Baader Genuine Ortho (high power matched pairs)

[Timebandit]

 

Further to my binoviewing experience, to which I am enjoying and is an added bonus to Cyclops . I have found binoviewing a more relaxed and a different type of view to Cyclops (it is compared to something like 3d views). Therefore as my binoviewing experience has been positive and productive IMO, I have been trying to gain a suitable number of matching pairs to cover what I think I will need for both lunar and planetary. I have got some Baader Genuine Ortho as singles already and therefore considered this a cost effective way forwards. The Baader Genuine Ortho IMO are one of the best Orthos around. Obviously you can get into the ZAO territory but the cost implications are vast ,and through a decent quality set of binoviewers I am not sure you will see the benefits unless you use the ZAO in something like top first class extremely expensive Binoviewers matched to a extremely top notch refractor also. So IMO the BGO will produce extremely sharp and contrasty views, and at a sensible price. I have with a bit of searching and patience and the help of another amateur star gazer managed to get hold of another 6mm BGO. As these eyepieces are getting very difficult to purchase nowerdays I must say I am very happy that I have managed to pair up my existing eyepiece. From my initial opening the package this eyepiece does seem in very good/mint condition which is always nice to see with a second hand purchase. The eyepiece comes with its original box and cap, but unfortunately one of the caps is a replacement rather than an original BGO design. But all in all very pleased with the overall condition. I have also managed to have a quick look at barrel  size as there does seem to be occasions that different production batch runs had differences on them. But from what I can see everything seems to be size matched. So a great eyepiece has turned into a great matching pair of 6mm. The main use will be in a high power straight through binoviewing set up to which a 6mm in our seeing/atmospheric conditions is probably approaching the most useful high power set up that can be used on a frequent basis. I will also try these in the diagonal with the 1.8 barlow to allow focus to be reached. I suspect this set up will take these 6mm down to the equivalent of around 3mm so these may or may not be a eyepiece that will produce high quality views at that sort of magnification. But on a good clear night it may be possible to use this type of magnification on lunar. I will have to try and see. 

 

My newly acquired Baader Genuine Orth 6mm matched pairs. I hope you approve ☺

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[spaceboy]

Fingers crossed they are matched pairs mate. I know Moonshane recently attempted to use 2 18mm BGO only to find one had a totally different focal point to the other. Great eyepieces if they do work in tandem

[Moonshane]

I think that was Stu mate

I am sure they will be fine. Nothing is generally insurmountable when it comes to kit.  I got impatient and wanted an18mm pair soonest plus bcos focus further out which was key to my setup.

[Moonshane]

Congrats they look peachy!

[John]

They look nice !

It's getting hard to find nice BGO's now.

[spaceboy]

11 hours ago, Moonshane said:

I think that was Stu mate

I am sure they will be fine. Nothing is generally insurmountable when it comes to kit.  I got impatient and wanted an18mm pair soonest plus bcos focus further out which was key to my setup.

I still think BGO's are the best ortho. Performance of the astro hutech and Fujiyama are pretty much near identical (possible clones ?) but they just don't stand out like the Baader with it's green and black livery. Sadly on some the green paint on the band tends to come loose and starts falling off.

[Dave In Vermont]

This piece on University Optics in the US will answer the question regards who makes the Fujiyama. I found it rather interesting:

http://www.universityoptics.com/125inch.html#HD

I never met an Orthoscopic I didn't like,

Dave

[Timebandit]

13 hours ago, Moonshane said:

Congrats they look peachy!

 

10 hours ago, John said:

They look nice !

It's getting hard to find nice BGO's now.

 

1 hour ago, spaceboy said:

I still think BGO's are the best ortho. Performance of the astro hutech and Fujiyama are pretty much near identical (possible clones ?) but they just don't stand out like the Baader with it's green and black livery. Sadly on some the green paint on the band tends to come loose and starts falling off.

 

1 hour ago, Dave In Vermont said:

This piece on University Optics in the US will answer the question regards who makes the Fujiyama. I found it rather interesting:

http://www.universityoptics.com/125inch.html#HD

I never met an Orthoscopic I didn't like,

Dave

 

Yes I really do like the Baader Genuine Ortho. And IMO they are probably the best Ortho I have used to date in the magnification I have tried (never looked through a ZAO or TMB supermono to which my understanding are probably the best sharpest eyepieces around for detailed planetary  and lunar observing but at a very high cost now) .

And any newbie reading this post and wanting a eyepiece that will deliver sharp views at much lower expense of the wide angle and good eye relief eyepieces on the market costing sometimes double or triple the cost. Then a high quality  Ortho IMO is the best bang for buck eyepiece out there for high quality views(and even though the BGO are no longer made there are the likes of Fujiyama still in production). Obviously the Ortho is limited with eye relief , especially high magnification ones(but some barlow lower power Orthos  to get over this and therefore can get sensible eye relief at high power)   and the fov at below 50d is not to everyone's taste. But sharp detail and good cost are where a good Ortho can stand out. Well worth a few Orthos in the eyepiece case IMO

 

[John]

I owned a 5mm TMB Supermono for a while. On the best nights (I think I recorded 2 out of 8 sessions) there were subtle differences between it's performance and orthos such as the Baader GO, Fujuyama, UO HD etc. They take the form of slightly less light scatter and the most subtle planetary features being just a tad more distinct.

On more average nights these differences became impossible for me to spot !.

On balance I felt that the ~30 degree AFoV of the Supermono was really a chore with my undriven, alt-az mounts so I decided to sell it on and I don't regret it. The outright optical performance was slighty better though but that's not always the be all and end of of eyepieces for me. Comfort comes into the equation now, more than perhaps it used to, - must be a sign of old age !

I did use a Zeiss ZAO 6mm for a very brief session a few years back but I can't recall much about it - I think the seeing was rather "so so" that night so a cheap 6mm plossl would probably have done as well !