Note that many cheap eyepieces promise a wide AFOV but deliver a view with a lot of distortion or aberration as you move away from the center of the field of view. It costs a lot to get that last 10% of performance. All focal lengths offer 50 field-of-view except the 40mm which offers 42 . The biggest advantage is much better ER in a large ocular. I think you will change your mind. 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. We are a reader-supported organization. Whether it is cars or telescope eyepieces, there are inexpensive ones, upgraded models, and very expensive ones. If you want to buy him $200 eyepieces so he can grow into them, that works. Or is this overkill and am I better off saving money and going forward something like the Celestron Zoom? Over time, you will likely spend more on eyepieces than on the telescope. Sooooo helpful! Hi Ed, 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. Plossls are available from many suppliers in a wide range of focal lengths in 1.25 and 2 sizes. Visual astronomy is all about aperture, the more the better. It's no surprise that the eyepieces in our Sirius Plossl line are our best-selling telescope eyepieces. Is it just about finding and framing, or do wide fov EPs create a more immersive experience? One learns by observing. This is not a hard and fast rule, just a cautionary note. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. They are also good for those who have astigmatism because they are designed to be more forgiving with eye placement. No, adapters are not needed but they may come in handy when you want to change the focal length or add other lenses such as filters or Barlow lenses. Some optics brands have taken the next step and launched some eyepieces they have labeled as Super Plossl. But for the targets requiring higher mag Im still undecided between: Orion 12 mm Sirius Super Wide Angle Correct Image Eyepiece has a rubber eyecup that holds in light, which enables you to enjoy this powerful telescope eyepiece at night without glare or reflections from any external sources. . 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. This gives us more flexibility at the low end of the magnification range. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-eyepieces/. Choosing the best eyepiece for you - Astronomy Now 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 BHZ 2 Adapter has threads on it so you can attach filters to it allowing you to use 2 filters with the zoom. Just start with 32 mm for your low-power eyepiece. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-mounts-for-astrophotography/, Then you look at the optical tubes. ORION SIRIUS PLOSSL 10mm telescope eyepiece 1.25" - $17.01. The 4000 SWA's were way overpriced for their performance IMHO. 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. Low focal ratio scopes deliver the light rays to the eyepiece at an ever-increasing angle as the focal ratio number goes down. If you are upgrading, avoid ones that say correct image as these add a prism system into the diagonal which can reduce the light transmission. Look those up, seeing and transparency in the context of astronomy. A Plossl eyepiece is one of the most decent general-purpose eyepieces that are available on the market. Lower power almost always looks better than higher power. I was looking on a OPT website and they have celestron 32mm and 15mm plossl. Below 20 however, the eye relief makes it difficult for me and my glasses so Ive been replacing my 5-15 EPs with 82 degree EPs with more relief. If you are very demanding and must have the very best, this is where you want to be. This will become more apparent the wider the AFOV is of the eyepiece, in my experience. The 26 and 32 are usually the first ones I reach for. The Plossl eyepiece is a four-element design consisting of two doublets. Rating (max 5): Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Then you can judge for yourself if it is worth it. no caps come in bolt case. I also just bought the Celestron Starsense 102mm refractor (650mm focal length, f/6.5) as a first scope for me and my kids. I often recommend the use of a barlow to achieve the higher range of magnifications. However, I have eyepieces that have larger exit pupils than 7 mm and they work well. Understanding and using a Barlow Lens A good modern eyepiece like a BST starguider 12,8 and 5mm are excellent eyepieces. It had one of the best fields, edge to edge, in my SCT that I've ever seen. Many compare these favorably to eyepieces that are much higher priced. What Is A Barlow Lens For A Telescope? Have Any Astronauts Been Lost in Space Forever. Meanwhile, Plossl eyepieces are much more common and easy to find. If you feel the need to buy something now, consider this Orion diagonal. However, because they have more glass elements than other designs, like Kellners, their manufacturing becomes extremely important to get high-quality optics. They are referring to how much or how little distortion is visible as you look from the center of the image out toward the edge. Goldline Eyepieces - The Definitive Guide - Telescopic Watch Was $38.99 - $99.99 Now $31.19 - $84.99 Compare Orion Edge-On Planetary 1.25" Eyepieces Plossl and Kellner eyepieces are two very common examples of a simple eyepiece design, and they are probably the most common type of eyepiece you are likely to come across when eyepieces have been bundled with a telescope; they are also a very common aftermarket accessory. Some reviews also suggest replacing the diagonal. Offering a wide 43 apparent field of view, this 40mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece provides extremely sharp images of impressively high contrast. What apparent field of view and eye relief do I want? Pentax K-70 Astrophotography: The Ultimate Camera on a Budget! For astronomical observations, such as viewing craters on the moons surface from Earth, high-magnification models are preferred because they offer more detail. This means less time trying to figure out which way your images should be oriented before examining them. Many brands of eyepieces are available, including SVBony UltraWide, Astromania UltraWide Angle, Agena Astro StarGuider Enhanced UltraWide Angle and others. 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. None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. Do you need to have the best to enjoy astronomy? That is a wonderful expression. See if you will observe with or without your glasses. I just added the 4.7 mm. Though not the Meade. Kellners are the other popular design for amateur stargazing, go ahead and check out that article if you want to dive deeper into the subject. Fortunately, the investment can be leveraged with future scopes since eyepieces are standard sizes so they work in almost any telescope. These eyepiecesproduce a 'standard apparent feld of view' of between 50 and 56 with most set at around 52. They are most useful in medium and longer focal lengths for terrestrial, planetary, and lunar viewing. But for AP you should really start your planning with the mount. Lets illustrate with an example using a 1200 mm FL telescope. The price can run to over $1000 per eyepiece. There is always more to learn but it helps if you go in with a good base understanding, and that was my goal. Good evening everybody. Come join the newest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors. Thanks. Be sure to read the following as you consider your eyepiece purchases. that I could slide into my telescope and look at. As to a more immersive experience, yes, I would say a wider FOV does provide a more immersive experience. This is important to keep in mind because it means brands have to try really hard to one-up each other because the competition in a niche hobby such as astronomy can be fierce. Top 10 Best Best Plossl Eyepieces 2023 - Complete Buying Guide You mentioned regarding ORTHO eyepieces: Excellent specialty eyepieces, usually for planets. These are the best in optical performance and build quality. 10mm Orion Sirius Plossl Telescope Eyepiece | Orion Telescopes Plossl vs Kellner Eyepieces: The Ultimate Comparison If you were considering a Meade Super Plossl, in that case just get the regular one also by Meade. Then set your maximum based on your aperture and split it up. You also get 7 1.25 filters which include the following, #80A Blue Filter, #58 Green Filter, #56 Light Green Filter, #25 Red Filter, #21 . So you ended up with: I would recommend the Baader Hyperion Zoom for any telescope. 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. Glad you found it helpful. Plossl eyepieces are often included in better telescope packages as the starter eyepieces. now it all makes sense, you did a great job explaining all this information it was a lot to take in but i have it now. NEW. Worth it is a tough question to answer. You can accomplish a longer eye relief by barlowing a longer f/l plossl, so that is something to think about as well. As a result, this can cause aberrations in the image as you move from the center of the view toward the edges. 6.5-ish mm (100x & 200x) It comes with 1.25 Plossls 25mm (26x) and 10mm (66x) eyepieces. Note to spectacle wearers: Plossl eyepieces with 15mm and longer focal lengths are good choices for spectacle wearers but for shorter focal lengths the Celestron XCel LX series have greater eye-relief so are better suited. The third choice of eyepieces is the Orion 12 mm Sirius Super Wide Angle Correct Image Eyepiece. I need your advice on it. For super Plossl eyepiece, the field of view is typically 40 to 60 degrees. 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 can be recognized by a thin gold line just below the eye cup. There are some very good choices in this range. Also, children do not often have highly developed motor skillsso I would avoid the frustration of switching out eyepieces, and consider a zoom lens. I agree. TeleVue Naglers, Plossl and Powermates | Astromart Super Plossl eyepieces are generally a little smaller than this at around 16-20 mm in size, which is why theyre sometimes referred to as wide-angle or low power plossls. The Japan made 16mm Meade 3000 was a very nice medium power plossl and the 40mm in that series was surprisingly nice as well. Plossl telescope eyepieces are the most popular type of eyepiece on the market. Note that the Explore Scientific 68 and 82 degree eyepieces are also available in 2 size for your low power wide view requirements. I dont own nor have I used it, but Orion has a very good reputation. 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. Note that we also gained a 16 mm magnification at no additional cost. Thinking in a super ploss 32mm and maybe something between 9mm and 15mm . Later in the article, I will also give my top recommendations for both the best Kellner as well as the best Plossl eyepieces. Also, note that the pricing is based on 1.25 eyepieces. 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? https://telescopicwatch.com/best-astrophotography-telescopes/. 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. I use some plssl eyepieces, since I still have quite a few in my kit, and yes, the others are correct. the shorter the focal length eyepiece = the shorter the eye relief. For planetary viewing, comfort is essential in helping to increase viewing time . Can you give me any specific recommendations on what to buy and from where? Lets look at the minimum. A 2 barrel on the eyepiece will allow the manufacturer to create an eyepiece that provides a wider field of view. You have selected a very good starting telescope that will serve you for many years to come. Besides fov, How would you compare the optical quality of the Celestron to the Baader? The design uses a planoconvex, two cemented-element eye lens and a large convex field lens. Not perfect to the edge but better than the Bresser, in my opinion. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. 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. Again thank you very much for all the information in the page, excellent notes. A super Plossl eyepiece is a top-performing eyepiece that can be used for a variety of tasks, from viewing objects in the distance to looking at microscopic things. Put the zoom on the Barlow for the high range. A typical zoom eyepiece has a focal length range of 8 mm to 24 mm. Is there much of a difference between the celestron and haader? 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. You can use the same eyepiece on planets and deep-sky objects (DSOs). Now here is something that some of us classic scope nuts know - there are plossls, and there are plossls. These are the workhorse eyepieces of today. A Plssl is probably as good as any 32mm eyepiece in a 1.25 inch focuser. Orion Q70 38 mm works well. philhas Members 61 459 Location: North East England There are inexpensive adapters that will let you use standard 1.25 eyepieces in a .965 focuser/diagonal. Inexpensive Plossls that are manufactured using low-quality lenses are susceptible to internal reflections when viewing bright objects at high magnification. 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. You can buy a range of these from Modern Astronomy. It was named after Peter Barlow who invented it in the 1800s, so it is usually capitalized. 32mm (20x & 40x). On many occasions, that will be too high power for the atmospheric conditions. We have a range of 32 mm to 3 mm. 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. Vixen NPL Eyepieces | First Light Optics To achieve a maximum of 200X (2X the aperture of 100 mm), we solve for the focal length. They have a narrow AFOV but have a reputation for being very sharp.. The atmosphere is typically the limiting factor as we get to higher magnifications. I usually recommend a 32 mm Plossl type eyepiece as that provides about the widest view you can achieve with a 1.25 focuser. You use the 8-24 zoom for the midrange. 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. Omni 9mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Divide that by the magnification of that eyepiece in that scope. At this point, a Plossl and a Kellner are so close in price and performance that you may as well get the Plossl. It's one of the best choices you have when it comes to budget stargazing. With a 130mm-F5 I would use a Plossl 32mm for its low-mag-wide-view. It is all about your budget, your goals, and your objectives, as outlined in the article. In the world of eyepieces, when you want the very best, turn to Tele Vue, but be prepared to pay a truly premium price. Ive read, and re-read, and re-re-read this page. That's how cost-efficient the entire package is! The Regular Plossl eyepiece is made to be a basic type of scope for viewing objects that are nearbysay within two feet or so from where youre looking through it. Other brands have joined and have used the Super Plossl label, but they all keep the original 4-piece design. Second? 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. Plssl eyepieces are good all-around performers, producing sharp images at the center of the field, but they have only four lens elements. If you go this route, you can always add single focal length eyepieces along the way to serve specialized purposes. I had a TV 20mm Plossl once. Once we are done, they will make sense. I have not had an opportunity to test it yet but the general discussions have favorable. Interesting points Philip. When selecting the best eyepiece for you, consider: Eyepieces are standardized so whatever investment you make today, the eyepieces will continue to serve you in any future scopes you may own. The Big Bang Optics 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 advertising and linking to Amazon.com. A Plossl eyepiece has a lens thats plano-convex, which means it is flat on one side and convex on the other.