are plossl eyepieces good
Now here is something that some of us classic scope nuts know - there are plossls, and there are plossls. They deliver sharp images in almost all telescopes. These sizes have become the industrys standard sizes. In your case, I would do this for the 30 and the 20. 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. 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. To achieve six magnifications, you can have six eyepieces. For visual use, 1.5X, 2X, 2.5X, and 3X Barlow lenses are common. I have several 10mm eyepieces in my eyepiece boxalmost all of them are eyepieces that came with some telescope I boughtand I will almost always choose to use one of the Kellners over one of the Plossls, because the Kellners have a longer eye relief, which is comparable to the focal length. It has made learning the Constellations and star-hopping more fun and engaging for my whole family exactly what I was hoping for. I havent addressed .965 eyepieces in the recommendations. philhas Members 61 459 Location: North East England These and the essentially identical AT Paradigm are universally praised as good quality eyepieces with a wider 60-degree apparent field of view. dnrmilspec is right. In this article, we will only focus on the differences between Plossl and Kellner eyepieces. This has nothing to do with your scope or eyepiece. Gold line eyepieces are available in 6mm, 9mm, 15mm, and 20mm focal lengths. I have a 4 element (traditional) and a 5 element 32mm Meade, both from the same era in Japan, and the 5 element is much better by quite a bit. Also work very well with my binoculars that have removable focal reducers built into. Below .5 mm exit pupil, floaters in the eye become more apparent and can be bothersome. I owned an XT8 Intelliscope which is the same optical tube on a PushTo mount. I must say Im quite confused about eyepieces. The way a Plossl eyepiece works is by using the convex lens and concave lenses to create an image that has both total magnification of what youre viewing, as well as erect images. Omni 32mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. Fully coated optics provide crisp and bright views of the cosmos. So speaking of the Barlow as if it modifies the FL of the eyepiece, while technically not correct, does provide an easier model to understand the net effect. If you are going to wear your glasses when you observe, you want at least 18 mm of eye relief and 20 mm is better. Many compare these favorably to eyepieces that are much higher priced. It also gives the widest possible exit pupil in my dob and SCT, very handy when using nebula filters. I dont have a specific diagonal to recommend and I am not aware of any specific issues with the one that is included with the scope. 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. The "sharpness" you are seeing may well be better explained by the focal length of the ep than the quality of Plossls in general. 1.25" 6.3mm 32mm 40mm Plossl eyepiece set give you a good variation in magnification for a wide range of targets with extra sharpness and long eye relief. 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. A 2 barrel on the eyepiece will allow the manufacturer to create an eyepiece that provides a wider field of view. The difference isnt that severe, and I often track more often than is strictly necessary to keep the object centered anyway. Sooooo helpful! This gives us more flexibility at the low end of the magnification range. As I mentioned earlier in the article, not all Plossls are created equal, which simply means that there are good Plossls and then there are bad Plossls. The image will be reversed left to right so you will need to get used to that. Thanks. I wont go into all the types of aberrations that can be there. Kellner vs Plossl - Comparison table. The Big Bang Optics is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Because of this setup, you might also hear a Plossl eyepiece referred to as a symmetrical eyepiece. And the zoom provides every magnification in that range without having to change eyepieces. But your point is well taken. If we look at the range I provided above, we see that we could replace several eyepieces with one zoom. Your email address will not be published. Orion Q70 38 mm works well. 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. 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. You can do the calculation which will show that the 70 will have a significantly wider field of view as compared to the 52. However, I have eyepieces with much smaller exit pupils and they work fine. And of course, NEVER look through a telescope pointed at the sun that does not have a safe solar filter covering the front. The BHZ in a 2X Barlow will take an XT8 to 300X. I would recommend the Baader Hyperion Zoom for any telescope. There are some very good choices in this range. In 1849, Carl Kellner invented the Kellner eyepiece, which is essentially a Ramsden eyepiece where one lens has been replaced with an achromatic doublet made of two different types of glass. My other eyepieces, ES and Meade 82 degree, stayed in the eyepiece case most of the time. I also have an older smoothtop 20mm Meade 4000 that is also 5 element, and it is a fine eyepiece too, compared to another 20mm of the same vintage. At shorter focal lengths they have less eye relief, and at all focal lengths they have a narrower field of view, than newer types. You can find the eyepieces I use and recommend in this article. Omni 9mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. A very good quality eyepiece for a reasonable sum. thanks for all your help. 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). They have a narrow AFOV but have a reputation for being very sharp.. 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. In my scopes a simple zoom eyepiece like the Celestron 24-8mm or the Baader has replaced the higher powered plossls. A Plossl eyepiece has a lens thats plano-convex, which means it is flat on one side and convex on the other. Tele Vue has eyepieces that approach $1000. These will eventually be used in an 8in dob whenever it arrives. Perhaps you have read about planetary eyepieces, DSO eyepieces, and other types of specific eyepieces. Most people prefer the wider TFOV. A wide-angle view of 66 degrees makes it perfect for viewing large objects and even entire constellations while still being able to focus on smaller details with ease. For shorter focal lengths, the StarGuider BST series eyepieces have greater eye-relief, so are better suited. Plssl's were top of the line at one time, and are still being sold today, so that says something too. Also, children do not often have highly developed motor skillsso I would avoid the frustration of switching out eyepieces, and consider a zoom lens. Not all are Plossls, but excellent eps at f/10. Glad you found it helpful. If you want to buy him $200 eyepieces so he can grow into them, that works. In this case, I am going to define this by the focuser and eyepiece size. Note that the full moon appears to be approximately .5 degrees across, so use that as a mental reference when looking at the numbers. The category is over $300 and some of these are way over $300. Rating (max 5): I often recommend it. I just added the 4.7 mm. Using this approach, you would buy a 2X Barlow and hold off on the 4 mm and 3 mm to see if you can reach these magnifications often enough to justify buying an eyepiece. A key thing to remember is that eyepieces are universal. Youll find yourself adjusting these type of factors less than. That is a wonderful expression. A 32mm plossl eyepiece and a 2x barlow lens should be enough to give you a good range of eyepieces for every use case. If you are buying your first telescope, and you are choosing between the telescope that includes a Kellner or a telescope that comes with a Plossl, with all the other specs being similar, pick the telescope thats offering you the Plossl, even if its slightly more expensive. This type of design also helps provide for eye relief; its a better experience if your eyes. Press Esc to cancel. However, for your extra money you get the finest manufacture, the best polish and coatings available. We are a team of active amateur astronomers, here to help you with all your astronomy and science related needs this is anything, from reviewing the latest telescopes to be released to talking about gravity and neurons. They also have good eye relief, making them comfortable to use for extended periods. No other type can compare with it when it comes to that quality. Good quality. Focus on the magnifications rather than the mm of the eyepieces. Sometimes you want to see a wider field of view to locate an astronomical object like a nebula by using nearby stars. 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. Sorry but I am not offering a configuration and pricing service. However, you may see them at higher prices for the short term. 3. I once had to use a 6mm Plossl to attempt to perform a star-test collimation for a telescope at the observatory. Kellner eyepieces were first designed by Carl Kellner in 1849. condition as described, a good transaction. In most cases, these are eyepieces that are focused on wider AFOV or better correction for low focal ratio scopes. If you feel the need to buy something now, consider this Orion diagonal. It offers good color correction and high-contrast images. The views through it are very impressive, and it always amazes me when I get that one out. Plossl against Kellner eyepieces in a previous article, 5 Budget Telescopes That Are Sneakily Powerful. Ideally, you want a minimum of three eyepieces for (1) low power (2) peak visual acuity and (3) high-power viewing. I do not miss beating my eyelashes against a 9.7mm Meade Plossl that I used to own. A four-element eyepiece was made by putting together two achromatic doublets with different focal lengths. eyepiece shows signs of use with caps and bolt case, 32 mm Plossl very good cond. I possess an embarrassing array of fine eyepieces with names like Ethos and Nagler and Delos. We have compared Plossl against Kellner eyepieces in a previous article. I believe the 5000 UWA's are good as well. The Astrovid 40X60mm Zoom Telescope Camera Lens Kit is a great choice for those looking to get a variety of lenses, at different magnifications. OK that makes sense, many thanks. Here's the short answer - Plossl eyepieces are generally better than Kellner eyepieces, but they also tend to be more expensive. This four-element Plssl design is the most popular eyepiece optical design that gives you excellent image quality, good eye relief, and a 50 to 56 degrees apparent field of view. Your email address will not be published. Stargazinghelp.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. My Meade 4000 56 and 60 degree Meade Plossls are pretty sharp to my eyes and do pretty well for me. Centuries of improvements led to achromatic refractors, where the primary lens is made up of two lenses of different types of glass, which reduces false color fringing and allows the telescope to be made considerably more compact. . A rubber safety cap protects the lens when not in use while also providing additional grip on this 35 mm Plossl eyepiece. The Big Bang Optics was started because of our love for astronomy and to help others like us find the best telescope and accessories. None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. I would suggest you also get a 2 low power wide view. The longer FL Plossls (>15mm) have some distinct advantages over more complex designs without the major disadvantage of Plossls which is short ER. Even big telescopes are subject to limitations imposed by the atmosphere. Yes, eyepieces is a large and complex topic. These are considered to be the least expensive eyepieces for serious astronomy and are offered in focal lengths from about 6mm to 40mm. A long eye relief is also important for those who wear eyeglasses at the eyepiece, whether thats a member of the general public at a star party or an astronomer with astigmatism, which, unlike near- or far-sightedness, cannot be corrected with the telescopes own focuser. You noted eye relief is important for those wearing glasses. Optics manufacturers began selling and popularizing Plossl eyepieces, albeit with a generally simplified design where each achromatic doublet had the same focal length. Required fields are marked *. My friend has one and he really likes it, and it is his third telescope. 50 150X, no Barlow Explore Scientific recently extended this offering by adding a series of 82 degree eyepieces labeled LER, or Long Eye Relief. As to a more immersive experience, yes, I would say a wider FOV does provide a more immersive experience. Plossl eyepieces are very good and fairly inexpensive, typically between $25 and $50 each. Thanks in advance I really appreciate it! My understanding of eyepieces was very limited until I read this article, you explain things in a clear and understandable way which made my understanding so much clearer. They have a 50-56 degrees field of view, better eye relief, and cost more than Kellners. Edge sharpness is just satisfactory, nothing to boast about, as is the apparent field of view. Even if the scope comes with the more acceptable Kelner or . Besides fov, How would you compare the optical quality of the Celestron to the Baader? I have an F4 Newtonian reflector and if I use an eyepiece of longer than 25 mm, an exit pupil of 6.25, I start to get a dark area in the center of the field of view which is a shadow of the secondary mirror. This is perfect for a 25mm Plossl (an extremely common standard) and downright luxurious with a 32mm Plossl, but when you get below about 12.5mm or 10mm, it can begin to get difficult to use. Some include: Parks Gold Series, Celestron Ultima's, Meade Series 4000 Super Plssls (depending on year / origin / style) and a few others that I don't remember. 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? Eye relief is the distance from the eye lens to your eyeball, and the higher the better (within reason). I started with the Celestron zoom. In the beginning, you are not going to know what the atmospheric conditions might be in your area. I think I will go for the BHZ because, as you say, I will be able to use it now and into the future. I was looking on a OPT website and they have celestron 32mm and 15mm plossl. Thus the 30 mm eyepiece in a 600 mm telescope produces 600/30 = 20X magnification while with the Barlow, we have 1800/30 = 60X. I need some eyepieces with long FL for low magnifications. If you do not have your Hyperions yet I recommend you wait until you have these and try them out before you buy the Plossls. See if you will observe with or without your glasses. This makes them a bit more complex and expensive than other designs, but also gives them a wider field of view, reasonable eye relief, and reduces optic aberrations. I want these as possible as wide, magnification and astrophotography purpose. 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. Field of view, is about finding, framing, drift time, and context. 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! 1. Hi Ed, that is really helpful sorry if this is a daft question but is the baader hyperion 2 or 1.25 or can it be both? These eyepieces have about 35 to 50 degrees apparent fields of view and reasonable eye relief, though quite short for high magnifications. There are certainly much better options out there but at a significant cost. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Yes, the wider field of view of a Plossl is very helpful, but 40 degrees of Kellners isnt a soda straw (unless you are used to looking through very wide field eyepiece. Imagine you are looking at the moon with each of these eyepieces and consider what you would see. Over time, you will likely spend more on eyepieces than on the telescope. The only difference is that they have a different design as well as a shape with their lenses, which affects the magnification of your telescope view. I took notes and now can shop with confidence Kellner eyepieces work perfectly with small and medium-sized telescopes. The original design for Plossl eyepieces has existed since 1860. My Barlow is a 2X with a removeable Barlow element that can be screwed right onto an eyepiece giving a 1.5X effect. Plossls are the clear winner here in most cases, unless you have one of the wider-field 50-degree Kellners. I have seen wider-field Plossls. 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 . Eyepieces are a religion. What I can say is that, in general, eyepiece characteristics are inherent to the eyepiece. I also like to have my face physically in contact with the eyepiece (or the eyepiece cup) so the tight eye relief of the shorter focal lengths actually works really well for me. Celestron - 1.25" Eyepiece and Filter Accessory Kit - 14 Piece Telescope Accessory Set - Plossl Telescope Eyepiece - Barlow Lens - Colored Filters - Moon Filter - Sturdy Metal Carry Case. I usually recommend a 32 mm Plossl type eyepiece as that provides about the widest view you can achieve with a 1.25 focuser. By the 1980s, amateur astronomy equipment suppliers were still selling new telescopes with Huygens and Ramsden eyepieces, not merely because they were cheap but because they lacked internal reflections. Omni 56mm Eyepiece - 2" Learn More. With your glasses on, you simply cant get your eye close enough to an eyepiece that only has 10 mm of eye relief. On many occasions, that will be too high power for the atmospheric conditions. Thanks all. Celestron 2026 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is another great choice for those looking to get a variety of magnifications. If you want to observe the fine details of a specimen, Plossl eyepiece has a higher magnification than an ocular with lower lenses. Heres the short answer Plossl eyepieces are generally better than Kellner eyepieces, but they also tend to be more expensive. The Plossl was also called a Kellner Type III in some earlier references; in the 1950's, Edmund Scientific sold a "Kellner" eyepiece made from war surplus lenses, but it actually consisted of two achromats in the classic Plossl configuration. If you had to choose 1 low-power 2 EP for chasing deep sky objects (again, at 600mm f7.5), what size piece would you go for? If one Super Plossl specifies it uses a 5 lens design, then you can definitely consider it a true Super Plossl that might offer better performance, but no brand has released any of those for decades. Is there much of a difference between the celestron and haader? Some accept 2 and have an adapter that allows you to also use 1.25. But those EPs mentioned were all great too! That is why I suggest, if you can use 2 eyepieces, you will want one or two low power wide view 2 eyepieces. But for AP you should really start your planning with the mount. But these are only intended to get you started. Over time, you may wish to add a specialty eyepiece here or there, but I would not make that a priority until you have filled out your magnification range. I would wait till you get the scope and use the included eyepieces. You are looking through a LOT of atmosphere which distorts the image. With a 8" dobsonian, a 6mm is very versatile. Was $38.99 - $99.99 Now $31.19 - $84.99 Compare Orion Edge-On Planetary 1.25" Eyepieces It had one of the best fields, edge to edge, in my SCT that I've ever seen. Are there any good low-cost 2 EPS out there? It allows each eyepiece to provide two magnifications. 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. The original Meade 5-piece Super Plossl hasnt been in production for decades and at this point is more of a collectors item than a high-performance eyepiece. Now we just divide it up and fill in some sample focal lengths. Some brands will add better lens coating, darker edges, or a higher quality case to their Super Plossl products, but strictly for performance, there isnt a difference between the two. If your focuser/diagonal will accept 2 eyepieces, then I will suggest you get one or two 2 eyepieces for your low power wide view eyepieces. One of the TMB Planetary eyepieces are extremely nice for 50. Free shipping for many products! Plossls tend to come with large, ground-standing Dobsonians, whereas youre more likely to find a Kellner sold with a tabletop Dobsonian. We are a reader-supported organization. 8.5-ish mm (75x & 150x) Again, does it create a more immersive viewing experience? But the one I am recommending here is the Tele Vue Nagler series. The only one not in the article is the Orion Q70 which is available in 38 mm, 32 mm and 26 mm. Orion Sirius Plossl eyepieces are ideal for any type of telescope; refractor, reflector, or catadioptic. But will the Baader CO with 1.5-2-3x Barlows deliver a visibly sharper and more contrast view of the Moon and planets than the zoom lens with a 2x Barlow, to compensate for the zooms convenience that is the question! Good 32mm Plssls run around $30-$40. Le migliori offerte per Celestron 1,25 pollici Omni Plossl telescopio astronomico britannico 32 mm J8R6 sono su eBay Confronta prezzi e caratteristiche di prodotti nuovi e usati Molti articoli con consegna gratis! I think you will change your mind. In retrospect, I should have included Tele Vue. For what it's worth: I believe the Omni 1.25 inch 2x Barlow is one of the Shorty Barlows manufactured by GSO. I often recommend a 32 mm Plossl as a good low power wide view eyepiece for scopes with a 1.25 focuser. And, the quality of the eyepiece clearly comes into play here. Kellners are often sold with cheaper, even more entry-level telescopes than Plossls. 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. This is the link to the one I plan to buy as I know some others come with add ons: https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/baader-hyperion-mark-iv-8-24mm-universal-zoom-eyepiece.html, Thats great you had an XT8i that makes me feel confident I got a good telescope . Are plossl eyepieces still worth it? In my opinion, you do not. But with 2 eyepieces and a Barlow, you have the full effective range of your telescope. It may be a bit less than that in reality but for practical purposes that is close enough. With regards to budget, whatever works well and is on par with the quality & capability of the telescope. Hi - I bought these from another AM'er 1 year or so back, thinking I will get into visual astro, But never found the inclination, So here it is for sale 9mm Nagler type 6 mint with box and caps,16mm Nagler type 5,optics are exc.
