First Barlow purchase recomendations

fremanwarrior · #1 03-05-2006, 06:02 PM

I have had my Bintel 10" Dob for a week week now...

I originally ordered it with a Bintel Barlow 2x ED (2")(https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7206) unfortunately they were out of stock and could not supply it.

Is the Orion Barlow Shorty-Plus 2x (1.25") (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6192) a viable alternative? What do I loose out on by going to 1.25"?.... (appart for .75"

)

Any other recomendations?

Cheers

janoskiss (Steve H) · #2 03-05-2006, 06:39 PM

Try AOE or Andrews or MyAstroShop for the GS 2" ED. My brief encounter with a GS 2" barlow (non-ED) was a pleasant one. Not too keen on the the Shorty-Plus (and wary of short barlows since) but a lot of people like them so they can't be that bad.

davidpretorius · #3 03-05-2006, 06:41 PM

nothing wrong with 1.25" barlows, my 5x powermate is superb, janokiss and ausastronomer are great names to search for in the section and they have great advice

janoskiss (Steve H) · #4 03-05-2006, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidpretorius

janokiss and ausastronomer are great names to search for in the section and they have great advice

Most humbled by the honour of even being mentioned in the same sentence as John B, but John has to be one of the most experienced members IIS has and I am one of the least.

I like these two: UO 2" barlow (the best!), Antares 2" 1.6x barlow (very good). I only tried the Powermate once and I really did not want to like it, and whew! thank god I found something I could pick on. Then I quickly stopped looking.

Another $300+ temptation is something I do not need.

matt · #5 03-05-2006, 07:13 PM

with Steve.

I,sadly, looked a fraction too long into a 2.5x Powermate....

Now, being an owner of one ... I'm happy!

Starkler (Geoff) · #6 03-05-2006, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fremanwarrior

Is the Orion Barlow Shorty-Plus 2x (1.25") (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6192) a viable alternative? What do I loose out on by going to 1.25"?.... (appart for .75"

)

IMO the Shorty-plus eats the GSO barlow for breakfast performance wise.
I also own a UO 2" barlow and I cant pick a difference between the SP and the UO, with both clearly ahead of the GSO.

circumpolar (Matt) · #7 03-05-2006, 09:08 PM

I have nothing but praise for my TeleVue Big x2 Barlow(2"). It has corrected the edge curviture of my GSO32mm(2")[crappy] EP to the point where I use it all time!, although it works like a 16mm here.

Not cheap though.....$335.00 from Bintel

, but one has to start forking out the big bucks sooner or later. Your setup is only as good as the weakest link, and I was determined that it would not be the barlow!

janoskiss (Steve H) · #8 03-05-2006, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

IMO the Shorty-plus eats the GSO barlow for breakfast performance wise.

... the 2" GSO as well??

Starkler (Geoff) · #9 03-05-2006, 09:34 PM

Steve yes, sorry for not being clear, I was talking about the 2" GSO barlow.
I havent looked through a 1.25" gso.

astrogeek (Leon) · #10 04-05-2006, 07:53 AM

I have the 2" ED GSO and I am quite impressed with it. Works well with all my ep's and I haven't noticed any adverse effects from it. I should mention that I don't own high end ep's and the like so I am not influence by naglers and others so I don't know what I am missing and therefore don't see it

. If your like me, a budget conscious observer who has never used high end ep's then I think you will be very impressed with this barlow. If you do use high end ep's then you'll probably still be impressed as some of my friends were. BTW I have compaired the GSO to the Orion Shorty Plus (A friends) and I must admit I prefered the GSO. Take from this what you like, but I hope it has helped you

Leon

Dan31415 · #11 04-05-2006, 09:30 AM

Myastroshop also has a vixen APO barlow for about $155, don't know what it is like and no seems to have used it. just a thought

ving (David) · #12 04-05-2006, 09:47 AM

2" GSO, orion shorty plus, celestron ultima, TV... any of these will probably make you happy.

Striker (Tony) · #13 04-05-2006, 10:51 AM

I have both the 2x Orion shorty Plus and the meade 3 x telextender if you want one PM me.....I never use them.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #14 04-05-2006, 11:40 AM

Go the 2" barlow. It takes both size EP's so you have 2 barlows for the price of one.
I have the GSO to match my EP collection. It serves my purposes well at the moment. I'll upgrade my barlow when I upgrade my EP's.

vespine · #15 04-05-2006, 05:38 PM

Same, I have 2 GSO EPs and the 26mm Meade that came with the deluxe lightbridge. I also bought the 2" GSO ED Barlow and have no complaints. I am another one who has not been fortunate enough to experience the finest in eyepieces yet, so for now it satisfies my purposes quite nicely.

fremanwarrior · #16 04-05-2006, 07:15 PM

Thx everyone for your comments, greatly appreciated.

One question.... Is the Bintel 2" ED a re-badged GSO ED 2"? (excuse my ignorance)

vespine · #17 04-05-2006, 08:29 PM

i believe so yes, I got mine from bintel.