Filter and eyepiece brand recommendations.

[Oat]

Hi Folks

I'm looking to buy the following and looking for recommendations of sensibly priced options.

• Zoom eyepiece
• Colour filters (set)
• Light pollution / deepsky filter
• Neutral density filter / lunar (25%)

Is the SVBONY brand any good? 

Scopes i'm presently using are a 130newt and a 80mm frac (achromatic). You might have guessed that when it comes to filters i have no idea what i'm talking about. All i know is what i have read.

 

With thanks in advance

Oat

Edited March 14, 2021 by Oat

[Cosmic Geoff]

The budget colour filters are of marginal usefulness - I suggest you save your money for something else. 

Light pollution filters are generally ineffective against the new white LED lights which emit a continuous spectrum. There is a special filter which is claimed to give SOME benefit with LED lighting, but it is expensive.

I don't use a neutral denity filter on the Moon or anything else, so cannot comment.  If YOU think the moon is too bright, by all mean get a filter.

Whole threads here have been written here about zoom eyepieces. Look them up. Worth noting though that many of the cheaper models are clones of each other - compare the sales pictures and specs..

[wulfrun]

No point in saying that SVbony is equal to premium brands but if you're on a budget they'll do you fine. I have a 7-21 zoom and a UHC filter and they do the job well enough. I don't have anything premium to compare but I have a Hyperflex zoom that costs nearly double the SVbony and you'd have to look hard to tell much difference. Hope that helps.

Rather than a ND filter, I'd suggest a variable-polariser is more useful for very little difference in cost. It's better with a zoom because as you zoom, the brightness will change. Yes you do have to re-adjust by taking the EP out though. I haven't felt the need for coloured filters...yet.

[Spile]

I am delighted with the results and functionality of my Baader Hyperion IV Zoom. I'd be happy to recommend it. 

[Jiggy 67]

I wouldn’t bother with colour filters. For planetary obs I would recommend the Baader contrast booster

[Clarkey]

I would agree with the Baader zoom. I am more of an imager, but when observing I use the hyperion and a low power 42mm 2" Revelation eyepiece. They may not be the absolute best option, but saves having a drawer full of eyepieces.

[Spile]

20 hours ago, Clarkey said:

I would agree with the Baader zoom. I am more of an imager, but when observing I use the hyperion and a low power 42mm 2" Revelation eyepiece. They may not be the absolute best option, but saves having a drawer full of eyepieces.

SNAP! 

[Oat]

Thank you all for your input. I'm somewhat reluctant to speand Baader money at this stage in my commitment to this hobby / interest, not least as the Baader would be more expensive than the scope it would be used on. 

I have followed astrofarsopgraphy youtube channel for a while and quite by chance found he'd done a review of an SVBony zoom so i'm planning to give it a go. It won't replace the regular plossl eyepieces but will be nice for grab n go, helping my daughter see various sights, and for general scanning of the night sky with a fast scope.

SVBony SV171 zoom eyepiece review here

[Roy Challen]

On 14/03/2021 at 16:24, wulfrun said:

 

Rather than a ND filter, I'd suggest a variable-polariser is more useful for very little difference in cost. It's better with a zoom because as you zoom, the brightness will change. Yes you do have to re-adjust by taking the EP out though.

Can you put one part in the diagonal and the other in the eyepiece, and just turn the eyepiece to adjust?

Edited March 17, 2021 by Roy Challen

[wulfrun]

6 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Can you put one part in the diagonal and the other in the eyepiece, and just turn the eyepiece to adjust?

Not on a reflector with no diagonal. If I'm using a Barlow I could put half on that and the other half on the eyepiece for a handy adjustment. Can't be avoided with just an EP though.

[RT65CB-SWL]

On 14/03/2021 at 16:24, wulfrun said:

 

Rather than a ND filter, I'd suggest a variable-polariser is more useful for very little difference in cost. It's better with a zoom because as you zoom, the brightness will change. Yes you do have to re-adjust by taking the EP out though. I haven't felt the need for coloured filters...yet.

 

50 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Can you put one part in the diagonal and the in the eyepiece, and just turn the eyepiece to adjust?

Yes... it is what do!

I use this type...

...and using the eyepiece holder is optional.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Philip R

[Oat]

So folks. The ST80 arrived and i have fitted some new bits.

The ST40 is a great little scope. So portable, easy to store, has a nice wide field of view and is my first frac. It is a much welcome change from my 200 dob and 130 newt - i can't believe i havent had a frac until now.

An Svbony SV188P dielectric star diagonal to replace rhe 45 degree prism the scope came with. This appears very well made and is optically the difference between night and day compared the 45 prism that came with the scope.

An Svbony SV171  8-24mm zoom eyepiece. Wow, what a tool! Appears extremely well made, is HUGE, heavy (more than twice the size of a 25mm plossl) but is so convenient. I am so happy i made this purchase and would recommend this lens to others - also a bargain for the price. For me as a novice, this zoom lens hugely improves scope usability and satisfaction. Optically, i can't fault it. I may not be a well healed astronomer but i know good optics from my various sports optics interests.

I also gota  celestron moon filter, and will soon get a UHC filter soon to bring out contast on other targets.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Oat

[RT65CB-SWL]

The Explore Scientific UHC is pretty good for the money. I would avoid the cheaper brands.

The Baader Planetarium Neodymium is highly recommended. I refer to it as my 'Swiss-Army knife' filter.