Zoom eyepieces

[Clipper]

Has anyone got or used a skywatcher 7-21mm zoom eyepiece. I like the idea of them but are they any good.

[Doc]

I borrowed a Baader one once and it came highly recommended, but to be honest I didn't like it. It felt very narrow in it's field of view compared to normal eyepieces, and the contrast seemed a bit dull as well.

[russ]

There's another thread of a similar theme running here:

http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-discussion/94882-sky-watcher-8-24mm-zoom-eyepiece.html#post1355537

Hopefully that maybe of use to you. It's for the 8-24mm but should apply.

[part timer]

No!!!!!

the 7-21mm is Bad bad bad!

A good rule is Never buy the 7-21mm

consider the 8-24 instead as a bear minimum.

[brantuk]

I use the Baader hyperion 8-24 zoom - It's very good - I love it - nice crisp views, well engineered, no discernable reflections, and very flexible for attachments. The eye relief is great too especially if you have specs, and it saves me messing about with lots of different ep's. Tad pricey - but it does have seven elements and is a cut above the £120 bracket (It's around £180).

[catburglar]

I used to own a TV 8-24mm zoom. I read many reviews that said don't go near zoom eyepieces, but took the plunge anyway. My only complaint was that the field of view was a little narrow (40deg) at 24mm, but at shorter focal lengths it was fine. The images were nice and contrasty, and I had no problems with ghosting. Perhaps the best feature is that it was virtually parfocal through the range, so needed almost no focus fiddling.

How much use this is to you, I don't know- I think it depends a little on you scope and viewing preferences. For me with an ETX105, the 8-24mm provided an almost perfect range of magnifications. Wide field viewes were never a realistic option so I rarely needed to use any other eyepiece.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Only 40deg AFOV at 24mm? That is where I would like to have a wide field.