UK lenses for PF65-ED? (1 Viewer)

[John Fleet]

Just got my PF65-ED from eBay. Originally purchased in the US; as far as I can tell the scope hasn't yet been released in the UK. It came with an unbranded 15mm lens (26 x), and I'm already hankering after a suitable zoom.

Questions: are there any other UK users of this scope, and can anyone recommend a suitable zoom, short of the (very expensive and seemingly not available in the UK) Pentax models.

John Fleet

 

[HokkaidoStu]

Hi John

You need to look at astro eyepieces. An 8-24mm zooom will provide 16-48 magnification. I just got a digiscoping adaptor from

www.dhinds.co.uk

They sell astro eyepieces too (as do Warehouse Express). I got a "no brand" zoom (an unbadged Vixen I think) from e-bay (from Canada) for under $100-it works fine on the scope. The link above has a Celestron zoom that looks identical for 129 GBP. I believe Vixen/Celestron use the same manufacturer.

Vixen are a popular brand, as are Meade (and various other companies) and both are reasonably cheap. As with mid-range birding bins/scopes most of these midrange astro eyepieces are probably made in the same factories anyway and are very similar.

Ther are some threads in the Pentax forum about eyepieces (if you haven't already checked them out).

 

[John Fleet]

Hi Stuprice,
Yep, I'm starting to research astro lenses - what a big world that is! The guy I bought the scope from recommended the Celestron Zoom from dhinds, so it's good to have a second opinion. I'm going to keep an eye on eBay and carry on the research for a while....

John

 

[Keith Reeder]

John,

the good thing is that Bonsers in The Toon carries a lot of astronomy kit, so you should be able to get in one quiet afternoon with your scope and have a play, to see what suits.

It's not an ideal place to test optics I admit, but you're at no more of a disadvantage there than someone buying a Leica or Nikon from them.

 

[John Fleet]

John,

the good thing is that Bonsers in The Toon carries a lot of astronomy kit, so you should be able to get in one quiet afternoon with your scope and have a play, to see what suits.

It's not an ideal place to test optics I admit, but you're at no more of a disadvantage there than someone buying a Leica or Nikon from them.

Good thought Keith; I might talk about trading in my new Manfrotto Nat -3 tripod as well; it's a magnificent beast but rather overkill for a dinky little scope like the Pentax!

John

 

[John Fleet]

Astro Engineering 8-24mm zoom eyepiece

Anyone come across this one? Available on eBay for about £40 - seem very similar in description to the Tele Vue and Celestron models but potentiall 1/3 price...

Also intrigued by some Seben ED eyepieces on offer on EBay for £19
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3636&item=6170823549&rd=1

has anyone any experience of these?

John Fleet

 

[Humboldt Jim]

Just got my PF65-ED from eBay. Originally purchased in the US; as far as I can tell the scope hasn't yet been released in the UK. It came with an unbranded 15mm lens (26 x), and I'm already hankering after a suitable zoom.

Questions: are there any other UK users of this scope, and can anyone recommend a suitable zoom, short of the (very expensive and seemingly not available in the UK) Pentax models.

John Fleet

I'm not in the UK but have a Pentax PF65-ED. I got mine with the fixed 12mm (32x) eyepiece and have10mm Vixen Lanthanum, 20mm GSO and 30mm Celestron Ultima eyepieces that all work well. I have not yet done it but am considering the Vixen Lanthanum Zoom. I think this zoom is available in UK and you might be able to check it out at an astronomy shop in your scope. Threads that I have read indicate it to be a good lens if one is not able to afford a large Pentax. It is smaller in price and physical size.

We Pentax owners have such a selection of eyepieces!

 

[John Fleet]

Jim
thanks for that advice. I've just ordered the Astro Engineering 8-24mm for a princely £39.99 via eBay.

Gave the scope its first proper outing yesterday at the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss.
Brilliant day with a passing Osprey flying over the hide the highlight.

First impressions of the scope are delight at its compact size - made my pal's Opticron ES80 look monstrous. The scope so light and well balanced that hand holding in the hide was perfectly possible. The stay on case is extremely well thought out with all the bits folding neatly out of the way via velcro pads.

As for the quality of the scope, at this stage I wouldn't say too much as I only had the 15mm lens that it came with to compare against the others. Given that the lens cost $29 it would be unfair to expect too much but I didn't find it markedly inferior to the Opticron zoom

As you say we're certainly spoilt for choice lens wise and that's before I even get around to looking at some of the clever photo and video adapters, and what about Barlows?

PS can anyone tell me what Plossl lenses are? they seem to have very small eyepiece diameters compared to other lenses

 

[Humboldt Jim]

Jim
thanks for that advice. I've just ordered the Astro Engineering 8-24mm for a princely £39.99 via eBay.

Gave the scope its first proper outing yesterday at the RSPB reserve at Leighton Moss.
Brilliant day with a passing Osprey flying over the hide the highlight.

First impressions of the scope are delight at its compact size - made my pal's Opticron ES80 look monstrous. The scope so light and well balanced that hand holding in the hide was perfectly possible. The stay on case is extremely well thought out with all the bits folding neatly out of the way via velcro pads.

As for the quality of the scope, at this stage I wouldn't say too much as I only had the 15mm lens that it came with to compare against the others. Given that the lens cost $29 it would be unfair to expect too much but I didn't find it markedly inferior to the Opticron zoom

As you say we're certainly spoilt for choice lens wise and that's before I even get around to looking at some of the clever photo and video adapters, and what about Barlows?

PS can anyone tell me what Plossl lenses are? they seem to have very small eyepiece diameters compared to other lenses

Talked to the Pentax rep who suggested the 65 at our birding festival this weekend (Godwit Days). He suggested an eyepiece (lens?) yielding 15x for hand or shoulder pod use.

He also commented (as eyes bugged out) that the Bushhawk shoulder pod looked like it was made for the scope.

Speaking of Osprey, one group got to se one perched at eye level at 50 yards during a birding tour of the coast this weekend.

 

[henry link]

PS can anyone tell me what Plossl lenses are? they seem to have very small eyepiece diameters compared to other lenses

John,

It's an eyepiece design; 4 elements consisting of 2 cemented doublets. There have been a few variations using a 5th element between the doublets. AFOV is usually around 50 degrees and eye relief is usually about 70% of the eyepiece focal length. For me the eye relief becomes uncomfortably short if the focal length is much below 12mm. Good ones are quite sharp across most of the field.

Henry

 

[John Fleet]

John,
For me the eye relief becomes uncomfortably short if the focal length is much below 12mm. Good ones are quite sharp across most of the field.

Henry

Henry
Thanks for the info; I suspect that the eyerelief factor would pretty much rule them out for a spectacle wearer such as myself at decent magnification levels. You learn so much here! Hopefully my new zoom will arrive tomorrow so we'll see how that performs..

John