TS Binoviewers eyepieces

[Timebandit]

Hello. As you may or may not know my knowledge on binoviewing is very limited. I am trying to get hold of a 18mm Baader genuine Ortho on the wanted page (if I can get hold of one)as one way forwards.i have also considered the televue route, but I am reluctant to double up my Televue plossel range into pairs(due to the considerable price of these plossel now unless member persons consider this a better way to binoviewing)

But i am also considering maybe going for something in the 20mm or 25mm in a lower cost plossl. I see a pair of skywatcher SP plossel can be picked up for around the 40 pound mark . So very reasonable. My understanding is with binoviewing you do not need such a high quality eyepieces to get good results ,so would something like the skywatcher SP be up to the job , or by using such an eyepiece would it be holding back the 120 apo and TS Binoviewers (as the optical chain is only as good as the weakest link) . Would the image be poorer for using lower price eyepieces such as these or maybe focus problems. I have never used these skywatcher SP so if anybody else has please advise. Or if there is another cheaper type plossl or Ortho that would provide quality results in binoviewing that you may wish to mention. Thanks Chaps and ladies.

[DRT]

I have a brand new set of 10mm and 25mm SW Plossls sitting in my shed. You are welcome to them to pair up with a second set to test it out for yourself

 

[DRT]

and these have just been posted on ABS UK: http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=115930

 

[DRT]

And these ar on there too...http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/propview.php?view=115756

 

[Dude_with_the_tube]

i think this has been already discussed numerous times in eye piece forum,but never mind

You DO NOT need expensive multiple lens eye pieces for binoviewing unless your wallet is bursting.

Simple ortho,plossl,kellner,erlfe will work perfectly fine.

Also note that you will not need that high magnifications with binoviewers as you are used to have in mono mode.To start off,i would suggest to get a pair of  25mm and a pair of 15mm.I dont know if you can get a native focus with your set up or you will need barlow as that will also affect magnification,but still that pair of 25 and 15 should be sufficient to get you started and to get the feel if you like it or not.

What to get? Well, BGO orthos will be quite difficult to find,as such if you fancy ortho i would try to find Circle T 25mm one,they are often on ebay for peanuts,and being a vulcano top will suit binoviewer perfectly. there are no 15mm orthos,as such it will have to be a plossl of some sort.GSO,Revelation,Celestron will do for starters.Even BST starguiders in 25mm and in 15mm will do the trick.They are cheap,but will do the trick in binoviewer.

Obviously you can try and source some quality plossls like Celestron Ultima,Televue etc,but i would suggest to do it later if you find that binoviewing is your cup of tea.

Good luck and clear skies

[Mak the Night]

You should be able to pick up a pair of relatively inexpensive Sky-Watcher MA (reversed Kellner) eyepieces up pretty easily on Amazon and other places. They are light and wide angled with smooth draw tubes.

[Louis D]

I actually prefer 32mm plossls over 26mm plossls for binoviewing nebula because they concentrate the image into a smaller, brighter image.  They vignette like crazy, but I'm only looking in the center anyway.  I tend to use some 19mm Konig eyepieces that appear to have come from binoculars when not using the 32mm plossls.  I just add barlows to increase magnification.

If you are using a 2x nosepiece (or something similar), you're increasing your f-ratio, so you don't need fancy eyepiece designs to get good images.  You also don't need widefields because the moment you try to look off-axis, you lose one or both views.  You also may not be able to get your nose between the eyepieces.  I ran into this with the 17mm AstroTech AF70 eyepieces.

[cdd2455]

For a while I had the TS Binoviewer and used pairs of Meade  26mm and 15mm SP's.

The Meade SP's have the advantage of a smooth barrel so are easy to seat in the binoviewer and the 26mm has the further advantage that it's eye lens is quite deeply recessed if you replace the standard rubber eyeguard with winged eyeguard's they work very well indeed.

Best Regards

Carl

 

[nicoscy]

No need for BGOs. There are many brands of Orthos - my favorites being Kokusai Kohki Orthos. However, for a much wider FOV at a much cheaper price, the infamous Celestron Vites (23mm and 10mm), make excellent binoviewer eyepieces. 

They are truly excellent for the money. If you feel up to doing some reading, go ahead.

Currently not available on Amazon, but you can get them easily on eBay. Also, they are very light and given that a binoviewer (I have the same one) runs almost 600 grams, lightweight eyepieces make it easier to balance your setup.