Eyepiece recommendation

[azrabella]

Can anyone suggest a better alternative to BST Starguider eyepieces in the same price bracket please. Intended use is with either f/8 or f/6 Dobs in fairly light polluted skies. Are Starguiders any better than plossls? Any thoughts appreciated.

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Have you used BST Starguiders or assuming there is something better in the same price range before you buy them? Starguiders are 'better' than plossls if you consider the ED element, wider field of view and increased eye relief as an improvement.

[John]

I'll be honest and say that it is really difficult to find something better than BST Starguiders at that price. When they have been sold under other branding (eg: Orion (USA), Astro Tech, TS etc, they have cost quite a bit more than they do when under BST branding.

If eye relief and apparent field can be sacrificed a bit then the Baader Classic Ortho's are probably a little better in pure optical terms.

In terms of plossls the Vixen NPL's might be similar in performance terms but will have less eye relief and narrower fields.

 

 

[Alan White]

The problem with is x better than y is that my perceived better may not be the same as your one.
With eyepieces that is very true.

What you buy as you spend more is a wider view and that comes with varying problems.
A Plossl is not just a Plossl, it depends on whose it is and when it was made.
A Starguider is a branding name not a type of eyepiece as well.

Have a good search and each opinion always has a counter opinion to match.
So until you try with your own eye, then you will not know, as only you can answer which is better for you.

 

[RT65CB-SWL]

I have not tried BST Starguiders, but from what I have read here on SGL, (and elsewhere), they are very good.
FLO are currently selling Vixen NPL's at a similar price, but I do not know how good they are. Sorry!

AFOV... BST's 60deg - NPL's 50deg 

[Louis D]

There's a very recent thread on CN comparing the Paradigm/Starguiders to the TMB/UWA Planetaries.  The Meade HD-60s also snuck into the discussion.