Quote:
Originally Posted by Krumlov
Quite and old thread but asks the question I want to know!
I own a GS-680 and am enjoying looking at the planets. I want to see them in more detail so I have another thread going about filters but I also want to know about Barlows vs Powermates. Most threads are talking about the powermate with repsect to astophotography but I am only doing visual observing. So what is the current school of thought? For visual should I buy a powermate? They are $199 vs not much for a name brand Barlow (or $119 for a Televue Barlow)!
The second question is if I should get a Powermate should I go for 2.5x or 5x. Bintel has them both for the same price?
Lastly I am assuming I will get a 1.5" as I have three EPs of that size and only one 2".
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If $199 wont break the bank I would recommend a 2.5X 1.25" powermate. They have several advantages over a barlow for both imaging and visual use. The purists will say they are not quite to the optical standard of the very best barlows (Zeiss, Astrophysics and TMB) and they aren't, but it's close. However, the advantages make them the best choice IMO. You get what you pay for most times and the 2.5X powermate IMO is well worth the extra cost over a cheaper unit IMO.
Cheers,
John B