Zoom , Just one look and then my heart went BOOM!

[Stu1smartcookie]

Sorry for indulging in the 80's music scene , but , its relevent , to a point . 

I have very briefly owned a rather substandard zoom EP which had no branding and to be honest i reckon i could have made a better one myself . I would like to purchase a good quality Zoom EP for my WO ZS73 . Question 1 ... is the Baader 8-24 at least twice as good as , say an OVL Hyperflex 9-27 mm ... or indeed an SvBony zoom EP. From what i am reading the Baader does have a slightly wider field of view . 

Question 2 ... on the other hand i may be interested in the Nirvana 4mm, 7mm, and 16mm ... actually nearly matching the Baader zoom for price . What do you think ? i was rather hoping a Zoom EP would be my sweet spot when using the ZS73 for viewing . Anyone else used a Zoom EP with a small refractor ?

 

Any thoughts welcome 

Stu

 

[Saganite]

Hi Stu,

I have used a Hyperflex 7.2mm - 21.5mm zoom in my two 4" refractors for some while.  I had previously tried the Baader 8-24 zoom , at least twice, Tele vue 8-24mm, and never really got on  with them, but I did stick with the Hyperflex for the longest time, it is very good.  I only really use the zoom for star splitting , and for that I find it very useful.

[Louis D]

I only use zooms in my binoviewer where changing a pair of eyepieces is a pain and when traveling light, as to 2017's solar eclipse.  I use the discontinued Celestron Regal 8-24mm zooms to good effect.  They were also sold with Olivon spotting scopes.  They're pretty decent, but I much prefer fixed focal length premium eyepieces for general usage due to their longer eye relief, better polish and coatings, wider field of view, and better edge to edge correction.

[johninderby]

I found the Hyperflex zoom to be about 80% to 90% as good as the Baader zoom. The Svbony zooms are also very good.

The Nirvanas are a best buy. Not as good as a Nagler but not that far off either. Would rather have the set of Nirvanas than the Baader zoom.

 

[Stu1smartcookie]

5 minutes ago, Saganite said:

Hi Stu,

I have used a Hyperflex 7.2mm - 21.5mm zoom in my two 4" refractors for some while.  I had previously tried the Baader 8-24 zoom , at least twice, Tele vue 8-24mm, and never really got on  with them, but I did stick with the Hyperflex for the longest time, it is very good.  I only really use the zoom for star splitting , and for that I find it very useful.

Steve , did you find the restricted field of view a problem compared to the more expensive EP's ?( maybe not if you were focusing on doubles ) . How about contrast and image brightness ?

 

[cajen2]

+1 for the 7-21 (ish) Hyperflex.... good EP as long as you don't rely on the longer f/l for widefield. I think it's the same with nearly all zooms, though I haven't used the Baader. That plus a decent widefield low mag would probably cover all eventualities.

[Stu1smartcookie]

4 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I found the Hyperflex zoom to be about 80% to 90% as good as the Baader zoom. The Svbony zooms are also very good.

The Nirvanas are a best buy. Not as good as a Nagler but not that far off either. Would rather have the set of Nirvanas than the Baader zoom.

 

I've read good things about the Nirvana EP's ... Have to say , whilst i like the thought of not chopping and changing EP's , the Nirvana EP's really do look like good value 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Stu1smartcookie

[cajen2]

Beware of relatively low eye relief with the Nirvanas (12mm). Worries some people more than others.

FYI: Hyperflex Zoom FOV 60-40° . 15mm eye relief.

Baader Hyperion Zoom: 68-50°. 12-15mm eye relief.

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by cajen2

[Saganite]

7 minutes ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Steve , did you find the restricted field of view a problem compared to the more expensive EP's ?( maybe not if you were focusing on doubles ) . How about contrast and image brightness ?

 

Hi Stu,

For planetary and Lunar I use only binoviewers, so the zoom is  just for double stars. For really difficult tight doubles, I use the zoom, and change if necessary to Orthoscopic eyepieces. On the odd occasion that I have used the zoom for Lunar, I found the contrast and image brightness perfectly good enough.  For me the FOV is not important., though quite sufficient.  

[Elp]

I've got the Celestron 8-24 which is the current model. It's a useful eyepiece, and it also has a Tring thread on it if you want to connect a DSLR, I carry it with my AP setup whereby I don't need to lug around my EP case. Viewing is good but I very much prefer my dedicated eyepieces for clarity. There's just an immediate sharpness which you get with the individual eyepieces which the zoom can't quite match. BSTs are quite good if you're looking elsewhere, as are Vixen NPL (I've only got the 30mm, slight field curvature at edges), people knock them but I also think WO swans are excellent and are my preferred for solar.

 

[mikeDnight]

I somehow came into posession of a Nirvana eyepiece quite a few years ago now. I can't remember if it was a 4mm or 7mm, but what I do remember is that it was terrific. I've owned nearly every Nagler over the years, and found some to be great while others just didn't do it for me. I'd be very happy with the Nirvana alternative without feeling I'm missing out on much at all.

[johninderby]

BTW will the APM wonder zoom every be released? Allways seems to get delayed.

[Louis D]

44 minutes ago, johninderby said:

BTW will the APM wonder zoom every be released? Allways seems to get delayed.

April 29th is the latest APM delivery date according to this most recent post in the CN Vendor Forum.

[Pixies]

For balance: I never got on with the only Nirvana eyepiece I owned - the 16mm. I had trouble getting eye-placement correct and suffered from blackouts. I'm not sure how the other 2 compare. Given the choice between my Baader zoom and the 3 Nirvanas, I'd go with he zoom without hesitation. It's my most used eyepiece alongside the wider field 30mm Vixen NPL.

I have a couple of 82° Explore Scientifics EPs. Would I swap 3 of them for the zoom? Yes, but I would prefer to have both. Some nights the zoom is just so handy, it never leaves the draw tube.

[johninderby]

Was that the old flat top Nirvana or the newer one with the conventional rubber eyecup? 

Not had any blackout problems with my 16mm Nirvana.

[Stu1smartcookie]

24 minutes ago, Pixies said:

For balance: I never got on with the only Nirvana eyepiece I owned - the 16mm. I had trouble getting eye-placement correct and suffered from blackouts. I'm not sure how the other 2 compare. Given the choice between my Baader zoom and the 3 Nirvanas, I'd go with he zoom without hesitation. It's my most used eyepiece alongside the wider field 30mm Vixen NPL.

I have a couple of 82° Explore Scientifics EPs. Would I swap 3 of them for the zoom? Yes, but I would prefer to have both. Some nights the zoom is just so handy, it never leaves the draw tube.

Yes and that’s a very good point, convenience. I can get three Nirvanas for 250 or the zoom for 223 I reckon I am looking towards the zoom at present , a night of YouTube awaits though lol

[chiltonstar]

Like @Saganite, I use the Hyperflex zoom as a starter, and then change to orthos if needed. At the long fl end of the zoom  I switch to a wide field 25mm ep usually as the Hyperflex is limited for wde field views.

Chris

[wookie1965]

2 hours ago, Louis D said:

I only use zooms in my binoviewer where changing a pair of eyepieces is a pain and when traveling light, as to 2017's solar eclipse.  I use the discontinued Celestron Regal 8-24mm zooms to good effect.  They were also sold with Olivon spotting scopes.  They're pretty decent, but I much prefer fixed focal length premium eyepieces for general usage due to their longer eye relief, better polish and coatings, wider field of view, and better edge to edge correction.

I didn't know you could use a zoom in a bino viewer 

[johninderby]

1 minute ago, Stu1smartcookie said:

Yes and that’s a very good point, convenience. I can get three Nirvanas for 250 or the zoom for 223 I reckon I am looking towards the zoom at present , a night of YouTube awaits though lol

Hyperflex and Nirvanas. 🤔

[johninderby]

2 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

I didn't know you could use a zoom in a bino viewer 

If the zooms have click stops then yes they can be used in binoviewers.

[wookie1965]

15 minutes ago, johninderby said:

If the zooms have click stops then yes they can be used in binoviewers.

Thanks John appreciate it. 

[Neil H]

John why click stop??

[Pixies]

33 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Was that the old flat top Nirvana or the newer one with the conventional rubber eyecup? 

 

[johninderby]

6 minutes ago, Neil H said:

John why click stop??

So you can set both zooms to exactly the same setting. Without the clickstops would be hard to have both zooms set the same or you would have to fiddle around to try and get them the same.

Edited February 16, 2022 by johninderby

[johninderby]

13 minutes ago, Pixies said:

 

Yes that’s the newer one. Just shows how peoples eyesight varies. 

Edited February 16, 2022 by johninderby