What Binoviewer Eyepiece Set?

[Ricochet]

1 hour ago, Andy ES said:

I feel the Baader quality all the time but I don’t know if the extra cost returns much better views?

Yes, massively better than my old Starguider pair (same as the OVL). Additionally, you shouldn't get the problems with eyepiece tilting that screw/compression clamps can cause.

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

I have just ordered a set of the Baader Maxbright which will be delivered on Tuesday, however I need to wait 7-10 days for the 1.7x GPC. I am directly attaching it to a Baader T2 prism diagonal with a 2” nosepiece. Are the clicklocks 2”? Do I need to buy the clicklock adapter to 1.25” if I want to use the smaller diameter eyepieces?

They are 1.25". 2" eyepieces would be impossible to binoview, even some 1.25" eyepieces are too wide.

[Shimrod]

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

They have a poor reputation and also trade in eBay as “Optics land” with a 20% mark up. 3.5/5 in Trust pilot. 

Not many reviews on here, but all positive - 

 

I can't really comment having never used them - it's not uncommon to see a mark-up on Ebay to cover the shop's fees. ENS optical does the same.

 

[bosun21]

19 minutes ago, Shimrod said:

Not many reviews on here, but all positive - 

 

I can't really comment having never used them - it's not uncommon to see a mark-up on Ebay to cover the shop's fees. ENS optical does the same.

 

Read the negative reviews on Trust pilot. Some horror stories.

[Louis D]

The OVL and WO binoviewers are both Norin BVs.  I would go with the OVL on price and having eyepiece locking collets.  Not perfect by any means as they will tilt undercut eyepieces, but they tend to keep eyepieces centered better than thumbscrews.  Budget for a good quality Barlow with removable lens element to reach focus in some scopes.  On my Arcturus BVs (nearly identical to the OVL), I screw the nosepiece from a vintage Meade 140 2x Barlow onto the front for 3x to reach focus in Newts and fracs.  A vintage Celestron Ultima, Orion Shorty Plus, or Parks GS Shorty 2x (all the same Japanese made triplet shorties) also works very well as-is.  Either come up regularly here in the States on astro classifieds for about  $45 to $65 each.

[Paz]

I have the following BV eyepiece pairs with a Maxbright II...

40mm NPLs

30mm NPLs

20mm SLVs

17.3mm Delos

15mm Plossls

12.5mm Plossls

10mm SLVs

10mm Plossls

The plossls were just inexpensiclve pairs to try out focal lengths, I have never used them othwrwise due to short eye relief.

For solar with a 102mm f7 refractor I mostly use the 40mm and 30mm NPLs and 20mm SLVs to keep the magnification down (I have 4.3x barlow effect for Ha and 3.4x for white light) and they are good for managing  scatter.

For lunar with a 102mm f7 refractor I mostly use 20mm and 10mm SLVs.

For dsos I mostly use the 17.3mm Delos as they give not far off the widest unclipped field I can get.

If you have a trackimg set up that is useful with binoviewers as it helps you avoid having to follow targets moving across the field of view which is tougher with binoviewers.