247 replies to this topic

[highfnum]

not solar photo eyepiece projection see pic (not popular anymore - used a lot in old days for planet shots on film)

 

yes solar will destroy cementing 

 

 

Edited by highfnum, 15 June 2018 - 08:07 AM.

[highfnum]

this eyepiece is ok for solar projection  a weird eyepiece also 

 

 

[highfnum]

not sure if this is considered classic  -- TMb  -- its damm good

 

[highfnum]

this one also  -- looong !

may be best 10mm i got

 

[deSitter]

not solar photo eyepiece projection see pic (not popular anymore - used a lot in old days for planet shots on film)

 

yes solar will destroy cementing 

projecot.jpg

I still use those. If you have a good eyepiece they work great with any camera. Basically you want an eyepiece with no field curvature or rectilinear distortion, that is, an ortho.

 

-drl

[Terra Nova]

not sure if this is considered classic  -- TMb  -- its damm good

tmb.jpg

Again, not in the strict sense imposed by time limitations, but as my Dad used to say, “They ain’t makin’ ‘em anymore.” That’s good enough for me!

 

PS- I have never looked through a monocentric or Tolles eyepiece, but I understand that regardless of the very narrow field, they are absolutely superb performers when it comes to planetary viewing.

[bremms]

Again, not in the strict sense imposed by time limitations, but as my Dad used to say, “They ain’t makin’ ‘em anymore.” That’s good enough for me!

 

PS- I have never looked through a monocentric or Tolles eyepiece, but I understand that regardless of the very narrow field, they are absolutely superb performers when it comes to planetary viewing.

Had a Zeiss Mono that was probably a microscope EP.  VERY small field, OK at F15 not at F8. At F8 Useful field was 1/2 of the way to the edge.

It was very sharp over about 80% at F15. LOT of astigmatism even a little off center below F12. Wasn't my cup of tea. Sold it for a BIT more than I paid.

[ltha]

Zeiss Monokulars are the best planetary eyepieces I have used. Had pairs in 6mm and 10mm and in a binoviewer they were superb. Sold them as my ZAO 1.25” were easier to use (no adapters) and so close in performance only the rare exceptional seeing allowed the Monos to pull ever so slightly ahead. Had complete sets of TMB. Monos too, great performers!

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Edited by ltha, 15 June 2018 - 11:51 AM.

[highfnum]

wow those are rare birds

[ltha]

Yes, definitely hard to find and expensive when you do. It took a couple of years to assemble the Zeiss planetary set I now have. The two eyepieces in the background (in the plastic bag) are a pair of 34mm ZAOs. Very difficult to find.....

[bremms]

Had a Zeiss Mono that was probably a microscope EP.  VERY small field, OK at F15 not at F8. At F8 Useful field was 1/2 of the way to the edge.

It was very sharp over about 80% at F15. LOT of astigmatism even a little off center below F12. Wasn't my cup of tea. Sold it for a BIT more than I paid.

Turns out I took some notes, my memory wasn't perfect here.  The monocentric was decent at F10, superb at F15 and not good at F6. Notes say "VERY little scatter and VERY sharp in the center. Incredible planetary eyepiece."" Jupiter looks like an etching in the 5" F12 D&G". Sold it because it made money. Bought and sold a good few eyepieces in those early Ebay days. There were really good deals back in those days. That Zeiss mono was STUPID cheap on Ebay.

[Bomber Bob]

I have never looked through a monocentric or Tolles eyepiece, but I understand that regardless of the very narrow field, they are absolutely superb performers when it comes to planetary viewing.

 

Me either, but I'd sure like to try one.  Narrow field is no problem in my Goto or Tinsley F20.

[Tenacious]

Zeiss Monokulars are the best planetary eyepieces I have used. Had pairs in 6mm and 10mm and in a binoviewer they were superb. Sold them as my ZAO 1.25” were easier to use (no adapters) and so close in performance only the rare exceptional seeing allowed the Monos to pull ever so slightly ahead. Had complete sets of TMB. Monos too, great performers!

Did you make your EP case?  It's very nice.  I've never seen one with nylon set screws to hold each ocular in place.  Is that thinking outside the box? 

[ltha]

Hi Tenacious,

 

i had it made to hold the Zeiss bino set. Cannot recall who did the work, but it has been a great case. The 34mm Zeiss Orthos are too tall to fit in the holder and allow the lid to close. When I ordered the case I did not own a 34mm and figured I never would. Just goes to show things often take unexpected turns. The first 34mm showed up on AM listed among several eyepieces for $50. I asked for an additional picture and it was clearly a ZAO 34mm so I offered the guy $600 for it and told him he could probably get more if he corrected the listing. He thanked me and agreed to my price. I paid a lot more for the next one....

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[steve t]

Hi Tenacious,

 

i had it made to hold the Zeiss bino set. Cannot recall who did the work, but it has been a great case. The 34mm Zeiss Orthos are too tall to fit in the holder and allow the lid to close. When I ordered the case I did not own a 34mm and figured I never would. Just goes to show things often take unexpected turns. The first 34mm showed up on AM listed among several eyepieces for $50. I asked for an additional picture and it was clearly a ZAO 34mm so I offered the guy $600 for it and told him he could probably get more if he corrected the listing. He thanked me and agreed to my price. I paid a lot more for the next one....

That is a very nice eyepiece case. What kind of wood is it made from?

[Terra Nova]

Hi Tenacious,

 

i had it made to hold the Zeiss bino set. Cannot recall who did the work, but it has been a great case. The 34mm Zeiss Orthos are too tall to fit in the holder and allow the lid to close. When I ordered the case I did not own a 34mm and figured I never would. Just goes to show things often take unexpected turns. The first 34mm showed up on AM listed among several eyepieces for $50. I asked for an additional picture and it was clearly a ZAO 34mm so I offered the guy $600 for it and told him he could probably get more if he corrected the listing. He thanked me and agreed to my price. I paid a lot more for the next one....

It is a wonderful collection and beautiful housed. Kudos!

[macdonjh]

Turns out I took some notes, my memory wasn't perfect here.  The monocentric was decent at F10, superb at F15 and not good at F6. Notes say "VERY little scatter and VERY sharp in the center. Incredible planetary eyepiece."" Jupiter looks like an etching in the 5" F12 D&G". Sold it because it made money. Bought and sold a good few eyepieces in those early Ebay days. There were really good deals back in those days. That Zeiss mono was STUPID cheap on Ebay.

I miss the early days of eBay, too.  Sniper programs and professional sellers have ruined the site for me.

[rcwolpert]

I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned the Pentax XO 5mm eyepieces, which along with the Zeiss ABBE Orthoscopics, are arguably the very best lunar and planetary eyepieces ever made. Truly classics! I've got the 5mm and 2.5mm eyepieces, and I bring these out whenever I want to get the very best lunar and planetary views. They will come out often with Mars coming into it's glory.  I've kept them in perfect/new condition, and I'm very selective when they get used. They function best with my Mayflower 816. I used the 5mm one night with my C-11 trained on Saturn during a very stable night. For 5 minutes I couldn't stop saying "Wow!", with the Encke Division clearly defined.

 

 

There is an excellent review on CN here:  https://www.cloudyni...of-choice-r1993

 

Another excellent review is here: http://stardustobser...ub=details&id=3

[ltha]

Hi rcwolpert,

 

The XOs are superb. When I was assembling the Zeiss sets (4mm, 6mm, 10mm, 16mm, 24mm and Zeiss Barlow) I wanted to plug the gaps. If you look at the eyepieces in the picture of the case you will see there is an extra spot in the lineup and a larger dust cap - a pair of 5mm Pentax XOs. Don’t leave home without them!

[CHASLX200]

I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned the Pentax XO 5mm eyepieces, which along with the Zeiss ABBE Orthoscopics, are arguably the very best lunar and planetary eyepieces ever made. Truly classics! I've got the 5mm and 2.5mm eyepieces, and I bring these out whenever I want to get the very best lunar and planetary views. They will come out often with Mars coming into it's glory.  I've kept them in perfect/new condition, and I'm very selective when they get used. They function best with my Mayflower 816. I used the 5mm one night with my C-11 trained on Saturn during a very stable night. For 5 minutes I couldn't stop saying "Wow!", with the Encke Division clearly defined.

 

 

There is an excellent review on CN here:  https://www.cloudyni...of-choice-r1993

 

Another excellent review is here: http://stardustobser...ub=details&id=3

I could use that 2.5mm.

[bremms]

Hi Tenacious,

 

i had it made to hold the Zeiss bino set. Cannot recall who did the work, but it has been a great case. The 34mm Zeiss Orthos are too tall to fit in the holder and allow the lid to close. When I ordered the case I did not own a 34mm and figured I never would. Just goes to show things often take unexpected turns. The first 34mm showed up on AM listed among several eyepieces for $50. I asked for an additional picture and it was clearly a ZAO 34mm so I offered the guy $600 for it and told him he could probably get more if he corrected the listing. He thanked me and agreed to my price. I paid a lot more for the next one....

You could cut reliefs in the top for the 34mm using a forstner bit. The wood looks plenty thick (about 18mm or 3/4"). It would cost 1/20 the price of One ZAO.

[Jeff B]

As a group, I love my good old Celestron Silver Top and Clave Plossls.  I've had the same sets of each (now in bino-pairs) for about 30 years now.

 

Jeff

[jakecru]

#1 Tele Vue Nagler 26 mm T5 (its discontinued, so doesn't that make it a classic?)

 

#2 Pentax XW 30 (if this counts as a classic)

 

The Rest: 

 

TV Widefield Smoothie (15 mm), old TV smoothie plossls (especially the 17 mm), Meade 4000 UWA 8.8 mm, old Meade 4000 smoothies, and celestron silvertop plossls. I haven't tried the Meade 4000 6.7 and 14 mm UWA's, but I heard they are very good as well. 

Edited by jakecru, 18 June 2018 - 05:37 PM.

[starman876]

Guys. let's post some pictures with these eyepieces you like so much.

 

Thanks

[Bomber Bob]

Well, after a thorough cleaning, the Unitron 142 set are pretty good:

 

 

But the Swiss-made 1980s spectros set is hard to beat:

 

Edited by Bomber Bob, 18 June 2018 - 06:50 PM.