What's in Your Eyepiece Case

[dazastar]

Yep, on the train, bored, thought I'd start this thread. Besides, others might find it usefull to see what we all use and compare notes. So here goes:-

My favourites:-
University Optics 7mm Ortho
Kokusai Kohki ABBE 12.5mm Ortho (this guy makes University, antaries and meade orthos)
Kokusai Kohki Erfle 16mm
Seben Zoom 8mm-22mm (this is one fantastic eyepiece, a real gem if you can find one. Usually from sebens ebay store)

Others in Case:-
Celestron Omni 15mm and 9mm
GSO super plossyl 20mm and 6mm
GSO ED 21mm
GSO projection 2" 30mm
GSO Super View 80 degree 10mm
GSO 2x and 3x ED Barlows
GSO 2" superview 32mm
Some assortment of generic chinese plossyls and kelners I take in a seperate case for school nights - these ones are great because I dont care about them gettting little fingers on them.

Seben 0III filter
TI Tech HB Filter
Baader UHC-S filter
Baader Moon and Skyglow neodymium
and a varied assortment of color filters.

[Zuts]

Hi, there is a sticky on top of the page http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=19917

Paul

[erick]

"Eyepiece Cases" :D

[jjjnettie]

I have pluck foam in my new case.
I haven't had time to pluck and fill yet.

[madtuna]

well hurry up and pluck'n fill it! :D

[jjjnettie]

I left myself wide open for that one. LOL

[AlexN]

yet to buy a case...

when I do (soon) it will have:
25mm Skywatcher plossi 1.25"
10mm Skywatcher plossi 1.25"
2x Orion Barlow 1.25"
3x MAS Barlow 1.25"

30mm MAS 80degree 2"
4x Sibert Barlow 2"

2" Astronomik UHC-E
2" UV/IR Cutoff
1.25" IR cut
1.25" Moon filter

and If i can squeeze it in... The SPC900NC will probably live in it too...

Thats all.

[Astromelb]

Dear team,

I am a self confessed ocularphile.

Eyepieces are THE most important part of the system, the telescope is important but once you have a really good either custom engineered hand crafted Newtonian (locally made) plus a Superior fluorite refractor (no - ED doesn't cut the mustard) the difference is always going to be in the eyepieces.

I am a very active collector (40 years worth), and have the following:

Zeiss Jena Orthoscopic Abbe 1.25 inch (full set, no longer produced, the best eyepieces ever made)
Zeiss Jena Orthoscopic 1 inch (exceptional - 2 full sets, still available out of at least one local supplier)
Takahashi LE series - full set
Takahashi 1 inch Orthoscopics - full set, no longer manufactured
Masuyama - full set (the world's rarest eyepieces)
Clave 6mm
Clave 35mm 2 inch

All of the above I use regularly as they are all terrific, with the strong bias toward the Zeiss 1.25 and 1 inch Ortho's which are just superior to anything, but you all probably already know this

Plus:
William Optics Swan, Uwan & Spl - full set
University Optics 1.25 inch Orthoscopics - full set
TeleVue Naglers, Panoptics & Plossl's 66 pcs - I just collect these as I would not bother to look through them

Various Vixen, Japan Optical, Kohkusai Kohki, Tal, Intes, Intes Micro, TMB, Astro Physics, Baader, Royal, Goto, Celestron, Meade, Criterion (yes the original Criterion US eyepieces from 1960, full set), plus also a range of Watson & other brass antique eyepieces from the early 20th century and earlier

Total in excess of 370 pieces at this time, and adding all the time

Why - I like to be able to tell the difference between nearly every eyepiece ever made, thereby I buy everything and test them, both on my telescopes (please see my bio for what I use) plus also on the optical bench that I use at work (I am a metrologist, science of measurement).

Looking forward to feedback from other serious ocularphiles. Maybe someone has something I don't have that may interest me, I am always after additional reference grade gear

Clear skies to you all

Rgds,
Astromelb

[dazastar]

Well, I'm gobsmacked Astromelb. That is incredible -you've probably set some sort of record I bet.

Hey have you got a Seben zoom - Most of what Seben sells is junk, but the zoom eyepiece are an exception. They must get the zoom made for them by a very capable manufacturer. My self and a few friends from my astro club have them and love them.

[JethroB76]

I see there are some Zeiss Abbes on Astromart for $4500US:eyepop:

Astromelb, I assume you've used the latest flavour of the month EPs getting coverage on CN - Brandons - what is your opinion on them?

[§AB]

I think Astromelb wins!!! 370 eyepieces, that is crazy :eek:

In my case I have:

3.5, 5, 8, 13, 17, 22mm Vixen LVW
18mm Celestron Ultima
32mm Televue plossl
2x and 3x Televue Barlows
2.5x televue powermate
red flashlight
Camera blower brush

other stuff which don't fit:

Astronomik OIII, UHC and H-beta filters
6. 7.5, 9, 12, 15mm GSo plossls,
moon filter,
assorted coloured planetary filters

I plan I fitting these into the slot where the flashlight currently lives.

[Dave47tuc]

Do we not have a thread in sticky at the top of eyepieces page for these comments. I started that so that people could get information on eyepieces and ask the owners about them:shrug:

[allan gould]

Is there much difference in apparent magnification between the 8mm LVW and the 5mm LVW? Been thinking of getting the 5mm LVW.
Thanks Allan

[§AB]

generally, the longer the focal length of your scope, the bigger the mag difference is between any 2 given eyepiece F/Ls.

for example:

on a 600mm FL scope, the 5 and 8mm produce 120x and 75x respectively (diff = 45x) ,

on a 1250mm FL scope, the values are 250x and 156x (diff = 94x).

on a 2000mm FL scope, the values are 400x and 250x (diff = 150x).

overall the difference between 5 and 8mm is significant enough at all focal lengths to warrant having both.

[allan gould]

Thanks for that. I'm seriously thinking of both the 5mm and 17mm to complete my collection

[Astromelb]

1. Seben - I dont think much of Seben, I used tio have a couple of their eyepieces but sold them quite a while ago, not really that interested in them for collection

2. Brandon - I have a selection of Brandon's on my Questar, they are a very capable eyepiece. I have used them on my other telescopes, particularly my favourite Quartz optic based 10 inch hand crafted Newtonian and my favourite 102mm hand crafted fluorite refractor, and they are excellent.

I use my Zeiss Abbe's on nearly everything for viewing, as these are as most of you will already know the Holy Grail of eyepieces and they outperform everything. The only thing that comes close is Zeiss Jena 1 inch Orthoscopics which are absolutely sensational, the only concern is quality when sourcing them as these are mostly worn and in unacceptable condition on the astronomy markets around the world.

You need to either know the person or see the gear to know if it is good enough.

rgds,
Astromelb.

[GrahamL]

27 panoptic,13mm nagler (most used),7 mm nagler and an old UO 28 mm pretoria which gets used more than the pano mostly as the views are very crisp edge to edge.


Do you have any pics of your collection astromelb?.. A lot of us would sure like to see it :)

[CoombellKid]

What's my eyepiece case??? my wishlist ;)

regards,CS