bit swings and roundabouts with long focal length ortho's. I haven't noticed any astigmatism yet but I'm using a relatively slow scope. 

[Joe12345]

4 hours ago, bomberbaz said:

I have a 25MM npl and its a little cracker. Doesn't get a lot of use but wwhen it does it never fails to perform.

Steve

Thanks - at least someone isn't pushing me to get the top of the range eyepiece!

How does the antares ep perform at f5?There are a couple on ABS and I was thinking of getting one for a while before upgrading.

[bomberbaz]

No idea about antares. As John said above the npl was not a million miles behind the tv plossl. At £49 you wont regretthe purchase. http://www.firstlightoptics.com/vixen-eyepieces/vixen-npl-eyepieces.html

[The Flinty Fox]

Of the eyepieces listed I have only tried the Celestron Omni. In my 150p F5 it's not bad,  but one does get the sense it's being pushed a bit, but definitely better than the supplied eyepieces. In the WO at F6.8 it's better quite nice in fact and gives some nice views, I quite like it it that. I have come to the conclusion though that the FOV isn't quite 50 I would say a bit less. Over all good.

 

My two penny's

Paul

 

[Mak the Night]

1 hour ago, The Flinty Fox said:

 I have come to the conclusion though that the FOV isn't quite 50 I would say a bit less.

 

It's interesting you say that. Celestron normally claim 52° for their Plossl range yet only claim 50° for the 32mm Omni. I have a Celestron 32mm Plossl and it does indeed seem to have a very slightly smaller FOV than my 32mm TeleVue Plossl.

http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/visual-accessories/eyepieces/omni-series-125-in-32mm

[John]

The TV 32mm plossl has a 50 degree AFoV so I guess that puts the Omni at around 48 degrees ?

 

[Mak the Night]

52 minutes ago, John said:

The TV 32mm plossl has a 50 degree AFoV so I guess that puts the Omni at around 48 degrees ?

 

Well, this is my 32mm Celestron Plossl:

I'm guessing it's the same as the Omni. The eye lens is smaller than the TeleVue's, so that could be a factor in perception. But it does seem to me to have a very slightly smaller FOV. So it could very well be 48°.

[Joe12345]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll wait for the tv - great, another expensive eyepiece on the list!

[cloudsweeper]

My 32mm Revelation is my ‘resident‘ EP. Maybe not top of the range but I like it. And the Omni is similar and also a handsome item!

Doug.

[The Flinty Fox]

9 hours ago, Mak the Night said:

 

http://www.celestron.com/browse-shop/astronomy/visual-accessories/eyepieces/omni-series-125-in-32mm

That's my one. It definitely has a smaller afov than the 18mm baader classic ortho that I have.

Paul

[Mak the Night]

6 hours ago, Joe12345 said:

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll wait for the tv - great, another expensive eyepiece on the list!

The Celestron is a nice Plossl, but the TeleVue 32mm really is superb. It is probably my favourite low power eyepiece.

[Mak the Night]

5 hours ago, The Flinty Fox said:

That's my one. It definitely has a smaller afov than the 18mm baader classic ortho that I have.

Paul

I'm getting an 18mm BCO soon so it will interesting to compare. I attributed the lower FOV to some perceptual difference compared with the TeleVue 32mm as the TV has a large and immersive eye lens. I often wonder about the veracity of Celestron's eyepiece specification claims though lol. I still like my Celestron 32mm and it often sees use as a spotter EP when I have my bino gear out. I like to get an object in frame before the binoviewer is placed into the diagonal.

[Dave In Vermont]

I just acquired a new 32mm and a 38mm 70° SWA from University Optics in Michigan, USA. I wouldn't suggest packing these away in your carry-on luggage for a plane-flight. Shown next to a standard coffee-cup for scale.

My thunder!

Dave

 

[Mak the Night]

8 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

I just acquired a new 32mm and a 38mm 70° SWA from University Optics in Michigan, USA. I wouldn't suggest packing these away in your carry-on luggage for a plane-flight. Shown next to a standard coffee-cup for scale.

My thunder!

Dave

 

Wow, they're big Dave. I doubt they'd fit my bino lol.

[Dave In Vermont]

Yeah - I keep hearing the line from Crocodile Dundee in my head whenever I look at them: "That's not an eyepiece. THIS is an eyepiece!"

Dave

[John]

We have those over here as well:

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Telescopes-Ascension.asp?p=0_10_5_1_1_5

I had the 38mm when I had a Celestron C8 and it was pretty good at F/10. Not so good at F/6.5 but for those prices you would expect some astigmatism as the focal ratio gets faster. University Optics seem to think that they are still sharp at F/4.5 !