This video convinced me. I bought one and tried with the basic Celestron plossl, and I'm blown away how much more fun visual observing is. Beats my TeleVue Ethos. Thanks!
This review couldn’t have landed at a better time! Totally agree with you about the transformative experience of BVs. I have been considering replacing my William Optics BVs as the restricted field stop limits low powers possible for deep sky viewing, so sounds like the Baader’s are just perfect. The most interesting bit was hearing that the 32mm Plossls work so well despite the restricted FOV. I think you have just swung the decision for me to buy a pair! 👍
@robi4514 Hi! Glad the review was helpful. The MBII is great and the 25.5mm clear aperture is just perfect for the 26mm field stop of the 32mm plössls.
Thank you for the video. I learned quite a bit from it. I used the binoviewer on the Orion nebula and it was just an incredible experience. Everyone knows about the nebula and when observing it with just a single eyepiece looks great, but the moment you add your other eye with the binoviewer you can see so much more detail with the nebula that shows that it's backlit by a star. Just seeing that made the purchase of the binoviewer worth it for me. I used two inexpensive 26mm eyepieces because I didn't want to spend a lot for a pair.
Super informative video 😀I’m a big fan of baader products this will be on my list, the only thing is I will need another complete set of eyepieces 😂😂😂😂
Love your videos, Bogdan. Thank you. I have the Maxibright II Binoviewer and have found an annoying flaw in its design: the binoviewer feels loose and moves too freely (it literally swings left or right too easily). There is insufficient tension to hold the binoviewer firmly - this is most apparent when the telescope is at a steeper an gle and one has to orient the binoviewer to a comfortable position. The reason behind this flaw is a flimsy plastic split ring set into the T2 nose. There are no clear instructions on how to adjust this so that there is tension. I have only used the binoviewer twice since I purchased it because of this design flaw - an amazing oversight, in my opinion, given Baader's excellent accessories (many of which I have purchased over the years).
Hi Bogdan, great review. I only wish I had found this video earlier! I'm currently going through the protracted process of getting my MaxBright II to work on my TV76, and I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit to not doing my homework properly (a criticism that dates back to my schooldays). Anyway, my first attempt was a disaster. I hadn't even realised I needed a GPC, and even failed to realise that the diagonal's nosepiece would be a problem, and that I needed to connect my Astro Amici diagonal directly onto the Binoviewer. I initially ordered the 1.25x, and although I can just reach focus with my glasses on, I was unable to reach focus without my glasses on. I am short sighted, and when I remove my glasses, I need to shorten the focuser to regain focus. So I'm now in the process of deciding whether I need the 1.7x or the 2.6x. I want the best of all worlds, which isn't always possible. I want correct image viewing, I want binoviewing, and I want to use any eye piece regardless of eye relief. This means glasses free viewing. The 2.6x loses more FOV than the 1.7x, but gives the extra back focus that I may or may not need. So my question is whether you're short sighted and whether the 2.6x worked for you when not wearing your glasses. My potential problem is that the 1.7x might not work for me if the margin is only a few millimeters with glasses on. Thank you...
@kevinhaynes9091 Hi! I am shortsighted too and I can barely get it to focus using the 1.7x gpc. In fact I had to remove the ring with the 2" clamp from the focuser's draw tube just to gain some extra millimeters. With the bino screwed directly onto the draw tube, I have enough back focus (10mm) to be able to use my eyepieces without my glasses on. The FOV improvement over the 2.6x was worth the trouble. Hope this helps.
Great review! Thanks for sharing, baader accessories are v good quality I agree with that. Although a comparison with the explore scientific binoviewer would be useful. As that one is parfocal and has glass path corrector inside already
In ancient mythology telescopes came from the mount cyclopes & binoculars came from Atlantis both were lost for eons until rediscovered that is why binoculars are the future.
Excellent review. I wonder how it would do at higher magnifications. Understand that the image may separate. I had looked at the Explore Scientific Binoviewer which is parfocal. Seems it may be something to consider but probably can’t match the quality of the Baader.
@elray4932 Thank you! Separation isn't really an issue with this type of binos as both channels receive the full width of the light beam. Only the light intensity is halved when viewed per channel. If there aren't any collimation issues, then you can push these as hard as you want. Separation can be an issue with linear binos. They work differently compared to the prismatic binos like the MaxBright II. I'm currently working on a video where I go into more details regarding these two types of binos and separation is going to be a topic I'm going to highlight.
I did some reading and aparently one can use the 32mm baader prism + 2 inch nosepiece and remove from the system the 1.25 adapter to gain some back focus for the bino
Hello @BogdanDamian very nice review as always. But I have a question. Are the sv 230 zoom eyepieces comfortable for observation with prescription glasses in the bino attachment? Do they have a full comfortable field of view at all focal lengths and exit pupil offset also with prescription glasses?😀
@KamilG Hi! You could keep the glasses on while observing with the sv230, but depending on how wide the glasses are from your eyes you might not see the whole FOV. At 8mm you need to be close to see the whole 72° AFOV. But the viewing experience is comfortable nonetheless. I always take my glasses off when observing because it allows me to get as close as I need to see the whole FOV. This way my eyes also get shielded from light coming from the sides.
Thank You for information. If You take off your glasses to observe through eyepiece, I guess that You don't have astigmatism problem that much as I do. Well, I need to wear my glasses on during observing.🙂. That info is helpful indeed.
@KamilG. Glad I could help. There are also special lenses that correct for astigmatism and can be screwed on top of the sv230 since it features an m43 thread beneath the rubber eye guard. Check the product images on Svbony.com for more details.
Hello Bogdan, I have the 4 inch sv503 and one morpheus 17.5mm and a pair of svbony cheap 7-21mm zooms. I plan for some time now to get a baader 32mm prism, maxbright2 and another Morpheus. The issue here, I was thinking to get the 1.25gpc but after your test I wonder if it will work….here are my questions - from your calculation only 1.7 gpc would do the trick ? - if I will go for t2-2inch prism adapter for svbony focuser how it will impact the setup, maybe some mm are to be gained by removing the 1.25inch focuser adapter? You used t2-1.25 prism adapter if I got this right - 32mm plossel delivered better view then morpheus 17.5? I noticed on pictures that ts optics 102mm from teleskope express de as it does not have the rotating focuser looks like it has a shorter focuser than the fancy svbony rotating one
@Paul__ Hello Paul! The 1.25x gpc will unfortunately not save enough mm to obtain focus on the sv503 102mm. The absolute limit is with the 1.7x gpc and an ultra short 1.25" focuser adapter. By removing the 1.25" focuser adapter you will gain around 10mm, but a 2" prism will cost you around 100mm which is much more than a 1.25" priam. The shortest possible path is achieved with the setup I showed in the video. The only thing that might work is to go for the 1.7x gpc instead of the 2.6x one. I plan to test that in the near future. Quality wise the Morpheus are superior, but the longer focal length of the plössls allow for a more immersive experience in a bino.
Bogdan thank you for the reply, as a newbee maybe I have a flaw in my thinking, I was planning to get a 32mm T2 prism like yours but have 2inch nosepiece attacheed to it at focuser end and the bino attached directy on the t2 in this way removing the 1.25 adapter from the system, maybe I am doing some wrong assumtions here Looking forward to your update on experimenting with the 1.7gpc Thank you for the really good looking and informative videos
@PauI__ You got that right. It is also similar to what I did. With the 2" adapter attached to the diagonal, you'll save up the most back focus. Let me know how this turns out for you. Clear skies!
@TransformersHoarder Glass Path Corrector, the Barlow-like lens to place between the telescope and the bino in order to change the position of the focal point of the telescope. Only then the focuser will be able to focus.
$700 binoviewer, $300 each morpheous eyepiece .... $400 achromtic telescope.... dont makes sense that math.... also 4 inch aperture spliting the light path in two....equals dimer views
Splitting the light path really leads to dimmer image for each eye, but in my experience a human brain is able to compensate the loss when both eyes are used. This may differ from person to pesrson, of course. I use linear binoviewer with cheap 4 inch short achromatic refractor, and it's great for objects like veil nebula and North America nebula with O-III filter. I see more or less the same as without binoviewer, but there is so much more comfort for eyes, that I'm able to look at those objects with ease for much longer, and I end up seeing more as a result. Like I said, all of this may vary from person to person, and the only way to figure out how it works for someone is to try it.
This video convinced me. I bought one and tried with the basic Celestron plossl, and I'm blown away how much more fun visual observing is. Beats my TeleVue Ethos. Thanks!
This review couldn’t have landed at a better time! Totally agree with you about the transformative experience of BVs. I have been considering replacing my William Optics BVs as the restricted field stop limits low powers possible for deep sky viewing, so sounds like the Baader’s are just perfect. The most interesting bit was hearing that the 32mm Plossls work so well despite the restricted FOV. I think you have just swung the decision for me to buy a pair! 👍
@robi4514 Hi! Glad the review was helpful. The MBII is great and the 25.5mm clear aperture is just perfect for the 26mm field stop of the 32mm plössls.
It's cool that you say "plössl" correctly 😀
As if 1 televue eyepiece was not enough, now you need 2 copies of the same one
Thank you for the video. I learned quite a bit from it. I used the binoviewer on the Orion nebula and it was just an incredible experience. Everyone knows about the nebula and when observing it with just a single eyepiece looks great, but the moment you add your other eye with the binoviewer you can see so much more detail with the nebula that shows that it's backlit by a star. Just seeing that made the purchase of the binoviewer worth it for me. I used two inexpensive 26mm eyepieces because I didn't want to spend a lot for a pair.
Super informative video 😀I’m a big fan of baader products this will be on my list, the only thing is I will need another complete set of eyepieces 😂😂😂😂
Love your videos, Bogdan. Thank you. I have the Maxibright II Binoviewer and have found an annoying flaw in its design: the binoviewer feels loose and moves too freely (it literally swings left or right too easily). There is insufficient tension to hold the binoviewer firmly - this is most apparent when the telescope is at a steeper an gle and one has to orient the binoviewer to a comfortable position. The reason behind this flaw is a flimsy plastic split ring set into the T2 nose. There are no clear instructions on how to adjust this so that there is tension. I have only used the binoviewer twice since I purchased it because of this design flaw - an amazing oversight, in my opinion, given Baader's excellent accessories (many of which I have purchased over the years).
Hi Bogdan, great review.
I only wish I had found this video earlier! I'm currently going through the protracted process of getting my MaxBright II to work on my TV76, and I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit to not doing my homework properly (a criticism that dates back to my schooldays).
Anyway, my first attempt was a disaster. I hadn't even realised I needed a GPC, and even failed to realise that the diagonal's nosepiece would be a problem, and that I needed to connect my Astro Amici diagonal directly onto the Binoviewer.
I initially ordered the 1.25x, and although I can just reach focus with my glasses on, I was unable to reach focus without my glasses on. I am short sighted, and when I remove my glasses, I need to shorten the focuser to regain focus.
So I'm now in the process of deciding whether I need the 1.7x or the 2.6x.
I want the best of all worlds, which isn't always possible. I want correct image viewing, I want binoviewing, and I want to use any eye piece regardless of eye relief. This means glasses free viewing.
The 2.6x loses more FOV than the 1.7x, but gives the extra back focus that I may or may not need.
So my question is whether you're short sighted and whether the 2.6x worked for you when not wearing your glasses.
My potential problem is that the 1.7x might not work for me if the margin is only a few millimeters with glasses on.
Thank you...
@kevinhaynes9091 Hi! I am shortsighted too and I can barely get it to focus using the 1.7x gpc. In fact I had to remove the ring with the 2" clamp from the focuser's draw tube just to gain some extra millimeters. With the bino screwed directly onto the draw tube, I have enough back focus (10mm) to be able to use my eyepieces without my glasses on. The FOV improvement over the 2.6x was worth the trouble. Hope this helps.
@@BogdanDamian Thank you, and yes it does help. I'll return the 1.25x, and get the 2.6x. and I'll let you know how I get along...
Thank you, ive been waiting for this vid. Very useful information
I bought my one last week 🎉
Very eye opening review Bogdan, I mean with both 👀’s.
Innovative.
Great review! Thanks for sharing, baader accessories are v good quality I agree with that. Although a comparison with the explore scientific binoviewer would be useful. As that one is parfocal and has glass path corrector inside already
@ziggyfrnds Glad you liked it! I'll try to get my hands on an ES bino to do a comparison with the MBII.
In ancient mythology telescopes came from the mount cyclopes & binoculars came from Atlantis both were lost for eons until rediscovered that is why binoculars are the future.
Thanks!
Excellent review. I wonder how it would do at higher magnifications. Understand that the image may separate. I had looked at the Explore Scientific Binoviewer which is parfocal. Seems it may be something to consider but probably can’t match the quality of the Baader.
@elray4932 Thank you! Separation isn't really an issue with this type of binos as both channels receive the full width of the light beam. Only the light intensity is halved when viewed per channel. If there aren't any collimation issues, then you can push these as hard as you want.
Separation can be an issue with linear binos. They work differently compared to the prismatic binos like the MaxBright II. I'm currently working on a video where I go into more details regarding these two types of binos and separation is going to be a topic I'm going to highlight.
I did some reading and aparently one can use the 32mm baader prism + 2 inch nosepiece and remove from the system the 1.25 adapter to gain some back focus for the bino
👍👍👍👍
Hello @BogdanDamian very nice review as always. But I have a question. Are the sv 230 zoom eyepieces comfortable for observation with prescription glasses in the bino attachment? Do they have a full comfortable field of view at all focal lengths and exit pupil offset also with prescription glasses?😀
@KamilG Hi! You could keep the glasses on while observing with the sv230, but depending on how wide the glasses are from your eyes you might not see the whole FOV. At 8mm you need to be close to see the whole 72° AFOV. But the viewing experience is comfortable nonetheless.
I always take my glasses off when observing because it allows me to get as close as I need to see the whole FOV. This way my eyes also get shielded from light coming from the sides.
Thank You for information. If You take off your glasses to observe through eyepiece, I guess that You don't have astigmatism problem that much as I do. Well, I need to wear my glasses on during observing.🙂. That info is helpful indeed.
@KamilG. Glad I could help. There are also special lenses that correct for astigmatism and can be screwed on top of the sv230 since it features an m43 thread beneath the rubber eye guard. Check the product images on Svbony.com for more details.
Hello Bogdan, I have the 4 inch sv503 and one morpheus 17.5mm and a pair of svbony cheap 7-21mm zooms. I plan for some time now to get a baader 32mm prism, maxbright2 and another Morpheus. The issue here, I was thinking to get the 1.25gpc but after your test I wonder if it will work….here are my questions
- from your calculation only 1.7 gpc would do the trick ?
- if I will go for t2-2inch prism adapter for svbony focuser how it will impact the setup, maybe some mm are to be gained by removing the 1.25inch focuser adapter? You used t2-1.25 prism adapter if I got this right
- 32mm plossel delivered better view then morpheus 17.5?
I noticed on pictures that ts optics 102mm from teleskope express de as it does not have the rotating focuser looks like it has a shorter focuser than the fancy svbony rotating one
@Paul__ Hello Paul! The 1.25x gpc will unfortunately not save enough mm to obtain focus on the sv503 102mm. The absolute limit is with the 1.7x gpc and an ultra short 1.25" focuser adapter.
By removing the 1.25" focuser adapter you will gain around 10mm, but a 2" prism will cost you around 100mm which is much more than a 1.25" priam.
The shortest possible path is achieved with the setup I showed in the video. The only thing that might work is to go for the 1.7x gpc instead of the 2.6x one. I plan to test that in the near future.
Quality wise the Morpheus are superior, but the longer focal length of the plössls allow for a more immersive experience in a bino.
Bogdan thank you for the reply, as a newbee maybe I have a flaw in my thinking, I was planning to get a 32mm T2 prism like yours but have 2inch nosepiece attacheed to it at focuser end and the bino attached directy on the t2 in this way removing the 1.25 adapter from the system, maybe I am doing some wrong assumtions here
Looking forward to your update on experimenting with the 1.7gpc
Thank you for the really good looking and informative videos
@PauI__ You got that right. It is also similar to what I did. With the 2" adapter attached to the diagonal, you'll save up the most back focus. Let me know how this turns out for you. Clear skies!
Would this work on a 8” Dobsonian.
@TransformersHoarder Definitely, but make sure to get the appropriate gpc for Dobsonian telescopes.
@@BogdanDamian forgive me… gpc?
@TransformersHoarder Glass Path Corrector, the Barlow-like lens to place between the telescope and the bino in order to change the position of the focal point of the telescope. Only then the focuser will be able to focus.
$700 binoviewer, $300 each morpheous eyepiece .... $400 achromtic telescope.... dont makes sense that math.... also 4 inch aperture spliting the light path in two....equals dimer views
Splitting the light path really leads to dimmer image for each eye, but in my experience a human brain is able to compensate the loss when both eyes are used. This may differ from person to pesrson, of course. I use linear binoviewer with cheap 4 inch short achromatic refractor, and it's great for objects like veil nebula and North America nebula with O-III filter. I see more or less the same as without binoviewer, but there is so much more comfort for eyes, that I'm able to look at those objects with ease for much longer, and I end up seeing more as a result. Like I said, all of this may vary from person to person, and the only way to figure out how it works for someone is to try it.