Other than shorter eye relief I was happy with a mixed set of ES82 and Meade 5000 UWA EPs. I still consider them solid performers. But one look through XW 5mm and I was hooked. I have tradedOzEclipse wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 6:31 am Hi,
You don't mention which telescope you are using. This makes quite a difference. I note that in your signature, all your telescopes are long f ratio refractors and so they will be quite tolerant of eyepiece design. I have a 6" f7 newt and an 18" f5.5 newt. The 6" is quite tolerant of eyepiece design but the 18" isn't. I have been using various 5 mm eyepieces trying to find a good one for the 6". 5mm gives me 210X.
I own a Baader Hyperion 5mm and a Meade Series 4000 UWA 4.7mm. Neither has really impressed me. A couple of years ago I put a friends Pentax XW5mm in the 6" and WOW!!! It bowled me over. Huge difference in light transmission and sharpness to the Baader. No competition IMO. I recently found and bought a Pentax XW5 second hand for $200. Should be here next week.
If at all possible, try the eyepiece in your own scope. Take it to a star party and see if you can find someone who will let you try in.
Joe
Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
- Bigzmey Online
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Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
I have a University Optics 12mm Plossl that I never use if you're interested. :wink:
Man... That's some icky-tasting stuff!
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AT50, AT72EDII, ST80, ST102; Scopetech Zero, AZ-GTi, AZ Pronto; Innorel RT90C, Oberwerk 5000; Orion Giantview 15x70s, Vortex 8x42s, Navy surplus 7x50s, Nikon 10x50s
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No good deed goes unpunished.
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
my signature has somehow disappeared.
The refractor, I am using, is actually not very well suited for the high magnifications, and when then this refractor is picky.
It is the old Sky-Watcher (Synta) 6"
Best,
JG
Leica 82mm APO Televid
Eyepieces: Docter UWA; Leica B WW and WW Asph. Zoom; Leica HC Plan S and L, monocentric; Pentax SMC XW, O-, XO; Tak MC O, Carl Zeiss B WW, and Pl, E-Pl, S-Pl, W-Pl;
Swarovski SW; Baader Symmetric Diascope Edition; Nikon NAV SW, ; TMB supermonocentric; Rodenstock; Vixen HR; TV Delos
Filters: Astrodon, Astronomik, Baader, Balzers, Zeiss West and East, Lumicon
Binoculars (7x42 up to 15x85): Docter Nobilem, Leica Ultravid, Nikon Astroluxe, Swarovski EL Swarovision; BA8 (Kunming Optical)
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stella ... piece.html
https://www.firstlightoptics.com/stella ... piece.html
https://agenaastro.com/bst-1-25-uwa-pla ... e-4mm.html
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
Keep us posted!
Happy cloud scaring.
Dean
Binos: Steiner Wildlife XP 10x26, Swarovski 8x30 Habicht, Zeiss SFL 8x40, Vanguard Endeavour 10.5x45, Fuji FMTR-SX 10x50, Tak 22x60, Orion Resolux 15x70
Eyepieces: way too many (is that possible?), but I do like my TV 32mm plossl, 13mm Nagler T6, 27mm Panoptic and 3-6mm Nagler zoom, plus Fujiyama 18mm and 25mm orthos and Tak 7.5mm LE
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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Many small scopes, plus a Lightbridge 12, LX 70-8R,6R,6M
Many eyepieces, just not really expensive ones.
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
Many small scopes, plus a Lightbridge 12, LX 70-8R,6R,6M
Many eyepieces, just not really expensive ones.
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U.S.A.F. Veteran - Visual Amateur Astronomer since 1966 - Fully Retired since 2019
8" f/5 Newt - Lunt 152 f/7.9 - TSA 102 f/8 - Vixen 81S f/7.7 - P.S.T. - Pentax 65ED II - Nikon 12x50 AE
Pentax XWs - Baader Morpheus - Takahashi LEs - Edmund RKEs - BST Starguiders - 6ZAO-II/5XO/4Abbe
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
This is what I have. They are simple but serve the purpose. The only issue is that to achieve the focus in fracs one need to add lens from 2x barlow in front of BVs this changes my F7 scope to F21 scope.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:10 am I have been thinking about these Orion binos. https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Binocul ... /52071.uts
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
Would my LE 5mm and LE 6mm work with the Orion binos?Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:01 pmThis is what I have. They are simple but serve the purpose. The only issue is that to achieve the focus in fracs one need to add lens from 2x barlow in front of BVs this changes my F7 scope to F21 scope.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:10 am I have been thinking about these Orion binos. https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Binocul ... /52071.uts
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
Worth a try.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 8:13 pmWould my LE 5mm and LE 6mm work with the Orion binos?Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:01 pmThis is what I have. They are simple but serve the purpose. The only issue is that to achieve the focus in fracs one need to add lens from 2x barlow in front of BVs this changes my F7 scope to F21 scope.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:10 am I have been thinking about these Orion binos. https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Binocul ... /52071.uts
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Re: Best 7mm, 6mm, 5mm, and 4mm Eyepieces for the Moon
You will be in the same situation with your F8 150mm frac. To reach the focus with BVs you will need to use barlow lens or optical path corrector (OCA). I am researching what's compatible with Orion/WO/Celestron/etc. run of the mil BVs I have, but so far could not find better option than the lens from 2x barlow. It will add 3-4x factor to your scope in combination with BVs. So, the longest 1.25" EPs (25-40mm) will be the most useful, you might be able to get away on the Moon with 12-15mm. Anything below will give you blurry empty powers.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 8:13 pmWould my LE 5mm and LE 6mm work with the Orion binos?Bigzmey wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:01 pmThis is what I have. They are simple but serve the purpose. The only issue is that to achieve the focus in fracs one need to add lens from 2x barlow in front of BVs this changes my F7 scope to F21 scope.Refractordude wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 5:10 am I have been thinking about these Orion binos. https://www.telescope.com/Orion-Binocul ... /52071.uts
Now, if you go with more expensive Baader Maxbright II (out of order now) you will get OCA/GPC options ranging from 1.25x to 2.6x. You will likely need 1.7x to achieve focus in your C6, which still much better than 3-4x.
Another option is linear (mirror based) BVs like Orion premium. They don't add extra foucser travel, so you can use them in any scope without affecting the scope's power. I am considering those for
Mounts: SW: SkyTee2, AzGTi; iOptron: AZMP; ES: Twilight I; Bresser: EXOS2; UA: MicroStar.
Binos: APM: 100-90 APO; Canon: IS 15x50; Orion: Binoviewer, LG II 15x70, WV 10x50, Nikon: AE 16x50, 10x50, 8x40.
EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Delos, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3122 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2196, S110: 77). Doubles: 2461, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 261
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