15mm shootout

iceman (Mike) · #1 11-08-2005, 02:24 PM

Ok, so Slice is kindly sending me his 15mm series 500 eyepiece, and I've already got a 15mm GSO eyepiece.

So it's time to do a shootout.. Time to test the quality side by side.

However I also though it might be worth throwing a couple of others into the debate..

Rod has a 15mm GSO SuperView, might be worth comparing that against the other two 15mm's? Apart from the wider FOV, does the GSO SV offer anything better than the standard 15mm plossl?

Also as a benchmark, it might be worth comparing the three against a (known to be) good quality 15mm eyepiece, like a pentax, televue or something. Does anyone on the central coast, sydney or newcastle area own a good quality 15mm eyepiece that I can borrow for the shootout? I have a Meade UWA14mm S4000, but the ultra wide FOV and slighly increase magnification might make direct comparison harder.

iceman (Mike) · #2 11-08-2005, 02:30 PM

Oh also if you live further away and have one I can borrow (and you won't miss it too much for a couple of weeks

), I'm happy to pay postage.

h0ughy (David) · #3 11-08-2005, 03:16 PM

I have the 15mm series 4000 meade, and a network to fix

shredder · #4 11-08-2005, 03:29 PM

Well I am fairly sure I have a 15mm GTO somewhere you are welcome to test.

What is a GTO I hear you ask? Well its a cheap plossle that I got from the US which is supposed to be a main stream brand rebadged. Personally I had two of these and they were so bad I decided to cut one up to see if it was even a plossle, so I am down to one.....

Was it? Well yes it actually was!

Peole did reviews of them on Cloudy Nights and thought they were great value, which is why I got them, but in reality they arent worth the postage cost.
M

ving (David) · #5 11-08-2005, 03:33 PM

sounds like a great idea mike!

iceman (Mike) · #6 22-08-2005, 09:08 AM

Thanks to Slice who sent his s500's, and thanks to Rod, who dropped off his 15mm GSO SV yesterday, I now have the 3 "budget" range ready to test..

15mm Series 500
15mm GSO Plossl
15mm GSO SV

With the moon rising later this week I'm hoping to get outside with the scope and give them a test run.

Will hopefully have some results to writeup next week.

ving (David) · #7 22-08-2005, 09:27 AM

sweet, thanks mike. it'll be interesting.
from best to worst in an f5 I am expecting:

GSO plossl good to the edge
GSO SV with 10% seagulls
500 series with almost the same clarity but not quite as good as the other 2

but I guess we'll see. If it was f6 and up the SV might turn out to be better. anyhow thats just my opinion

dhumpie · #8 23-08-2005, 05:08 PM

I agree with David. Still it will be interesting to read about your observations.

Darren

iceman (Mike) · #9 24-08-2005, 09:44 PM

Went out tonight for the first night of observations with them.. So far, there's really not a distinct difference in the three.. Obviously there'll be a full report after i've had them out for another couple of nights, testing against more objects, especially the moon and barlowed on the planets which I haven't had a chance to do yet.

What I've noticed so far though, is that it can depend on which object you're viewing as to which eyepiece performs the best.

Anymore more tests needed..

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #10 24-08-2005, 09:53 PM

How does a Star test compare Mike? Not a Star-test for collimation, I mean 'pinpoint', 'clear' or 'blurry'?

iceman (Mike) · #11 25-08-2005, 06:28 AM

All of them were pretty sharp last night, because the seeing was very good. Obviously they all performed best in the middle of the field with your eye on-axis. They all started seagulling towards the edge of the field or if you tried viewing with your eye off-axis.

More in the full report.. hopefully will get out again tonight with them.

gaa_ian (Ian) · #12 25-08-2005, 06:38 AM

I look forward to your full report Mike, Lee is still keen on selling the 500's with his scopes claiming they are virtually the same !
I have already been telling prospective buyers to insist on GSO Possol's.

ving (David) · #13 29-08-2005, 01:06 PM

how that compario coming along mike?

iceman (Mike) · #14 29-08-2005, 01:30 PM

Almost finished.. was able to check out Venus and Jupiter in them on Saturday night.. just need the moon now so I'll try and do that tomorrow morning, early!

Then I just have to write it all up.

ving (David) · #15 29-08-2005, 01:39 PM

gee sounds like a comprehensive review mike!

elusiver · #16 14-09-2005, 04:54 PM

any closer????

el

iceman (Mike) · #17 14-09-2005, 07:03 PM

Will do some final moon testing with them tonight, and finish the writeup. This week, hopefully!

elusiver · #18 15-09-2005, 05:25 PM

looking forward to it mike.

el

iceman (Mike) · #19 15-09-2005, 07:47 PM

I'm in the process of writing it up, don't think i'll get it finished this week, but early next week for sure.

It's proving to be a PITA actually finding the specs for these eyepieces - eyerelief, FOV, lens elements etc. Several sites have conflicting information.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #20 15-09-2005, 08:00 PM

Give us a scoop! Was the 500 really as much worse as most of us seem to think?