[ATM] RE: ATM Digest, Vol 2, Issue 22

[mock47 at accessbee.com (Art)]

Thanks for the response, you are quite right, no sense buying things twice.
. .

Art Mock
  -----Original Message-----
  From: artbianconi@blast.net [mailto:artbianconi@blast.net]
  Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 5:34 PM
  To: atm@atmlist.net
  Cc: mock47@accessbee.com
  Subject: Re: ATM Digest, Vol 2, Issue 22


  Every time I've heard others respond to questions of cost and quality in
eyepieces, the answer invariably is "Buy the best you can possibly afford".


  Eyepieces are forever. Bought right and cared for, their value rarely
diminishes over time. Everything else being equal, which it rarely is, a
quality used eyepiece is better that a new eyepiece of lesser quality and
will be worth more should you choose to sell it. Eyepieces of lesser or
marginal quality get you into the game sooner but, soon thereafter, you bump
up against their limitations. After that they rarely get used and often you
can't give them away except perhaps to someone just starting out.


  I suggest you be cautious if tempted to buy a zoom eyepiece that covers a
range of sizes. It's an easy trap to fall into. A zoom lens can never be as
sharp at say 6mm as an eyepiece built specifically to 6mm.


  If you stay with this activity for any length of time, you will want
quality eyepieces eventually anyway and they'll work well with most any
telescope you may ever own.


  I am up against this very problem now converting from 1.25" to 2" optics


  Art Bianconi








  Message: 23
  Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 10:58:00 -0800
  From: "<mock47@accessbee.com>
  Subject: Eyepiece questions


  Pardon my ignorance but I have a seemingly simple question about
  eyepieces.


  Is it more difficult to obtain quality optics with a high power
  eyepiece such as 6mm, or is it more difficult with the larger sizes
  30-40 mm?


  Does size matter at all?  Is it strictly degree of figure and quality
  of polish and coating?


  To cut through the above trash and get to the point:  Should I
  concentrate my $$$ on the large low power eyepieces and just get
  average quality high power eyepieces?  Or should one seek more quality in
the high power and average quality in the larger eyepieces?


  Thanks,
  Hamlet


  VR,