Torn between Zoom or individual?!

[redwarf (South Africa)]

Hi Guys,

I am in the market to buy a really decent set of eye pieces. I am considering the following:

Baader Planetarium Hyperion Zoom 24-8mm with 2.25x Barlow

VS

Baader Planetarium Full Set of Hyperion Eyepieces

However, As I have read that the Zoom Click-Stop eyepieces are no match at all for the individual eyepieces. Yet, I then read conflicting reviews saying that the Baader Zoom eye piece has amazing quality for a zoom eyepiece and is well worth it. It is less than half the price of the individual eye pieces.

What to do?

Red

The price different is so vast!

[dannat (Daniel)]

If it were me then if get the zoom, over a set of Hyperion.

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

What scope will you be using them in?

[barx1963 (Malcolm)]

I am not great fan of zoom eyepieces. I think of it this way. If you go and buy a camera lens that is a zoom, even very expensive ones over $1000 are noticeable poorer in terms of distortions than a prime lens. If they cannot do it with the dollars available for camera lenses that is selling into a vastly larger market than eyepieces, how are they going to get good results with EPs?
The thing to remember is that the set of prime EPs are a real overkill, most observers will do most of their observing with only 1 or 2 eyepieces. I have quite a full set with 8, 10, 13, 17 and 21 Ethos and a 41 Pan, but mostly use the 13 and 17 for 95% of the time.
Better option may be to decide on a couple of primes that you know you will use, then build up from there. Maybe even get a zoom to complement those 2 for the occasional high power view.

Malcolm

[redwarf (South Africa)]

Originally Posted by Camelopardalis

What scope will you be using them in?

AVX EdgeHD 8"

Originally Posted by barx1963

...Maybe even get a zoom to complement those 2 for the occasional high power view...

This is EXACTLY what i was thinking of doing! To start with, I plan to buy the zoom if its sensible and then buy my 2 prime lenses when I have discovered the magnification power I like.

[BlackWidow (Mardy)]

I own the Baader zoom mark 3 and love it too bits. I have an Lx200 10" scope and find that the zoom works very very well. Yes I also have a good selection of fixed ones including Baader and other brands. I always seem to grab the zoom. I have used an eyepiece wheel in the past, but now just use the zoom most of the Time. For me it's the best money I have spent. Most of the time I image, but for viewing I would buy another in a heart beat..


Hope this helps

Mardy

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

As you've gone the extra mile/km to buy a nice corrected flat field scope, surely it deserves special glass too

The Hyperion work well in normal SCTs but the Edge HD doesn't do them justice...and the Zoom is a good EP but a bit narrow at the longer focal lengths. I use the Zoom and Barlow in my travel scope and it's a great combo. The 8mm end of the zoom will likely go infrequently used unless you regularly get very good seeing where you are.

I've found that TV Naglers, Ethos and Explore Scientific 82 and 100 degree eyepieces work really well in the Edge HD 8... if budget allows of course. The ES are practically as good at f/10 for a fraction of the price. The 82 and 100 degree eyepieces give a wider more immersive experience, but is subject to personal taste

Depending on your interests, a 12-14mm is a good range for globs and mid magnification planetary. Depending on your conditions you might want a higher magnification (8-10mm ?), if conditions permit. Personally, I prefer to keep the image smaller and crisper than larger and blurrier. At the other end of the scale, I also enjoy (relatively) wide views using a 40mm and it shows off the capabilities of the Edge series to great effect. I'd recommend something down that end if you like to look at more extended objects.

In all, you can easily get away with 2 or 3

[redwarf (South Africa)]

Thanks Camelopardalis

I ultimately bought the Baader Zoom to fill in those eye pieces that are not my "primary" EP's.

So, I do plan on spending a little more when the time is right on single EP's that are worth the money.

[Astro_Bot]

A little too late, but here's 2c worth anyway ....

I also have a Baader 8-24mm Zoom Mk III and Dunk's description of the Baader zoom is on the money.

It does fairly well against ES 82d fixed-length eyepieces, but is not quite as good, except at one focal length (14mm) where I couldn't pick the difference. For a zoom, it's excellent. Unlike the zoom, however, I've never rated the fixed-length Hyperions highly.

I agree you will probably use 2 or 3 fixed eyepieces a lot, and others rarely, so invest in the ones you'll use. (I've found the ES 82d and 68d to be very good performers and excellent value for money in my LX200-ACF 10". IMHO, they're much better than the Hyperions).

[Marios (Marios)]

I bought the Baader zoom because of the ability to attach the DSLR directly with out having to interchange eyepieces during a imaging session of planets. I wouldnt recommend it for people with eye glasses as the eye relief is a little short, but the coatings used on the Hyperion range are second to none.

[Profiler (Profiler)]

My 2 cents worth is that as far as zoom EPs go the Baader is an excellent zoom EP but there are certainly fixed FL eps that are better. However, for bang for your buck you can't go wrong.

[brunono2 (Brian)]

I also HIGHLY recommend the Baader Hyperion 2.25 barlow that threads onto the bottom of the Baader zoom and any other eyepiece- I use this on all my eyepieces

Bruno

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

+1 the zoom Barlow is a cracker, so small you barely know it's there