Eyepiece mix

[Scott Brown]

Looking for a wee bit more advice on an eyepiece range. I had read comments on here about the Baader Hyperion range not really being suitable for a F6 scope but after trying one and liking it I decided to buy a couple and should have them soon. Here is my set up of EPs' 

I have a SW 200p Dob ( 1200 ) F6

5mm Baader Hyperion

7mm x-cel LX 

10mm stock

13mm Badder Hyperion

25mm Wide Angle stock 

I also have the 2 fine tuning rings from Baader Hyperion to add range.

I was thinking of getting the 21mm Baader Hyperion to finish my set/range as the tuning rings would fill in the gaps that I think I want/need or would it be better to get something else. I'm sure all you experienced guys can see where I want to go with the range so I just want your opinions/advice because as a newbie I may be looking at this all wrong. BTW I wear glasses but didn't really need them on my 10mm stock but after a while I was seeing floaters in my eyes.  Again many thanks in advance for your help....... Scott 

[furrysocks2]

That didn't take you long...

[Scott Brown]

7 minutes ago, furrysocks2 said:

That didn't take you long...

I know furrysocks lol.... So much for taking my time, but I see the eyepieces as an easy win because if they don't suit then you can sell them on quite easily. I just want to know if I'm on the right track......

[ronin]

I would have said consider swapping out the 2 supplied items, you could go with the X-Cel LX's at 9mm and 25mm.

The Hyperons tend to prefer slower scopes but the comparison is often made at f/5 and from memory their "limit" is about f/6 so not a lot slower. The one concern is the 5mm Hyperon. Again eyepieces in general are usually reasonable until you get to the 5mm and then they start needing to be good - suspect it is the curvatures of the objective and eyepiece fighting each other, and some to get 5mm use a barlow arrangement.

Never been sure about the tuning rings. Prefer to have an eyepiece made to perform at one focal length, always have the feeling that compromises are made to get them to do more then one.

[Scott Brown]

21 minutes ago, ronin said:

I would have said consider swapping out the 2 supplied items, you could go with the X-Cel LX's at 9mm and 25mm.

The Hyperons tend to prefer slower scopes but the comparison is often made at f/5 and from memory their "limit" is about f/6 so not a lot slower. The one concern is the 5mm Hyperon. Again eyepieces in general are usually reasonable until you get to the 5mm and then they start needing to be good - suspect it is the curvatures of the objective and eyepiece fighting each other, and some to get 5mm use a barlow arrangement.

Never been sure about the tuning rings. Prefer to have an eyepiece made to perform at one focal length, always have the feeling that compromises are made to get them to do more then one.

Thanks ronin so would you leave a gap between 13mm and 25 mm ?

[rwilkey]

The FTR's are fine until you start fiddling about with them and the ep in the dark, very tricky.  I would look at a 17 or 18mm to fill the gap. 

[JOC]

Hi Scott

Another beginner here (so take what I say with a proverbial 'pinch of salt'), but if your stock 10mm and 25mm are the same as those that I was sent with my telescope I'd stick with them.  To my inexperienced eyes I get a great view through both of mine.

[cloudsweeper]

My Hyperion 10mm is fine, but as others say, it might be preferable to have "one focus" EPs rather than fiddle with rings.  The only change I make to mine is to remove the nosepiece to convert it into a 22.4mm EP, but this is at the expense of field flatness in a fast 'scope.

Another thing I like about the Hyperion is that (unless you remove the nosepiece!) it is a "dual fit" EP.

Doug.

[cloudsweeper]

14 minutes ago, JOC said:

Hi Scott

Another beginner here (so take what I say with a proverbial 'pinch of salt'), but if your stock 10mm and 25mm are the same as those that I was sent with my telescope I'd stick with them.  To my inexperienced eyes I get a great view through both of mine.

If you get good views, then yes, stick with the EPs you've got, especially if you use them in a slow 'scope.  You might shell out a load of cash only to find the improvement is marginal, but that of course is something you might want at some point in the adventure!

Doug.

[JOC]

It occurs a picture might be useful as I understand not all telescopes ship with the same Ep's.  These came with mine and seem very useable even compared with a TV Plossl ;-)  I don't know about FOV or eye relief or anything like that, but I'm using them wearing specs without problems.  Hope this is useful info.

 

[rockystar]

2 hours ago, Scott Brown said:

Thanks ronin so would you leave a gap between 13mm and 25 mm ?

hi Scott,

I've got the same scope as you, and my EPs are a 24mm Exsci (giving x50 mag) and a 14mm morpheus (giving x86) - I've had this for a while now and don't feel any need to plug a gap there. Where I do need to gap fill is on my next EP which is a 6.5 - I feel a 9mm would get a lot of use

[John]

I've generally found that the focal length jumps at the longer end can be quite large without it feeling like there is a gap. At the shorter focal length end I've found having shorter steps works well becuase you have choices then at higher magnifications so you can find something thae makes the most of the seeing conditions and chosen target object.

My 1.25" eyepiece set comprises: 24mm, 17.3mm, 13mm, 10mm, 7mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3.5mm. 3mm, 2.5mm and 2mm - much more crowded at the high power end. The 17.3mm is probably not really needed but I like the eyepiece

My mixed 1.25" / 2" set is: 31mm, 21mm, 13mm,  8mm, 6mm, 4.7mm and 3.7mm. Less crowded but somewhat wider fields of view

 

[Ricochet]

2 hours ago, John said:

My 1.25" eyepiece set comprises: 24mm, 17.3mm, 13mm, 10mm, 7mm, 5mm, 4mm, 3.5mm. 3mm, 2.5mm and 2mm - much more crowded at the high power end. The 17.3mm is probably not really needed but I like the eyepiece

Actually, I think it might fit quite well. If you choose your eyepieces based on doubling or halving brightness (exit pupil area) rather than magnification jumps you could end up with eyepiece focal lengths of 

2.5 - 3.5 - 5 - 7 - 10 - 14...

or

 ... 12 - 17 - 24

I think you might recognise some of those numbers. 

 

[John]

3 hours ago, Ricochet said:

Actually, I think it might fit quite well. If you choose your eyepieces based on doubling or halving brightness (exit pupil area) rather than magnification jumps you could end up with eyepiece focal lengths of 

2.5 - 3.5 - 5 - 7 - 10 - 14...

or

 ... 12 - 17 - 24

I think you might recognise some of those numbers. 

 

Of course, my sets are based on sound optical principles and nothing at all to do with an obsessive eyepiece collecting habit !

[Ricochet]

24 minutes ago, John said:

Of course, my sets are based on sound optical principles and nothing at all to do with an obsessive eyepiece collecting habit !

It's not obsessive collecting it's solid empirical testing 

[Scott Brown]

22 hours ago, ronin said:

I would have said consider swapping out the 2 supplied items, you could go with the X-Cel LX's at 9mm and 25mm.

The Hyperons tend to prefer slower scopes but the comparison is often made at f/5 and from memory their "limit" is about f/6 so not a lot slower. The one concern is the 5mm Hyperon. Again eyepieces in general are usually reasonable until you get to the 5mm and then they start needing to be good - suspect it is the curvatures of the objective and eyepiece fighting each other, and some to get 5mm use a barlow arrangement.

Never been sure about the tuning rings. Prefer to have an eyepiece made to perform at one focal length, always have the feeling that compromises are made to get them to do more then one.

Yeh I have been considering the x-cel lx 9mm and 25mm and may be one in between 13 and 25 thanks Ronin.

[Scott Brown]

21 hours ago, rwilkey said:

The FTR's are fine until you start fiddling about with them and the ep in the dark, very tricky.  I would look at a 17 or 18mm to fill the gap. 

Thanks for that..... I never really thought about fumbling about in the dark with FTR's. What make would you suggest for 17 or 18 mm. Thanks.... scott

[Scott Brown]

21 hours ago, JOC said:

Hi Scott

Another beginner here (so take what I say with a proverbial 'pinch of salt'), but if your stock 10mm and 25mm are the same as those that I was sent with my telescope I'd stick with them.  To my inexperienced eyes I get a great view through both of mine.

Nope Jock not the same as yours but I quite like the 25mm one.

[Scott Brown]

21 hours ago, cloudsweeper said:

My Hyperion 10mm is fine, but as others say, it might be preferable to have "one focus" EPs rather than fiddle with rings.  The only change I make to mine is to remove the nosepiece to convert it into a 22.4mm EP, but this is at the expense of field flatness in a fast 'scope.

Another thing I like about the Hyperion is that (unless you remove the nosepiece!) it is a "dual fit" EP.

Doug.

Thanks for the advise Doug. I hope to use mine soon and experiment with them...... Scott

[rwilkey]

6 minutes ago, Scott Brown said:

Thanks for that..... I never really thought about fumbling about in the dark with FTR's. What make would you suggest for 17 or 18 mm. Thanks.... scott

Hi Scott, the BST Explorers/StarGuiders are some of the best on the market, also great value for money and work well in fast scopes.  Available from 'Sky's the Limit' also known as 'Skys_Unlimited' on eBay here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xbst+starguider.TRS0&_nkw=bst+starguider&_sacat=0

[Scott Brown]

Just now, rwilkey said:

Hi Scott, the BST Explorers/StarGuiders are some of the best on the market, also great value for money and work well in fast scopes.  Available from 'Sky's the Limit' also known as 'Skys_Unlimited' on eBay here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xbst+starguider.TRS0&_nkw=bst+starguider&_sacat=0

Great, could you give a basic description between fast and slow scopes..... I'm not sure of the difference..... Thanks in Advance..... Scott

[rwilkey]

Sorry Scott, just spent a long time describing it and it then disappeared for no reason, I cannot face typing it again, perhaps someone else will come in.

[Scott Brown]

Haha quite right..... if it was too in-depth I would only get confused anyway. I can easily look it up online so no probs.... thanks

[rwilkey]

Hi Scott, just found this thread on SGL which may be helpful:

 

[Scott Brown]

3 minutes ago, rwilkey said:

Hi Scott, just found this thread on SGL which may be helpful:

 

Thanks Robin.