Again, I only do this for my low power wide views. As we go up in price range, we gain capabilities that may not be immediately obvious. They include links to them where they can be ordered. These are just a few examples of eyepieces that I have used, and some that I own. The Plossl has good color correction plus is free of the ghost images that plague the Kellner. We may earn commissions by recommending products on this website. In the case of the Celestron, you get all the focal lengths from 24 to 8mm in one eyepiece that costs $100. Outstanding job Jack. I agree. Non-eyeglass wearers can usually tolerate Plossls as short as about 10-12mm before their eyelashes start brushing the ocular lens. You are looking through a LOT of atmosphere which distorts the image. Buy Astromania 1.25" 4mm Plossl Telescope Eyepiece - 4-Element Plossl Design . Between $100 and $250, I will call it mid-range. While many people will stay with and add Plossls to their eyepiece set, I would recommend not going below 10 mm focal length as the eye relief gets quite short. Now we can establish a target magnification range. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase. Pentax 10.5mm Eye Piece Excellent Condition (#314374986239) r***d (1910 . If you were considering a Super Plossl made by an entry-level brand, just use those extra funds to instead get a regular Plossl made by a more reputable manufacturer. In the 1990s Meade instruments came up with a new design for the Meade 4000 line similar to Plossl that added a fifth glass element on top of the two pairs (4 total). > Click here to jump to the Best Eyepieces section. The eye relief is the distance between your eyes and the eyepiece where you are able to view the whole image comfortably. From planetary viewing to deep sky watching. If you stumble the first few uses, dont be discouraged. They are all 4-element Plossl eyepieces, and most have a 52-degree field of view that is common to the Plossl design. My Barlow is a 2X with a removeable Barlow element that can be screwed right onto an eyepiece giving a 1.5X effect. When you are shopping, if you need long eye relief, make sure you are selecting the correct ones. But what are the other differences? Generally, Plssl eyepieces are best suited to Newtonian and fast telescopes. They can be recognized by a thin gold line just below the eye cup. You can still get eyepieces, but there are few choices. A 20mm Plssl is probably worth it, if for no other reason than to compare the views it gives to the 21mm Hyperion you have. https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-8-24mm-zoom-eyepiece-review/. Because the eyepiece was still similar enough to a Plossl and still kept the symmetrical design, they called it Super Plossl. But just because an eyepiece is 2 doesnt mean it has a wider field of view than one that is 1.25. i dont have 1 of everything, and i bought the best i could afford on a low budget; meade and orion. 1. We will now discuss the specifications of eye relief and apparent field of view. You are talking about the technical details of how a Barlow works, and I agree. Question: would an 18mm Baader Classic Ortho mostly used for Moon and planets loose sharpness and contrast if used with a short F5 telescope like the Celestron Astro-Fi 130? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Meade telescope maksutov eyepiece ETX-105EC Super Plossl 6.4mm 1.25" w capsule at the best online prices at eBay! This Super Plossl design was better than regular Plossl eyepieces, but not by much. Now looking for a couple of decent eyepieces. These have the advantage that the front section with the optics can be unthreaded and threaded on to the filter threads of a 1.25 inch eyepiece. I would suggest you also get a 2 low power wide view. Despite the narrow field of view and short eye relief, it showed shockingly good views of Saturn, Jupiter, and even the Moon. Regular Plossl eyepieces with maybe just a slightly better coating or build quality. To say it a different way, in general, an F5 scope will place more demands on the eyepiece around the edge of the field of view than an F10 scope. This number can range from 30 degrees to 120 degrees. I would like to know what is best for a 7 year old that would be getting his first telescope. Orion Q70 38 mm works well. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-eyepieces/. A common problem are eyepiece kits, which are big boxes that some telescope suppliers will sell you with half a dozen eyepieces, most of which include annoyingly short focal length Plossl eyepieces. Lenses are fully multi-coated for excellent light transmission and reduced internal reflections. It was grueling, because I couldnt even get the entire field of viewI had to keep my eye hovering above the exit pupil. A couple of them felt fancier, but the jump in performance was either insignificant or non-existent. Comparing to Plossl eyepieces, Super Plossl is somewhat better for astronomy. 2x Barlow I am a BIG fan of zoom eyepieces, especially if you dont have many. They are most useful in medium and longer focal lengths for terrestrial, planetary, and lunar viewing. But these are only intended to get you started. Another really helpful article, Ed. . In your case, I would do this for the 30 and the 20. Have Any Astronauts Been Lost in Space Forever. For the price, I think the eyepiece is still a good pick. The 26 and 32 are usually the first ones I reach for. The biggest advantage is much better ER in a large ocular. Plossl eyepieces are great. Thanks. If that is the case, it will give me another reasonably good, inexpensive zoom to recommend to beginners. is pretty forgiving of eyepiece faults and a wide variety of eyepiece designs will work just fine in it. These eyepieces have about 35 to 50 degrees apparent fields of view and reasonable eye relief, though quite short for high magnifications. The 5-lens-element pseudo-Masuyamas that telesonic mentioned are/were fine eyepieces. If you are new around here and you want to get started with the hobby, check out our astronomy for beginners guide or the recommended gear page. Explore Scientific recently extended this offering by adding a series of 82 degree eyepieces labeled LER, or Long Eye Relief. I have used both Kellner & Plossl eyepieces and a few others, and I can tell you that they all are quite different from each other in terms of the quality of the image that they produce. The "sharpness" you are seeing may well be better explained by the focal length of the ep than the quality of Plossls in general. Higher values are slower and lower values are fasterthis is a holdover from camera lens terminology and has to do with exposure times.). So perhaps you do your line up like this. For our experience level, would you recommend changing anything right now? As a result, this can cause aberrations in the image as you move from the center of the view toward the edges. They are 82-degree AFOV eyepieces. In the next section, we will talk about the AFOV of an eyepiece. At shorter focal lengths they have less eye relief, and at all focal lengths they have a narrower field of view, than newer types. I can recommend these with confidence. You have selected a very good starting telescope that will serve you for many years to come. Despite one being fundamentally superior to the other in terms of image correction, Kellners and Plossls are generally quite comparable in terms of the image you actually see. Youd have to look into more complex designs which include a barlow lens, or simply use a longer focal length eyepiece with a quality barlow. Again, for no other reason than to compare it to the 17mm Hyperion and draw your own conclusions about Plssls. Choosing the most appropriate can completely change your experience in using telescopes. If your scope uses eyepieces that are closer to 1, then you have an old style .965 that is now obsolete. Omni 56mm Eyepiece - 2" Learn More. This will become more apparent the wider the AFOV is of the eyepiece, in my experience. Best suited for telescopes with f-ratios f6 or slower. Any 1.25 diagonal should work. Divide that by the magnification of that eyepiece in that scope. The 4000 SWA's were way overpriced for their performance IMHO. Number of Lenses. But for the targets requiring higher mag Im still undecided between: The field of view of the eyepiece has a few effects when it comes to actually using it in the telescope. Or, you can have three properly sized eyepieces and use a Barlow lens to achieve three more magnifications, which is usually a less expensive way to go. The availability of good quality relatively wide field-of-view inexpensive eyepieces has kind of put them in the second tier of eyepieces, but they still hold their own in the longer focal lengths and excel if one does not demand a wide field-of-view. The image quality is very good and the additional field of view and longer eye relief makes them very comfortable to use. It will also make your life easier if youre out observing on windy days that would otherwise blow off the front cover of your telescope. So you would have to test the set to see the actual result. Understanding and using a Barlow Lens There is no guarantee that you will be able to get a good image of any given target at that level of magnification on any given night. If the above guide has helped you understand the terms and workings of eyepieces, scroll up and make a selection from our recommendation list. This 10 mm Orion Sirius Plossl Eyepiece is a great, moderately high power ocular for observing small planetary nebulas and globular star clusters, as well as for planetary probing when seeing conditions don't permit higher magnifications. If you feel the need to buy something now, consider this Orion diagonal. Although Kellner eyepieces will help you learn a lot in the beginning but soon will realize that youre missing out on something, and eventually you will be tempted to spend money on another good quality eyepiece. As I discussed earlier, the zoom lets you explore your target over a wide range of magnifications without having to change eyepieces. Newer multi-coatings are better, I suppose, but newer does not always mean better in the ocular game. Telescopes Cost: Acceptable, Good, and Really Good Telescopes, Used Telescopes Buying Guide The Complete Guide, Different Types of Asteroids (C, S, and M) The Definitive Guide, Top 10 Night Sky Objects for Astronomy Beginners, Asteroid Mining Know Everything About It, German Equatorial Mounts (GEMs) Overview and Working. I do not miss beating my eyelashes against a 9.7mm Meade Plossl that I used to own. As a kid, I loved looking at the moon (which can be seen any time of day, regardless of ones bedtime) so make sure that the field of view is wide enough to see the whole shebang. If you are looking at eyepieces that are wider than 55 degrees AFOV, you will again need to consider looking at the better corrected, and typically more expensive, eyepieces. I also just bought the Celestron Starsense 102mm refractor (650mm focal length, f/6.5) as a first scope for me and my kids. The big problem with Plssls is that the eye relief is about 0.75 times the focal length. Put the zoom on the Barlow for the high range. Because of this setup, you might also hear a Plossl eyepiece referred to as a symmetrical eyepiece. Plossl eyepieces have wider fields of view than Kellners. Nothing will stop you from trying to go higher, but in all likelihood, the image will be poor and not worth the cost of eyepieces to achieve it. The Astrovid 40X60mm Zoom Telescope Camera Lens Kit is a great choice for those looking to get a variety of lenses, at different magnifications. Nice, thank you again for the additional inputs. That is up to you and your budget. The difference isnt that severe, and I often track more often than is strictly necessary to keep the object centered anyway. The Plossl optical design is very good for long and medium focal length eyepieces, delivering a sharp, flat field and an apochromatic image. The original design for Plossl eyepieces has existed since 1860. Then there is a pair of 32mm and 20mm TV Plossls which make my binoviewers work well with a Daystar Quark H-alpha solar filter. Well, I'll just say it. They are also good for those who have astigmatism because they are designed to be more forgiving with eye placement. 1200 mm FL scope / 10 mm FL eyepiece = 120X, 40 degree AFOV / 120X = .33 degrees (less than 1 full moon wide), 60 degree AFOV / 120X = .5 degree FOV (about one full moon with no space around it), 82 degree AFOV / 120X = .68 degree FOV (about one full moon with a star field around it to frame it). They are usable, but your eye will be extremely close to the top lens glass. As Im sure you know, a Barlow actually narrows the cone of light that enters the eyepiece, hence it affects the apparent focal length and thus the f/ratio of the telescope objective. This is my all-time favorite eyepiece and the one I use more than all the others put together. We enjoy binoculars for the moon, but having never looked through another telescope, my kids and I do not know what internal reflection, ghosting, vignettes, or diffraction spikes look like! The ES 82s are my favorite eyepieces, especially in the 1.25 format. Theres a reason Plossls are usually kept at 52 degrees. In the beginning, you are not going to know what the atmospheric conditions might be in your area. By having a range of magnifications, you can optimize the image, which means you need more eyepieces. In my scopes a simple zoom eyepiece like the Celestron 24-8mm or the Baader has replaced the higher powered plossls. If you wish to find a short-focal length eyepiece with a longer, more comfortable eye relief, you could use a long-focus eyepiece with a separate, high-quality barlow lens (an achromatic or apochromatic fully multi-coated barlow would be necessary), or you could purchase one of the several designs incorporating a smyth/barlow lens into the eyepiece design. I possess an embarrassing array of fine eyepieces with names like Ethos and Nagler and Delos. Or take one of your eyepieces and measure across the bottom of the barrel. Plossls are extremely versatile and can be used for all use cases. Inexpensive Plossls that are manufactured using low-quality lenses are susceptible to internal reflections when viewing bright objects at high magnification. I still use my 30mm Celestron Ultima fairly often with some of my telescopes. As you saw in the article, they eyepieces that would be best for you, or your child, is based on your budget and what your goals are. Do you think it would be sensible for me to look at getting a higher magnification specific eyepiece? Not only is it good to share the experience but you can get first-hand advice on things like diagonals and may even be able to try one in your scope to see if it makes a difference. Kellners can be as little as half the price of a Plossl in the same focal length, but they are generally very comparable, especially in recent years as telescope prices have fluctuated in response to changing supply chains and demand. They have good center sharpness but exhibit some field curvature and astigmatism. All registered. Over time, you will likely spend more on eyepieces than on the telescope. I had a newer - purchased in 2016 Meade 32mm (white lettering) that was no better than the older 32mm 4000. The only reason it's in this list because of its price and a long focal point. If you upgrade the telescope or add a second one, the eyepieces will work on that telescope too. This was very useful, I got a meade infinity 90mm ( after read the review here -. If you go this route, you can always add single focal length eyepieces along the way to serve specialized purposes. https://www.amazon.com/Explore-Scientific-68%C2%B0-40mm-Eyepiece/dp/B007LMG3F6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=explore+scientific+68&qid=1606584676&sr=8-1, Thanks for your reply, I think I will go for the Orion Q70 . It's no surprise that the eyepieces in our Sirius Plossl line are our best-selling telescope eyepieces. If you wear glasses when observing, you probably want 15mm or more of eye relief, which the 20mm Plssl provides, but the shorter fl ones dont. Even if the scope comes with the more acceptable Kelner or . The larger barrel allows them to create an eyepiece with a higher AFOV. Plossl eyepieces are often included in better telescope packages as the starter eyepieces. The BHZ in a 2X Barlow will take an XT8 to 300X. Are Plossl eyepieces any good? These "other" ones I speak of, aren't technically that, they are a 5 element eyepiece, of a different design. Such eyepieces are able to offer great performance, i.e., satisfactory degrees of deviations, to about a 50.degree field. A Televue Plssl may be better than a generic one, but the difference is probably not worth the additional cost. AP is all about the mount and accurate tracking. That is the critical factor. I have owned wider eyepieces, but ultimately I just prefer the Plssls (must be a mental defect). Plossl eyepieces have a wider field of view that can go from 50 to 56 degrees. These are two very important considerations when you are looking for eyepieces. The Plossl design has become the mainstay of the modern ocular business and probably represents the best value in terms of performance and price, especially in medium and long focal lengths. Interesting points Philip. No results, please adjust your filters. I have seen some gatekeeping in this hobby about Kellners, and Im not sure I understand it. Or we say that F10 would be easier or less demanding on the eyepiece than the F5. Plossl eyepieces are great. The length of eye relief on a Plossl eyepiece ranges from 12 millimeters (less common) all the way up to 45 millimeters with added benefits being that you dont have any issues seeing into your view. These eyepieces are technically called Symmetrics, since Plossls can have different focal lengths for each doublet, but they are always marketed as Plossl. Meade telescope maksutov eyepiece ETX-105EC Super Plossl 6.4mm 1.25" w capsule. My Baader Hyperion Zoom is my most used and favorite eyepiece. Not perfect to the edge but better than the Bresser, in my opinion. However, there can be a problem bringing the eyepiece into focus. These sizes have become the industrys standard sizes. But I have one little niggle. At least you'll have one budget eyepiece that will give you a larger part of the sky at low magnification. Many thanks, Sophie. Can You See The ISS With A Telescope? The ES is actually slightly cheaper than the Orion but my understanding from your reviews and replies is that ES might actually be the better eyepiece have I got that right? Between Kellners and Plossls, this means a 32mm Plossl, which maximizes the field of view in the 1.25 barrel diameter format, will show more stars than either a 32mm Kellner with the same magnification but a smaller true field of view, or a 40mm Kellner (or 40mm 1.25 Plossl, which has a 40 degree apparent field of view) with a lower magnification and the same true field of view. An exit pupil larger than 6 mm may start to show a shadow of the secondary mirror. Comparing to Plossl, the Expanse eyepiece is a lot more expensive. Many thanks. Through the 32mm eyepiece, objects will look larger, and though they may have a lower surface brightness, the surface brightness of the background sky will also be lower. The Plossl eyepiece has 4 lenses, consisting of 2 identical double lenses. Thanks for going through the entire post. Glad you found it helpful. But with 2 eyepieces and a Barlow, you have the full effective range of your telescope. High-quality Plssl eyepieces provide high contrast and sharpness across the entire field of view. I have four telescopes, but I use the same eyepieces in all of them. Hi, I have recently bought a Orion XT8 and am trying to work out which eyepieces to add to what is provided with the scope. Ah I see what you are saying, I had wondered whether this might have had an impact as Ive seen it mentioned before but dont fully understand it so will do some research, thank you . With your glasses on, you simply cant get your eye close enough to an eyepiece that only has 10 mm of eye relief. What happens if you use an eyepiece that has a the wrong exit pupil? A 10mm or shorter Plssl is probably not worth it unless you want to see how you personally cope with short eye relief. Oh the pain of uh having access to really cool eyepieces.). In my opinion, you do not. I havent been into the hobby for long but my experience is in line with whats been said. And you don't even have to get the full set if you don't want to. A Televue Plssl may be better than a generic one, but the difference is probably not worth the additional cost. Worth it is a tough question to answer. I dont think so. I once had to use a 6mm Plossl to attempt to perform a star-test collimation for a telescope at the observatory. Achromatic vs Apochromatic refracting telescopes. The ocular for your highest visual acuity - for viewing deep-sky objects and the like - should have an exit pupil around . The design of a Plossl eyepiece consists of an objective lens with one side that is convex (wider than its length) while the other side is plano-convex or flat in shape. Am I correct? What I can say is that, in general, eyepiece characteristics are inherent to the eyepiece. There are certainly much better options out there but at a significant cost. Etc.? A decent barlow might cost as much or even more. At this point, a Plossl and a Kellner are so close in price and performance that you may as well get the Plossl. Besides fov, How would you compare the optical quality of the Celestron to the Baader? I really like the simplicity and compactness of these simpler designs (ie: Plssls, Orthos, Kellners, etc). Your email address will not be published. However, some lateral color error is apparent when looking at bright subjects, such as Jupiter or Venus, against a dark sky. What should one opt for a 2 EP over a 1.25? All are good eyepieces and diagonals, and would be excellent for star party use. The field of view of a p Plossl eyepiece is typically 60 to 120 degrees. Those are significantly more expensive than the 1.25 focal lengths. To achieve six magnifications, you can have six eyepieces. You can enjoy wide-angle views without giving up any of the clarity or sharpness when using Plossl eyepiece while Kellner will give you more magnified views but at less than half the brightness levels in comparison to other lens designs on this list if light pollution was involved. What focal length eyepieces should I buy? Kellner eyepieces use three glass elements in two groups to minimize color fringing. Thanks for a very helpful guide. This is why we recommend you try to locate the object first at low power, then use a higher magnification if you likethe wider field of view on the sky provides more context in terms of asterisms and reference stars and makes it more likely that youll catch the object you are looking for. Its made up of four lenses in two groups. This is where the second formula comes into play. eyepiece shows signs of use with caps and bolt case, 32 mm Plossl very good cond. But dont fear that you will waste your investment as eyepieces are standard sizes. The generic GSO Plssl from many manufacturers, including Astronomics (Astro Tech) and Agnena Astro, is as good as the Celestron and a few bucks cheaper. A 32mm Plssl is worth it. My own lineup (with a C8) is 32mm Plossl, 18.2mm DeLite, and 10.5mm Pentax (the last one not chosen to match, but rather because it belonged to a deceased friend). It is all about your budget, your goals, and your objectives, as outlined in the article. A typical zoom eyepiece has a focal length range of 8 mm to 24 mm. I want to help you select the best eyepieces for your budget and your telescope. A 2 barrel on the eyepiece will allow the manufacturer to create an eyepiece that provides a wider field of view. For example, if you put a 30 mm eyepiece in a 3X Barlow, it will triple the magnification you get from that eyepiece. If you do upgrade, youll probably want to go for a different eyepiece design than a Plosslsomething with a sharper image or a wider field of view or a longer eye relief (or all three.). The 50 apparent field of view is plenty for me. One last thing, as a kid I used my telescope to watch squirrels and birds (which was interesting because the image was flipped around :-) so, you might consider getting an eyepiece that flips things the right way around so that navigating terrestrial nature is easier to manage. You have a very wide choice of brands and styles to choose from. https://www.amazon.com/Orion-8829-Wide-Field-Telescope-Eyepiece/dp/B000M89H7C/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Orion+Q70&qid=1606584502&sr=8-2, The Explore Scientific 68 degree series would be better but at a much higher price. Also worth mentioning i wear glasses which I will wear while observing. But, if you have a plan, you can fill in those slots, working toward a well-balanced set of magnifications. Even if we were next-door neighbors this would take weeks of discussion and planning. In High School, they told me that F=MA In college I learned that F=dp/dt But F=MA works well enough for most situations and that is how I think of it. The basic design hasnt changed much, but the real costs of manufacturing have dropped. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-barlow-lens-and-how-to/, Celestron 8-24 Zoom Review I have a custom-built 32mm Plossl that has been opened up as wide as possible to 60 or 70 degrees, for use as a 2 eyepiece, although in my 10 Dobsonian at f/5 the edge distortions prevent it from seeing much use. They have a 50-56 degrees field of view, better eye relief, and cost more than Kellners. Also, note that the pricing is based on 1.25 eyepieces. that I could slide into my telescope and look at. For astronomical observations, such as viewing craters on the moons surface from Earth, high-magnification models are preferred because they offer more detail. 14 = 128 = .6 People may have heard, and rightly so, that Huygens or Ramsdens are crummy eyepieces and that they should get a Plossl instead, and they may believe the same applies to Kellners, but the truth is that Kellners are often good eyepieces. The Plossl eyepiece is a type of optical system that was invented by Ernst Abbe. In this article, were going to talk about what is a Plossl eyepiece, what are its components, how do they work, how many types are there and how youd buy a good Plossl eyepiece. While I also have the Baader Hyperion Zoom, mentioned later, I continue to make use of the Celestron, especially in my smaller scopes. A wide range of focal lengths are available, all in 1.25-inch size. In some cases, the eyepieces are waterproof to protect them from internal contamination caused by heavy dew conditions. I foolishly destroyed it while experimenting with solar projection, because I hadnt realized the metal-and-glass construction was aided by a plastic retaining ring on the field stop, and I hadnt realized you do not need to change the eyepiece focal length when doing solar projection. For visual use, 1.5X, 2X, 2.5X, and 3X Barlow lenses are common. How you divide up your magnification range is up to you. Consider something between 35 and 40 mm in focal length with an AFOV of 65 degrees or wider for your lowest power eyepiece for your telescope. The more light that is gathered, the more magnification that can be applied to the image, up to the limits that are imposed by the atmosphere. Eyepieces under $100 each are generally considered budget or low-cost eyepieces. How will my telescopes focal ratio affect my purchases? Tip Its almost always cheaper to buy directly from Agena Astro. Also work very well with my binoculars that have removable focal reducers built into. These low-quality Plossls lack an internally blackened lens barrel with thread baffles and blackened lens edges and sophisticated anti-reflection multi-coatings, all of which are a necessity to produce an excellent image. They are also really sharp. Sorry but I am not offering a configuration and pricing service. Ive read, and re-read, and re-re-read this page. Thus the 30 mm eyepiece in a 600 mm telescope produces 600/30 = 20X magnification while with the Barlow, we have 1800/30 = 60X. The sharp/crisp view you get from your 40mm Plossl comes down to the relatively low magnification it provides. Looking from different sorts I found the Baader Aspheric 31mm and 36mm.these two eyepieces allow me to switch between 2" and 1.25"just by changing the barrel. If we want to get VERY specific to a combination then inherent aberrations of this scope and that eyepiece could produce a unique result. There are so many others at comparable or higher prices, many of which are quite good and some rather poor. If I had to give them all up and keep only one eyepiece, It would be the BH Zoom. This was my first zoom eyepiece and the one that caused me to fall in love with zoom.
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