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Paradigm v TMB ??

Telescope40

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Telescope40

Telescope40

Posted
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Hi All. Some feed back please on this scenario.

Own a ED100 F9 and a Meade SCT 10in F10. Have been looking for a nice planetary eyepiece initially for the ED.

Come across TMB on E bay, sure u all know them 4mm at £36. This is option no 1. Good for the ED but not the SCT.

Then noted a few comments on SGL re a 8mm Paradigm. Advert on ABS at this time. Could use nicely with the SCT and then could I possibly 2x barlow the 8mm for use with the ED and not lose out thru barlow use.

Any advice welcome.

Thx as always John

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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I've had the 8mm Paradigm and really liked it. of the few I had it was the most used.

I have not used the TMBs but most say they are great although in the back of my mind I seem to recall some comment about the shorter focal lengths being a little soft? I may be wrong though.

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  • 1 month later...
Damnit

Damnit

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Sorry for digging up an old thread but does anyone have any more experience, direct comparisons or feedback on these two types of EP's?

I am looking at getting a couple of new EP's and both TMBs and Paradigms have been suggested and both sound very interesting.

My scope is in my sig and the sizes I am looking at are either a 5mm or 6mm, then an 8mm and probably a 15mm ... later I imagine I will replace my "kit" skywatcher 25mm SP with one of these too.

Thanks up front ... ;)

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great_bear

great_bear

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in the back of my mind I seem to recall some comment about the shorter focal lengths being a little soft?

Probably not - that's certainly the kind of info I would have picked up on, and I've not read comments along such lines. Some megabucks, rare EPs like $800 s/h Zeiss Orthos may be sharper, but not to the extent you'd notice under British skies.

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Damnit

Damnit

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Thanks for pointing that out ... but then again when I read the review the remarks are that its the worst of the paradigms, but it does not actually say its a poor eyepiece, and I imagine for the money still much better than what I have.

... I still haven't decided whether to go the TMB or Paradigm route yet, and maybe a bit of mix and match will produce better results?

Seems from that review that the Paradigms are very good in the 15-18 region but maybe display some pincushion effects at higher mag's ... so then maybe TMB for 25mm, 8mm and 5mm and then a 15mm Paradigm for nice mid range?

My next comment is perhaps a bit sad so apologies up front, but the paradigms do look more like someone took a bit more pride in their work, taking time to think about how they look, the colour scheming, etc ... or maybe having those coloured anodised kinda parts make em generally look a bit more like engineering ´bling´... and some childish part of me likes that ;):mad::D

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great_bear

great_bear

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My next comment is perhaps a bit sad so apologies up front, but the paradigms do look more like someone took a bit more pride in their work, taking time to think about how they look, etc..

Ah, but the TMBs were like that once - when they were young eyepieces. Now they've gone "mainstream" the look is a lot more conservative.

The "young" TMB (on the left) looks like it's going to a nightclub in the 1980's. Today's TMB on the right, looks like its wearing a "sensible" black cardigan and is no longer concerned with "image" ;)

tmb_planetaries.jpg

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TheThing

TheThing

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Go for the Paradigms. I've got the 25mm and the 15mm and they are both very good. So good in fact, that I'm thinking of getting the others to complete the set when Sky's the Limit start trading again on ebay. For the price, you really can't go wrong!

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great_bear

great_bear

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I'm thinking of getting the others to complete the set when Sky's the Limit start trading again on ebay. For the price, you really can't go wrong!

You don't need to wait for the eBay ads - Alan's up and running again. I just emailed him <click> and he sent me a "PayPal Invoice" for that 8mm TMB in the photo above.

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Damnit

Damnit

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Wonder how many horns those boys have blown in their time?? ;):mad:

(sorry, will get my coat)

Back OT ... has anyone done any astrophotography using the TMB's (using a DSLR) and can they tell me whether they are actually any good for this??

This might be the clincher for me, as I would like to increase my future options to stick a camera on my scope and learn more of the black art of astrophotography.

Have to say though ... something is tempting me quite heavily towards the paradigms ... newer design, ED glass, pimp my ride looks??? Dunno, but heavily tempted to give em a whirl, and currently only having the "kit" SW EP's to compare em against, I will probably only notice a huge improvements anyhows :mad:

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Moonshane

Moonshane

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When it comes to eps, trust your instincts, I say... :mad:

I completely agree with you mate. If it feels right, it probably is and if it feels right and others say it shouldn't, what do they know - eyepieces are probably the most personal choice and strangely evoke the most aggressive arguments too! I suspect a lot of this though is people that have spent a lot of cash justifying their position - I am possibly one of these BUT they feel right to me :mad:

BTW (and having used the 25mm, 18mm, 15mm, 12mm and 8mm) I agree with Hugh that the Paradigms are really stunning eyepieces for the money and they 'felt' better to me than the TMBs (based on owning 1 - the 8mm). To be fair though I have used TV since the Paradigms but before the TMB so I may have been spoiled a bit. ;) They are both excellent value for money.

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Damnit

Damnit

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True dat ... you spends yer money and as long as you are not disappointed, you will probably argue its merits and defend your decisions - some folks get more involved than others, or do not want to hear that there might have been a different option that might have been slightly better - we all hate being duped ;)

... but ... I am also sooooo glad that you said that you prefer paradigms to TMB's Moonshine, since I already placed an order for 3 of em this afternoon :mad:

(5mm, 8mm and 15mm - probably get a 25mm at some point in the future too as long as I like them)

Really looking forward to seeing how much they further liberate my scope's abilities than the stock ones. :mad:

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