are plossl eyepieces good are plossl eyepieces good

I am very near-sighted, barely see the big E on the vision chart without glasses. Plssl eyepieces are affordable and they're outstanding additions to amateur telescopes. This makes them a bit more complex and expensive than other designs, but also gives them a wider field of view, reasonable eye relief, and reduces optic aberrations. 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. The original design for Plossl eyepieces has existed since 1860. This type of design provides for both total magnifications as well as an erect image with little distortion. So, I think it worth your while to try the Plssls. Comparing to Plossl eyepieces, Super Plossl is somewhat better for astronomy. I possess an embarrassing array of fine eyepieces with names like Ethos and Nagler and Delos. At 32mm, a Plssl will give you as wide a field of view as any 1.25mm eyepiece can. It includes two high-magnification Plossl eyepieces and five lower magnification zoom oculars with an adjustable focus in the kit. Plossl eyepieces are perfect for astronomical viewing because the field of view is wider. When I was getting my start in the hobby, I bought an ultra-cheap ($15?) This determines how much light the telescope will gather. The Big Bang Optics was started because of our love for astronomy and to help others like us find the best telescope and accessories. Or we say that F10 would be easier or less demanding on the eyepiece than the F5. The TFOV will be as wide as your 40mm Plssl, but with greater magnification and a slightly darker sky background. Any 1.25 diagonal should work. . I would recommend the Baader Hyperion Zoom for any telescope. Kellner eyepieces use three glass elements in two groups to minimize color fringing. Youd have to look into more complex designs which include a barlow lens, or simply use a longer focal length eyepiece with a quality barlow. After these, we have mostly proprietary designs from various eyepiece companies. And I am a visually observing focused person. SV207 30mm Super Plossl Eyepiece. Thanks for your comment. 75-225X, 1.5X Barlow I have used these in my F6 and F5 Dobs and find them a good value for the price. This eyepiece was even better at correcting false color fringing, but because of internal reflections, the glare was even worse. I usually recommend a 32 mm Plossl type eyepiece as that provides about the widest view you can achieve with a 1.25 focuser. Read our full affiliate disclosure here. This gives us more flexibility at the low end of the magnification range. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-telescope-eyepieces/. If money is not a concern, you cant go wrong with Tele Vue eyepieces, any Tele Vue eyepieces. Even big telescopes are subject to limitations imposed by the atmosphere. I did sell them all when I adopted Dioptrx, and the Naglers are amazing! That is the critical factor. If youre still wondering between a Kellner vs Plossl, my advice to you would be invest a little extra cash and go for a good quality Plossl. This might contain more of what you need. A Televue Plssl may be better than a generic one, but the difference is probably not worth the additional cost. If you wear glasses when observing, you probably want 15mm or more of eye relief, which the 20mm Plssl provides, but the shorter fl ones dont. Because some objects look better at low power, some at medium power, some at high power, and some at very high power. Edge sharpness is just satisfactory, nothing to boast about, as is the apparent field of view. Sony A7III vs A7RIII Astrophotography: Which One to Shoot Infinity! 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. In terms of eyepieces, my best advice is provided in the article. These companies rebranded them under their own names. I generally use my 40 to search for DSOs so Ill probably replace that one at some point too. 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. Non-eyeglass wearers can usually tolerate Plossls as short as about 10-12mm before their eyelashes start brushing the ocular lens. I have had a good experience with the SVBony brand and the Agena Astro brand. Many thanks, Sophie. No other type can compare with it when it comes to that quality. Was $38.99 - $99.99 Now $31.19 - $84.99 Compare Orion Edge-On Planetary 1.25" Eyepieces Are plossl eyepieces still worth it? So speaking of the Barlow as if it modifies the FL of the eyepiece, while technically not correct, does provide an easier model to understand the net effect. In 1860, Georg Simon Plossl invented the Plossl eyepiece. The Expanse is a lens that provides an extra sharp image, and it also has a wider field of view compared to the Plossl eyepiece. Being a total novice, I love the StarSense app and technology. ES 82 degree series plus 1 meade uwa @20 mm with 1800 focal length optical tube lowest mag 51 x / highest mag 300. That is a wonderful expression. You will see these under many brands, including Orion, Celestron, GSO, and others. 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. AP is all about the mount and accurate tracking. Poorly chosen eyepiece might give you poor experience and sometimes even make stargazing difficult. They deliver sharp images in almost all telescopes. You also get 7 1.25 filters which include the following, #80A Blue Filter, #58 Green Filter, #56 Light Green Filter, #25 Red Filter, #21 . This is why many telescopes come standard with at least one Plossl eyepiece. I expect such eyepieces are available but I have never seen or used one. By correcting for aberrations, the field of view of these eyepieces could be much larger than the soda-straw field of view in a Ramsden or Huygens, around 40 or perhaps up to 50 degrees. The field of view of the eyepiece has a few effects when it comes to actually using it in the telescope. I am a BIG fan of zoom eyepieces, especially if you dont have many. THANK YOU x 12! ORION SIRIUS PLOSSL 10mm telescope eyepiece 1.25" - $17.01. I just ordered Hyperion 13mm and 21mm but I really like how sharp and crisp view is in plossl 40mm. Theres a reason Plossls are usually kept at 52 degrees. Are Plossl eyepieces good? They also offer a generous 16 mm of eye relief which is most important in the shorter focal lengths. Plossl eyepieces have 4 lenses that are paired in two doublets. This was very useful, I got a meade infinity 90mm ( after read the review here -. Yes, the wider field of view of a Plossl is very helpful, but 40 degrees of Kellners isnt a soda straw (unless you are used to looking through very wide field eyepiece. Higher than 3X is usually reserved for astrophotography. It has made learning the Constellations and star-hopping more fun and engaging for my whole family exactly what I was hoping for. Omni 40mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. Over time, you may wish to add a specialty eyepiece here or there, but I would not make that a priority until you have filled out your magnification range. Kellner eyepieces work perfectly with small and medium-sized telescopes. So we say that an F5 scope benefits from better corrected eyepieces more than the F10 scope. 32 mm = 18.75X 16 mm = 37.5X (32 mm eyepiece with a 2X barlow), 12 mm = 50X (If you have a 25 mm that came with your scope, use Barlow for 12.5 mm), 4 mm = 150X (8 mm eyepiece with a 2X Barlow), 3 mm = 200X (6 mm eyepiece with a 2X Barlow), 24 mm = 25X (the low power end of the zoom), 8 mm = 75X (24 mm zoom setting in a 3X Barlow), 2.66 mm = 225X (8 mm zoom setting in a 3X Barlow), True field of view or FOV = Apparent field of view (AFOV) eyepiece / magnification. If we want to get VERY specific to a combination then inherent aberrations of this scope and that eyepiece could produce a unique result. That is a really interesting picture. The price ranges we show here are the typical prices. This can be debated 100 ways, but that is my advice. A Plossl eyepiece lens provides more eye relief than anything else out there! If your focuser/diagonal only accepts 1.25 eyepieces, I would recommend you use a 32mm as your longest focal length, lowest power eyepiece. They are also really sharp. The way a Plossl eyepiece works is by using the convex lens and concave lenses to create an image that has both total magnification of what youre viewing, as well as erect images. It allows each eyepiece to provide two magnifications. For our experience level, would you recommend changing anything right now? As a kid, I loved looking at the moon (which can be seen any time of day, regardless of ones bedtime) so make sure that the field of view is wide enough to see the whole shebang. Interesting points Philip. In my opinion, you do not. My friend has one and he really likes it, and it is his third telescope. This is where the cheap eyepiece will frequently fail to deliver a good image, around the edges. I was just wondering if plossls are still worth it or should get a better eyepiece in a 30mm range. A wide range of focal lengths are available, all in 1.25-inch size. Take the AFOV of the eyepiece (provided by the mfg) in your case 82 degrees They are a good brand with high-quality eyepieces, you just dont need to spend the extra money for almost no gain in performance. A four-element eyepiece was made by putting together two achromatic doublets with different focal lengths. These tend to run toward the more expensive price range. High-quality Plssl eyepieces provide high contrast and sharpness across the entire field of view. Again thank you very much for all the information in the page, excellent notes. This is a fairly inexpensive zoom that I wanted to try. Age is not part of the equation. As you learn more about astronomy and you gain more experience with time, you may want to move to Plossls or even higher-quality eyepieces. As to a more immersive experience, yes, I would say a wider FOV does provide a more immersive experience. Plus the FOV expands as you zoom to the higher powers. Some reviews also suggest replacing the diagonal. They are most useful in medium and longer focal lengths for terrestrial, planetary, and lunar viewing. Does having a 70 vs 52 fov make a noticeable difference for double the price? A wide-angle view of 66 degrees makes it perfect for viewing large objects and even entire constellations while still being able to focus on smaller details with ease. They are 82-degree AFOV eyepieces. Elena is a Canadian journalist and researcher. None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-barlow-lens-and-how-to/, Celestron 8-24 Zoom Review 2. Is it just about finding and framing, or do wide fov EPs create a more immersive experience? If your focuser/diagonal will accept 2 eyepieces, then I will suggest you get one or two 2 eyepieces for your low power wide view eyepieces. Telescopes Cost: Acceptable, Good, and Really Good Telescopes, Used Telescopes Buying Guide The Complete Guide, Different Types of Asteroids (C, S, and M) The Definitive Guide, Top 10 Night Sky Objects for Astronomy Beginners, Asteroid Mining Know Everything About It, German Equatorial Mounts (GEMs) Overview and Working. I once had to use a 6mm Plossl to attempt to perform a star-test collimation for a telescope at the observatory. You are looking through a LOT of atmosphere which distorts the image. They are not that expensive I would pay about $100 for both eye pieces. What diameter eyepieces will my telescope accept? I hear that, sometimes you find one that is sweeter than others. This can be very helpful for star hopping. Here we have very good eyepieces with some extra features. Once I knew how much I liked the zoom I upgraded to the Baader Hyperion Zoom. You have selected a very good starting telescope that will serve you for many years to come. The difference isnt that severe, and I often track more often than is strictly necessary to keep the object centered anyway. All registered. Thanks, Angelo M. You picked a great first scope. Now here is something that some of us classic scope nuts know - there are plossls, and there are plossls. A Plossl eyepiece is one of the most decent general-purpose eyepieces that are available on the market. The sharp/crisp view you get from your 40mm Plossl comes down to the relatively low magnification it provides. Plossl against Kellner eyepieces in a previous article, 5 Budget Telescopes That Are Sneakily Powerful. Omni 6mm Eyepiece - 1.25" Learn More. A 20mm Plssl is probably worth it, if for no other reason than to compare the views it gives to the 21mm Hyperion you have. I consider the Plossl to be the minimum standard for a good eyepiece. Depending on your budget, if you only have limited funds and are just starting to fill out your eyepiece collection I would go with the zoom, then zoom with Barlow. If you were considering a Super Plossl made by an entry-level brand, just use those extra funds to instead get a regular Plossl made by a more reputable manufacturer. Outstanding job Jack. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Orion+Q70&ref=nb_sb_noss_2, Understanding Telescope Eyepieces- There are recommendations, based on budget, Very worth it for me, as I like to use bino-viewers. A super Plossl eyepiece is a top-performing eyepiece that can be used for a variety of tasks, from viewing objects in the distance to looking at microscopic things. The Regular Plossl eyepiece is made to be a basic type of scope for viewing objects that are nearbysay within two feet or so from where youre looking through it. . Not everything in the sky benefits from high magnification. Now we have a maximum established. All are good eyepieces and diagonals, and would be excellent for star party use. I also struggled to see features on both (gas bands on Jupiter and clear rings on saturn). I havent addressed .965 eyepieces in the recommendations. As I mentioned earlier in the article, not all Plossls are created equal, which simply means that there are good Plossls and then there are bad Plossls. Tele Vue has eyepieces that approach $1000. None of my fancy EPs have enough contrast for this application. The field of view of a p Plossl eyepiece is typically 60 to 120 degrees. These are effectively simple designs like Plossls, Kellners, Konigs, and RKEs, with long focal lengths, that have a lens included to increase their focal length. One learns by observing. They have a 60deg apparent field, long eye relief, adjustable eye shield and extremely well corrected. The focal length range for 1.25 Plossls is about 6mm to 45mm. Newer multi-coatings are better, I suppose, but newer does not always mean better in the ocular game. To say it a different way, in general, an F5 scope will place more demands on the eyepiece around the edge of the field of view than an F10 scope. condition as described, a good transaction. This is your Lexus, Acura, and Infinity types that offer more features, better build, and a bit more polish. OK that makes sense, many thanks. Even if you did need a 4mm focal length (for high powers in an f/4 telescope, of course), neither a Kellner nor a Plossl would have long enough eye relief for that to be comfortably usable! Orion Q70 38 mm works well. But with 2 eyepieces and a Barlow, you have the full effective range of your telescope. This is the link to the eyepiece I am looking at potentially buying, would you recommend this over the Orion one or vice versa do you think? Gold Line eyepieces also offer better eye relief than Plossl eyepieces, especially at the shorter focal lengths. I also like to have my face physically in contact with the eyepiece (or the eyepiece cup) so the tight eye relief of the shorter focal lengths actually works really well for me. Now we can establish a target magnification range. 4. Explore Scientific, like many eyepiece providers, have higher-priced and budget lines. Within the budget-friendly realm are the 6mm and 9mm Goldlines/Redlines (66-degree Ultra-Wide-Angle) for telescopes with a focal ratio of f/8 or longer, and the excellent 58-degree Planetary eyepieces, sold by a variety of sellers on Amazon and by Agena Astro, which come in a wide variety of focal lengths and are optically superb for their price. The only one not in the article is the Orion Q70 which is available in 38 mm, 32 mm and 26 mm. But, at least get the 32mm Plssl. i did buy an astro-tech 3.2 paradigm ed from a cloudynights.com forum member. They are usable, but your eye will be extremely close to the top lens glass. It comes with 1.25 Plossls 25mm (26x) and 10mm (66x) eyepieces. 20 = 90 = .8 It was grueling, because I couldnt even get the entire field of viewI had to keep my eye hovering above the exit pupil. If that surface is wobbly the scope will be almost useless. I am going to use 6. We can see that 2 eyepieces have an advantage over 1.25 eyepieces when designers are making wide-view eyepieces. Since it's such a popular eyepiece and allows for quality, planet-viewing, that makes it a great instrument for attracting newcomers to the hobby, especially children. Celestron - 1.25" Eyepiece and Filter Accessory Kit - 14 Piece Telescope Accessory Set - Plossl Telescope Eyepiece - Barlow Lens - Colored Filters - Moon Filter - Sturdy Metal Carry Case. Im just starting out with astronomy and this really helped my understanding. So save yourself this future unnecessary expense and just buy a Plossl. i still use the binos. I also really liked my E-Lux 32mm, a Kellner. It may very well last you a lifetime and in the long term, you will definitely consider it to be a worthwhile investment. However, some lateral color error is apparent when looking at bright subjects, such as Jupiter or Venus, against a dark sky. 11 = 163 = .5 I dont dabble in AP. But for AP you should really start your planning with the mount. In the 1990s Meade instruments came up with a new design for the Meade 4000 line similar to Plossl that added a fifth glass element on top of the two pairs (4 total). This eye piece provides the maximum true field of view in the 1.25 inch format. I still have it and still use it from time to time. I owned an XT8 Intelliscope which is the same optical tube on a PushTo mount. In our example, we targeted 200X as the top magnification. My Meade 4000 56 and 60 degree Meade Plossls are pretty sharp to my eyes and do pretty well for me. From planetary viewing to deep sky watching. Your eyepieces do not need to be the same brand as your telescope. Today, most beginner telescopes of any quality are sold with either Kellner or Plossl eyepieces. A long eye relief is also important for those who wear eyeglasses at the eyepiece, whether thats a member of the general public at a star party or an astronomer with astigmatism, which, unlike near- or far-sightedness, cannot be corrected with the telescopes own focuser. These low-quality Plossls lack an internally blackened lens barrel with thread baffles and blackened lens edges and sophisticated anti-reflection multi-coatings, all of which are a necessity to produce an excellent image. Divide that by the magnification of that eyepiece in that scope. They provide a range of magnifications with one eyepiece. Also, children do not often have highly developed motor skillsso I would avoid the frustration of switching out eyepieces, and consider a zoom lens. I also have an older smoothtop 20mm Meade 4000 that is also 5 element, and it is a fine eyepiece too, compared to another 20mm of the same vintage. I also have a 25mm plossl and am happy with that. Nice, thank you again for the additional inputs. Glad you found it helpful. EP-mm = magnification = afov Then you can judge for yourself if it is worth it. My love affair with space began in a field in India at the age of 7, when I looked up at the Milky Way for the first time. Learn more about our story and the team behind the scene. Like going from a 32 TV to a 65? Sooooo helpful! However, I have eyepieces with much smaller exit pupils and they work fine. Am I correct? Also, as the apparent field of view gets wider, the image will require more correction. I have to say that your questions are answered in the article. So if you need to go to Arcturus and then go 2 degrees to the right to find your target, you can use the FOV of the eyepiece to estimate 2 degrees. These are just a few examples of eyepieces that I have used, and some that I own. At one time Plssls were premium eyepieces. Ideally, you want a minimum of three eyepieces for (1) low power (2) peak visual acuity and (3) high-power viewing. If the above guide has helped you understand the terms and workings of eyepieces, scroll up and make a selection from our recommendation list. Cheap to try, and if you don't like it, easy enough to sell also. The Plossl eyepiece is a four-element design consisting of two doublets. The Baader offers wider fov, but at quite the price premium. Orion SkyQuest XT8 Intelliscope Review The design of a Plossl eyepiece consists of an objective lens with one side that is convex (wider than its length) while the other side is plano-convex or flat in shape. The components of a Plossl eyepiece are the two groups of lenses. They can also be found as Orion Expanse sporting a blue line rather than gold. 2019-2023 Little Astronomy. Prices can run from $20 to $200 so the field is pretty broad. They include links to them where they can be ordered. Also work very well with my binoculars that have removable focal reducers built into. I tested out my BH zoom yesterday for the first time and it is a great eyepiece so thank you for the recommendation! You will get varying opinions on this but I would not worry too much about this. You mentioned regarding ORTHO eyepieces: Excellent specialty eyepieces, usually for planets. We also joined our local Astronomy Club and look forward to joining others under the night sky when the opportunity presents itself again. Even when I upgraded to a 6mm Goldline, I kept the Kellner around because of pretty annoying kidney-bean blackout issues on the Moon with that eyepiece. Regular Plossl eyepieces with maybe just a slightly better coating or build quality. The BHZ 2 Adapter has threads on it so you can attach filters to it allowing you to use 2 filters with the zoom. 5-Minute Read, How To Increase The Magnification Of A Telescope; 5-Minute Read. This 10 mm Orion Sirius Plossl Eyepiece is a great, moderately high power ocular for observing small planetary nebulas and globular star clusters, as well as for planetary probing when seeing conditions don't permit higher magnifications. 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. The Japan made 16mm Meade 3000 was a very nice medium power plossl and the 40mm in that series was surprisingly nice as well. This Super Plossl design was better than regular Plossl eyepieces, but not by much. However, I have eyepieces that have larger exit pupils than 7 mm and they work well. OHHH, now i get it! And remember, when all else fails, read the instructions. Meade telescope maksutov eyepiece ETX-105EC Super Plossl 6.4mm 1.25" w capsule. Field of view, is about finding, framing, drift time, and context. I was looking on a OPT website and they have celestron 32mm and 15mm plossl. Many approach the quality of the premium brands. Comparing Orion Telescope & Binoculars options, it appears that a Kellner can be found for almost half the price of a Plossl of the same focal length, although there are also equally cheap Plossls available from various sellers on Amazon that are highly comparable. No surprise there. Kellner and Plossl- both are two different types of eyepieces for telescopes. You use the 8-24 zoom for the midrange. For planetary viewing, comfort is essential in helping to increase viewing time . However, you may see them at higher prices for the short term. This can be especially helpful in telescopes of focal ratios below F8. Choose three focal lengths. or a Baader Classic Ortho 18mm with both a 1.5/2x Barlow and 3x Barlow. Even though there are more sophisticated types of EPs, Plossls hit the right spot between high-quality optics and price. did i pass? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On many occasions, that will be too high power for the atmospheric conditions. In that respect, they are similar to the Explore Scientific 82 degree mentioned earlier. My understanding of eyepieces was very limited until I read this article, you explain things in a clear and understandable way which made my understanding so much clearer. About Us | Privacy Policy | ContactLittle Astronomy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. https://telescopicwatch.com/best-astrophotography-telescopes/. These come in focal lengths from 2.3 mm to 25 mm. To estimate the highest practical magnification for your telescope, you take the aperture in millimeters, mm, and multiply it by two. When you are shopping, if you need long eye relief, make sure you are selecting the correct ones. Some of these series also offer 2 eyepieces for telescopes that can accept 2 eyepieces. It's no surprise that the eyepieces in our Sirius Plossl line are our best-selling telescope eyepieces. Some brands will add better lens coating, darker edges, or a higher quality case to their Super Plossl products, but strictly for performance, there isnt a difference between the two. The price can run to over $1000 per eyepiece. These eyepieces have about 35 to 50 degrees apparent fields of view and reasonable eye relief, though quite short for high magnifications. A couple of them felt fancier, but the jump in performance was either insignificant or non-existent. there are of course options to plossls which are about the same prices as GSOs such as the BST Discoveries and TMB type eyepieces (new from Skies the Limit on Ebay) which have a wider field and better eye relief than plossls and are probably as good as most things non-premium. Good evening everybody. Some optics brands have taken the next step and launched some eyepieces they have labeled as Super Plossl. I often had to drop back to about 180X because of poor seeing and transparency. If you would prefer to buy him $60 eyepieces or even $30 eyepieces because he is only 7 and he can upgrade later, that is also OK. 1:10 . People may have heard, and rightly so, that Huygens or Ramsdens are crummy eyepieces and that they should get a Plossl instead, and they may believe the same applies to Kellners, but the truth is that Kellners are often good eyepieces. I need some eyepieces with long FL for low magnifications. Focal length telescope / focal length eyepiece = magnification or power. They are all made by the same OEM manufacturer. philhas Members 61 459 Location: North East England Excellent article, thank you very much for taking the time to publish it. 30 = 60 = 1.3 They also have good eye relief, making them comfortable to use for extended periods. Kellners are the other popular design for amateur stargazing, go ahead and check out that article if you want to dive deeper into the subject. The TFOV of the Hyperion will be greater than the TFOV of the Plssl, but the magnification will be about the same. This series of eyepieces may provide better value in this price range. Excellent, thank you for the breakdown, very much appreciated.