Quality plossls with 8" f/6 GSO Dob

Lee · #1 08-09-2005, 01:35 PM

I need some good eyepieces.... my s500's are sucking my will to observe!!

I do intend on replacing my Andrews 2" UW80 with a nice Nagler early next year when I'm cashola'd up....

At present I want some EP's that will perform excellently, and that I won't end up replacing before too long - I don't mind spending the cash as long as I spend it once, rather than twice....

Televue plossls go for about $150 a pop..... would I be disappointed with these???? What disadvantages compared to Naglers/Pentax's etc are there - mainly FOV I thought... is this right???

I thought a good Barlow at the same time.... like 4 new EP's then! Obviously I only intend on buying a 2* Barlow once - what is the best - come on people, spend my money for me!

ving (David) · #2 08-09-2005, 01:42 PM

i own a old style 10.5mm TV plossl, it great. nice flat field great contrast and pin point stars. the FOV of course isnt like that of naglers.
you could go meade 4000 or 5000 series too as they are good.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #3 08-09-2005, 01:59 PM

I own the 15mm TV Ploessl and it is very nice. Far superior contrast to the GS ones, especially on planets and the Moon. In a good barlow (shorty-plus), the differences are even more obvious with less glare. My 25mm GS has far more chromatic aberrations around Venus than the 15mm TV, which is the opposite of what you'd expect given the higher magnification of the TV. I got it for $145 from Bintel.

The Celestron Ultimas are supposed to be very good too. IIRC, they came out on top in a S&T comparison review of a whole bunch of Ploessls (which included the TV). And someone has a couple for sale on the Buy & Sell forums.

ving (David) · #4 08-09-2005, 02:15 PM

hmm.. yeah check the buy & sell section. theres some celestron ultimas for sale there. they are probably on par with TVs

square_peg114GT · #5 11-09-2005, 10:27 AM

Orion Highlight Plossls are a great EP for the money. Not only is every air-to-glass surface fully multi-coated, but they're also edge-blackened for better contrast. I bought a12.5mm early in this hobby and even though I've upgraded most of my eyepieces this one still stays in my case and finds it's way into the focuser often. It's that good.

http://www.telescope.com/shopping/pr...ProductID=3989

square_peg114GT · #6 11-09-2005, 10:36 AM

I'm also fond of my 30mm Celestron Ultima, another holdover from the early days that I just can't give up.

Starkler (Geoff) · #7 11-09-2005, 10:59 AM

The only trouble is that here in Australia we dont have the same wonderful options available to us without the hassle of importing them.

Celestron eyepieces are hideously overpriced due to a distributors monopoly and the Tasco middleman. A few years ago I bought an Ultima 12.5mm for the price of $240AU, thats about $180US.

The best value in Australia for premium plossls are Televue plossls, at about $150AU.

As you are indicating cash isnt an object, I recommend that you go along to one of the observing nights and take a good look through some of the high end eyepieces such as Mikes Meade 14mm UWA, John B's Pentaxs and whatever naglers are around

The naglers have the widest FOV, where the pentaxs trade a bit of FOV for extra eye relief and IMO more comfortable viewing.

If what you are used to is series 500 plossls, I dare say any of the above suggestions will blow you away when you look through them