What did the postman bring?

[johninderby]

Postie broight a Svbony SV170 1.25'' Zoom Eyepiece 10-30mm this morning.

Thought it would make an ideal zoom for a mak in particular.🤔

Tried it for white light solar using my StellaMira 80mm f/10. Due to the cloud only brief glimpses of the sun but enough to show it will make an ideal solar zoom. Image was very sharp and seems as good as if not better than the Hyperflex clone zoom I had been using.  With a 2x barlow nosepiece makes a nice 5-15mm zoom as well. 

Zoom action is far smoother than the Hyperflex clone. Feels really good. Has the usual twist up eyecup. Similar size and weight to the Hyperflex clone. Good eye relief as well.

Now just to wait for some night time use. 🙂

Edited September 28, 2020 by johninderby

[Mark at Beaufort]

John 30mm is unusual for a zoom. What's the FOV at the 30mm setting?

[johninderby]

1 hour ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

John 30mm is unusual for a zoom. What's the FOV at the 30mm setting?

Fov is 33deg to 51deg.

 

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by johninderby

[Telescope40]

23 minutes ago, johninderby said:

It’s 51 degrees at 30mm and 33 degrees at 10mm. So basicly like a 30mm plossl at the 30mm.

 

 

Hello John. @johninderby Maybe a bit early for this to be answered but would you recommend ?? 
Thx. John 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Telescope40

[Stardaze]

On 26/09/2020 at 19:56, Dantooine said:

Just came off shift to a parcel from Germany. APM 20mm. Wow this thing is sweet.
 

If it performs how it feels it’s going to do the job. Had to post the second picture as it’s a perfect match to my 13E. (Size & weight)

Special thanks to Stardaze and John for twisting my arm in the direction of this eyepiece and saving me a considerable amount of money on the purchase of an ethos 21. It actually feels like an ethos. 

Just the rubber smells different 😉

[JeremyS]

1 minute ago, Stardaze said:

Just the rubber smells different 😉

Better, worse or just different?

[Stardaze]

On 23/09/2020 at 10:26, JeremyS said:

Planning for 2021 (the top one still available for £3 from Amazon as somebody noted on SGL 🙂 )

WO 2x Barlow for binoviewers. To give higher mags than the standard 1.6 x. Great results with Mars and the Tak TSA 120 + 8 mm eyepieces (= x 225). Pity it doesn't come with end caps. It would also help if they were each marked as it's quite hard to tell them apart: there is a slight difference in length, but looking through them immediately shows the difference). 

Too late to see this post, they’re back up to normal price. I have bought the other version for several years now.

[johninderby]

12 minutes ago, Telescope40 said:

Hello John. Maybe a bit early for this to be answered but would you recommend ?? 
Thx. John 

For solar white light I do like it despite the brief chance to try it. Will reserve judgement until I’ve had the chance to use it at night but looks promising. 👍🏻

[DaveL59]

46 minutes ago, johninderby said:

It’s 51 degrees at 30mm and 33 degrees at 10mm. So basicly like a 30mm plossl at the 30mm.

 

 

Always thought they gave wider FoV at the higher mag than the lower?

I have the 8-24mm SV171 due to arrive someday soon, first zoom I've bought but figured why not make life a little easier. Will see how it works out when it arrives if we get any clear nights.

[Captain Scarlet]

After several failed attempts to get what seems to be the hottest property whenever it comes up in the For Sale section I caved in and coughed up new.

Plus a new USB to mount cable.

 

Edited September 28, 2020 by Captain Magenta

[johninderby]

45 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

Always thought they gave wider FoV at the higher mag than the lower?

I have the 8-24mm SV171 due to arrive someday soon, first zoom I've bought but figured why not make life a little easier. Will see how it works out when it arrives if we get any clear nights.

Yes put it the wring way round. 

[Mark at Beaufort]

2 hours ago, johninderby said:

Fov is 33deg to 51deg.

 

 

Thanks John I assume that the 30mm setting is 51 deg.

[Dean Hale]

Four items for me the past few weeks during Lockdownmas. 8mm and 25mm Televue plossl and today the Berlebach caster mount and a dual camera adapter as in this thread for a push to.

The eyepieces and mount items were sold by members of Stargazers lounge via the for sale section and must say everything arrives promptly, extremely well packaged and it shows how much care you lot have for items you use and eventually sell on. 

Must add some pics. Maybe not the ideal telescopes for the mount- however seems to be balanced very well. However one step at a time.

[johninderby]

46 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Thanks John I assume that the 30mm setting is 51 deg.

No it’s 51 deg at the 10mm setting and 33deg at the 30mm setting. You assume it would be the other way round. 🤔

[Stardaze]

5 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Better, worse or just different?

Er... just different I guess. All the brands have a different smell, or is it just me? The APM and Pentax seem the most marked for me. Helps to find them in the dark huh 🤣

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Stardaze said:

Er... just different I guess. All the brands have a different smell, or is it just me? The APM and Pentax seem the most marked for me. Helps to find them in the dark huh 🤣

Thanks @Stardaze

Yes, different eyepiece brands do have different smells, as do other items of astronomy equipment. As I’ve mentioned before on SGL, Tak scopes Have specific aromas, as do Berlebach wood products.

Smell is only occasionally mentioned in equipment discussions, so I was glad to see you refer to it. It can be part of the pleasure of ownership 🙂

 

[DaveL59]

this morning the postie dropped off this beastie (to give an idea of size, pictured with a TAL 25mm & 42mm and vixen 20mm)

This thing is HUGE 😮 It's an SV171 for reference,.

Sits nicely in the TAL100RS diagonal

tho tightening the lock screw in the TAL-1 is more of a challenge as the hulk is resting on it - might have to sort a longer thumb screw for that then.

Feels very solid, zoom is silky smooth (no click stops) and certainly looks well made. I have noticed tho that there's the sound of movement if I invert the eyepiece in my hand, slop in the zoom mechanism perhaps. No rattles or sounds of glass colliding, something I'll keep a check on. Now just need a chance to test it out if the clouds will play ball (doesn't sound likely for several days).

[Alan White]

On 20/09/2020 at 19:58, Dantooine said:

Sorry (or caught by husband 😉)

Or Significant Other of course.

[DaveL59]

Couldn't resist a quick play with that huge SV171 zoom. Popped it into the old vintage 3-inch frac via diagonal and 1.25 inch adaptor so it'd sit into the 0.965 fittings. The focus lock mod I did for that scope seemed happy to hold the weight with the eyepiece at a 60 degree angle off vertical which is good to know. So aiming at tree tops a couple hundred meters away, nice and sharp view showing good detail in the leaves and what I think was seed carriers (frond like structure) not sure of the type of tree it was. Zoom ran smooth with no oddities in the view so whatever I can hear move when inverting doesn't seem critical. I've seen comments that this is parfocal tho not advertised as such and can report that there is only a slight shift in focus across the zoom range. So far am well pleased, what a bargain! 

[johninderby]

Sun is out so had a chance to try the Svbony 10-30mm zoom properly. Very sharp for white light solar and as previously mentioned the zoom mechanism is super smooth. 👍🏻

Not quite parfocal though from one end of the zoom range to the other. Does barlow well though. 👍🏻

[Steve Clay]

Not quite what the postman brought but what he is going to.

The Celestron Star-sense explorers are now back in stock at various places including the Lt 70 cheap one if you just want the star sense bit.

Just secured one myself from the widescreen centre. 

Steve

[gilesco]

3 minutes ago, Steve Clay said:

Not quite what the postman brought but what he is going to.

The Celestron Star-sense explorers are now back in stock at various places including the Lt 70 cheap one if you just want the star sense bit.

Just secured one myself from the widescreen centre. 

Steve

Has any SkyWatcher stock landed on these shores recently yet? (Waiting since mid-August for my Esprit....)

[Steve Clay]

16 minutes ago, gilesco said:

Has any SkyWatcher stock landed on these shores recently yet? (Waiting since mid-August for my Esprit....)

No Idea. 

[alex_stars]

Just came in this morning, new parts for my planetary observation setup with my 180 Mak:

Vixen SLV 15mm, two Baader #2458125 focusing 1.25" eyepiece holders and in the front a 2"SCtoT2 adapter and a T2 adapter for my TS 1.25" diagonal.

That will create a new, lightweight visual back for my Mak. Will post when it's done.

[Rob]

1 hour ago, alex_stars said:

Just came in this morning, new parts for my planetary observation setup with my 180 Mak:

Vixen SLV 15mm, two Baader #2458125 focusing 1.25" eyepiece holders and in the front a 2"SCtoT2 adapter and a T2 adapter for my TS 1.25" diagonal.

That will create a new, lightweight visual back for my Mak. Will post when it's done.

love the Baader #2458125 focusing adapter.... such a valuable piece of kit!. awesome. and would not be without it