· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Eyepieces Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 sslcm56 member Reged: 07/20/12 Loc: Montgomery, Al. Orion Epic IIs       #5349276 - 08/02/12 08:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Does anyone use or have tried the Orion Epic II eyepiece ? It seams to be a good eyepiece with a large exit that would be more comfortable to view through. I'm just worried about the quality of the image in such an affordable eyepiece. Post Extras:       Jim Nelson scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 05/10/05 Loc: SE Michigan Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5349295 - 08/02/12 08:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I can't vouch for them, but they appear to be either the same or very similar to the Astro Tech Dual ED eyepieces which are considerably cheaper. For $100 or a little more, there is a lot of quality competition, but $60 is getting into pretty good value territory. Hopefully someone with experience with either of these lines will pipe up... Post Extras:       sslcm56 member Reged: 07/20/12 Loc: Montgomery, Al. Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: Jim Nelson]       #5349332 - 08/02/12 09:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Jim I will look into them. I have a 10" Dob that I got in March. It is my 1st scope and I love it. I'm new to the hobby and am still at the very confused stage, but I'm trying to get through it. I also need some kind of LPR filter, but like eyepieces there are just so many. Steve Post Extras:       JIMZ7 Pooh-Bah Reged: 10/22/05 Loc: S.E.Michigan near DTW Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5349355 - 08/02/12 09:21 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I had the 22mm Orion Epic-2 ED eyepiece in the early 2000's & was one of my favorites. In a 4.5" f/4.4 RFT reflector it was sharp to the very edge. I don't remember having any eyepiece I had that compared to it in edge performance on a fast scope. Now the 12.3mm Epic-2 eyepiece I didn't like for it seemed to provide dark images-lower light transmission. These 2 eyepieces were also used on a 6" f/8 Dob. The 22mm had a green tint that seemed to only appear on M-42 in Orion. For awhile I thought I was seeing color with only a 6" scope! Jim Post Extras:       JimMo I'd Rather Do It Myself Reged: 01/08/07 Loc: Under the SE Michigan lightdom... Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: JIMZ7]       #5349877 - 08/03/12 08:53 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I had a 9.5mm Epic 2 and it was anything but epic. I quickly moved on to Vixen LVW's which I used for many years before upgrading. On the used market they show up occasionally for @ 150 bucks or so. I liked the LVW so much I recently reacquired a 22mm for use at public events. Post Extras:       SeattleScott scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 10/14/11 Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: JimMo]       #5349897 - 08/03/12 09:08 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think it really depends on how picky one is. I had a $90 eyepiece that served me well but then when I started making comparisons to my LVW's I noticed it was coming up considerably short. A beginning astronomer would probably not notice the shortcomings of the Epics, esp not having something better to compare them to. But if you stick with this and get serious about it you will probably want something better down the road. Post Extras:       Jim Nelson scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 05/10/05 Loc: SE Michigan Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: JIMZ7]       #5350193 - 08/03/12 01:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I think both the other Jims are confusing the current line of Epic II ED eyepieces with earlier lines with similar names. These eyepieces are quite new and weren't around in the stated focal lengths or the stated years. Post Extras:       brokenwave super member Reged: 05/10/11 Loc: Scottsdale, AZ Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: Jim Nelson]       #5350226 - 08/03/12 01:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   If you are inquiring about the Orion Epic ED2's. 2005 era I have the 18mm and it is very good using a 8"SCT, at an Astro party one of the sponsers who uses TV/Pentax EP's only on 12" and 14' SCT's, looked through my scope at Saturn and was very surprised at how much detail the 18mm Epic showed when combined with a Orion Shorty Plus barlow. I had the 8mm and 5mm Epic's and they were poor to ok at best. Post Extras:       Jim Nelson scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 05/10/05 Loc: SE Michigan Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: brokenwave]       #5350350 - 08/03/12 03:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hmmm...I assumed the inquiry was about the current Epic II ED eyepieces (link). If the OP is referring to instead the confusingly similarly named Epic ED-2 that is no longer available new but can probably be found cheap on the used market, that's a different story. Post Extras:       JIMZ7 Pooh-Bah Reged: 10/22/05 Loc: S.E.Michigan near DTW Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: Jim Nelson]       #5350485 - 08/03/12 04:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Those current Orion Epic-2 eyepieces are the same as the Astro Techs Paradigm's whose prices are $40 cheaper. The older Epic-2 eyepieces are the same as Agena's Astro. Jim Post Extras:       sslcm56 member Reged: 07/20/12 Loc: Montgomery, Al. Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: JIMZ7]       #5350830 - 08/03/12 08:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   WOW....What great responses. As I am new to the hobby I am talking about the current offerings of the Epic II eyepieces from Orion and evidently Astro Tech as well. I have no clue what eyepieces might have been offered in previous years. My scope is an Apertura AD10. It seams to be a very good scope but the 9mm eyepiece (1 of 2) that came with it has an impossibly small exit pupil. I'm looking for a good low and high power eyepiece that will give me more than 3 seconds of viewing time. If the Astro Tech is the same as the Orion I think I will try one. At this point I don't know the difference between a Nagler and a magnifying glass held up to the focuser. Thanks for all the help! Steve Post Extras:       sportsmed member Reged: 08/01/12 Loc: Hot Springs, AR Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5350994 - 08/03/12 10:36 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have a 9mm Celestron X-Cel LX with 60 degree FOV which is the same as the Meade HD-60 and I like it for the price. I have the Zhumell 10" which is the same as your Dob. And I know what you mean about the 9mm that comes with them. So the X-Cel LX is an upgrade for sure lol. Post Extras:       JIMZ7 Pooh-Bah Reged: 10/22/05 Loc: S.E.Michigan near DTW Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sportsmed]       #5351177 - 08/04/12 01:44 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I should have welcomed the "newbies" on CN Forums. That is-"sportsmed" & "sslcm56". I'm sure we will hear from the both of you on CN many many forums. Jim Post Extras:       sslcm56 member Reged: 07/20/12 Loc: Montgomery, Al. Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: JIMZ7]       #5351403 - 08/04/12 09:35 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Jim...I'm so glad that I found this forum! I think that you will be hearing more from me in the future since I have so many question and so few people to talk to where I live. I am looking forward to getting more and more into astronomy. Steve (sslcm56) Post Extras:       Scott Beith SRF Reged: 11/26/03 Loc: Frederick, MD Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5351560 - 08/04/12 11:47 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I owned the 9.5mm and the 25mm and eventually sold them both. Blackouts (kidney beaning) and softer views than generic plossls were the reason for the sale. Post Extras:       sg6 sage Reged: 02/14/10 Loc: Norfolk, UK. Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5351580 - 08/04/12 12:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The Astro-Tech's are sold here as BST Explorers and they are good. I have the set of 6 and like them. Just for general information the opinion here is that the Celestron X-Cel's are fractionally better, however they are also about 50% more expensive. Mentioned just in case. For the scope you state then the Astro-Tech's will perform very well. A review somewhere said that the 25mm was the least good of the bunch, not that it was bad but the others perfomed very well. Again mentioned for information. The Astro-Techs will be a good choice and with the performance they deliver you may well not bother to go for the more expensive eyepieces that are around. Whoever designed and produced these eyepieces did a damn good job. My only "regret" is that there is not a 4mm and a 6mm as well. Post Extras:       sslcm56 member Reged: 07/20/12 Loc: Montgomery, Al. Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sg6]       #5364923 - 08/12/12 03:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks for your post. It's the one that made me decide to get one of the Paradigms. If I like it I will get the whole set. Steve Post Extras:       richsvt sage Reged: 01/09/09 Loc: North Shore of Boston Re: Orion Epic IIs [Re: sslcm56]       #5364962 - 08/12/12 04:07 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have the AT Paradigms and they a nice for what I paid. The edges are a litlle soft but nice views. I use mostly for my BTs at lower powers. I would recommend them. I like the twist up cups, better then the traditional folded type. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 34 registered and 40 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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