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Zoom Eyepiece Test: Baader, Zeiss, Swarovski, Nikon (3 Viewers)

I haven't had a chance to try it on the 80mm Pentax. The importer only mentions Zeiss Diascopes and Chinese spotting scopes made by Synta and sold under the Celestron brand name. The Synta scopes are probably sold under other brand names as well. The threads on the eyepiece collette may be the Zeiss 44mm standard that they used on their old astronomical scopes. An adapter ring fits into the collette. It has about 35mm threads which the 1.25" etepiece barrel screws into. Baader could easily make adapter rings to fit other scopes as long as the eyepiece can reach focus. I have found that the Zeiss 2" Diascope eyepiece adapter will fit the Baader collette, but that's no help on birding scopes.
 
So I'm now wondering if this zoom could work on a Kowa 82mm series scope via a custom made adapter.

The first question would be if it reached focus at infinity assuming there's enough room to mate the zoom to the kowa body.

It doesn't work on the Pentax 80 after all (see Pentax forum).
 
I'm also wondering whether the Baader could be adapted to the new Kowa scopes. It would provide a wider field, a litte more magnification (21x-63x) and be much cheaper than the Kowa zoom eyepiece.
 
Henry,
You had previously mentioned that;
"I agree with Lou that you should avoid eyepieces with short ER and narrow fields, but the BO/TMB Planetary is actually pretty good in those categories. The 5mm has 16mm ER and a very well corrected 60 degree field."
I want to push the envelope when perfect conditions will allow it. I’m considering the 4mm BO/TMB Planetary with 60* FOV and 16mm ER with 5 elements or the 3.6mm Tak has 42* FOV and 6mm ER with 6/3 elements. During consideration of these two eyepieces I was reading about contrast and simple eyepiece construction that allows in more light. The read went into raves for the 4mm AP/SPL and the 4mm TMB supermono for contrast and brightness. The AP/SPL has a 42* FOV, 8mm ER and 3/2 elements while the TMB has 30* FOV with 3.4 ER and 3 elements. Have you had any opportunity to bird watch with these eyepieces or ones with similar specs? I see that you suggest staying away form eyepieces with short ER and narrow fields (I have no experience with eyepieces with this design), the high evaluations because of contrast and light on these eyepieces begs the question, yet there are never any evaluations when it comes to viewing stationary wildlife like a lone bird of prey. Any thought by you or anyone else that has used the above or similar eyepieces would be appreciated.
Greg
 
I have the 4mm TMB SuperMono. IMO it would be a terrible choice for birding. It's a unique monoblock design that sacrifices everthing (FOV, eye relief, off-axis sharpness) to render a very tiny field as bright and contrasty as possible. No problem if you are looking at something that only takes up a degree or two of apparent field like Jupiter through a telescope with a motor drive to keep it centered, but impossible for birding. Besides I don't think the SuperMonos or the AP SPL's are still available. A 5mm eyepiece will be pushing the envelope plenty with your scope. I think more magnification will show no extra detail at all . FWIW I can see just as much in daylight with the 5mm BO/TMB as I can with the slightly brighter 5mm TMB SuperMono.
 
Hi!

I have a little apo telescope and 20x mag with Widescan type III eyepiece with 84 AFOV. I can not choose between the following two:

1. widescan ep + celestron ultima ed apo barlow 2x with 84 AFOV (40X mag)
2. TMB Planetary 9 mm eyepiece with 60 AFOV (43X mag)

What is your opinion?
 
I don't wish to offend especially as Mariusz is a newcomer but could we please get this thread back on topic to zoom eyepieces?
 
dipped said:
I don't wish to offend especially as Mariusz is a newcomer but could we please get this thread back on topic to zoom eyepieces?

You are right. Sorry. I was searching for TMB Planetary, and I have found it in this topic.
 
henry link said:
I recently acquired a new Baader Hyperion zoom eyepiece (24mm-8mm). . .
Thanks for this thread.
I'm planning on getting a new scope for my birding, and the Zeiss was what I was considering due its its wide fov with the zoom lens, as opposed to the other top scopes. Looks like I may have to wait for this eyepiece though as availibility appears to be low, and the price a little higher (£149, 2/3 the price of the cheapest zeiss. . .)


Lou H said:
I've been using a Meade 5000 4.7mm eyepiece ($200) on a Diascope 85 yielding 107x and it provides very nice, 82 degree apparent field, views. The optics of the Diascope stand up very well at this power. . . .
Depending on the specific eyepiece, and your use and preferences, they may or may not be the best choice.
Does this Meade eyepiece fit directly to your diascope, or do you have to fit any adaptor rings?? Sounds interesting as an extra lens, but I presume for birding it would only really be worth having on clear, bright winter days??
(Although I could always take up astronomy I suppose ;) , or do star tests!)
And unfortunately the cheapest I've seen it over here is £179
 
Availablity of B.Hyperion 8-24mm zoom in the UK

I have been informed that due to the tremendous demand for this zoom eyepiece, and with Baader's strict quality control standards, that availability in the UK(apart from eBay) could mean a wait of up to six weeks for this superb bit of kit. I understand the zoom comes with fitting to Zeiss Diascopes as standard.

However, not wishing to advertise but just to give praise when due, I have just purchased the zoom(though last one in stock, I believe) from the following site, and the owner, with his contacts, may be able to 'pull-a-few-strings' and possibly speed an order up if you are desperate...but no promises, but as he's such a very nice chap to deal with anyway, well worth a try:

http://www.modernastronomy.com/

Good luck.

Steve
 
Does this Meade eyepiece fit directly to your diascope, or do you have to fit any adaptor rings?? Sounds interesting as an extra lens, but I presume for birding it would only really be worth having on clear, bright winter days??
(Although I could always take up astronomy I suppose ;) , or do star tests!)
And unfortunately the cheapest I've seen it over here is £179[/QUOTE]


The Meade 4.3mm fits onto the Zeiss with an adapter (bought separately) which is fixed to the eyepiece and attaches to the external thread around the eyepiece hole. You simply remove the Zeiss eyepiece, drop in the Meade and tighten it with its locking ring. By far the hardest part is trying to remove the Zeiss eyepiece - it is a very, very tight fit.

The drawback with the Meade are that it has a narrow field of view (not surprising, since it gives X107!) and you cannot see the whole field of view without moving your eye from side to side, even with the eyecup screwed in fully . It is very difficult to line up on your "target", although I get round this by using a "red dot" sight fastened to the scope.

The magnification also means that it is very difficult to keep steady, even with a good tripod.

However, for some situations I find this eyepiece superb. Surprisingly, it is still useful even on a dull day. I live only 15 minutes' drive from Slimbridge, so I use it from the hides for getting close up views of the geese, stints and peregrines.

Pete
 
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Can someone please tell me if the "field lens housing", or the lens tube of the baader zoom with the 1.25" sleeve removed is 28mm or less.

I am trying to find out if this zoom will fit into an Opticron scope.

Also while I'm here am I correct in thinking the Celestron/Synta scope uses an exterior 35mm thread to attach the eyepiece?

I have found out that Opticron scopes have two exterior threads :[35x1.1-6e], and [41.5x1.1-6e]. I assume these are 35mm and 41.5mm but I don't know what the other figures mean.

If the zoom does fit into and onto an Opticron zoom there is the question of reaching focus at infinity with it but if it did the combination sounds very appealing considering the range of Opticron scopes. I am thinking of coupling/trying it with an Opticron ES 80 ed scope ( anyone know how it got on in the recent Alula test? ).

Nev
 
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Can someone please tell me if the "field lens housing", or the lens tube of the baader zoom with the 1.25" sleeve removed is 28mm or less.

The black tube with the lenses that zoom (1.25" sleeve and adapter removed) extends 20.2mm beyond the base of the eyepiece. Zooming the eyepiece does not change the length of this housing.
The tube has a diameter of 29.0mm

Also while I'm here am I correct in thinking the Celestron/Synta scope uses an exterior 35mm thread to attach the eyepiece?

I have found out that Opticron scopes have two exterior threads :[35x1.1-6e], and [41.5x1.1-6e]. I assume these are 35mm and 41.5mm but I don't know what the other figures mean.

The 1.25" adapter (the black one, not the silver 1.25" sleeve) has an thread diameter of 44mm (44.8mm to the tops of the male threads). It is difficult to measure but I believe the mounting thread pitch is 0.5mm

Hope this helps.

Jon
 
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Thanks for your reply Jon

I managed to track down a dealer who had the zoom and an Opticron scope and he tried mating the two. As you have also confirmed the tube at 29mm is just too big to fit into an Opticron scope so all other questions become irrelevant.

Thanks again - Nev
 
Well just recieved the hyperion zoom this afternoon, and am very anxious to try the ocular out in the field tomorrow, both on my AT 66, and might even give it whirl on the wo flourostar 80m, which hasn't seen much action lately.

thought you folks might be interested in what is printed on the box- it's a full color graphic design all the way around, with clips of what is found on their web pages, including illustrations of the zeiss rig-up, a couple of other spotters side by side, layouts of all the various attachments and rings (this thing has more parts than a cannister of lincoln logs!), and on one end cap, these words:

"www.birdforum.net

"Zoom Eyepiece Test: Baader, Zeiss, Swarovski, Nikon

"The best zoom eyepiece I have tried so far"

HOW COOL IS THAT !!!

those savvy germans! is it an astronomical eyepiece? or a spotting scope eyepiece? it's two, two, two eyepieces in one!!!

regards,
UTC
 
You left out the best part of that quote....at least what is found on the website....the reference of whose quote that is....


"Henry Link"....

;)

Did you check to see if the Baader would mount on the Celestron F-ED? I attempted to remove the silver collar after Henry mentioned it but was not able to remove it initially. I did not want to apply too much force in fear of damaging the collar permanently.
 
Evidently the only thing I've ever said worth quoting. ;-)

FWIW, there is a 16 page mega thread on the Baader Zoom running on the Cloudy Nights Eyepiece Forum right now. The most interesting part of it to me concerns experiments with replacing the 1.25" barrel of the zoom with the Smythe element nosepieces from various fixed magnification Baader Hyperions. Using the 21mm nosepiece is said to result in a 4mm-12mm zoom range and using the 17mm nosepiece is supposed to give a 5.5mm-16.5mm range. I had been considering acquiring another Baader zoom for my wife's scope, so today I finally ordered a new zoom and a 17mm Hyperion for me to try the nosepiece/zoom combination which will produce about 30-90x on the Tak SKY90 I use most of the time now.

Here's a link to the Cloudy Nights thread:

http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthre...0349/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
 
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