Baader Planetarium 8-24mm Hyperion Clickstop Zoom Mark IV Eyepiece, for 1.25" to 2" Mounts

2022-07-24T09:28:27

I've used it three times. The first time did not take a bit use to using the zoom on the eyepiece as I've never used a zoom before but after I figured it out it worked great and the clicking mechanisms. The sharpness in this eye piece is fantastic. I really liked the mid MM range on the eyepiece the best especially with globular clusters. It's great using this one for different zooms and not having to switch and constantly focus other eyepieces...however, it's still not as great as any Televue eyepiece, of course. It's a great first purchase eyepiece for beginner users.

Leo P.

2022-06-27T10:55:03

A truly remarkable product that I?ve been on the fence about for some time. Being an avid amateur photographer using a number of remarkable zoom lenses, I thought I made the decision to purchase this really good zoom eyepiece. Many very positive reviews on Cloudy Night and on YouTube helped with my decision to give this eyepiece a try. I?m glad I did. Adorama is a very reliable vendor, with competitive prices and speedy, no complication delivery. Highly recommended.

MICHAEL S.

2022-01-31T11:03:47

It?s OK, it?s nothing out of this world, I have a cheaper one that I paid $75 for that looks just as good, definitely not worth what I paid $300

David F.

2021-01-18T13:37:31

Cloudy I have not used it yet :( Looks good, I hope on my 11 SCT it works well for visual (so I can migrate thru magnifications.) The wife loves visual and I wont have to swap more expensive eyepice's all night as she bounces around

Robert D.

2020-11-04T17:04:20

Better view…more comfortable on the eye…still not much magnification for planets with 8se

ROSEMARIE E.

2020-10-27T11:05:39

I’m a beginner astronomer. I did a lot of research before I purchased this zoom eyepiece for my 8 inch Dobsonian Reflector. Many reviews told me this was a top tier zoom eyepiece. I was not disappointed. Very well made. Good clarity. Be sure to collimate your reflector so you get the most out of the eyepiece. Zoom eyepiece greatly improves FOV and locating hard to see objects especially if you’re only using a red dot finder.

KRISTOFER P.

2020-10-27T09:12:00

Great lens. Very convenient. I like the bag it comes in and the piece feels solid. Smooth functioning and no-fuss learning curve. Not sure about the optics yet as I live in Chicago, but I trust others' recommendation on this being a lifelong eyepiece.

JOHNNY A.

2019-12-04T02:20:06

It is what you need! One excellent eyepiece that covers such a range. Image is clear, quality is obvious and exactly what you would expect from Baader Planetarium. It is weighty so I really wouldn't recommend for smaller scopes.

BENJAMIN M.

2019-07-17T08:33:18

As a new telescope owner I was trying to decide what eyepieces to buy. Several CloudyNights members advised me to get a nice zoom eyepiece so I could figure out what magnifications I preferred. I bought this on and I love it! It has a nice AFOV and the images are very clear. It allows me to align on my target at low magnification and then go to high without swapping eyepieces.

Joe C.

2019-05-31T08:56:10

This is a wonderful complement to the NexStar Evolution line. High quality optics, that minimize the trade off between convenience and quality. Highly recommend, good value for money.

Robert C.

2017-10-03T12:25:31

I am a long time astronomer that uses a variety of telescopes from 85mm and 152mm high end APO refractors, 8", 11" and 14" SCT HD reflectors and a 22" DOB. I already have a complete set of the Pentax eyepieces which replaced all of my other brands over the years. One of my favorites in the Pentax line is the 8-24x zoom which has excellent contrast and resolution. I do a lot of public star parties and wanted to get another zoom eyepiece for a second scope. I thought I would give the BAADER Hyperion 8-24x version IV a try since it was a bit cheaper, and also a bi smaller in height and diameter.than the Pentax. Thus far the BAADER has proven to be a very good eyepiece also and no regrets. However, I do have a couple of minor cons/gripes: 1st. It requires a bit more in focus so if you are close to running out of in focus with other eyepieces/gear that could be an issue. On one of my setups for Ha solar viewing I had to go back to my Pentax zoom to achieve focus. 2nd.....If you want to attach a camera on top of the eyepiece you can do so but need a Tmount adaptor. No problem there as other eyepieces such as the Celestron DUOs that use the same method. But for some reason BAADER decided to use a non standard 43mm thread instead of the 42mm everyone else uses. Yes BAADER will sell you the adapter at a cheap price...but now I have to buy another adapter that fits none of my other gear....just the Hyperion. 3rd....the instruction book says nothing about how to get to that T-mount thread.....what you have to do is grab the movable eye cup part and unscrew the whole eye cup assembly. No big deal and while it is a good way to make the eye cup adjustable for height....they should have given more directions. By the way the version I and II of the same eyepiece WERE the standard thread pitch...go figure. Two of the big advantages of the Pentax zoom are use of ED glass and Nitrogen fill to prevent internal fogging. I believe the latest version of this eyepiece is finally nitrogen filled. Not sure about what type of glass is used though. However, it seems to have very good performance that equals the Pentax in my tests thus far. The ability to have both 2" or 1 1/4" nose piece is nice but not a huge benefit to me. Generally the only reason to go to a 2" eyepiece is to take advantage of ultra wide apparent field of view (AFOV) eyepieces. But since this tops out at 24mm focal length and 60 degree AFOV at the 24mm setting there is no optical advantage. That issue with in focus caused the biggest issue when I tried to use it with my Pentax 65mm apo spotting scope. I was unable to focus it at the lower powers...ran out of focus travel. My Pentax zoom worked fine though. That was disappointing as I wanted to use that eyepiece since it was shorter and less fat than the Pentax 8-24mm zoom.. But to summarise....this is an eyepiece that should be a part of your collection. It is very good and frankly will serve as your main eyepiece for most of your viewing. Maybe add a couple of high power lunar and planetary specific eyepieces and you will be set.The old adage about zoom eyepieces not being up to a fixed focal length eyepiece is bunk. Unless you are looking in the ultra wide FOV eyepiece selection, you will find this to be one heck of a good eyepiece. Many of my friends have come to the same conclusion and found the ability to use the zoom to find an object and than zoom in to darken the surrounding background space allows us to tweak out difficult objects and detail. My cons are very minor and I have yet to find an eyepiece that is perfect ....but the Hyperion zoom is darn close.

ROBERT B.

2017-08-29T13:29:30

This is something I've wanted for a long time, primarily so I can add a DSLR, however as with other zooms I have I was concerned that the visual quality would be subpar. I was wrong, I am even considering dropping several high priced Pentax and Tele Vue eyepieces that seem unnecessary now that I have this excellent all in one solution. Bravo Baader Planetarium.

Derek R.

2017-07-17T06:24:56

I bought this for my Televue 85 for terrestrial viewing. I am quite impressed with the view as a spotting scope. The view so good that I also use it as a primary eyepiece if I am just dinking around at night with no real aim. I do recommend this eyepiece. Why 4 stars and not 5. The Televue Ethos eyepiece get the 5.

Buck J.

2014-07-21T21:00:00

As an amateur astronomer, over the years I have heard that zoom eyepieces are a total waste. This one by Baader Planetarium makes a lie of those old adages: the 8-24 zoom will totally change your mind. First, with my 480mm focal length TeleVue 76, this Baader eyepiece at 24mm serves as a finderscope- I can locate my target easily.Then without fear of losing it as I fumble for another eyepiece, I can simply change magnification by twisting the ring on this one. from 20x to 60x with a simple twist! The Baader's parfocal capability insures perfect focus throughout the range, and each major step is indicated by a soft click. Convenient, effective, a great eyepiece.

Doug

2013-05-09T21:00:00

This is a note for Coronado PST solarscope owners who plan on using the Baader Hyperion MKIII Zoom with a lightweight camera tripod or Malta mini-tripod. The eyepiece is tremendously large and heavy, closer to the size of a soda can than a film canister, and could easily tip over a small tripod due to weight at normal viewing angles or make it easy to tip over a lightweight tripod due to imbalance. Highly advise to use with a counter-weighted mini tripod or heavier astronomy tripod - then it would be excellent, though without that option: find a smaller eyepiece. Approximate dimensions: 5" x 2" diameter.

citizen