[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Paul,

"Good" and inexpensive eyepieces can be an exercise in looking for a gem in a coal field. They do exist, but you do need to understand both what scope you intend to use them in, and sometimes what degree of aberrations you may need to tolerate.

This is especially so for Newtonians. However, as your scope is a refractor, and an ED one at that and not the fastest focal ratio, things do get much easier.

Inexpensive does not need to mean crap or poor quality or looking through a Coke bottle. And spending big $$$ does not necessarily mean best quality! (Sorry Jeremy, I don't necessarily agree with your comment of buying the best you can afford meaning quality only equating with $$$). What it does mean is it opens up other EP designs that are actually exceptional performers, but they just don't carry a particular Brand label. As you didn't give a specific budget, just not shall we say expensive, I'll look to offer recommendations that are below $200 a piece.

PLEASE NOTE: when I describe an eyepiece as being "good" or "excellent" in any given scope, I am meaning that there are certain aberrations that are either not present or very well controlled, these namely being astigmatism and field curvature. Also important is an excellent degree of transmission and colour flaring also well controlled (this also depends on the scope you are using). Just to give a dumb "good" or "excellent" without quantifying as to WHY they are good or excellent is useless to you in your own assessment of my recommendations.

In the short focal lengths, there's a few really good lines. The TMB Planetary Type II's are extremely good in refractors. Can be found for as little as $50 a pop on Ebay, all have the same generous amount of eye relief and all sport the same big eye lens, and all sport the same 58° AFOV.

Two other really good lines are the Orion Planetaries and the Celestron X-Cel lines. However, these are a bit more expensive than the TMB's. Both of these have an AFOV of around 60°. And there is also the Baader Hyperions, all having an AFOV of 68°, and these are also readily available second hand. These Hyperions also come in different flavours: they are the same as the Saxon Superwide, the Orion Stratus, the Celestron Duo and a couple of others. Despite the popular thinking that the Hyperion line is some "clone" of the Vixen LVW line, both are totally different optical designs. The LVW line was only once re-badged, and for just a couple of years as the Orion Lanthanum Superwides, and that was some time ago too. Both these Vixen and Orion EPs are only available second hand, and the Orion's a little cheaper as they are not branded "Vixen".

Remember, these recommendations are for refractors, SCT's and Maks, not Newtonians as Newt's are a different kettle of fish and while some individual focal lengths from any of these recommendations can be very good performers in Newts, not all of these lines will contain individual focal lengths that will perform just as well in Newts. If you are looking for eyepieces for your Newtonian/dob, this is not the thread for you.

For longer focal lengths, the GSO Superviews are good. You could also use the 42mm as it will give you the widest TFOV possible with a 2" 68° AFOV eyepiece.

There's also the 70° lines that are offered under various brands. The are all the same optical design: Explore Scientific 70°, Orion Q-70, Prostar, and a couple of others. Can be hard to find in Oz though.

The Meade SWA (68°) and ES 68° are also excellent in fracs. So are the Celestron Axiom LX and Celestron Luminos, both around the 80° mark.

My experience with zoom eyepieces is very limited, and I only have experience with the Baader Hyperion zoom types III an IV, and both are really good in refractors. (The Mark IV is excellent in Newts too)

I'm sure other people will be able to recommend other EPs too.

Again, I stress that ALL the above recommendations are for refractors, SCT's and Maks. Newtonians are a different beastie, and while there will be some individual focal lengths from the above lines, most will however will exhibit aberrations such as astigmatism and field curvature, which for some people this is not problematic, but for other people these aberrations are not tolerable. So if you are looking for EPs for your Newt, this is not the thread for you.

Alex.