New Explore Scientific 2x Focal Extender

[F15Rules]

I'd love to try/buy the new Vixen HR 2.4mm ultra high power eyepiece, but funds won't reach that far at the moment.

So I've been considering a decent Barlow or Focal extender instead and after much reading up of reviews)/comparisons, and an abortive attempt to buy a used Baader Hyperion 2.25x Barlow, I decided to plump for the ES 2x Focal Extender for the following reasons:

* Good price new £68.95 ( and delivered by FLO within 18 hours!!)

* I have 2 ES EPs already and rate them very highly

* Great reviews and excellent build quality - robust enough to hold heavy 1.25" eyepieces

* Unlike a Barlow (which increases eye relief), the Focal extender maintains it and so can be used with longer focal length eyepieces whilst maintaining viewing comfort.

It is a very chunky, solid unit which feels great in the hand, and comes with ES trademark very high quality packaging.

It was cloudy last night to I've been limited so far to daylight testing, which was very encouraging..Putting my Pentax XL 5.2mm eyepiece in gave an effective 2.6mm eyepiece and x306 or so magnification (in my F795mm Vixen ED103s refractor).. That's pretty close to what the Vixen HR 2.4mm would deliver, so it will be interesting to see what night sky views are like with this combination.

In my 80mm F15 achromat (which eats magnification on double stars) the ES, when used with my 7mm Celestron Xcel LX, will deliver c x343, so that will be a good test as well.

I'll report back following first proper light:-)

Dave

[jsmoraes]

I have one and I like very much. The quality of image is very good without spherical distortions.
Unlike a barlow, if you change the position you don't have changing in its "amplification". Therefore, use of extension will not change the image size.

[Fozzie]

I've had one of these for a year or so, nothing but high praise for it, I bought mine SH before they were available in the uk for more than the new price now, still a great piece of kit even at the price I paid.

youll enjoy using that Dave, very much so.

looking forward to the report.

ta

fozzie

[John]

I was loaned one of those to try out a couple of years ago. It worked really well. Very similar to a Powermate in the way that it works and performs

[YKSE]

7 hours ago, jsmoraes said:

I have one and I like very much. The quality of image is very good without spherical distortions.

Would you like to explain what do you mean "without spherical distortions"? What is it? What do you compare the focal extender to? How do you measure it?