Sentimental eyepieces

[Ags]

I like to think I have some nice mid range eyepieces, but when I go out imaging, the alignment eyepiece I bring with me is a humble Super 25. I don't need anything better to align the scope and center the targets, and the Super is light and cheap.

But... I really enjoy using it. The crude build of the eyepiece reminds me of the simple eyepieces I had as a kid, and the rudimentary narrowfield views it provides are equally nostalgic. Maybe I should get some plossls...

Do you have any eyepieces you hang on to despite having better options in the bag?

[Ruud]

It's amazing Agnes, the way you talk about your eyepiece is just how I feel about my girlfriend.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I quite agree @Ags. Mine are as per my signature; even though they are secondhand.
There is something unique, historical or personal, to which only the owner can appreciate.

[Craney]

Sentimental eyepieces are the ones that make your eyes water...       

[Timebandit]

 

 

 

Hello . Despite "Better eyepiece's" in regards to field of view and eye relief. I do have a sentimental attachment to my set of BGO . probably because these are no longer available new, and it took me a couple of years hunting these down individually to build a complete set. They may be an old design but in the frac very usable and as sharp as a tak on views , will give much more expensive modern eyepiece's a run for their money.

 

 

 

[John]

I don't have any of the ones that I started out with. I have some photos though. Initially I used a .965 inch set then moved to 1.25 inch set of varying quality.

 

My longest owned eyepiece is this one which I have had for 10 years or more:

 

 

[andrew s]

Don't cry for me my brass Ramsden

I never left you...  ..because you froze to my eye! 😱😭🥶

Regards Andrew 

[JeremyS]

2 minutes ago, andrew s said:

Don't cry for me my brass Ramsden

I never left you...  ..because you froze to my eye! 😱😭🥶

Regards Andrew 

Hmm..must be a low calorie 5:2 day, Andrew?

🙂

 

[andrew s]

1 minute ago, JeremyS said:

Hmm..must be a low calorie 5:2 day, Andrew?

🙂

 

It is. Regards Andrew 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I really enjoyed the 25 mm Ortho I used to have way back when (0.965" barrel), but the Vixen-made Celestron-branded 26 mm Plössl that replaced it was clearly better (fully multi-coated for one). One EP I regret letting go was the TMB Paragon 40 mm, shown next to the Vixen LV 9 mm and Celestron 26 mm Plössl below. The Paragon was my first 2" EP, and so incredibly comfortable, and orthoscopic in the sense that it has little or no distrotion over almost the entire FOV. I sold it after I noticed it wasn't really used that much since the arrival of the Nagler 31T5 "Panzerfaust". I later regretted selling it and got a Vixen LVW 42mm, which is excellent, but not quite as comfortable, and has quite distinct pincushion distortion.

 

[Ouroboros]

I just tell my sentimental eyepieces to pull themselves together, look on the bright side and focus on something interesting. 

[markse68]

I’ve not been doing this long enough to get too sentimental but there’s a couple that I feel an attachment to and would never get rid- the Tal 25mm plossl that came with my first scope and is really a nice little ep

my Nagler 4.8mm- my first “high end” ep and a bit of a bargain as it seems really under appreciated. A really amazing little thing- sharp to the edge of its huge field and sharp like an ortho! And so small but so dense- packed with glass I think

and this funny old 25-30mm ish military ep I picked up on eBay which is great for scanning the sky trying to find faint fuzzies. It has a huge field- not perfect but pretty awesome

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by markse68

[Waddensky]

The stock super-plössl 25 mm that came with the large dob gets use all the time at outreach events and even sometimes in my own observing sessions. It's light, eye relief is good and its performance is not bad at all.

I also have an ancient SR4 around (yes - 'special' or 'symmetrical' ramsden 4 mm). Horrible, almost negative eye relief and tight FOV. But hey, who forgets the first time seeing Saturn's rings. This is of course my sentimental eyepiece.

[John]

I reckon my 21.5 - 7.2 zoom will become a "sentimental" eyepiece of sorts. I just use it such a lot !

I'll wear it out at this rate !

 

[Ags]

34 minutes ago, John said:

I reckon my 21.5 - 7.2 zoom will become a "sentimental" eyepiece of sorts. I just use it such a lot !

You have tried a lot of eyepieces and speak of this cheap zoom so highly I am tempted to get one... This is the same thing, correct?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/hyperflex-72mm-215mm-eyepiece.html 

Edited May 21, 2020 by Ags

[John]

46 minutes ago, Ags said:

You have tried a lot of eyepieces and speak of this cheap zoom so highly I am tempted to get one... This is the same thing, correct?

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/hyperflex-72mm-215mm-eyepiece.html 

Yes, I'm pretty sure that it is the same eyepiece. I have seen them under different brandings at a range of prices as well. The OVL one is well priced.

They are a little narrower at the 21.5mm end than, for example, the Baader zoom, but the optical quality seems good. I use mine with a Baader 2.25x barlow and that works well as a high power zoom.

Not a perfect eyepiece of course (what is ?) but pretty good and very versatile.

 

 

[Don Pensack]

I think these are all the same:

Lunt	"Solar Eyepieces" Zoom
Omegon	Cronus Zoom
OpticStar (Opticstar Brand)	Zoom
Orion	Zooom!
OVL (First Light Optics)	Hyperflex Zoom
Skywatcher	Hyperflex Zoom
Telescope Service	Planetary HR Zoom

[kev]

i have and still use a set of Vixen Pllosls 25,17,10,7,5.   

 

[Ags]

Lots of mentions of various 25 mm Plossls. My 25 mm Celestron E-Lux plossl is the one eyepiece I really regret selling.

[Mr Spock]

I have some old 25.4mm eyepieces from the '70s. 12mm & 6mm Kellner and a 4mm Orthoscopic.

[Merlin66]

When I used my ol’ 6” f8 back in the 60’s the only eyepiece I had was the solid brass 1/2” Ramsden ....I still have the original Wildey mirror, it would be good to combine it with an original brass Ramsden....can anyone help???

[RT65CB-SWL]

15 hours ago, Merlin66 said:

When I used my ol’ 6” f8 back in the 60’s the only eyepiece I had was the solid brass 1/2” Ramsden ....I still have the original Wildey mirror, it would be good to combine it with an original brass Ramsden....can anyone help???

Does your Ramsden e/p have RAS thread?

The eyepiece in the front of the image has [I think] an RAS thread. Beacon Hill Telescopes made me the 1.25" aluminium adapter, (and the epu behind it). Not sure whether he would make another one as it was a 'one-off' and send/post it to you. I sent the e/p to him so he knew what thread to cut.   

Edited May 25, 2020 by Philip R

[Merlin66]

No, I think mine came from Charles Frank.

A solid piece of brass, 1 1/4" fitting.

I did have some later eyepieces which were RAS thread.....

[John]

A few times over the years I have re-purchased an eyepiece that I used to own and enjoy.

Most of the time this has made me realise why I parted with them and that things have moved on in terms of observing comfort, coatings and glass types

I tend to resist the temptation these days.

 

[Supernova74]

An eyepiece can be like buying that tailored suit it’s made to measure to your needs and preferences.and certain price point thay share similar DNA to achieve the best possible image at a cost tho and once you owned the best in Televue will not have to change your eyepiece collection again .