Zoom Eyepieces

[yesyes]

I bought a cheap no-name 21-7mm zoom EP (without much thinking beforehand, unfortunately).

I do like the idea of zoom EPs. You can re-center the object while increasing magnification instead of missing the target when going from 20mm to a 8mm EP.

However, I'm not happy with the actual EP I have. I wish I'd spent a bit more money on it. I don't get a sharp picture at all. Stars always have small fringes even in the centre of the FoV.

So at the moment I'm only using it to do the initial alignment of my GoTo mount where I don't need to see the alignment star very sharp. It's far easier to get the star really in the centre.

[Eyeball]

I bought a cheap no-name 21-7mm zoom EP (without much thinking beforehand, unfortunately).

I do like the idea of zoom EPs. You can re-center the object while increasing magnification instead of missing the target when going from 20mm to a 8mm EP.

However, I'm not happy with the actual EP I have. I wish I'd spent a bit more money on it. I don't get a sharp picture at all. Stars always have small fringes even in the centre of the FoV.

So at the moment I'm only using it to do the initial alignment of my GoTo mount where I don't need to see the alignment star very sharp. It's far easier to get the star really in the centre.

I too like the idea of zoom eyepieces, but the trouble is you have to pay for a quality one. From your own experience, you get what you pay for don't you?

[pvaz]

The baader seams to be the best one out there. Most people rate it above the televue one (search cloudy nights) on seeing conditions and they say you only need some minor focus tweaking between each FL.

I been facing the same dilemma but I think I'll save a bit more and get 2 quality widefield EPs for DSOs. I think it won't be as good as having a couple of naglers, panoptics or even skywatcher nirvanas and it costs nearly as much as a 13mm nagler, though it's more practical to use.

[Eyeball]

I am still toying with the idea of buying a zoom eyepiece, but I need to know whether you can use a barlow with one?

[John]

The best zoom I've used is the little Tele Vue Nagler 3-6mm - superbly sharp for high power work but around £270 new !.

The Speers-Waler 5-8mm zoom is supposed to be very good and has an 80 degree field of view througout the zoom range - you don't see many of them about.

[Eyeball]

The best zoom I've used is the little Tele Vue Nagler 3-6mm - superbly sharp for high power work but around £270 new !.

The Speers-Waler 5-8mm zoom is supposed to be very good and has an 80 degree field of view througout the zoom range - you don't see many of them about.

Can you or have you used a barlow with it?

[John]

Can you or have you used a barlow with it?

I guess you can use a barlow with either of those but the Nagler zoom goes down to 3mm which provides plenty of magnification in most scopes. They do a 2-4mm version as well in case anyone needs even shorter focal lengths !