collimation eyepieces

[spillage]

Hi,

Just wondered if it makes any real difference to which eyepieces are used during collimation as there seems to be a huge price range. Are the £15 ones on ebay from china any different than a £40 one.

Has anyone used a cheap one?

I have a c6-n and know this needs collimation to be done well.

cheers

spill.

[Knighty2112]

I got one from Seben for £20. Only issue I had when I got it was the battery was flat, so had to get a new one, otherwise worked OK. No collimation was required of the laser. 

[spillage]

okay thanks knighty2112.

I was looking a getting a none laser one as I have read that the laser can also need collimation and as I am new to all this its just one extra thing to sort out.

Below is £65

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Celestron-Collimation-Eyepiece-1-25-Inch-94182-/281900789790?hash=item41a298b01e:g:s3oAAOSwHaBWijLm

and this is only £15

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Telescope-Cheshire-Collimation-Eyepiece-Scopes-1-25-for-Newtonians-Full-metal-/111904654299?hash=item1a0e0983db:g:wFEAAOSwEeFU~6O~

I know the £15 one is a cheap chinese one but am I only paying for brand or will the cheap one really be a waste of money?

[Ricochet]

Generally speaking ebay is not the place to be looking for new astro equipment. Have a look at the FLO Cheshires. The one they are selling for £26 is the same as the one you're looking at on ebay for £65. I've got the more expensive red Cheshire and can vouch for the build quality and accuracy. 

[laudropb]

I use the Premimum Cheshire as supplied by FLO costing £36 and have found it to be very reliable.

[Timebandit]

Hello spillage and welcome to SGL. As a newby you can often get caught up in the gadget culture instead of getting the basics first.   If it was me I would get a collimation cap/eyepiece and try this first. It can be made out of a 35mm old camera film cap and drill a hole dead centre of about 1mm (cost basically nothing) . Try this and see how you get on with collimation. You can always do a star test to double check collimation. You could then put the money you have saved to a decent eyepiece (I am sure as a newby you have your eye on something? we all do). If your not happy with the above suggestion and don't like the collimation cap/star test method then it has not cost you nothing to try this, but if you are happy you could have a new eyepiece in your collection case instead. My 2 pence worth but I hope it helps☺

[spillage]

cheers all and thanks for the info Timebandit. After reading Astro_Babys guide I assumed that you need a cheshire to complete the collimation and did not realize you just use the cap for all of it.

[John]

I think they are both the same unit made in the same place (China). You tend to pay quite a bit more to buy with a branding on something and from the UK. The one that is being sent from China will take quite a while to arrive and you might need to pay a little import duty on it which will push the price up a bit.

 

[Danny83uk]

9 hours ago, laudropb said:

I use the Premimum Cheshire as supplied by FLO costing £36 and have found it to be very reliable.

What, if i may ask is the difference between the 'premium' and the other?

[laudropb]

I have not used the other but I have seen many comments that it is of better build quality. I do not know if it is better regarding Collimation.

[Danny83uk]

30 minutes ago, laudropb said:

I have not used the other but I have seen many comments that it is of better build quality. I do not know if it is better regarding Collimation.

Okay, Thanks for replying