But, at least get the 32mm Plssl. In that respect, they are similar to the Explore Scientific 82 degree mentioned earlier. I possess an embarrassing array of fine eyepieces with names like Ethos and Nagler and Delos. short answer: yes. Since each eye has a different focal point, I suspect pulling the eyepiece out until reaching focus and then tightening the set screw. I am going to use 6. 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. Typically, these will be 25 mm and 10 mm or something close to that. So perhaps you do your line up like this. . This is why many telescopes come standard with at least one Plossl eyepiece. I am very near-sighted, barely see the big E on the vision chart without glasses. If your scope uses eyepieces that are closer to 1, then you have an old style .965 that is now obsolete. Even big telescopes are subject to limitations imposed by the atmosphere. All focal lengths offer 50 field-of-view except the 40mm which offers 42 It had one of the best fields, edge to edge, in my SCT that I've ever seen. For what it's worth: I believe the Omni 1.25 inch 2x Barlow is one of the Shorty Barlows manufactured by GSO. If your focuser/diagonal only accepts 1.25 eyepieces, I would recommend you use a 32mm as your longest focal length, lowest power eyepiece. In my opinion, there are no wrong exit pupils. The Orthoscopic Plossl eyepiece is for those who are interested in performing close-up work on specimens up to three inches away from them and still get high magnification. If money is not a concern, you cant go wrong with Tele Vue eyepieces, any Tele Vue eyepieces. These will normally be higher priced and may be outside the price range we show here. Lower power almost always looks better than higher power. Regular Plossl eyepieces with maybe just a slightly better coating or build quality. Orion Q70 38 mm works well. It has made learning the Constellations and star-hopping more fun and engaging for my whole family exactly what I was hoping for. Oh the pain of uh having access to really cool eyepieces.). 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. The 4000 SWA's were way overpriced for their performance IMHO. This can be especially helpful in telescopes of focal ratios below F8. A Barlow lens is an optical device that goes between the eyepiece and the focuser. They also improve a bit when it comes to eye relief. Here we have very good eyepieces with some extra features. still, i somehow managed to avoid the eyepiece pitfalls when buying used off ebay. Even if the scope comes with the more acceptable Kelner or . What Is A Barlow Lens For A Telescope? Field of view, is about finding, framing, drift time, and context. It offers good color correction and high-contrast images. Kellners are often sold with cheaper, even more entry-level telescopes than Plossls. If you want a very good eyepiece with a bit wider field of view but are on a budget, these are very good choices. Good quality. Perhaps another review would be helpful. But, if you have a plan, you can fill in those slots, working toward a well-balanced set of magnifications. I also have a 25mm plossl and am happy with that. Correct image diagonals are easier for beginners and they are great for using the scope during the day, but experience people dont use them for astronomy. Today, most beginner telescopes of any quality are sold with either Kellner or Plossl eyepieces. The computerized pad and motor work on AA batteries which can last you a few hours. These lenses are connected together. i dont have 1 of everything, and i bought the best i could afford on a low budget; meade and orion. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Meade 32mm 2" 5-element Super Plossl Wide Field Eyepiece at the best online prices at eBay! Offered in both 2 and 1.25, these are excellent eyepieces. Once we are done, they will make sense. Omni 40mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. In the beginning, you are not going to know what the atmospheric conditions might be in your area. The views through it are very impressive, and it always amazes me when I get that one out. 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. But your point is well taken. Now looking for a couple of decent eyepieces. We will use a 100 mm telescope with a 600 mm focal length that only takes 1.25 eyepieces. 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. Aspheric and Plossl Plossl are both lens designs that can be used in most telescopes. Lets look at the minimum. Plssl's were top of the line at one time, and are still being sold today, so that says something too. Then you can judge for yourself if it is worth it. Many thanks. However, because they have more glass elements than other designs, like Kellners, their manufacturing becomes extremely important to get high-quality optics. Press Esc to cancel. A 2 barrel on the eyepiece will allow the manufacturer to create an eyepiece that provides a wider field of view. Other than the limited AFOV, which you are apparently fine with, and limited eye relief in the shorter focal lengths there is certainly no reason not to choose Plssls. I agree. You can do the calculation which will show that the 70 will have a significantly wider field of view as compared to the 52. To estimate the highest practical magnification for your telescope, you take the aperture in millimeters, mm, and multiply it by two. short answer: yes. Omni 6mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Well, I'll just say it. So if you need to go to Arcturus and then go 2 degrees to the right to find your target, you can use the FOV of the eyepiece to estimate 2 degrees. 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 price can run to over $1000 per eyepiece. Its quite long but that is what we are aiming for and hopefully, it was useful to you. The BH zoom is optically a 1.25 eyepiece. (Svbonys Plossls, for example, are optically identical to Orions Sirius Plossls). very happy. The basic design hasnt changed much, but the real costs of manufacturing have dropped. Recall that your lowestpower eyepiece's exit pupil should not exceed 6mm. These are highly sought after ep's, and hold their value well. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide all this information! 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. Hi Ed, Meanwhile, Plossl eyepieces are much more common and easy to find. The Big Bang Optics also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank and other sites. That is why I suggest, if you can use 2 eyepieces, you will want one or two low power wide view 2 eyepieces. Over time, you will likely spend more on eyepieces than on the telescope. 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. EP-mm = magnification = afov I have four telescopes, but I use the same eyepieces in all of them. Note to spectacle wearers: Plssl eyepieces with 15mm and longer focal lengths are good choices for spectacle wearers. Thanks, Angelo M. You picked a great first scope. They can be recognized by a thin gold line just below the eye cup. The TFOV will be as wide as your 40mm Plssl, but with greater magnification and a slightly darker sky background. Also, children do not often have highly developed motor skillsso I would avoid the frustration of switching out eyepieces, and consider a zoom lens. You will get varying opinions on this but I would not worry too much about this. Question: would it perform well with 1.5/2x and 3x Barlows? They work great every day and get you where you want to go, but dont have what the higher priced models have. If youre still wondering between a Kellner vs Plossl, my advice to you would be invest a little extra cash and go for a good quality Plossl. condition as described, a good transaction. 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. How you divide up your magnification range is up to you. Brilliant article and I thank you for it, I was literally really confused prior to reading it. In general terms, the higher the AFOV number, the more the eyepiece will cost. Can you suggest the total . What Does It Do. a Celestron 8-24 Zoom with a 2x Barlow 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. Plossls are extremely versatile and can be used for all use cases. I dont dabble in AP. PS. Thanks. Im also uncertain about what to expect from an additional investment? In the next section, we will talk about the AFOV of an eyepiece. Cheap to try, and if you don't like it, easy enough to sell also. I have to say that your questions are answered in the article. But the longer FL units are certainly useful. 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! You really understood the material. This will give you a maximum target for planning purposes. They are a good brand with high-quality eyepieces, you just dont need to spend the extra money for almost no gain in performance. 4. Something in the 30 to 38 mm range with a 65 to 70 degree AFOV. So you would have to test the set to see the actual result. . I would expect it to be similar to the Celestron in image quality. 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). However, sometimes i am at the end of the range of the binocular focus adjustment. This may be enough for many eyeglass wearers. I couldnt find any suggestions on your site about diagonal recommendations. 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? Explore Scientific, like many eyepiece providers, have higher-priced and budget lines. In my scopes a simple zoom eyepiece like the Celestron 24-8mm or the Baader has replaced the higher powered plossls. Kellner eyepieces have 3 lenses cemented together and have a 35-50 degree field of view. Im just starting out with astronomy and this really helped my understanding. I am not aware of an ES branded 70 degree series in the USA, but they do have a Bresser branded 70-degree series. 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. And since this article is intended as an aid to beginners rather than a rigorous optics lesson, I think the context I provided works well enough. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-mounts-for-astrophotography/, https://telescopicwatch.com/best-astrophotography-telescopes/, https://telescopicwatch.com/best-barlow-lens-and-how-to/, https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-8-24mm-zoom-eyepiece-review/, https://www.amazon.com/Orion-8879-1-25-Inch-Enhanced-Telescope/dp/B000BMPBLK/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3KKUJRXYYN7DI&dchild=1&keywords=telescope+diagonal+1.25&qid=1610887695&sprefix=telescope+diagonal%2Caps%2C512&sr=8-8, https://telescopicwatch.com/orion-skyquest-xt8-intelliscope-review/, https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/baader-hyperion-mark-iv-8-24mm-universal-zoom-eyepiece.html, https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Orion+Q70&ref=nb_sb_noss_2, https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-eyepieces/, 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, 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. For shorter focal lengths, the StarGuider BST series eyepieces have greater eye-relief, so are better suited. A very good quality eyepiece for a reasonable sum. a breath of fresh air! Every new skill takes time. One more thing if you havent purchased a telescope yet, I would recommend a tabletop version, since they are easier for kids to move than the fiddley ones with spindly legs and complicated dials. AP is all about the mount and accurate tracking. If you are just testing the waters or on a tight budget, get the Celestron, which is still pretty good. 6.7 = 268 = .3 When I started, I purchased less expensive eyepieces to learn about them and how I would use them. 11 = 163 = .5 Another useful aspect of a wider field of view is that, assuming the entire eyepiece is sharp enough to show good images right to the edge, you dont have to nudge the telescope to track the rotation of the Earth as often with a Plossl (50 degrees) compared to a Kellner (40 degrees). In some cases, an object is so large (i.e., the Moon, the Pleiades, the Orion Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy) that a narrow field of view can only show you part of the object, whereas a wider field of view could show the whole object at the same magnification. So, for your 30 mm, 82/60 = 1.36 degrees. Nice, thank you again for the additional inputs. I really like the simplicity and compactness of these simpler designs (ie: Plssls, Orthos, Kellners, etc). This has nothing to do with your scope or eyepiece. 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. Sony A7III vs A7RIII Astrophotography: Which One to Shoot Infinity! This eyepiece was even better at correcting false color fringing, but because of internal reflections, the glare was even worse. The difference in TFOV will be significant at this focal length. Its made up of four lenses in two groups. I just added the 4.7 mm. I also really liked my E-Lux 32mm, a Kellner. The Plossl has good color correction plus is free of the ghost images that plague the Kellner. I was looking on a OPT website and they have celestron 32mm and 15mm plossl. Fortunately, the investment can be leveraged with future scopes since eyepieces are standard sizes so they work in almost any telescope. And new proprietary designs come out from time to time. Do you have any additional comments to help me? Some accept 2 and have an adapter that allows you to also use 1.25. And remember, when all else fails, read the instructions. We can see that 2 eyepieces have an advantage over 1.25 eyepieces when designers are making wide-view eyepieces. Tip Its almost always cheaper to buy directly from Agena Astro. That is up to you and your budget. There are so many others at comparable or higher prices, many of which are quite good and some rather poor. In essence the design differences between Kellner and Plossl comes down to the number of lenses within the eyepiece barrel. The Hexagon Zoom Eyepiece is made from durable plastic material that resists scratching and it has an eye relief distance of 15mm. The combination of high-quality optics and accessible prices have made them the favorite design for amateur astronomers and even professionals. Thanks in advance I really appreciate it! You are looking through a LOT of atmosphere which distorts the image. Offering a wide 43 apparent field of view, this 40mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece provides extremely sharp images of impressively high contrast. Plossl eyepieces are often included in better telescope packages as the starter eyepieces. Hello sir, thanks for your article its realy helpful. Plossls provide very good eye relief for eyeglass wearers in focal lengths of about 25mm and longer. At one time Plssls were premium eyepieces. The BHZ 2 Adapter has threads on it so you can attach filters to it allowing you to use 2 filters with the zoom. I have seen some gatekeeping in this hobby about Kellners, and Im not sure I understand it. There is always more to learn but it helps if you go in with a good base understanding, and that was my goal. However, your budget must guide your purchases. 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! If the above guide has helped you understand the terms and workings of eyepieces, scroll up and make a selection from our recommendation list. I owned an XT8 Intelliscope which is the same optical tube on a PushTo mount. This determines how much light the telescope will gather. Choosing the most appropriate can completely change your experience in using telescopes. 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 are the workhorse eyepieces of today. A Televue Plssl may be better than a generic one, but the difference is probably not worth the additional cost. But dont fear that you will waste your investment as eyepieces are standard sizes. I wants to install one in house(fixed place) another I need movable. Great article on eyepieces but I am still undecided exactly what eyepiece & Barlow to buy and from where since some buying sites dont provide all the info you cite in your article. Even though the design has existed for more than a century, it has stood the test of and is still today the standard against which other eyepiece designs are measured. Every review suggests replacing the 10mm Kellner eyepiece (and possibly 25mm Kellner) that comes with it. Here are a few types of eyepieces you may read about and their typical AFOV. Theres a reason Plossls are usually kept at 52 degrees. In stargazing, eyepieces are as important as telescopes are. As we continue, what would you recommend adding first? Inexpensive Plossls that are manufactured using low-quality lenses are susceptible to internal reflections when viewing bright objects at high magnification. This eye piece provides the maximum true field of view in the 1.25 inch format. Tele Vue has eyepieces that approach $1000. Wide view and well-corrected view, even in F5 scopes. There is a little bit more to it than that and there are other design . In retrospect, I should have included Tele Vue. As we go along, I will refer back to these, so dont worry if you cant answer the questions or understand the formulas now. The telescope comes with a 2x Barlow so I was thinking of getting one of the zooms you recommended. Read the full Earning Disclosure here. In this article, we will only focus on the differences between Plossl and Kellner eyepieces. Aspheric eyepiece is a variation of Plossl design, it has an anti-reflection coating on the front glass surface to ensure maximum light transmission and will also provide your instrument with better quality images if you need higher magnification levels. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-barlow-lens-and-how-to/, Celestron 8-24 Zoom Review This is a good thing, because normally the shorter the focal length of the eyepiece, the less eye relief you have. This is where the second formula comes into play. The only reason it's in this list because of its price and a long focal point. Note that the price categories are approximate, as prices can vary between retailers. Thanks for going through the entire post. Here's the short answer - Plossl eyepieces are generally better than Kellner eyepieces, but they also tend to be more expensive. In the case of the Celestron, you get all the focal lengths from 24 to 8mm in one eyepiece that costs $100. I just ordered Hyperion 13mm and 21mm but I really like how sharp and crisp view is in plossl 40mm. I possess an embarrassing array of fine eyepieces with names like Ethos and Nagler and Delos. One of the main drawbacks of this eyepiece, though, is the eye relief. The 66-degree AFOV of the Gold Line series provides a 32% wider field than Plossl eyepieces. I hear that, sometimes you find one that is sweeter than others. Over $250, I will label premium eyepieces. This design features 4 lenses that are paired in two close-set doublets for the eye lens and the field lens. These will eventually be used in an 8in dob whenever it arrives. So save yourself this future unnecessary expense and just buy a Plossl. You can build a full set of these with good results, but be aware of eye relief, especially if you wear glasses. 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. At this point, a Plossl and a Kellner are so close in price and performance that you may as well get the Plossl. I still have it and still use it from time to time. I want these as possible as wide, magnification and astrophotography purpose. The ocular for your highest visual acuity - for viewing deep-sky objects and the like - should have an exit pupil around . If you are very demanding and must have the very best, this is where you want to be. What apparent field of view and eye relief do I want? 70 mm scope will have a max of 140X for planning purposes. We may earn commissions by recommending products on this website. For me personally, even though I don't use glasses to observe, I still don't want to dig out the view through a plossl or ortho eyepiece which tend to have short eye relief. A 32mm Plssl is worth it. On the inside, they are exactly the same design. Youll find yourself adjusting these type of factors less than. They are all made by the same OEM manufacturer. I generally use my 40 to search for DSOs so Ill probably replace that one at some point too. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stargazing Help came into existence when some young minds got mesmerized by outer space while camping. These eyepiecesproduce a 'standard apparent feld of view' of between 50 and 56 with most set at around 52. Customer reviews Average Rating (16 Reviews): Write a Review and share your opinions! 4mm Eyepiece vs 20mm Eyepiece. Even though there are more sophisticated types of EPs, Plossls hit the right spot between high-quality optics and price. Well-made lenses are expensive though, so in general the more lenses, the higher the price of the eyepiece. Focus on the magnifications rather than the mm of the eyepieces. It was grueling, because I couldnt even get the entire field of viewI had to keep my eye hovering above the exit pupil. Look at the apparent field of view specs and understand what this means for the field of view. None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. But for AP you should really start your planning with the mount. Celestron 2026 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is another great choice for those looking to get a variety of magnifications. 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 . And, in general terms, the higher the AFOV, the harder it is to make an eyepiece that will present a good image all across the field of view, which also drives up the cost. A Barlow lens can save you money and add flexibility. And I am a visually observing focused person. 8.8 = 240 = .34 But those EPs mentioned were all great too!