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class="prefix prefixSilver">Discussion New eyepiece, more for less

Discussion in 'Eyepieces, Barlows, and Filters' started by Leonard, Feb 9, 2019.

New eyepiece, more for less

Started by Leonard on Feb 9, 2019 at 4:39 PM

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  1. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 9, 2019
    #1
    Hi:

    I just received an eyepiece I purchased from a company on eBay; a Meade 26mm, series 4000 QX, 2”eyepiece. I got a real good deal, about 1/4 of the original cost. The eyepiece looks new.

    I have purchased a lot of eyepieces off eBay. In fact, I enjoy the search. I am either looking for a specific eyepiece to complete an eyepiece line, or I’m just breezing through checking out what’s for sell.

    I have a lot of eyepieces, most of them are good, solid oculars. I have purchased top of the line plossls, such as TeleVue plossl, Meade series 4000 and 5000 Super Plossl.

    I have also bought several Kellners: a 4mm, 10mm and a 25mm. Also, a 20mm Huygens and once, an SR4. These were purchased to compare with Plossls and other more advanced configurations. The trick with thus group is finding those that are well made.

    I purchased several “wide view” eyepieces: Meade QX, Antares 72 degrees, and on. I normally purchase economically priced wide views as most of my scopes are slow, F6 and lower. Thus, they provide me with satisfying views.

    There are several lines of eyepiece I have tried to complete like Orion Sirius plossl and Meade series 4000. The QX EP I purchased brings me closer to completing that line.

    Considering my time for serious observing, I have bought some top level plossls and an Ortho. These do a very good job since my main targets are planets and brighter DSOs.

    I like a lot of good quality EPs rather then a few very good and very expensive EPs.
     
  2. Gabby76

    Gabby76 Well-Known Member

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    Gabby76, Feb 11, 2019
    #2
    I hope the new eyepiece works well for you :)
     
  3. sickfish

    sickfish Well-Known Member

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    sickfish, Feb 13, 2019
    #3
    I have slowly replaced all my EPs.
    The only plossl I have in use is a TV 11mm. ( I do have all the one that came with scopes in a box somewhere)
     
  4. Gabby76

    Gabby76 Well-Known Member

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    Gabby76, Feb 13, 2019
    #4
    The TeleVue 11mm plossl is a good eyepiece for bringing out the handing on Jupiter and Saturn.
     
  5. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 19, 2019
    #5
    Yes. The 11mm TV is a good EP. It does a splendid job on planets when used with a long focal length scope. But it also does a good job on DSOs. It’s a versatile EP.
     
  6. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 19, 2019
    #6
    The trouble with collecting sets is that you can't stop lol.

    tvs.jpg
     
  7. sickfish

    sickfish Well-Known Member

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    sickfish, Feb 20, 2019
    #7
    Pan 35
    ES 68* 28mm
    ES 68* 24mm
    ES 68* 20mm
    Delos 17.3mm
    Delos 14mm
    ES 82* 11mm
    ES 82* 8.8
    Meade 82* 5.5mm
    That's the main lineup.
    6 and 15 Expanse
    Agena Starguider 18mm
    TV 11mm Plossl
    The others
     
  8. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 20, 2019
    #8
    I enjoy collecting Eyepiece lines. Especially old discontinued lines.

    I’m trying to get a 20mm Meade Series 5000. Not the newer HD version. I like the older plossl version that came out about 2003. I have the 5.5, the 9, the 14, and the 26mm. I always like those EPs. Billed as a plossl they are a actually a 5 Lens EP (except the 5.5. It’s a 6 lens EP. The twist up eyecup is a nice touch which helps in excess eyerelief. The 20 degree Eyerelief plus the 60 FOV work well together. You get the full FOv. Often, with tight eyerelief it’s possible to see the entire FIV. They have computer cut lens with 7 layers of full multi coating.

    For me, They perform much better than their original cost of about $90 each.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2019
  9. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 21, 2019
    #9
    I like to collect different eyepiece lines. For instance, I have the entire line of the Meade series 4000 plossls except the 32mn and above. I have a vintage GTO 32mm from Hands on Optics and don’t want to duplicate the 32.

    I also have most of the Orion Sirius plossl line, again except for the 32mn and above.

    I collected the both of them because I really like both lines and they are not expensive.

    I have the Meade Series 5000 plossls from 5.5mm to 26 missing the 20. They are discontinued and more difficult to find.

    I like the plossl configuration. Though there are several different type of lens setups, almost all work very well with slow scopes that have a. focal ratios of 6 or above. Most of my scopes are in that category. As most of my targets are planets and brighter DSOs.
     
  10. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 21, 2019
    #10
    I'm pretty sure the Orion Sirius Plossls are sourced from Barsta (BST) like Celestron and Sky-Watcher.
     
  11. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 21, 2019
    #11
    Yep, ur prob right.
     
  12. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 21, 2019
    #12
    I used to have a link to the Barsta site. It seems to have been replaced with something written in Chinese. I'm really going to have to learn Mandarin lol.
     
  13. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 24, 2019
    #13
    Lol.


    But for sure, China has been a major player in the amateur astronomy field for some time. They produce good equipment at a low ball price.

    I might not like the way they operate, but i can’t argue with the good they done for the pricing. A good example is the Orion 80mm F6.5 ED, APO. That one scope changed economics in the hobby.
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
  14. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 25, 2019
    #14
    I think almost everything I own is made in China.

    ed80.jpg

    I have the Sky-Watcher equivalent of the 80mm, f/7.5 Orion. These are made by Synta who are actually Taiwanese. They're manufactured at their factory in mainland China though. The Orion equivalent is overpriced in my country as they are usually imported from the US. No doubt there's a Celestron equivalent but I haven't seen one. There may well be an Omegon as well. I find the ED80 to be very well balanced on an AZ5 mount and I can put a 2" diagonal and eyepieces with a combined weight of nearly a kilo into it easily.

    9895.uts

    skywatcher-evostar-80-ed.html
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2019
  15. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 25, 2019
    #15
    Speaking of Orion equivalents of Synta scopes:

    CxzChGc.jpg

    I have the Orion 90mm StarMax. I bought this version as it was the only 90mm Synta Mak that I could find with a Vixen style dovetail. The 102mm SkyMax (centre) has a mount saddle/dovetail that puts the finder at the 7 o'clock position on a Vixen mount. I remedied this by turning the dovetail 180º and using a Rigel sight. The 127mm SkyMax has a Vixen dovetail.
     
  16. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 25, 2019
    #16
    Oh yeah, I forgot these:

    IMG_20180518_114613.jpg

    These ST80's have both been modified with TS Optics (GSO) Crayfords. I don't use them much now. The Sky-Watcher was the first I purchased but the last to be modified. I had some problems with a stuck dew shield and the axial focuser screws so I bought the Orion. It made sense as I'd bought a mount and tripod specifically for the ST80 so replacing the OTA was the most economic option. Eventually I fixed the Sky-Watcher and it finally saw some use last summer.
     
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  17. Leonard

    Leonard Well-Known Member

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    Leonard, Feb 25, 2019
    #17
    I have the Orion 80mm ED F7.5 APO. I purposely purchased it to combine with my Vixon Porta Mount 2 as my Grab and Go scope.

    I had been using a 114mm F8 reflector on that mount. And though I was told it would easily support that 114, it never did. The scope was within the stated weight limits, but apparently there was another stat to consider if which I was not informed, the length of the scope.

    At any rate, I decided to get a scope that I was sure would do the job and be easily supported by the Vixon mount and the Orion did the job. It’s a very good combo.
     
  18. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 25, 2019
    #18
    I have a Porta II but I now have an SXG Hal-130 tripod for it.

    ST80fl2.jpg

    It seriously increases the weight though and I need a trolley to take the Vixen combo out. I'm physically disabled, so this isn't as grab'n'go as the AZ5.

    4ZhPo9M.jpg

    The ED80 and the AZ5 were made for each other!

    MEvOLO9.jpg

    The AZ5 will hold my 102mm Altair Starwave but I usually put this on the Porta II with a Vixen SXG Half Pillar.

    7H8Dfyo.jpg

    The pillar is required to look at the zenith.
     
  19. sickfish

    sickfish Well-Known Member

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    sickfish, Feb 26, 2019
    #19
    20190226_110932_resized.jpg
    my grab and go. Orion ST80 GSO 2 speed focuser repainted 3 times so far.
     
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  20. Mak the Night

    Mak the Night Well-Known Member

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    Mak the Night, Feb 26, 2019
    #20
    I'm planning on grabbing and going with this and the AZ5 in about an hour.

    6dLr6GT.jpg
     
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