Lens advice

[JasonW74]

 

Hi,

Currently I have the basic Skywatcher 150p kit with its starting lenses so I am looking to expand my set with this lens :-

https://www.astroshop.eu/eyepieces/ts-optics-high-end-planetary-eyepiece-hr-7mm-1-25-/p,6166#tab_bar_0_select

My questions are, would this be a good addition to my already existing barlow x2, 10mm and 25mm ??

Does the eye cup screw off to become T2 thread to screw onto a T2 SLR camera adapter?

Would you recommend any better lenses? I am more interested in getting closer views of planets etc DSO's and might play around with a bit of Astrophotography.

Thanks for the responses.

[Ben the Ignorant]

Hi to you!

I don't know personally about that eyepiece's eyecup but when they have the T2 thread it is said in the description. For twenty-two more euros you could have this 7mm:

https://www.astroshop.eu/eyepieces/skywatcher-sky-panorama-1-25-7mm-eyepiece/p,25084

It is a clone of the Tele Vue Nagler 82° concept, a type of eyepiece that is universally praised and copied by all large eyepiece makers. The field is much broader and it's sharp even at the edge. They used to cost at least 140€ but the price dropped lately. It is very good on f/5 scopes, I have this 7mm and an f/5 dob, always had great views of planets and globular clusters, nebulas, the Moon, everything.

 

[JasonW74]

 

The only reason I mentioned T2 thread as that eyepiece mentions that it has "Optional camera adapter". Looking at the lens you mentioned it doesn't mention this, also is the eye relief good? Doesn't look to have much of a cup or do you believe that the increased field of view out weighs these issues?

[Ben the Ignorant]

Yes, the eye relief is good (I don't wear glasses), the cup is convenient, and all the material around the lens is matte black.

[rwilkey]

1 hour ago, JasonW74 said:

The only reason I mentioned T2 thread as that eyepiece mentions that it has "Optional camera adapter". Looking at the lens you mentioned it doesn't mention this, also is the eye relief good? Doesn't look to have much of a cup or do you believe that the increased field of view out weighs these issues?

An 'optional camera adaptor' usually means that you have to buy this separately.  On the Skywatcher Panorama, the central part of the lens area twists up to provide better eye placement, though I have no experience of AP, this would not appear to me to be conducive to the use of a T-adaptor as there does not appear to be any method of attaching it.

[Louis D]

First off, I would shop around for a better price.  I found this one for $40.  Second, if you want threads for attaching a camera, I would recommend the Omegon Redline SW 8mm since the eyecup screws off to reveal an M43 thread than can be easily adapted with a step ring to a T2 thread.  There's also the Baader Hyperion and Morpheus lines that also have threads under the eyecups.

[JasonW74]

 

16 minutes ago, Louis D said:

First off, I would shop around for a better price.  I found this one for $40.  Second, if you want threads for attaching a camera, I would recommend the Omegon Redline SW 8mm since the eyecup screws off to reveal an M43 thread than can be easily adapted with a step ring to a T2 thread.  There's also the Baader Hyperion and Morpheus lines that also have threads under the eyecups.

 

Thanks for the responses @Louis D I only thought the TS Optics and the Skywatcher lenses as @Ben the Ignorant suggests would be better due to the better field of view? Also would those other lenses fit my Skywatcher 150p, I noticed one of them is a 2" eyepiece. Sorry I am very new to Astronomy but just want to get a niece eye piece that might be able to do a number of things, AP is something I am just playing around with so would be a nice to have.

[Louis D]

All of the 58 degree "planetary" eyepieces are similar, though slightly different.  They are all unauthorized clones of the original TMB Planetary eyepiece line.

All of the Redline eyepieces from 17mm on down have removable 2" skirts so you can easily use them in 1.25" focusers.  The 150p focuser can handle 2"-only eyepieces as well, so no worries either way.

Eyepiece projection works best with small lensed cameras.  I use an old Olympus C-4000 coupled to a 22mm Redline equivalent eyepiece for this purpose.  The 150p should be able to reach prime focus with most DSLRs without any eyepiece in the focuser.  To achieve different magnifications requires focal extenders or reducers in this mode.

The better field of view of the eyepiece @Ben the Ignorant recommends is just for visual.  It won't work well for afocal eyepiece projection due to it's short eye relief.  It also doesn't have any way to attach a camera to it.  You need to decide where your priorities are right now.  If it is primarily visual for now, get the wider, better corrected eyepiece.