my eyepiece collection is complete!

[Ags]

I know they are all bargain EPs, but I love 'em. The Hyperion only arrived today, so technically it has not had first light...

Of the EPs my favorite is the 9mm TS Planetary, or possibly the 25mm E-Lux plossl that came free with my scope.

I said the Hyperion would complete my collection, but now I'm wondering if a 7mm EP (giving 189x magnification) would be a useful addition. I do have a big gap between 150x and 220x... I was thinking of forgetting eye comfort and going for raw optical performance and getting a 7mm Baader genuine ortho. But I could get a televue plossl for the same price... Which? Which?

The only weak link is the 15mm Omni plossl, but I got that thrown in as a sweatener when I bought my scope. I have a fantasy of replacing it with a 13mm 80 degree EP - I'll never have the money though.

[Ags]

So the EPs I have are (including my experience of using them on a 102mm F13 Mak):

25mm E-Lux plossl (50x) - lovely, easy to use, comfortable, bright, came free with scope

15mm Omni plossl (80x) - not sure about this one, it feels 'dark' and it's fuzzy around the edge, got it for £10 with my scope

9mm TS Planetary HR (150x) - wonderful planetary views under most conditions, sharp, internal reflections not too bad

6mm TS Planetary (220x) - great for good nights with clear seeing - wonderful on the moon and doubles, occasionally Jupiter

24mm Baader Hyperion (50x) - have not used this one yet but very excited after inspecting it! Bought it 2nd hand from this forum!

[Moonshane]

hi Ags

a nice collection! for me though as you have the 24mm Hyperion (and assuming it's as good as everyone says which I'm sure it will be!) you have a 'duplicate' in the 25mm Plossl. Not sure what you'd get for this but I bet the money would go quite a way toward another eyepiece.

I agree with you that the 7mm eyepiece would be a good one to get and as you like the Planetary (9mm) so much I'd suggest the 7mm version of this range. That would give you about 189x which fills the gap nicely.

my main reason for this suggestion is that I find the 11mm plossl I recently bought to be on the absolute comfort limit with 8mm eye relief (I don't wear specs to observe) and I suspect that the 7mm Ortho might be a little too tight given the other eyepieces you have? I am making an assumption of course about your tolerance for tight ER

good luck with your choice whatever it might be.

[Ags]

I see your point about the 25mm EP, but it is a lovely EP... Its narrower FOV is also useful for aligning the goto.

Good point about the eye relief. SaN magazine reviewed the ortho this month and gave it good marks for eye relief (by which they meant general comfort, not just mm). It wasn't a quality review but left me fancying the orthos anway.

[Moonshane]

best bet is buy one (an ortho) used, try it and then sell on if you don't get on with it. that way the only 'risk' is the rental payment (i.e. the postage costs)

I bet you'll always sell a good eyepiece at the right price.