eyepiece set or individuals????

[jurassicreps]

now realising the standard eyepieces that i got with my skywatcher 127 mak are ****

just wondering if the eyepiecs set from flo are any good? if not then what range of eyepieces are good at a price of around £15 - £30 each?

i know its not alot of money to spend but we all got to start somewhere and the £350 scope and mount emptied my bank.

[jurassicreps]

also forgot to ask a good range of sizes.

[Chris H]

If your looking to spend £10 - £30 per ep you may not get much of an improvement over your existing ep's it might be better for you to go for the Revelation ep set, it gets good reviews.

Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece Kit

They have 10% off until midnight tonight.

[Revs]

Yup, it's great value and has a perfect range of sizes for the 127 mak.

[Specman]

I agree with Chis and Revs, the Revelation Photo/Visual EP set is a good place to start.

Good pic and details

Eyepiece Sets - Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece kit

I got one of these foe my NexStar 4SE Mak and I'm very happy with it, found it very useful. It was a good buy!

Clear skies!

Mark

[Capricorn]

The 127 is a long focal length and I suspect that quite a few in a set will not be of great use. At a guess any that are below 10mm will probably give too much magnification for the scope.

If you have emptied the bank on the scope then another chunk on a set is possibly cause for second thoughts.

If you go down the single eyepiece idea then you can get 1 a month or every 2 months or whatever. Basically spread the cost.

Know I have posted this elsewhere just not a clue where so cannot cut and paste.

TV Plossls are about £74 a piece, try GreenWitch.

Orion ED2's are about the same @ SCS Astro.

WO SWANS are £60 @FLO.

What appears to be Orion ED2 clones are £50 at Astrnomica.

As to lengths something like: 12mm, 15mm, 20mm and keep the 25mm that came with the scope. Later you could think of a 30/32mm and 10mm for magnification if it looks like the scope can take it, and if you would use it.

Each range is stated to be parfocal, within themselves, and the ED2's, +clones, have 20mm eye relief if this is a factor.

[Moonshane]

hi there

I have a Skywatcher Super Plossl 20mm which I don't need and seems OK - just sent a PM.

On the subject of eyepiece sets, you'll get a lot of differing views but I agree with the view of build your set slowly based on what gaps you see based upon your own experience after time spent at your scope. This way you'll get what you actually need at a rate you can afford, rather than lots of gear you either don't or cannot use. Some kits are OK though and many swear by them. You pays your money and takes yer choice

cheers

Shane

[jurassicreps]

thanks for all the replys, and moonshane i am considering your offer. has anyone with a 127 mak tried these Sky Watcher Sky-Watcher Ultrawide Eyepieces (6mm to 20mm) ?

i just want tostart by getting better planetary views. i cant even see jupiter as sharp as i would like too and deffinatly cant see any detail. im pretty limeted to the moon at the moment and thats getting boring now lol.

[Moonshane]

no worries mate. just let me know. I'll be selling anyway if you don't want it but I'll hold off until you decide.

re the moon, try the Lunar 100 - makes it more meaningful rather than just surfing around 'aimlessly' (although that's nice too!).

[jurassicreps]

are the meade 4000 series super plossl ep's any good? they are a bit more expensive than i wanted to spend but i really like the look of this set NEW MEADE PLOSSL 6 Eyepiece+Barlow+5 Colour/Moon Filter on eBay (end time 05-Sep-10 06:14:03 BST)

if they are worth buying then i wil start saving :-)

[Supay]

I'm not too knowledgable on eyepieces and also looking to expand on my starter supplied ones, but from reading around here I seem to recall that the meade 4000s are branded versions of another EP sold for a lot less. Hopefully someone can add a definite statement on that but if you search around the equipment forums you should find a post somewhere.

[Specman]

are the meade 4000 series super plossl ep's any good? they are a bit more expensive than i wanted to spend but i really like the look of this set NEW MEADE PLOSSL 6 Eyepiece+Barlow+5 Colour/Moon Filter on eBay (end time 05-Sep-10 06:14:03 BST)

if they are worth buying then i wil start saving :-)

I've taken a look at the spec of your scope and the EP's listed above that you are considering.

Your scope is a 5" with a 1500mm focal length, your max magnificated is from a 6mm EP giving you 250x power. The eye relief on the smaller focal length EP's is something you should consider, one or two well choosen quality EP's at the lower end might make a difference.

Take a look at Baader Hyperion, you get two EP's in one!

Baader Hyperion 8mm 1.25" / 2" Eyepiece | Telescope Accessories | Rother Valley Optics

Baader Planetarium

I went for The Revelation EP Set as mentioned previously, and a Celestron X-Cel in 8mm that gives me 20mm eye relief! Believe me it makes a great difference over the 6,8,10mm Plossels.

Trust me, try as you might you will never get it right! The grass is always greener on the other side! You will always find a better piece of kit and always want something somebody else has that is better than yours, its the nature of the beast! Welcome to the wonderful hobby of astronomy!

Clear skies!

Mark

[Bobcat]

I was in a similar situation a while back. The eye relief on the 10mm EP was not the best so not using it really.

However I did buy just one EP... it was the Skywatcher ExtraFlat 16mm and it's got an oversized eye-lens which is perfect for me and also got a long eye relief.

Been using that one most of the time, together with the barlow but that's pushing it.

Tempted by the Celestron X-Cel in 8mm with 20mm eye relief now..

[jurassicreps]

my brain is pickled now. i have thought about and researched nothing but eyepieces all day. i think i am going to have to up my outlay a little bit and am thinking of the william optics spl here William Optics

i think a 3mm would be a little overpowering for my scope but 6 and 12.5 would work ok wouldent they?

are these worthy lenses as planetary is my main focus for now.

or do i go for a single planitary lense like this tmb one TMB 6mm Premium Planetary Eyepiece (1.25" Fitting) on eBay (end time 01-Sep-10 14:18:14 BST)

CONFUSED.COM

[Revs]

6mm might be pushing it a bit. My smallest is a 9mm (from the Rev. kit) and I wouldn't want anything smaller.

A 6mm would give you 250x magnification. I'd say 200x (8mm ish) is the limit.

[jurassicreps]

6mm might be pushing it a bit. My smallest is a 9mm (from the Rev. kit) and I wouldn't want anything smaller.

A 6mm would give you 250x magnification. I'd say 200x (8mm ish) is the limit.

how do you get on with the rev kit?

[Specman]

The 9mm from the Rev kit is difficult to use due to the eye relief and through my scope which is 102mm 4" it was hard work, very dim.

But my maximum working power is really 200x, you have a 5" scope which will be brighter!

I opted for a Celestron X-Cel in 8mm and the difference is amazing over the 9mm Plossl. Its very usable!

Spend good money at the lower end, Celestron X-Cel or maybe a Baader Hyperion in 8mm as I said previously and you won't regret your purchase.

I will say that out of the entire REV kit the only item I don't use much is the 9mm, but remember it is also a Photo/Visual kit and the 32mm threaded for the T-ring is really useful for photography.

Eyepiece Sets - Revelation Photo-Visual Eyepiece kit

I also use the 32mm for viewing the sun, I can get the whole image in the frame.

[Specman]

I was in a similar situation a while back. The eye relief on the 10mm EP was not the best so not using it really.

However I did buy just one EP... it was the Skywatcher ExtraFlat 16mm and it's got an oversized eye-lens which is perfect for me and also got a long eye relief.

Been using that one most of the time, together with the barlow but that's pushing it.

Tempted by the Celestron X-Cel in 8mm with 20mm eye relief now..

I'm really pleased with the 8mm X-Cel, I wear glasses so the 20mm eye relief really makes a difference, and it is so bright compared to the Rev 9mm Plossl. Take a look at the Baader Hyperion. I'm really tempted by the 17mm, with the 68 degree field of view its a fantastic EP. They also accept a camera T-ring, AND you get two EP's in one!

Clear skies!

Mark

[Revs]

how do you get on with the rev kit?

It's hard to beat for the money. Yes you can get better EP's and filters but for the price of this kit you'd only pick up 1 really good one or 2, maybe 3 in the £50 ish price range (which probably won't be any better than the kit EP's). Then you've really got to be careful which you choose.

If you get the kit you've got a good selection to try and learn with, and as was said, the 32mm is great for many occasions and that alone is a £50 EP. If you want to splash out on a really good EP at a later date you'll know which size you want. Probably cheaper in the long run. And of course you get a nice box with the kit .

[Capricorn]

Your scope is f/12, a 12mm gives 125x, 10mm will give 150x.

An advertised 250x with a 6mm isn't a realistic magnification. The most likely maximum is more like 180-190 and that will be rare. For this it would mean a 7.5mm eyepiece and I suspect that an 8mm would give the maximum magnification. And you would use/manage that perhaps twice a year if lucky.

I could say 3x diameter and on paper that simply means sticking a 4mm eyepiece in. All the figures are correct, the view however would be garbage.

Some time back it was always said 1.5x the objective diameter. Then someone advertised 2x diameter, others joined in. Problem is that it is set of numbers, looks good in the sales blurb and people read the blurb.

For comparison, Meade advertise their 80mm refractor as 240x magnification. The scope is an achromat, no ED glass, it is f/5 and to get 240 there is a poor barlow in the optical path.

There is no way the scipe can achieve that magnification and produce anything other then a complete blur. But the figures on paper say 240x

[jurassicreps]

ok, just ordered a 8mm celestron x-cell from flo as a planetary piece. if i like it then i will buy a few in the x-cell range over the next few months.

good choice???

[Specman]

A good first purchase for your higher magnification, you will not be disappointed with the optics or the eye relief! Well done! You made a decision!

later you can buy maybe a 10, 12 or 15mm, see how u feel.

Its worth spending a bit more on these higher powered EP's.

As Revs said (including myself in earlier posts), consider the Revelation Photo Visual EP set. I got mine when I got my scope on advice and only paid £69 for it in a package deal! An absolute bargain!

The 32mm, barlow, photo adaptors, filters and case alone make it worth the money IMHO! There is also room in the case to expand.

You can always sell on any EP's your not happy with a at a later date.

[Revs]

ok, just ordered a 8mm celestron x-cell from flo as a planetary piece. if i like it then i will buy a few in the x-cell range over the next few months.

good choice???

Looks a nice bit of kit. Nice wide aperture. I'd be interested to know what you think

[Ogri]

There's a lot of people on SGL seem very happy with the BST Explorer ED's that are on here 1.25" Eyepieces .

Also, although not listed on the page, they do the TMB Planetary types at a very good price as well.

Both reasonable fields of view, decent eye relief, and with good glass.

I must get one of each to try sometime, myself.

eta: I must admit I enjoy the views with an EP that looks just like that Skywatcher Ultra Wide (there seem to be equivalents on the site I linked too) - the 20mm one. Erfle design, nice coatings, good views. Eye relief is 'just' ok for me wearing glasses, and 'ok' has turned out to be 'more than ok'. Great value.

However due to the eye relief issue, and as the shorter lengths are supposed to have even shorter eye relief, I won't buy one until I can try one (shame really, as the 4 would be a nice travel set as they are compact and light). With my ST120 having a fl of 600mm, my main EP's are 3 secondhand Baader Hyperions I picked up off the SGL for sale section, and very happy I am with them too! But they are BIG! (so not good to take touring on the motorbike). The ones I have are the 21mm, the 13mm, and the 8mm, along with the tuning rings, so can ring the changes with the magnifications, along with a Barlow. This allows a range of magnifications from 139 x to 28.5 x, un-Barlow'd. Nice views for sure, and the 28.5 x mag is ok on the contrast as well, thankfully.

I also picked up one of the Meade 4000 SP's cheap off the guy on ebay that frequently sells them (sold from America). It is a very nice EP with a comfortable eye relief, but with the 600mm fl of the ST120, it only gives 18.75 x mag, and the contrast as a result, is absolutely rubbish - no reflection on the EP, just those magnifications seem to be far better served, by binoculars. The 20mm erfle though, gives about the same view as the 32mm SP, but the contrast of the 20mm at the consequent 30 x mag, totally blows the 32mm out of the water. I think any 'scope that would allow that 32mm Meade 4000 SP to work at higher than 30 x mag, would give it the contrast to allow it to work to its strengths.

I know I keep harping on about this 30 x magnification 'thing' I have, but there's no getting away from it, 30 x mag with a reasonable field of view and decent contrast, gives a heavily used eyepiece.

Unfortunately with a 1500mm fl, you are looking at a 50mm EP to get it.

So what is the best value longer length 1.25" EP with a 70 degree or better field of view on the market, to help compensate for that lack of a 50mm, by substituting field of view? What would be optimum at working with the 1.25" format, for you?

I must admit my personal bias for my own 'scope purchase considerations, says explicitly to me now, that anything with a fl of over 750mm, will have to have 2" EP capability (750mm fl gives a 30 x mag with a 25mm EP, the approx. crossover point as I see it, where 2" EP's start taking over) just to get around EP constraints that would be unavoidable otherwise.

I think I would start with this EP (sadly I haven't seen anybody in the UK selling it or an equivalent) "Antares 25mm ERFLE - 1,25" - 70° visual field … maximum visual field with 1,25" with good contrast and good sharpness" http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/de/info/p2717_.html for 69 euro plus postage.

That would give 60 x mag, but the fov would help you a lot looking around, and to all intents and purposes give benefits you would otherwise have with lower magnification, due to that 70 degree fov. If that particular EP had given higher than 24 x mag in my 'scope, I'd have picked it up, and I'm looking to get one for my next 'scope which will have a 1200mm fl, for 48 x mag. The eye relief should be a little better than the 20mm, so better than 'ok' too. If anyone knows where that EP can be purchased in the UK, I'd be rather chuffed to know about it.

[Bobcat]

ok, just ordered a 8mm celestron x-cell from flo as a planetary piece. if i like it then i will buy a few in the x-cell range over the next few months.

good choice???

Looks like a good start

Do let us know how it works out for you... especially since Jupiter is up and about.