Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The ocular for your highest visual acuity - for viewing deep-sky objects and the like - should have an exit pupil around . The views through it are very impressive, and it always amazes me when I get that one out. I havent been into the hobby for long but my experience is in line with whats been said. This is just a planning target. My Barlow is a 2X with a removeable Barlow element that can be screwed right onto an eyepiece giving a 1.5X effect. Aspheric and Plossl Plossl are both lens designs that can be used in most telescopes. The difference in TFOV will be significant at this focal length. That's hard to beat IMO. This is why we recommend you try to locate the object first at low power, then use a higher magnification if you likethe wider field of view on the sky provides more context in terms of asterisms and reference stars and makes it more likely that youll catch the object you are looking for. I generally use my 40 to search for DSOs so Ill probably replace that one at some point too. The Plossl's are very easy to modify, allowing me to use the bino-viewer on, all my refracting telescopes without having to cut down the tube length, p.s. For astronomical observations, such as viewing craters on the moons surface from Earth, high-magnification models are preferred because they offer more detail. I need some eyepieces with long FL for low magnifications. This gives us more flexibility at the low end of the magnification range. Some will offer longer eye relief which can be important to eyeglass wearers. By default, expect a 40-degree field of view in a Kellner and a 50-52 degree field of view in a Plossl. I am a BIG fan of zoom eyepieces, especially if you dont have many. It appears to be a custom-made 90 degree binocular built from two 90 degree diagonals and binocular-size objectives attached in place of the usual OTA. The 4000 SWA's were way overpriced for their performance IMHO. I really enjoy usingPlssls. They also have good eye relief, making them comfortable to use for extended periods. It also produces an erect image, meaning you see what youre viewing rather than seeing everything upside down or sideways as some types do. You could say Super Plossls are not much more than a marketing tactic these days. The magnification range that is appropriate to your scope. We may earn commissions by recommending products on this website. A four-element eyepiece was made by putting together two achromatic doublets with different focal lengths. Also, children do not often have highly developed motor skillsso I would avoid the frustration of switching out eyepieces, and consider a zoom lens. An Austrian inventor Georg Simon Plossl came up with the Plossl eyepiece design in 1860. I have seen wider-field Plossls. At shorter focal lengths they have less eye relief, and at all focal lengths they have a narrower field of view, than newer types. It offers good color correction and high-contrast images. I often recommend a 32 mm Plossl as a good low power wide view eyepiece for scopes with a 1.25 focuser. Great article on eyepieces but I am still undecided exactly what eyepiece & Barlow to buy and from where since some buying sites dont provide all the info you cite in your article. Newer multi-coatings are better, I suppose, but newer does not always mean better in the ocular game. Plssl's were top of the line at one time, and are still being sold today, so that says something too. Thanks for your comment. Do you think it would be sensible for me to look at getting a higher magnification specific eyepiece? Gosky Plossl 40 mm Telescope Eyepiece - 1.25inch This is probably the worst eyepiece I can recommend. Any exit pupil between 7 mm and .5 mm is just fine. Look at the apparent field of view specs and understand what this means for the field of view. Plssl eyepieces are good all-around performers, producing sharp images at the center of the field, but they have only four lens elements. You have a very wide choice of brands and styles to choose from. I currently own a Mak127 ( that can't use 2"eyepieces) and a 80ED ( that one can hold 2"eyepieces). There are three types of Plossl eyepiece: the regular, Super, and Orthoscopic. 32 mm = 18.75X12 mm = 50X8 mm = 75X6 mm = 100X4 mm = 150X3 mm = 200X. A Plssl is probably as good as any 32mm eyepiece in a 1.25 inch focuser. Note that we also gained a 16 mm magnification at no additional cost. By the 1980s, amateur astronomy equipment suppliers were still selling new telescopes with Huygens and Ramsden eyepieces, not merely because they were cheap but because they lacked internal reflections. Yes, eyepieces is a large and complex topic. The components of a Plossl eyepiece are the two groups of lenses. They also offer more eye relief than Plossls at the shorter focal lengths. Lets just say that once you get below F5, it is really hard for the eyepiece to deliver a clean image to the edge. So, basically a Plossl eyepiece is a type of eyepiece that enables the viewer to see a wider field of view than would normally be the case, but at the cost of him/her having to physically put his eye very close to the lens of the eyepiece. I had a bino pair of TV 20mm Plossls, very fine for high power planetary observation with my long focus 8" Mak, then I also bought the older TV 21mm Plossl, after trying the 21mm I sold the more recent 20mm. 14 = 128 = .6 If money is not a concern, you cant go wrong with Tele Vue eyepieces, any Tele Vue eyepieces. And certainly, if you are getting into AP you are going to need that big budget. The Orthoscopic Plossl eyepiece is for those who are interested in performing close-up work on specimens up to three inches away from them and still get high magnification. Quality this good usually costs a lot more. For your application and the eyepieces you have or are going to get, you really dont need anything else. Now you can get good eyepieces for under or around $50. Plossl eyepieces have 4 lenses that are paired in two doublets. Field of view, is about finding, framing, drift time, and context. You noted eye relief is important for those wearing glasses. These are things you will want to know and use. Second? But in this scope, the 32 mm doesnt work well. 2. Consider something between 35 and 40 mm in focal length with an AFOV of 65 degrees or wider for your lowest power eyepiece for your telescope. I have several 10mm eyepieces in my eyepiece boxalmost all of them are eyepieces that came with some telescope I boughtand I will almost always choose to use one of the Kellners over one of the Plossls, because the Kellners have a longer eye relief, which is comparable to the focal length. We will now discuss the specifications of eye relief and apparent field of view. 2x Barlow A couple of them felt fancier, but the jump in performance was either insignificant or non-existent. If one Super Plossl specifies it uses a 5 lens design, then you can definitely consider it a true Super Plossl that might offer better performance, but no brand has released any of those for decades. I want these as possible as wide, magnification and astrophotography purpose. Buy Astromania 1.25" 4mm Plossl Telescope Eyepiece - 4-Element Plossl Design . This means you will be able to see a greater expanse for the objects in space but with fewer magnification levels than Kellner or Plossl lenses. Where a difference can show up is that a lower number focal ratio scope will make it harder for an eyepiece to provide a uniformly good, in-focus image all the way across the field of view due to the steeper angle that the light arrives at the edges of the eyepiece with a low focal ratio scope, as compared to a high focal ratio scope. I dont think so. It also gives the widest possible exit pupil in my dob and SCT, very handy when using nebula filters. The three-lens eyepiece that came out of this was much better at controlling false color fringing and other distortions, even in telescopes with short focal lengths. A 2 barrel on the eyepiece will allow the manufacturer to create an eyepiece that provides a wider field of view. In 1849, Carl Kellner invented the Kellner eyepiece, which is essentially a Ramsden eyepiece where one lens has been replaced with an achromatic doublet made of two different types of glass. Prices can run from $20 to $200 so the field is pretty broad. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. Yes, Plossl eyepieces are some of the most popular with amateurs and professionals alike. There was an old Meade Super-Plossl design that used an additional lens element and could reach a wider field of view. Here we get into the BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, and Ferrari of eyepieces. 6.5-ish mm (100x & 200x) Omni 9mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Ah I see what you are saying, I had wondered whether this might have had an impact as Ive seen it mentioned before but dont fully understand it so will do some research, thank you . You use the 8-24 zoom for the midrange. What focal length eyepieces should I buy? 4. The 5-lens-element pseudo-Masuyamas that telesonic mentioned are/were fine eyepieces. I think you will love it! This determines how much light the telescope will gather. Edge sharpness is just satisfactory, nothing to boast about, as is the apparent field of view. If you do upgrade, youll probably want to go for a different eyepiece design than a Plosslsomething with a sharper image or a wider field of view or a longer eye relief (or all three.). A Kellner eyepiece has 3 lenses, while a Plossl has 4. Thank you so much for taking the time to provide all this information! Thanks for a very helpful guide. The tradeoff was that each lens surface added another internal reflection, reducing contrast and adding glare. You are asking about a very specific eyepiece in a very specific scope combined sometimes with a Barlow. You might be able to find a Kellner, or perhaps a high-quality Orthoscopic. PS. But, if you have a plan, you can fill in those slots, working toward a well-balanced set of magnifications. thanks Ed. Ive read reviews about my scope. 6.7 = 268 = .3 But with 2 eyepieces and a Barlow, you have the full effective range of your telescope. Here are a few types of eyepieces you may read about and their typical AFOV. Even big telescopes are subject to limitations imposed by the atmosphere. Etc.? Some accept 2 and have an adapter that allows you to also use 1.25. Another useful aspect of a wider field of view is that, assuming the entire eyepiece is sharp enough to show good images right to the edge, you dont have to nudge the telescope to track the rotation of the Earth as often with a Plossl (50 degrees) compared to a Kellner (40 degrees). Can you suggest the total . Im just starting out with astronomy and this really helped my understanding. They can also be found as Orion Expanse sporting a blue line rather than gold. I have used both Kellner & Plossl eyepieces and a few others, and I can tell you that they all are quite different from each other in terms of the quality of the image that they produce. I am very interested in viewing Nebulae do you think this set up will work well for that or do I need other eyepieces or filters? Plossl eyepieces are typically used for observing and viewing things at long distances, but they can also be useful when using a telescope to provide both magnifying power and erecting the images. Lets give an example. Some include: Parks Gold Series, Celestron Ultima's, Meade Series 4000 Super Plssls (depending on year / origin / style) and a few others that I don't remember. I just ordered Hyperion 13mm and 21mm but I really like how sharp and crisp view is in plossl 40mm. It may very well last you a lifetime and in the long term, you will definitely consider it to be a worthwhile investment. Note that as we get into the higher magnifications, the millimeter jumps between eyepiece focal lengths gets smaller. And you don't even have to get the full set if you don't want to. It comes with 1.25 Plossls 25mm (26x) and 10mm (66x) eyepieces. In some cases, the eyepieces are waterproof to protect them from internal contamination caused by heavy dew conditions. The category is over $300 and some of these are way over $300. They are most useful in medium and longer focal lengths for terrestrial, planetary, and lunar viewing. Note that the price categories are approximate, as prices can vary between retailers. They have a 60deg apparent field, long eye relief, adjustable eye shield and extremely well corrected. You can buy eyepieces specifically focused on a particular scope or you can buy eyepieces that you expect to use with this and all future scopes. If you have a longer focal length telescope, your shortest focal length eyepiece will be a higher number than what I have shown here. Does this sound like something you would recommend based on the telescope I have? For super Plossl eyepiece, the field of view is typically 40 to 60 degrees. Orion Sirius Plossl eyepieces are ideal for any type of telescope; refractor, reflector, or catadioptic. 600 mm / 200X = 3 mm This will be the focal length of our highest power eyepiece. In 1860, Georg Simon Plossl invented the Plossl eyepiece. Despite this, I also have some Plossls which are indispensable. And since this article is intended as an aid to beginners rather than a rigorous optics lesson, I think the context I provided works well enough. Plossl against Kellner eyepieces in a previous article, 5 Budget Telescopes That Are Sneakily Powerful. This series of eyepieces may provide better value in this price range. Again, this is more noticeable in lower focal ratio scopes. In simple terms, high focal ratio scopes, say those over F6, tend to be less demanding on eyepieces than those below F6. Wide view and well-corrected view, even in F5 scopes. Generally, dont mess around with solar projection unless youre okay with damaging the instrument. Your email address will not be published. Kellners can be as little as half the price of a Plossl in the same focal length, but they are generally very comparable, especially in recent years as telescope prices have fluctuated in response to changing supply chains and demand. The 26 and 32 are usually the first ones I reach for. . Most modern telescopes use a focuser, or diagonal, that accepts 1.25 eyepieces. The only difference is that they have a different design as well as a shape with their lenses, which affects the magnification of your telescope view. Not only is it good to share the experience but you can get first-hand advice on things like diagonals and may even be able to try one in your scope to see if it makes a difference. I need your advice on it. If you do not have your Hyperions yet I recommend you wait until you have these and try them out before you buy the Plossls. Looking from different sorts I found the Baader Aspheric 31mm and 36mm.these two eyepieces allow me to switch between 2" and 1.25"just by changing the barrel. . Eye relief of less than 10mm gets really uncomfortableyou tend to rub your eyepieces against the eyepiece or lens, and you have to hold your eye at just the right distance to keep from touching the lens. These are exceptional eyepieces, and only available on the used market nowadays. If you upgrade the telescope or add a second one, the eyepieces will work on that telescope too. For shorter focal lengths, the StarGuider BST series eyepieces have greater eye-relief, so are better suited. If that surface is wobbly the scope will be almost useless. With your glasses on, you simply cant get your eye close enough to an eyepiece that only has 10 mm of eye relief. At this point, a Plossl and a Kellner are so close in price and performance that you may as well get the Plossl. These are considered to be the least expensive eyepieces for serious astronomy and are offered in focal lengths from about 6mm to 40mm. I have an SCT and my eyepiece case only hasPlssls (and one Ortho) in it. Pentax K-70 Astrophotography: The Ultimate Camera on a Budget! (Compare, for instance, 20mm of each type, or 10mm of each type.) Understanding and using a Barlow Lens The first group is made up of a convex lens and concave lens, while the second one has four small cylindrical lenses that work together to magnify what you see through them for your viewing pleasure. So perhaps you do your line up like this. Is it just about finding and framing, or do wide fov EPs create a more immersive experience? But what are the differences between these two and how do you know which one to choose? As we go along, I will refer back to these, so dont worry if you cant answer the questions or understand the formulas now. Are Plossl eyepieces good? In the beginning, you are not going to know what the atmospheric conditions might be in your area. So, if your scope is F6 or lower, you may want to consider some of the higher priced, better corrected eyepieces if you want the best image to the edge of the field. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Our team of experts has reviewed and ranked 180+ telescopes based on price and quality. Many thanks, Sophie. I can say that most of my plossls have been replaced by other eyepieces for various reasons. This is a fairly inexpensive zoom that I wanted to try. The zoom can be used with any 1.25 focuser too. However, i can read very well without my glasses with almost microscopic vision and can use my binoculars without glasses. Know what diameter eyepieces your scope takes. Look those up, seeing and transparency in the context of astronomy. Finally, a wider field of view just makes it easier to find stuff. The bottom line is that it is best to have several magnification choices so you can optimize the view. If that is the case, it will give me another reasonably good, inexpensive zoom to recommend to beginners. I like my 38/70. Plossls and Kellners, like other simple eyepiece designs, have moderate fields of view and tend to have short eye relief as you scale them down to shorter focal lengths. Very nice article. A Plssl is probably as good as any 32mm eyepiece in a 1.25 inch focuser. In the world of eyepieces, when you want the very best, turn to Tele Vue, but be prepared to pay a truly premium price. Is there anyway you could include links to the eyepieces you mentioned in the last paragraph of your reply as Im totally new so worried about buying the wrong thing! Each eyepiece gives you a unique magnification based on the formula listed at the start: Why do you need more than two eyepieces? However, if you want to optimize your viewing experience, youll need to invest in a better-quality eyepiece. Of course, for the cost of the two Plossls, you could justify having them as spares or outreach EPs. If you are a glasses wearer and plan to keep your glasses on while you are observing, then you will likely want eyepieces with at least 17 mm of eye relief, and some glasses wearers prefer at least 20 mm. That can only be shown through actual testing. Plossl eyepieces have wider fields of view than Kellners. Also, as the apparent field of view gets wider, the image will require more correction. They deliver sharp images in almost all telescopes. Tele Vue offers several series with apparent fields of view from 50 degrees to 120 degrees. So we say that an F5 scope benefits from better corrected eyepieces more than the F10 scope. Thus the 30 mm eyepiece in a 600 mm telescope produces 600/30 = 20X magnification while with the Barlow, we have 1800/30 = 60X. There are certainly much better options out there but at a significant cost. However, the BH Zoom is by far my most used eyepiece. So save yourself this future unnecessary expense and just buy a Plossl. With regards to budget, whatever works well and is on par with the quality & capability of the telescope. That is up to you and your budget. The field of view of a p Plossl eyepiece is typically 60 to 120 degrees. They are all 4-element Plossl eyepieces, and most have a 52-degree field of view that is common to the Plossl design. My Baader Hyperion Zoom is my most used and favorite eyepiece. How you divide up your magnification range is up to you. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-astrophotography-telescopes/. Plossl eyepieces have an eye relief equal to about 80% of their focal length. A Televue Plssl may be better than a generic one, but the difference is probably not worth the additional cost. Outstanding job Jack. So, I think it worth your while to try the Plssls. We can see that 2 eyepieces have an advantage over 1.25 eyepieces when designers are making wide-view eyepieces.