Barlow or eyepiece (with specifics)

[sorrimen]

24 minutes ago, cajen2 said:

I have the StellaLyra 2" 2x one that I linked to and an Explore Scientific 1.25" 2x focal extender. Both excellent.

Yeah ES eyepieces and barlows seem like such a safe bet, really can’t go wrong it seems. 

[Don Pensack]

17 hours ago, cajen2 said:

Yours doesn't look much like the StellaLyra Barlow (the usual equivalent to Orion US here).

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-eyepieces/stellalyra_2x_2_barlow.htm

This is a good one, though, with ED glass. It's a 2", please note.

The StellaLyra is a GSO-made, and a good one.  It's a conventional telenegative Barlow.

The one in Mike Q's post is made by JOC, the maker of Explore Scientific, Maxvision, et,al. and is a 4 element telecentric Barlow.

You can look up "telecentric Barlow" to find posts explaining the difference.

[sorrimen]

Update for those of you interested:

Barlow arrived and I’m absolutely stunned by its performance. Compared barlowed 12mm BST to my cheap 6mm Meade MA and that was not even remotely comparable, for obvious reasons. Barlowed 25mm vs normal 12mm and actually felt the barlowed view was brighter and sharper (though the 4x difference in mag could explain this). In conclusion, shouldn’t have hesitated as this thing is clearly built to work great with BST starguiders. 

[Guest]

On 05/06/2022 at 19:36, cajen2 said:

Yours doesn't look much like the StellaLyra Barlow (the usual equivalent to Orion US here).

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stellalyra-eyepieces/stellalyra_2x_2_barlow.htm

This is a good one, though, with ED glass. It's a 2", please note.

https://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Accessories/Barlow-Lenses/Orion-2-2x-Barlow-Lens/pc/3/sc/41/102344.uts

This is probably the equivalent Orion model of the one FLO offers

 

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, Mike Q said:

https://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Accessories/Barlow-Lenses/Orion-2-2x-Barlow-Lens/pc/3/sc/41/102344.uts

This is probably the equivalent Orion model of the one FLO offers

 

Nope, that's a poorer quality Chinese made Barlow.  FLO's is a GSO Barlow made in Taiwan.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Louis D said:

Nope, that's a poorer quality Chinese made Barlow.  FLO's is a GSO Barlow made in Taiwan.

 

10 hours ago, Louis D said:

Nope, that's a poorer quality Chinese made Barlow.  FLO's is a GSO Barlow made in Taiwan.

That's just the closest I could find on the website that was a 2 inch.  I wouldn't trade the telecentric that to use for anything.  That thing is the bomb

Edited July 10, 2022 by Mike Q

[Mr Spock]

That Orion one looks a lot like this one: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/barlow-eyepieces/skywatcher-ed-deluxe-2x-two-inch-barlow-lens.html though I see it doesn't state it has an ED element - is it the same one?

And this one:

Which, alongside my classic Meade 140, is of excellent quality. Much better than the cheaper GSO equivalent. I've had quite a few Barlows over the years, including a GSO look-a-like, and only these two survived being sold.

[cajen2]

Here's my 2" 2x ED StellaLyra. Excellent optics:

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by cajen2

[Don Pensack]

19 hours ago, Mike Q said:

https://www.telescope.com/mobileProduct/Accessories/Barlow-Lenses/Orion-2-2x-Barlow-Lens/pc/3/sc/41/102344.uts

This is probably the equivalent Orion model of the one FLO offers

 

But made by another company, likely Barsta, since it is a duplicate of the one I used to sell under the Olivon label, which was Barsta's house brand label.