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Celestron Omni 32mm Plossl


Keiran

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Hi all,

I have recently been buying alot of astro bits and bobs from the astro boot at Scopesnskies.

After looking on Ebay, my other past time;), I found an almost new Celestron Omni EP. I won the bid and paid £20 inc PP, which i was happy with.

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After recieving it in the post, I immediatly got the scope out, ready for testing.

First impressions; what a lovely made EP. This is my first, shall we say, Premium EP. The main body is anodised ali alloy, with a chrome plated barrel. It has a ruberised grip around the body, and all in all is a very well build EP.

Optically, it is a 4 element fully multi coated EP, with blacked edges on the lense to reduce light scatter, improving the contrast. It is an absolutly lovely EP to use and blows the rest of what i have, out of the water.

Unforturnately, my skies, have been terrible and I have not had enough time to use it fully.

I think that I have been really lucky finding this gem, and if anybody else is concidering buying one, DO IT.

Thanks for reading,

Keiran

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Congratulations Keiran - I always enjoy using 32mm plossls - they give the largest true field of view you can get in the 1.25" size. £20 including delivery seems a real bargain !.

It will give you great views with your 200P when the clouds go away.

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How does this compare vs the 32mm in the celstron eyepiece set?

The specification of the 2 eyepieces is very similar (except the colour scheme) but the Omni specifically mentions having blackened edges to the lenses wheras the ones in the eyepiece set don't say that, although they are fully multi-coated like the Omni's. Theoretically blackened lens edges reduce internal light scatter which can affect contrast but whether the difference would be noticeable in use is doubtful - it's quite possible that the standard plossl's have them anyway but it's been omitted from the "blurb".

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  • 2 years later...

I had first light with my Celestron Omni 32mm Plossl EP this evening. Admittedly the conditions weren't great but I wasn't convinced that the stars were are sharp as they could have been. My 5mm EP gave nice sharp images and I don't think I have any issues with collimation. I would expect some coma at the edges but the stars even at the centre of the filed of view weren't as sharp as I'd expect - even compared with the as supplied SW 25mm EP. Is this normal for this type of lens?

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I've moved this thread to the eyepiece section as it belongs there.

I would expect the central 50% - 60% area of the field of view to be reasonably sharp with this eyepiece in your F/5 scope but the outer parts would show distorted stars.

If the stars are not sharp in the centre of the field of view, there could be something amiss.

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Congratulations Keiran - I always enjoy using 32mm plossls - they give the largest true field of view you can get in the 1.25" size. <snip>

Um, yes but not the celestron omni, if the specs I read are correct, it's listed as 44 AFOV. I think you need 50 to give the full 1.25" field.

Steve

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I think it depends where you put the field stop. If it's inside the 1.25" barrel, which is the most common place to find it, then the max field stop diameter will be around 1mm less than the inside diameter of the barrel. Some 1.25" eyepieces however put the field stop above the top of the barrel and within the body of the eyepiece so it can be a little wider. Such designs also require more inward focuser travel to reach focus. The now out of production Celestron Ultima 35mm is an example of this which delivers a 49 degree apparent field of view (AFoV) but won't come to focus in scopes with limited inwards focuser travel.

It's probably safest to assume that a 50 degree AFoV is the max with most regular 1.25" designs though.

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Thanks. I'll try it out again when I next get the chance. I did notice when I recieved it that there appears to be a small particle under the first element at the viewing end of the EP. As it's outside the field of view I didn't think much of it. However, if it's between the first and second elements, which I think are meant to be in contact, then this may create a wedge effect which would influence the whole image. I'll try using it again but it may need to go back. I got it via Amazon (voucher as a present) and I'm not sure what they're like for returns - if it comes to that.

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I had first light with my Celestron Omni 32mm Plossl EP this evening. Admittedly the conditions weren't great but I wasn't convinced that the stars were are sharp as they could have been. My 5mm EP gave nice sharp images and I don't think I have any issues with collimation. I would expect some coma at the edges but the stars even at the centre of the filed of view weren't as sharp as I'd expect - even compared with the as supplied SW 25mm EP. Is this normal for this type of lens?

That's very interesting as I have the same eyepiece and the same problem. I notice it looking at m45 (can't spell pleiadies) I cannot seem to get a sharp focus. Had a look on the intertube for a cause and read some where about dirt on lens causing bright odjects to flare, but that could be wrong. Anyway had a look at eyepiece and it was quite filthy so gave it a clean, using baader cleaning products, and am hoping to check it out tonight see if its improved.

If not might try another one maybe vixen npl or the baader classic one.

Cheers.

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although I have some very expensive eyepieces, I really like my 32mm plossl. it's my eyepiece of choice for full lunar or solar disc observation as it provides me with superbly sharp views and a really nice scale with some sky still around the object at 50-57x in my two main scopes. mine's a TV but I did look through a 32mm Omni once in a f5 6" newt and it was really quite nice.

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TV Plossls are not that expensive used compared with what I consider lesser brands new. I got my 32mm for £60 used and would expect to pay around £50-55 max for others in the range. OK that's perhaps another £30 from the new price of a standard plossl but it's a long term purchase and £50-60 compared with £30 or so is not OTT. In fact looking at http://www.firstlightoptics.com/celestron-eyepieces/celestron-omni-plossl-eyepiece.html, the price of a used TV plossl is about the same as a new 32mm OMNI plossl.

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  • 2 years later...

I had first light with my Celestron Omni 32mm Plossl EP this evening. Admittedly the conditions weren't great but I wasn't convinced that the stars were are sharp as they could have been. My 5mm EP gave nice sharp images and I don't think I have any issues with collimation. I would expect some coma at the edges but the stars even at the centre of the filed of view weren't as sharp as I'd expect - even compared with the as supplied SW 25mm EP. Is this normal for this type of lens?

Yay!  I just ordered this for my Nexstar 127 SLT which arrives Tuesday.  Now, having read your post,  I shall use This as well for First (Outdoor/Nighttime) Light!  How fun.. How great to hear I as well, just got my first Premium Eyepiece. I'm SO new to this, but have wanted to get involved since I was 6..  I know as much as anyone w/o a pHd about Physics, Ancient Studies, Archaeology, Meteorites, (I'm a Scripter/Programmer and Hollywood Animator for 25 years) , I play Violin and compose entire classical scores on the computer that are in-distinguishable, from the real thing,  I knows as much as anyone can in so many different, passions.  But, one that I have alwsys wsnted and respect above all other The COSMOS... , I never seemed to have (or Get) the time,..  I went to visit my 70 year old Engineer Brother in Missouri for a couple weeks in June,  (not having seen him since I was 5.. I am 46 now)  and to help him out buy Dog-sitting his babies for a week  I had the chance while there for a LONG week alone (except for the 5000 bugs per square foot of air LoL!) ,  to try out his (what must have been a 3" Refractor)  AND a ORION XT10 10" Dobsonian,.,.. It was in terrible shape,  I found it in the garage with no Lens Cap(s)!  FIrst I cleaned the entire scope inside and out for him and fashioned a new lens cap from a Bucket Cover ;)    I took a chance that I could follow directions and took the mirror out VERY CAREFULLY,,  made a water bath of 2 drops of Plain Dish Soap and a Capful of 70% rubbing Alcohol,  let it soak for 15 minutes then took one soaked cotton ball after another and ever so lightly, just 'hinted' at a direction for the dirt to go and leave the surface, center to outside,  After about 60 cotton balls (I used the remainder of the 100  bag) I rinsed thoroughly,  then leave to dry covered with paper towels  (I worried these woulsd leave little dusties so I whipped them around firs in another room to dust them off  :)   When I took the paper towel off an couple hours later, one could swear it was a BRAND NEW Mirror.  tHANK gOODNESS FOR STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS IN cELESTRON mANUALS!  :)

I put it all back together and not knowing how to really 'collimated' - I sort of guessed that stuff should be 'centered' - I figured maybe if I looked at round things and try to center it in the Hole you that look through (but with nothing in it,  no eyepiece (or 'starback'?)) it would help.. I did so with a far away round silo top..   After that I tested by pointing away as far as one could see from that spot. (miles )  and I COUld See CLOSE TREE BARK!!  and ANTS!@! Om MY GOsh it was amazing - SO,...  all prepared for the evening,.. During which,  I got to See The Moon in Extreme CLose Detail,.  It was 99% HUmidity that night (every night then there) UGH,...    I did not KNOW what a BARLOW was at the time, I knew NOTHING I just sat and figured it out,..  so I looked with big eyepieces then smallere ones, then I tried the one I liked the MOST it was a 5.3mm PLossi (a SERIOUS KEYHOL'r I know know I had to put my PUPIL up against the TINY GLASS HOLE, I hope there are some thatare better than that out there,  I think iots called 'eye relef'_'>..   ANyways I could see a SPIRE in the Center of a CRATER!  SO THat was it I CAUGHT THE BUG Big time...   I came back ABSOLUTELY Obsessed with getting a telelscope, but I wanted to start smart and not too big,.  I liked the idea of no Colllimating so wanted a Maksutov, a Nexstar 127 slt. I hope that with IT, and what I bought with it:

(a Celestron 2x X-Cel Barlow Lens,

a .5 Focal Reducer.,

a Moon FIlter,

a 6mm 68 degree Ultra-WIde Multi COatred (but CHeap) eyepiece, 

a Meade MA40 40mm .925 EP with 1.25" Adapter,

an AGENA Astro 8-24mm ZOOM Eyepiece,

and now today (My last piece for a while except maybe a cheap PLANETARY TYPE II 7 or 7.5mm (Any issues?) the Celestron OMNI 32mm 52 Degree Eyepice (EXCITING!)

Hopefully, if I add the Barlow, I can get Close Crater Views with this setup and a 6 or 7mm EP.. .  I didn't use a Barlow with the Dob and the 5.3mm...  

I figure between the scope, my 4 different types of Cameras to try (a Note 4 with 4k Video Camera,  a CANON HV10 HD Camcorder, a SIMple but HD $19.00 'Windshield Cam' with night-capability, and a  cut litte LCD Screen it even has a 12mega pixel still can for like $12 bucks on eBay .,, I love the little thing,.,)  and finally a Microsoft Life Cam HD that I took apart to reveasl the CMOS...  I'll see what works best with what (and try Everything with Everything.. LOL :) ;~)  BEFORE  I take it all outside.. Know how to work it all before i'm in the dark..

BUT LIke you,  I think I shall wait until my Celestron Eyepiece arrives for my Celestron Telescope, so I can use that for my Celestial FOIrstr Light with my Very First Telescope!  Thanks for the idea and everyone for the wonderful info about this Aweomse Premium but Affordable  (I love it when those two words get together),  eyepiece,   I will not think about  buying anything bigger now that I know this essentially tops out the FOV ability of my 1.25" system and 5" Mak tube 

THANK YOU!!

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I have this 1.25" 32mm plössl eyepiece in two brands: Celestron Omni and GSO. They are not exactly the same eyepiece although mechanically they are the same. Both have multi-layer coatings and blackened lens edges but... I think the Celestron Omni series has a really superb coating, far much better than the GSO, as a result, the Celestron seems to get fainter details and daylight images, for example, seem much brighter (20% max?). On the other hand it seems they have not exactly the same focal length. The Celestron seems to have more than 32mm and just a little less field than the GSO. Conversely, the GSO seems to have a little more field and less focal length, so images are not exactly the same. Images are crispier in the Omni (15%?). Eye relief is almost the same in both eyepieces, perhaps Celestron some milimeters longer.
Getting all details together seems the 32mm Celestron Omni plössl  eyepiece is slightly better than the GSO. I was looking for a Meade Series 4000 32mm plössl but it's hard to find here. I have the 1.25" 40mm model and its coating and sharpeness are astounding, even with it restricted field of 44º. Perhaps the Meade S4000 32mm eyepiece is the best of the lot (compared to Celestron-GSO), dunno. Anyone had a similar experience? I'd like to hear about it!

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