are plossl eyepieces good

Free shipping for many products! As we go up in price range, we gain capabilities that may not be immediately obvious. You can build a full set of these with good results, but be aware of eye relief, especially if you wear glasses. Perhaps you have read about planetary eyepieces, DSO eyepieces, and other types of specific eyepieces. And remember, when all else fails, read the instructions. They are all 4-element Plossl eyepieces, and most have a 52-degree field of view that is common to the Plossl design. SVBONY Direct . In stargazing, eyepieces are as important as telescopes are. That is the critical factor. When I was getting my start in the hobby, I bought an ultra-cheap ($15?) A four-element eyepiece was made by putting together two achromatic doublets with different focal lengths. At that price point, it couldnt compete with other 5-element devices like Erfle and Nagler eyepieces that had better performance. Orion SkyQuest XT8 Intelliscope Review Interesting points Philip. Whether it is cars or telescope eyepieces, there are inexpensive ones, upgraded models, and very expensive ones. For astronomical observations, such as viewing craters on the moons surface from Earth, high-magnification models are preferred because they offer more detail. Sorry but I am not offering a configuration and pricing service. 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. The zoom can be used with any 1.25 focuser too. While eyepieces with relatively complex, proprietary, or bespoke designs are becoming more commonly available in the beginner price bracket, there is often good reason to choose a much simpler design. It also was considerably more expensive. Combining a cheap eyepiece with a cheap barlow isn't a elegant solution. Plossl eyepiece is one of the reasonable options when it comes to telescope eyepieces for stargazing or astronomy. They are all made by the same OEM manufacturer. Explore Scientific, like many eyepiece providers, have higher-priced and budget lines. In 1860, Georg Simon Plossl invented the Plossl eyepiece. It may very well last you a lifetime and in the long term, you will definitely consider it to be a worthwhile investment. Nice, thank you again for the additional inputs. 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. You use the 8-24 zoom for the midrange. I dont own nor have I used it, but Orion has a very good reputation. Using your example: We will use a 100 mm telescope with a 600 mm focal length and Another way to look at it is that a 30 mm eyepiece in a 3X Barlow works like a 10 mm eyepiece.. https://telescopicwatch.com/celestron-8-24mm-zoom-eyepiece-review/. I also really liked my E-Lux 32mm, a Kellner. My friend has one and he really likes it, and it is his third telescope. For modern eyepieces, the differences between Plossl and Super Plossl is going to depend on the manufacturer. However, Orion has managed to make one that is quite compatible with most styles of telescope. Why two sizes? For planetary viewing, comfort is essential in helping to increase viewing time . Im fairly picky so would extend budget for better eyepieces if its worth it. Would a higher magnification eyepiece help do you think or am I already pushing my telescope (XT8) to highest sensible magnification I can with BH zoom on setting 8mm and 2x Barlow? 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. The ocular for your highest visual acuity - for viewing deep-sky objects and the like - should have an exit pupil around . This saves money and helps you shop in an organized manner. Being a total novice, I love the StarSense app and technology. 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! It was named after Peter Barlow who invented it in the 1800s, so it is usually capitalized. Depending on your budget, if you only have limited funds and are just starting to fill out your eyepiece collection I would go with the zoom, then zoom with Barlow. I usually recommend a 32 mm Plossl type eyepiece as that provides about the widest view you can achieve with a 1.25 focuser. In the beginning, you are not going to know what the atmospheric conditions might be in your area. Plssl eyepieces are good all-around performers, producing sharp images at the center of the field, but they have only four lens elements. These are matters of individual preference and budget. PS. Again, for no other reason than to compare it to the 17mm Hyperion and draw your own conclusions about Plssls. Quality this good usually costs a lot more. 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. Astrophotography with Nikon D3200: Can It Be Better? Simple Plosels work well and unless you have money burning a hole in your pocket, I would start with simple affordable eyepieces. My Baader Hyperion Zoom is my most used and favorite eyepiece. Of course, for the cost of the two Plossls, you could justify having them as spares or outreach EPs. 9 Best Eyepieces For Telescopes (Beginners Guide)(2023) Apparent Field of View: This is a measure of how wide a view the eyepiece will provide as compared to alternate eyepieces. Goldline series of eyepieces provides the best value in this price range, better than Plossls. These Astromania Plossl eyepieces provide a good way to do exactly that without breaking the bank, and this is what I love about them: they're an affordable way to significantly upgrade your telescopes. I generally use my 40 to search for DSOs so Ill probably replace that one at some point too. Personally I think they're still worth it. Each eyepiece gives you a unique magnification based on the formula listed at the start: Why do you need more than two eyepieces? These will normally be higher priced and may be outside the price range we show here. However the package includes a 1.25 to 2 adapter so if you have a 2 focuser you can treat this like a 2 eyepiece leaving the adapter normally included with the scope for use with other 1.25 eyepieces. Understanding and using a Barlow Lens Glad you found it helpful. A 10mm or shorter Plssl is probably not worth it unless you want to see how you personally cope with short eye relief. Celestron 2026 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is well suited as an astronomical viewing lens kit or for enjoying terrestrial sights like nature walks, sporting events, and more! This can be very helpful for star hopping. or a Baader Classic Ortho 18mm with both a 1.5/2x Barlow and 3x Barlow. 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. TeleVue Naglers, Plossl and Powermates | Astromart Is there anyway you could include links to the eyepieces you mentioned in the last paragraph of your reply as Im totally new so worried about buying the wrong thing! 1.25" Power mates with T ring adapter. But with 2 eyepieces and a Barlow, you have the full effective range of your telescope. Inexpensive Plossls that are manufactured using low-quality lenses are susceptible to internal reflections when viewing bright objects at high magnification. You can buy eyepieces specifically focused on a particular scope or you can buy eyepieces that you expect to use with this and all future scopes. Here's the short answer - Plossl eyepieces are generally better than Kellner eyepieces, but they also tend to be more expensive. 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. SVBONY Telescope Eyepiece Set Telescope Accessory Kit with 2x Barlow L With an f/10 telescope, Plossls are as sharp as any other kind of eyepiece of the same focal length. Read our full affiliate disclosure here. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. - 32mm plossl. I guess my curiosity is mostly about the diagonal. I would recommend the Orion Q70 series over that. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-mounts-for-astrophotography/, Then you look at the optical tubes. These sizes have become the industrys standard sizes. Rating (max 5): Eyepieces are a religion. They are also good for those who have astigmatism because they are designed to be more forgiving with eye placement. Kellner vs Plossl eyepieces for dobsonians? : telescopes - reddit Aspheric and Plossl Plossl are both lens designs that can be used in most telescopes. Disclosure - If you buy something via our link, we may earn a commission with no additional expense to you. If your focuser/diagonal only accepts 1.25 eyepieces, I would recommend you use a 32mm as your longest focal length, lowest power eyepiece. This may be enough for many eyeglass wearers. The 21mm is simply amazing, I can't believe that TV decided to discontinue this little gem, it is better than the newer version in every category including eye comfort, the overall shape along with fit and finish is one of the best from TV. But I think you will feel more confident about your purchases and be less likely to be disappointed if you read through the guide. It appears to be a custom-made 90 degree binocular built from two 90 degree diagonals and binocular-size objectives attached in place of the usual OTA. As for tabletop scopes, dont forget that you need a table, stool, or bench to place them. I think you will love it! 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. Tip Its almost always cheaper to buy directly from Agena Astro. I do not miss beating my eyelashes against a 9.7mm Meade Plossl that I used to own. These eyepieces are technically called Symmetrics, since Plossls can have different focal lengths for each doublet, but they are always marketed as Plossl. Poorly chosen eyepiece might give you poor experience and sometimes even make stargazing difficult. If your telescopes focal length is different, just change the focal length in the formula. However, I have eyepieces with much smaller exit pupils and they work fine. In your case, I would do this for the 30 and the 20. The reason a plano-convex lens is good for using with a telescope is that it provides for both magnifying and erecting the images. 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. My Meade 4000 56 and 60 degree Meade Plossls are pretty sharp to my eyes and do pretty well for me. If you are a glasses wearer and plan to keep your glasses on while you are observing, then you will likely want eyepieces with at least 17 mm of eye relief, and some glasses wearers prefer at least 20 mm. Later in the article, I will also give my top recommendations for both the best Kellner as well as the best Plossl eyepieces. Was compairing the Apertura standard 15mm Plossl with their 15mm super wide angle eyepiece (70 afov). In our example, we targeted 200X as the top magnification. With a refractor, SCT or MCT, it is usually better to get a correct image diagonal than a correcting eyepiece. 50 150X, no Barlow ES 82 degree series plus 1 meade uwa @20 mm with 1800 focal length optical tube lowest mag 51 x / highest mag 300. I would like to know what is best for a 7 year old that would be getting his first telescope. 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. Get to know more about us here. But some people demand the very best, and it is available, at a price. Plossl eyepieces are great. Most telescopes come with one or two eyepieces, which gives you one or two magnification options. I often recommend the 2 in this series as excellent low-power wide view eyepieces, especially in scopes at focal ratios below F8. Thanks all. But I have one little niggle. 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. Note that we also gained a 16 mm magnification at no additional cost. PayPal, cash, bank transfer are all acceptable. 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. Kellner Vs Plossl | What's The Difference? - Starry Nova Plossl vs Kellner Eyepieces. - Little Astronomy In essence the design differences between Kellner and Plossl comes down to the number of lenses within the eyepiece barrel. I was just wondering if plossls are still worth it or should get a better eyepiece in a 30mm range. Since each eye has a different focal point, I suspect pulling the eyepiece out until reaching focus and then tightening the set screw. Higher values are slower and lower values are fasterthis is a holdover from camera lens terminology and has to do with exposure times.). The Plossl optical design is very good for long and medium focal length eyepieces, delivering a sharp, flat field and an apochromatic image. 1:10 . These eyepieces have about 35 to 50 degrees apparent fields of view and reasonable eye relief, though quite short for high magnifications. Or is this overkill and am I better off saving money and going forward something like the Celestron Zoom? The Big Bang Optics participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for websites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. The computerized pad and motor work on AA batteries which can last you a few hours. So save yourself this future unnecessary expense and just buy a Plossl. Any exit pupil between 7 mm and .5 mm is just fine. I have Celestron and the Baader Hyperion. https://telescopicwatch.com/orion-skyquest-xt8-intelliscope-review/. There is one aspect in which a Kellner can actually outperform a Plossl: eye relief. Best suited for telescopes with f-ratios f6 or slower. 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. One of the TMB Planetary eyepieces are extremely nice for 50. Lets look at the minimum. SVBONY Eyepiece Review: Take Your Stargazing Up a Notch 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. Again, this is more noticeable in lower focal ratio scopes. For the price, I think the eyepiece is still a good pick. Tele Vue offers several series with apparent fields of view from 50 degrees to 120 degrees. Like going from a 32 TV to a 65? You can accomplish a longer eye relief by barlowing a longer f/l plossl, so that is something to think about as well. They are just OK, but I dont recommend them, especially in a low focal ratio scope. Even when I upgraded to a 6mm Goldline, I kept the Kellner around because of pretty annoying kidney-bean blackout issues on the Moon with that eyepiece. Basic question - what is a Plossl eyepiece? - Getting Started General So you ended up with: Theres a reason Plossls are usually kept at 52 degrees. i still use the binos. Low focal ratio scopes deliver the light rays to the eyepiece at an ever-increasing angle as the focal ratio number goes down. In that respect, they are similar to the Explore Scientific 82 degree mentioned earlier. For our experience level, would you recommend changing anything right now? Edited April 23, 2010 by russ teh_orph Members 28 198 Author Cheap to try, and if you don't like it, easy enough to sell also. You might be able to find a Kellner, or perhaps a high-quality Orthoscopic. But your point is well taken. Suggesting an F6 scope becomes an F18 would also imply things like reduced CA in a refractor. Do I need an adapter if my scope has a Plossl lens? . There is a little bit more to it than that and there are other design . There are some very good choices in this range. The price ranges we show here are the typical prices. The 26 and 32 are usually the first ones I reach for. but the meat of the article is about understanding the considerations and specifications to know when selecting eyepieces. . This number can range from 30 degrees to 120 degrees. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. For one thing, a wider field of view is almost always more pleasant. A very good quality eyepiece for a reasonable sum. You see the object in a wider expanse of space with more stars. Plossl eyepieces are perfect for astronomical viewing because the field of view is wider. A Plossl eyepiece is one of the most decent general-purpose eyepieces that are available on the market. Any 1.25 diagonal should work. However, there can be a problem bringing the eyepiece into focus. The longer FL Plossls (>15mm) have some distinct advantages over more complex designs without the major disadvantage of Plossls which is short ER. Eye relief of less than 10mm gets really uncomfortableyou tend to rub your eyepieces against the eyepiece or lens, and you have to hold your eye at just the right distance to keep from touching the lens. And the zoom provides every magnification in that range without having to change eyepieces. Now we just divide it up and fill in some sample focal lengths. I was looking on a OPT website and they have celestron 32mm and 15mm plossl. Because the eyepiece was still similar enough to a Plossl and still kept the symmetrical design, they called it Super Plossl. Your eyepieces do not need to be the same brand as your telescope. While I also have the Baader Hyperion Zoom, mentioned later, I continue to make use of the Celestron, especially in my smaller scopes. 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. Kellner eyepieces have 3 lenses cemented together and have a 35-50 degree field of view. Let us know in the comments if there is anything else you want to ask or share your thoughts on this post, always looking forward to feedback from others who will benefit from it as well! I dont think so. Every review suggests replacing the 10mm Kellner eyepiece (and possibly 25mm Kellner) that comes with it. I have seen elsewhere discussions about the exit pupil of eyepieces. Very often, those eyepieces will be in the outdated 0.965 format rather than the modern 1.25 or 2 diameter barrel format. It comes with 1.25 Plossls 25mm (26x) and 10mm (66x) eyepieces. They have decent eye relief and little curvature of field. Sooooo helpful! A Barlow lens is an optical device that goes between the eyepiece and the focuser. Despite the narrow field of view and short eye relief, it showed shockingly good views of Saturn, Jupiter, and even the Moon. This determines how much light the telescope will gather. With modern multi-coated optics that thwart internal reflections, Plossls and Kellners have little difference in glare or transmission/opacity. 70 mm scope will have a max of 140X for planning purposes. The eye relief is the distance between your eyes and the eyepiece where you are able to view the whole image comfortably. 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. I started with the Celestron zoom. Typically, these will be 25 mm and 10 mm or something close to that. Modified vs Unmodified DSLR Astrophotography: The Ultimate Showdown! Generally, to maximize the number of stars you see in an eyepiece with a given telescope, both the magnification and field of view should be maximized. Omni 6mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Then there is the rule of thumb to avoid duplicating focal lengths when acquiring eyepieces. Plossl vs Kellner Eyepieces: Which Is The Best? - The Big Bang Optics You can still get eyepieces, but there are few choices. You have a very wide choice of brands and styles to choose from. We are a reader-supported organization. I am looking for as much as best I can buy. https://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/explore-scientific-70-eyepieces.html. You are looking through a LOT of atmosphere which distorts the image. A Plossl eyepiece lens provides more eye relief than anything else out there! thanks Ed. Now, for my one or two low power eyepieces, I also like to know the field of view provided by that eyepiece. . For what it's worth: I believe the Omni 1.25 inch 2x Barlow is one of the Shorty Barlows manufactured by GSO. Jupiter and Saturn are low in the sky now. Required fields are marked *. I am not aware of any such solutions for Newtonian reflectors. I also just bought the Celestron Starsense 102mm refractor (650mm focal length, f/6.5) as a first scope for me and my kids. there are of course options to plossls which are about the same prices as GSOs such as the BST Discoveries and TMB type eyepieces (new from Skies the Limit on Ebay) which have a wider field and better eye relief than plossls and are probably as good as most things non-premium. These and the essentially identical AT Paradigm are universally praised as good quality eyepieces with a wider 60-degree apparent field of view. It uses two symmetrical pairs of glass elements (one convex and one concave) to pass the light. Your email address will not be published. But the longer FL units are certainly useful. Another really helpful article, Ed. A decent barlow might cost as much or even more. This will give you a maximum target for planning purposes. 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. Its quite long but that is what we are aiming for and hopefully, it was useful to you. Hello sir, thanks for your article its realy helpful. You have to decide how fussy you are about the edges and what your budget can tolerate. Just search on Astronomy Club and you will probably find one in your area. Telescope Eyepieces Guide - High Point Scientific The design uses a planoconvex, two cemented-element eye lens and a large convex field lens. One of the main drawbacks of this eyepiece, though, is the eye relief. In my scopes a simple zoom eyepiece like the Celestron 24-8mm or the Baader has replaced the higher powered plossls. But just because an eyepiece is 2 doesnt mean it has a wider field of view than one that is 1.25. These are highly sought after ep's, and hold their value well. As the clear cut worlds best eyepiece manufacturer, their name should at least be mentioned in an article like this. My 20, 26, and 32mm Plossls will probably stay around. Plossls cost a bit more than the Kellners as Plossls are expensive to manufacture because they require good optical glass and precisely matched concave and convex doublet surfaces to prevent internal reflections. Or we say that F10 would be easier or less demanding on the eyepiece than the F5. They provide a range of magnifications with one eyepiece. I already got the 10mm super wide because of the added eye relief but at 15mm both have the same eye relief. Celestron 2026 Erecting Prism Barlow Lens Set is another great choice for those looking to get a variety of magnifications. Kellners tend to have narrower apparent fields of view (40 degrees rather than 50 or 52 degrees in a Plossl), and in short focal length telescopes (focal ratio f/5 or shorter) they can have more false color fringing, but for the most part it is hard to notice the difference between a well-made Kellner and a well-made Plossl in terms of image quality. We have a range of 32 mm to 3 mm. For it's cost, a 32mm Plssl eyepiece is hard to beat. Now looking for a couple of decent eyepieces. The difference isnt that severe, and I often track more often than is strictly necessary to keep the object centered anyway. Orion Q70 38 mm works well. Theres a wide range of quality when it comes to Plossls and trusting the brand you are getting one from matters a lot if you dont want to get an eyepiece with lots of reflection or optical issues. Plossl eyepieces are often included in better telescope packages as the starter eyepieces. I agree. I believe the 5000 UWA's are good as well. The price can run to over $1000 per eyepiece. Look those up, seeing and transparency in the context of astronomy. They are also really sharp. Meanwhile, Plossl eyepieces are much more common and easy to find. However, if you want to optimize your viewing experience, youll need to invest in a better-quality eyepiece. Comparing Orion Telescope & Binoculars options, it appears that a Kellner can be found for almost half the price of a Plossl of the same focal length, although there are also equally cheap Plossls available from various sellers on Amazon that are highly comparable. I just added the 4.7 mm. This gives us more flexibility at the low end of the magnification range. Gold Line eyepieces also offer better eye relief than Plossl eyepieces, especially at the shorter focal lengths. If you stumble the first few uses, dont be discouraged. These are things you will want to know and use. Eyepiece Field of View Simulator astronomy.tools Field of View Simulator Change Telescope Reset Change Target Add Equipment None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. If you read the article you know how to calculate the magnification and field of view. If that is the case, it will give me another reasonably good, inexpensive zoom to recommend to beginners. Some accept 2 and have an adapter that allows you to also use 1.25. Plossl vs Kellner Eyepieces: The Ultimate Comparison I dont dabble in AP. Higher priced eyepieces usually include more elements in the optical path that are there to help reduce or eliminate aberrations that can be seen around the edges of lower cost eyepieces. Pay attention to the eye relief, especially if you will be observing with glasses. > Click here to jump to the Best Eyepieces section. 100-300X, 2X Barlow. NEW. Omni 32mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. As a result, this can cause aberrations in the image as you move from the center of the view toward the edges. What apparent field of view and eye relief do I want? Required fields are marked *. Non-eyeglass wearers can usually tolerate Plossls as short as about 10-12mm before their eyelashes start brushing the ocular lens. Omni 9mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Choose three focal lengths. Excellent article, thank you very much for taking the time to publish it. I have since moved up to a 12 Dob but I use the same eyepieces and the BH Zoom continues to be my most used. 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. Their eye relief is limited to about 70-80% of their focal length. 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. Plossl eyepieces are often included in better telescope packages as the starter eyepieces. 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! Skywatcher SP Plossl lenses - Discussions - Stargazers Lounge 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. At this point, a Plossl and a Kellner are so close in price and performance that you may as well get the Plossl.

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