mgb
journeyman
Reged: 09/02/09
Posts: 7
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I don't know if you have noticed but those grenade-looking eyepieces from BIGC, 9mm and 16mm AFOV 100 degree eyepieces, are being sold under the Zhumell brand at Telescopes.com
They still look grenade-like even rebranded and sold at $ 299.00.
Quote:
http://www.telescopes.com/telescope-eyepieces/2-inch-eyepieces/zhumellz1009mmeyepiece.cfm
http://www.telescopes.com/telescope-eyepieces/2-inch-eyepieces/zhumellz10016mmeyepiece.cfm
I guess low cost version 100 degree AFOV eyepieces are starting to show up.
Anybody have tried the BICG's ?
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eklf
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/12/07
Posts: 720
Loc: Carrboro, NC
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Very interesting. Too bad they dont have any specifications listed. I wonder about the eyerelief.
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Clear Skies/Kumar
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Mike Hosea
Post Laureate
Reged: 09/24/03
Posts: 3939
Loc: "Metrowest" Boston
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I think it's 16mm eye relief. Some specs here: web page
I'm guessing the 9mm has a removable 2" barrel. The workmanship in the photos reminds me of the 20mm Burgess Stellar Series, which is to say, I expect that they have good mechanical design, including baffling. I hope they got the coatings right this time.
Still, $299 is a lot of money to me for something I don't need. That's more than most eyepieces except for the other 100 degree alternatives.
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Mike
Stuff that I use:
- 7" f/6.7 home-built Newt, eq platform, Pentax 40XW and 5XO, Tele Vue 13E and 2x Barlow, ZAO-II 6mm
- 120mm f/8.3 home-built grab-n-go Newt with 7-21mm Nikon Zoom
- Canon 15x50 IS and Eagle Optics 12x50 Ranger binoculars
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Tiny
super member
Reged: 05/02/08
Posts: 195
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$300 a pop isnt exactly what i'd call "low cost" especially since they own Zhumell. I'd expect very similar quality to an Ethos or i would feel extremely ripped off.
Also worth noting from the above is the apparent weight of a bit less than 1 lb. Good news for small dob owners if true.
So whos going to take the plunge?
edit:
Quote:
I want to tell you up front that the BIGC does not provide the same image quality as the Ethos. The BIGC 16mm has lots of edge distortion and works better with longer focus optical systems.
from: http://www.asociacionhubble.org/portal/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=32&jfile=viewtopic.php&f=14&t=35646&p=327066#p327066
i'd have to say no thanks.
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eklf
professor emeritus
Reged: 05/12/07
Posts: 720
Loc: Carrboro, NC
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Thanks for the link, Mike!
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Clear Skies/Kumar
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Shawn H
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 05/16/07
Posts: 2972
Loc: Southern France 43°56'N-4°50'E
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Think I'd wait for some test reviews first! 
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18" David Lukehurst truss Dobson with Sky Commander flash 4 DSC's & Moonlite CR2 focuser & Astrocrumb filter slide
Orion xt10i fully flocked with Telrad on 4" risers & Feather Touch focuser & huge Boston Red Sox decal
The original Orion StarBlast & 15x70 Celestron Skymaster binos & Ethos & Naglers & Dobs oh my!
Orion Ultrablock narrowband filter & Astronomik OIII line filter
Tele Vue 2x Barlow & Antares 1.6x (2") Barlow
CATSEYE collimation tools, TeleGizmos Dob covers
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4938
Loc: MA
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>>>I'd expect very similar quality to an Ethos or i would feel extremely ripped off.<<<
If they had "very similar quality to an Ethos", wouldn't you feel more ripped off paying $660 for the Ethos?
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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johnnyha
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/12/06
Posts: 1109
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I don't understand why anyone would buy a 100 degree EP with edge distortion.
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Johnny
Spicewood, TX
Sherman Oaks, CA
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4938
Loc: MA
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>>>I don't understand why anyone would buy a 100 degree EP with edge distortion. <<<
Mostly because you never look directly at the edge. The wider the AFOV the more difficult it becomes. You confine you observing to the central part leaving the extreme edges to your peripheral vision. FYI, the human eye has only a 2 degree field of sharp acuity. To demonstrate this, fix your eyes on a word in the post and see how far away from that word you can read without moving your gaze. As long as you don't crane your head and eye around to look at the edge of that 100 deg AFOV, it doesn't matter that it's not sharp.
And you do have to move your head to look at the edge. Your eyeball is about 25mm in diameter and if you rotate it just 30 degrees out of the +/- 50 degrees of the AFOV, your eye's pupil moves 7mm, completely off the exit pupil of the EP.
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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dreamregent
sage
Reged: 04/06/09
Posts: 454
Loc: Clearwater, FL
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Quote:
I don't understand why anyone would buy a 100 degree EP with edge distortion.
I imagine it would be the same reason a person would buy any eyepiece with edge distortion...they generally appear to have lower prices and suit the buyer's purposes.
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Building a f5.24 10" Dob
in an octagonal wood tube
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 598
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Quote:
>>>I don't understand why anyone would buy a 100 degree EP with edge distortion. <<<
Mostly because you never look directly at the edge. The wider the AFOV the more difficult it becomes. You confine you observing to the central part leaving the extreme edges to your peripheral vision. FYI, the human eye has only a 2 degree field of sharp acuity. To demonstrate this, fix your eyes on a word in the post and see how far away from that word you can read without moving your gaze. As long as you don't crane your head and eye around to look at the edge of that 100 deg AFOV, it doesn't matter that it's not sharp.
And you do have to move your head to look at the edge. Your eyeball is about 25mm in diameter and if you rotate it just 30 degrees out of the +/- 50 degrees of the AFOV, your eye's pupil moves 7mm, completely off the exit pupil of the EP.
If not looking at the edge anyway , why not just stick with a 70 degree ocular , save some money & have a distortion free view to the edge of field ? 
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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Tiny
super member
Reged: 05/02/08
Posts: 195
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Quote:
>>>I'd expect very similar quality to an Ethos or i would feel extremely ripped off.<<<
If they had "very similar quality to an Ethos", wouldn't you feel more ripped off paying $660 for the Ethos?
13mm Ethos = $460 after discount, so to answer your question, no, i'd feel more ripped off paying $300 for a 100* with the outer 20% a blurry mess vs $160 more for near perfection. Plus televue had the market cornered so who knows what kind of mark-up they have on them.
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johnnyha
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 11/12/06
Posts: 1109
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Quote:
If not looking at the edge anyway , why not just stick with a 70 degree ocular , save some money & have a distortion free view to the edge of field ?
Exactly. 
Actually I can think of one reason and that is if you are using the EP as a finder.
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Johnny
Spicewood, TX
Sherman Oaks, CA
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starrancher
professor emeritus
Reged: 06/09/09
Posts: 598
Loc: Northern Arizona
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Quote:
Quote:
If not looking at the edge anyway , why not just stick with a 70 degree ocular , save some money & have a distortion free view to the edge of field ?
Exactly.
Actually I can think of one reason and that is if you are using the EP as a finder.
Shoot ! If ya can't find an object in a low power 70 degree ocular , well .........then ......I think , ya better hang it up ! 
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LXD75 AR5
LXD75 SN8
Series 4000 Plossls
Misc. other stuff
Fort Rock , Az .
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Johndob
super member
Reged: 12/22/08
Posts: 146
Loc: Newport Beach,Ca
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I knew the clones were coming.
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Zhumell 10" Dob (Mods)
ETX-125PE UHTC
ETX-90AT
6"f/5 Newtonian
Classic 60x910
Ortho 6-7mm UO or.4mm
Meade 3000 5mm
Zhumell 2" ED Barlow
Zhumell 2" 32mm
UO. 2" 30mm 
GSO 2" 26mm
GSO 40mm CPL
Hyperion 8,13,17,21&FTR
Zhumell 8-24 Zoom
ED 3.8mm,7.5mm
Owl SP4,10,15
Zhumell EP&filter set 1"1/4
Baader 2" Neodymium/IR-cut,CelestronUHC/LPR
Zhumell OIII,UHC,SkyGlow,Polarizer
Zhumell 20x80 Giant&
10x50 plus 3 More Bino's
Brunton Echo Monocular
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peter k
super member
Reged: 02/03/07
Posts: 172
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Quote:
Quote:
>>>I'd expect very similar quality to an Ethos or i would feel extremely ripped off.<<<
If they had "very similar quality to an Ethos", wouldn't you feel more ripped off paying $660 for the Ethos?
13mm Ethos = $460 after discount, so to answer your question, no, i'd feel more ripped off paying $300 for a 100* with the outer 20% a blurry mess vs $160 more for near perfection. Plus televue had the market cornered so who knows what kind of mark-up they have on them.
Where could you get an E13 for $460? I can't currently find anything below about $550 on line.
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Jokulainen
member
Reged: 08/10/09
Posts: 29
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Quote:
13mm Ethos = $460 after discount
Btw, what is this discount? 
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Astronomics
Vendor if you must, AKA The Mighty Kong.
Reged: 06/07/04
Posts: 3069
Loc: Right Here
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I would like to know as well. That is below our cost and would like to purchase them from the source.
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Michael Bieler
I live vicariously through myself.
Father and Husband
Owner
www.astronomics.com
www.astronomytechnologies.com
www.cloudynights.com
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Sky Captain
Metal Whisperer
Reged: 11/07/04
Posts: 7190
Loc: Issaquah, WA.
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Quote:
Quote:
13mm Ethos = $460 after discount
Btw, what is this discount?
Actually $458.15 with free shipping...Telescopes.com
15% off.
Their normal price is $539
OPT is $589 but with their 5% off it's $559.55
I just got my new 35mm Panoptic from Telescopes.com for $288.15 and free shipping. Tough to beat that deal!
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Tiny
super member
Reged: 05/02/08
Posts: 195
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i rounded up, still a lot of scratch for a single eyepiece. You can start your way to a complete high quality 82* eyepiece set for that.
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