16 replies to this topic

[tscherer]

I’m new to telescope observing. I borrowed and tried some eyepieces that I like much better than the ones that came with my used 8” Deep Space Hunter Dobs, so I thought I’d buy those exact ones myself. However, they seem to be discontinued. Can anyone recommend similar eyepieces? If there’s no near equivalent, I’d prefer something a little better and more expensive rather than cheaper and inferior.

 

Meade Series 5000 1.25" Super Wide Angle - 24mm
Parks 1.25" Gold Series Eyepiece - 35mm

 

I'm also happy with this Orion Expanse 9mm (with a defunct listing for $50.) I could spring for around $100-$150 for something correspondingly better. Recommendations there?

Orion Expanse 9mm Telescope Eyepiece - 1.25"

Edited by tscherer, 18 June 2025 - 10:41 AM.

[Augustus]

9mm expanse is the same as the redline/goldline sold by SVBONY and others, I have several. Wonderful eyepieces

The SVBONY 30mm Plossl is decent, compares favorably to the 30mm Ultrascopics/Ultimas I’ve had. Need to blacken lens edges though (easy to take apart and do with a sharpie, it’s only 2 cemented doublets). If you want a 24mm SWA get a 24 panoptic or ES68, they’re both better than the Meade 24.5. I would consider 24 SWA and 30mm Plossl redundant though, pick one

Edited by Augustus, 18 June 2025 - 10:44 AM.

[SeattleScott]

The Explore Scientific 24mm 68 is similar to the Meade, and the Televue 32mm Plossl or a Masuyama 53 is similar to the Parks Gold. The Masuyama has the same five-element design.

[photoracer18]

Meade and Parks are no longer in business. And neither is Orion. Another option is the Astro-Tech Paradigm, also sold as the Dual ED by others. Decent eye relief, not expensive, and 60 degree field which is more than a Plossl. I use a set for travel as my Pentax XWs are too big physically.

[SeattleScott]

Meade and Parks are no longer in business. And neither is Orion. Another option is the Astro-Tech Paradigm, also sold as the Dual ED by others. Decent eye relief, not expensive, and 60 degree field which is more than a Plossl. I use a set for travel as my Pentax XWs are too big physically.

The 25 Paradigm struggles in fast scopes though. I don’t know the F ratio of the 8” Deep Space Hunter, but if it is around F6, the Paradigm won’t perform on par with the Meade.

Maxvision is another equivalent for the 24mm 68.

[vtornado]

The 25 Paradigm struggles in fast scopes though. I don’t know the F ratio of the 8” Deep Space Hunter, but if it is around F6, the Paradigm won’t perform on par with the Meade.

Maxvision is another equivalent for the 24mm 68.

Celestron Xcel-lx 25mm works better than the AT Paradigm 25 in faster scopes.  It is not quite max field of view.

[aeajr]

I’m new to telescope observing. I borrowed and tried some eyepieces that I like much better than the ones that came with my used 8” Deep Space Hunter Dobs, so I thought I’d buy those exact ones myself. However, they seem to be discontinued. Can anyone recommend similar eyepieces? If there’s no near equivalent, I’d prefer something a little better and more expensive rather than cheaper and inferior.

 

Meade Series 5000 1.25" Super Wide Angle - 24mm
Parks 1.25" Gold Series Eyepiece - 35mm

 

I'm also happy with this Orion Expanse 9mm (with a defunct listing for $50.) I could spring for around $100-$150 for something correspondingly better. Recommendations there?

Orion Expanse 9mm Telescope Eyepiece - 1.25"

Take a look at the Astro Tech UWA 82 degree series. They get very good reviews and the prices are very good too.

https://astronomics....=Astro-Tech UWA

 

 

Alternately, at a higher price, consider the Explore Scientific 68 degree series, but I prefer the 82s. 

https://astronomics.... Scientific 68º

 

 

 

I have two of the Meade 5000 82 degree eyepieces and like them a lot.  The rest of mine are Explore Scientific 82 degree.

Edited by aeajr, 18 June 2025 - 04:05 PM.

[Oldfracguy]

I’m new to telescope observing. I borrowed and tried some eyepieces that I like much better than the ones that came with my used 8” Deep Space Hunter Dobs, so I thought I’d buy those exact ones myself. However, they seem to be discontinued. Can anyone recommend similar eyepieces? If there’s no near equivalent, I’d prefer something a little better and more expensive rather than cheaper and inferior.

 

Meade Series 5000 1.25" Super Wide Angle - 24mm
Parks 1.25" Gold Series Eyepiece - 35mm

 

I'm also happy with this Orion Expanse 9mm (with a defunct listing for $50.) I could spring for around $100-$150 for something correspondingly better. Recommendations there?

Orion Expanse 9mm Telescope Eyepiece - 1.25"

Welcome to Cloudy Nights  .

 

 

That old Orion Expanse 9mm eyepiece is a clone of the Agena "Enhanced Wide Angle" 9mm eyepiece:

 

https://agenaastro.c...a-eyepiece.html

 

Four years ago when I was starting out again after a hiatus of about 50 years, I bought one of these Agena 9mm EWA eyepieces, and an Agena 6mm EWA as well.  You don't want these eyepieces.  They show that "kidney beaning" effect.  There are better options out there.  For example, this one is good:

 

https://agenaastro.c...epiece-9mm.html

 

as well as this one, one of which I have as the Orion-branded model:

 

https://agenaastro.c...10mm-93450.html

 

I want to ask if your 8" Deep Space Hunter Dobs only have 1.25" focusers, and that is the reason you have listed only 1.25" eyepieces?

Edited by Oldfracguy, 19 June 2025 - 01:05 PM.

[Starman1]

I’m new to telescope observing. I borrowed and tried some eyepieces that I like much better than the ones that came with my used 8” Deep Space Hunter Dobs, so I thought I’d buy those exact ones myself. However, they seem to be discontinued. Can anyone recommend similar eyepieces? If there’s no near equivalent, I’d prefer something a little better and more expensive rather than cheaper and inferior.

 

Meade Series 5000 1.25" Super Wide Angle - 24mm
Parks 1.25" Gold Series Eyepiece - 35mm

 

I'm also happy with this Orion Expanse 9mm (with a defunct listing for $50.) I could spring for around $100-$150 for something correspondingly better. Recommendations there?

Orion Expanse 9mm Telescope Eyepiece - 1.25"

OK, the equivalent to the old Meade SWA is the recent 24mm Ultra Flat Field eyepiece sold under several labels:

Altair Astro (UK) UltraFlat
APM Ultra Flat Field
Sky Rover Ultra Flat Field
Stella Lyra (FLO) Ultra Flat
TecnoSky UltraFlatField
Celestron Ultima Edge

Whichever one is cheapest for you should be the brand you buy.

There are two discontinued labels that may still be available in dealer's stocks:

Meade Series 5000 UHD 24mm

and Orion Ultra Flat Field 24mm

 

There is no equivalent to the 35mm Parks Gold series.  

The modern equivalent from the same maker is a 2" eyepiece:

https://agenaastro.c...KEZeIt8Ep6wOG4Y

 

As for the Orion Expanse, that's not hard to beat:

Baader Morpheus 9mm.

Too expensive?  Try Baader Hyperion 10mm or 8mm.

Still too expensive?  Try Astromania 70° SWA 8mm.

[Augustus]

OK, the equivalent to the old Meade SWA is the recent 24mm Ultra Flat Field eyepiece sold under several labels:

Altair Astro (UK) UltraFlat
APM Ultra Flat Field
Sky Rover Ultra Flat Field
Stella Lyra (FLO) Ultra Flat
TecnoSky UltraFlatField
Celestron Ultima Edge

Whichever one is cheapest for you should be the brand you buy.

There are two discontinued labels that may still be available in dealer's stocks:

Meade Series 5000 UHD 24mm

and Orion Ultra Flat Field 24mm

 

There is no equivalent to the 35mm Parks Gold series.  

The modern equivalent from the same maker is a 2" eyepiece:

https://agenaastro.c...KEZeIt8Ep6wOG4Y

 

As for the Orion Expanse, that's not hard to beat:

Baader Morpheus 9mm.

Too expensive?  Try Baader Hyperion 10mm or 8mm.

Still too expensive?  Try Astromania 70° SWA 8mm.

8mm SWA is worse than a 9mm expanse/goldline/redline by almost every conceivable metric and the Hyperion is a marginal improvement at best

Edited by Augustus, 19 June 2025 - 01:15 PM.

[Starman1]

8mm SWA is worse than a 9mm expanse/goldline/redline by almost every conceivable metric and the Hyperion is a marginal improvement at best

You and I will have to disagree, then.

In my coma-corrected 12.5" f/5.75, I would rank them from best to worst:

Baader Morpheus 9mm No astigmatism visible. 

Astromania 8mm SWA 70° slight astigmatism at the edge.

Baader Hyperion 8mm moderate astigmatism at the edge.

Expanse 9mm  Serious astigmatism from 50% to the edge.

[Augustus]

You and I will have to disagree, then.

In my coma-corrected 12.5" f/5.75, I would rank them from best to worst:

Baader Morpheus 9mm No astigmatism visible. 

Astromania 8mm SWA 70° slight astigmatism at the edge.

Baader Hyperion 8mm moderate astigmatism at the edge.

Expanse 9mm  Serious astigmatism from 50% to the edge.

if the hyperion is worse than the swa why are you recommending it?

[Starman1]

if the hyperion is worse than the swa why are you recommending it?

Because of price sensitivity.

Personally, I wouldn't buy any 9mm eyepiece below the Morpheus, but he mentioned $100-$150.

[MrJones]

I loved the Parks Gold series. I now have the Svbony SV207 30mm that is apparently the same as Vixen NPL 30mm that is great and crazy cheap. Probably better coatings than the Parks also.

[hal9500]

Because of price sensitivity.

Personally, I wouldn't buy any 9mm eyepiece below the Morpheus, but he mentioned $100-$150.

Hi  - love to know your opinion on the astromania 8mm - I have Omegon Branded 17mm and 22mm of this family, which i absolutely love. Iv seen these discussed a few times here, and it was on the recommendation of you and others that i bought my pair - literally delighted with them - easily my most used wide angle EPs. If the entire series was as good as these, id buy the lot, but my understanding was that the 17/22 were the best of the bunch - i think iv seen posts saying that some of the others are very poor - how does the 8MM compare

 

Much obliged in advance

Edited by hal9500, 21 June 2025 - 04:44 AM.

[Starman1]

Hi  - love to know your opinion on the astromania 8mm - I have Omegon Branded 17mm and 22mm of this family, which i absolutely love. Iv seen these discussed a few times here, and it was on the recommendation of you and others that i bought my pair - literally delighted with them - easily my most used wide angle EPs. If the entire series was as good as these, id buy the lot, but my understanding was that the 17/22 were the best of the bunch - i think iv seen posts saying that some of the others are very poor - how does the 8MM compare

 

Much obliged in advance

The 8mm is not as well-corrected.  It has more astigmatism at the edge of the field, more chromatic issues at the edge, and it was more like other inexpensive eyepieces.

The 22mm and 17mm were a lot better than their prices implied.

Unfortunately, not all the focal lengths are equals.

The 8mm didn't perform well at f/5.75 in my dob, but at f/10 in your SCT it might.

The main issue will be the 254x magnification versus the Seeing conditions.

You might have better results with a 2X Barlow on the 17mm than with the 8mm.

[hal9500]

The 8mm is not as well-corrected.  It has more astigmatism at the edge of the field, more chromatic issues at the edge, and it was more like other inexpensive eyepieces.

The 22mm and 17mm were a lot better than their prices implied.

Unfortunately, not all the focal lengths are equals.

The 8mm didn't perform well at f/5.75 in my dob, but at f/10 in your SCT it might.

The main issue will be the 254x magnification versus the Seeing conditions.

You might have better results with a 2X Barlow on the 17mm than with the 8mm.

I appreciate that - its as i suspected in terms of the rest of the set - thanks though