Optically, Hyperions are pretty good (but not outstanding), however as might be expected, their Swiss army knife versatility doesn't come without a price, as a BBC Sky By Night magazine review from 2007 highlighted:
Quote:
The Baader Hyperion range represents an innovative modular approach to eyepiece design, although it makes assessing the eyepiece even more complex. As well as the 1.25-inch barrel, the lower body has a machined 50.8mm recess so that it will fit into a 2-inch diameter drawtube. However, if you try this with a 2-inch star diagonal inserted, the eyepiece will be so long that the 1.25-inch chrome barrel may well clang into the diagonal’s prism.
Uniquely, that chrome barrel, containing half the lens elements, can be unscrewed. It transforms the eyepiece into a very low power, but low quality 2-inch barrel eyepiece. Somehow we cannot see most amateurs wanting to perform this action outside in the dark.
The Hyperion’s top surface is threaded to accept photographic/DSLR type adaptors, which may be useful, although most amateurs interested in high-power imaging will go down the Barlow/Powermate webcam or video route and just use the camera’s 1.25-inch barrel.
This eyepiece performed well and it sits somewhere between the Sky-Watcher SWA and the Vixen LVW in terms of field of view, sharpness and eye relief. It’s excellent value, but the modular approach is not necessarily a good thing.
|
Baader's modular design also leads to an annoying dust problem possibly unique to Hyperions: the surface of the internal lens exposed when the bottom section is removed, is in focus through the eyepiece, so dust particles that enter will be very obvious when later observing the moon and potentially other targets.