Eyepieces

[2844az]

Hello! I have a couple of questions about eyepieces. I want to buy the best eyepiece for the least amount of money!! I want to spend about 100.00 a piece for the EP. Tele Vue is out of my bracket. So, I have researched numerous eyepieces and they have their ups and downs. I looked at the fully multi-coated and 6-7 element types, and wide focal fields and flat views etc. <br /> Now the University Optics Inc. company seems to make excellent eyepieces and Barlow lenses for the money to me. Or, they just have better advertisement than the other companies. http://www.universityoptics.com/125inch.html - HD<br /> Here is one advertisement: 70 and 80 degree Oculars at less than $100! That's the big news this spring. Remember when people used to spend $300 to $600 for big 2" wide angle eyepieces? Those days are gone forever. Our new line of ultra-wide oculars will give you 95% of the experience of the "designer name" oculars at a fraction of the cost! We have been in this business over 45 years, and we think these new oculars are fantastic. Fit, finish and full multi-coatings are right up there with anything we have ever seen.<br /> Check it out and let me know if they are on the up and up? They do use the 4 elements, but they say they have found a way around the 5-7 element design. Thanks Gary.<br />

 

[cnick]

2844az:<br />You are probably going to want more than one EP. <br />Maybe a high power for moon, planets, and double stars, medium power for clusters and nebula, and low power for wide views of starfields, larger clusters, etc.<br />You can also multiply your EP selection with a Barlow.<br />University Optics products are an excellent value, I have several of their eyepieces, Orion has some excellent products at reasonable prices. One of my favorite EP's is a 15 year old University Optics 16mm 84degree Widescan, I use it a lot. Is it as good as a Televue? of course not! but it's probably 90% as good at 1/3 the cost, and yes there is some pincushioning toward the edge but it is very good for the budget minded.<br />Baader Hyperion's are excellent value, many dealers are now selling them at $99.<br />UO HD orthoscopics sell for around $75 and many amateur astronomers consider them to be classics. Contrast and flat field are excelllent. But eyerelief and field of view are low.<br />Agena and Owl have some low priced EP's too.<br />You want to consider your needs concerning:<br />EYE RELIEF- how close you need to put your eye to the lens, comfort, viewing with glasses, etc..., most ads don't tell you what it is unless it's high...when the FL of a Plossl or Ortho gets under 10mm eyerelief get's tight.<br />FIELD OF VIEW- if you are just looking at planets at high power maybe an ortho with 40 degree fov is best<br />if you want to see a panoramic view, a wide angle EP, 65 to 80 degrees may be best.<br />MAGNIFICATION- focal length of Objective Lens divided by FL of the EP,<br />you will probably find that you get the most use out of your low to medium power EP's. <br />PRICE- of course!<br />So it comes down to a trade off between these factors. Nothing is easy, is it?

 

[tfwthom]

Go to a star party. There you will be able to test drive eyepieces in your scope to see if they work. Some eyepieces are only suited to refractors, while others work best in reflectors, and still other will not work in an SCT.<br /><br />I swear by TeleVue and say they are worth the money. University Optics is actually agreeing with me when they say "Our new line of ultra-wide oculars will give you 95% of the experience of the "designer name" oculars at a fraction of the cost!" So you are getting an eyepiece that's 95% as good as a TeleVue.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1" color="#3366ff">www.siriuslookers.org</font> </div>

 

[adrenalynn]

And paying 1/3 for it.<br /><br />Frankly, only a very good scope with very good optics is likely to see any advantage.<br /><br />Even my *very* good N5 doesn't show any noticeable difference betwixt an Orion Expanse and my Naglers. My Naglers really shine in the 16" scope at the observatory, though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font>  (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.]  Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>