TeleXtender VS Powermate

[Kef9]

Hi Guys

I've searched through loads of posts to get an answer on this to no avail!!!

Are the powermates and TeleXtenders the same? I'm looking to get a 2x 2" and was wondering which is best?

Is the televue worth £30 more?

[John]

I had a Meade TeleXtender 2" 2x for a while recently and I've also owned a Powermate 1.25" 2.5x, but not both at the same time unfortunately.

Like you I found it very difficult to find reports on the TeleXtender so buying it was a bit of a "shot in the dark". I was pleased with the one I tried and I'd probably agree with the one or two reports I did find on it that it performs 90% or so as well as the Powermate equivilent. If the difference between the Meade and the Tele Vue equivilent is only £30 though I'd go for the Powermate - but that's probably becuase I just love Tele Vue stuff and, on a more prosaic note, the Powermate will hold it's value better.

[Kef9]

Thanks for being the only person to respond to this!!! LOL

I might try to hold out for a second hand one but if not I'll buy new!

[Chris H]

Can I ask why you want a Powermate / Telextender rather than a barlow?

[Moonshane]

I have a 1.25" 2.5x Powermate and have previously had :

generic but seemed decent 2x doublet barlow

2.5x smart astronomy 'ED' barlow

and have currently

2x Cape Instruments barlow (someone told me these are good quality but I only really use it for collimation)

for me (using Radians and a 24mm Panoptic) the Powermate is a different class to any of my barlows. It does not degrade the image and seems not to be there at all. it just effectively creates a shorter focal length eyepiece and the light and sharpness etc is just the same as if you had the shorter FL.

I got mine for £100 used and it is absolutely worth the difference to a decent barlow. If you get one, make sure it's the one with compression rings. they don't take filters either so you have to add the filter to the 2-1.25 adapter or eyepiece.

you will not regret getting one, I can guarantee it. that's my view anyway

[John]

Can I ask why you want a Powermate / Telextender rather than a barlow?

I too like the advantages that they bring:

- Little or no change in focal position

- No change in eye relief

- No vignetting even with the 100 degree Ethos

- Quality construction that gives you confidence to hang expensive and heavy eyepieces from them.

In addition to the above, the Meade TeleXtender and Tele Vue Powermates seem to "get out of the way" more than any other amplification optic that I've tried. You do pay for all this of course .... as ever

[Moonshane]

as always, John put much more succinctly than I ever did

I have never used a Telextender but they sound very similar.

[Chris H]

I wondered why because the Televue BIG Barlow gets good reviews, with eyepieces with medium & shorter focul lengths the change in eye relief is minimal and I'm sure the build quality of the big barlow is just as good as anything else from Televue but it costs a lot less. Fair enough if you want to use it with low power 2" ep's I would say get the Powermate but if not the barlow should be fine.

[DarkerSky]

I have a Meade Series 5000 2" x2 Telextender. It's a super bit of kit. Definately recommend it for maintaining high optical quality through your system

[John]

I wondered why because the Televue BIG Barlow gets good reviews, with eyepieces with medium & shorter focul lengths the change in eye relief is minimal and I'm sure the build quality of the big barlow is just as good as anything else from Televue but it costs a lot less. Fair enough if you want to use it with low power 2" ep's I would say get the Powermate but if not the barlow should be fine.

I believe that Tele Vue advise the BIG Barlow over Powermates for newtonian scopes, the other way around for refractors.

I've not used one myself but from what I've read I reckon the TV BIG barlow is excellent as well and probably lighter - the 2" TeleXtender and Powermates are pretty heavy lumps !.

[Chris H]

The Powermate weighs 1.2 lb and the big barlow 0.75 lb so with a dob the barlow is going to upset your balance by less. Kef9 what scope do you have?

[Moonshane]

I believe that Tele Vue advise the BIG Barlow over Powermates for newtonian scopes, the other way around for refractors.

I've not used one myself but from what I've read I reckon the TV BIG barlow is excellent as well and probably lighter - the 2" TeleXtender and Powermates are pretty heavy lumps !.

this is what Televue say but what do they know:D

I use my Powermate in the dob with no probs; it's ace.

[Kef9]

Seems like a powermate is the way to go. Anybody got a 2x 2" they want to sell?

[Chris H]

Just taken delivery of a Televue BIG barlow and have given it a quick test. The result is it behaves like it is not there, zero detectable impact on light transmission just a pure doubling of power and minus the 1.25" adaptor it weighs just 223 grams.

A BIG thumbs up from me for the BIG barlow.

[Kef9]

The Powermate weighs 1.2 lb and the big barlow 0.75 lb so with a dob the barlow is going to upset your balance by less. Kef9 what scope do you have?

I have a Celestron C100ED refractor on a CG5 mount.

Glad you like the Big Barlow. Televue apparently reccommend to big barlow for reflectors and the powermate for refractors. That would make sense for you looking at the scopes you have.