Using Barlow lenses with your telescope (A buyer's guide)

Рет қаралды 379,315

Күн бұрын

Using Barlow lenses with your telescope (A buyer's guide)
A good selection of Barlow lenses with purchase links can be found below.
Disclosures: All opinions are our own. If you click on one of the product links below and choose to make a purchase, our channel will receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate/Affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Good quality 2x Barlow with 2 element lens:
To purchase in USA
amzn.to/361E7JB
To purchase in UK
amzn.to/3pbDLYv
Celestron photo/visual 2x and 1.5x Barlow with T thread for cameras and SvBony 2x Barlow with T thread for cameras (this model is basic and low-cost but performs well) :
To purchase in the USA
Celestron. amzn.to/3sUxGlu
SvBony. amzn.to/3qNmm8L
To purchase in the UK
Celestron. amzn.to/36ddVfc
SvBony. amzn.to/3qJSM3O
1.5x Barlow lens head (the AC555 is no longer made and the following is a near equivalent). The models shown here will deliver from 1.5X to 2.5x depending in the distance between the eyepiece/camera and the lens head :
To purchase in USA
amzn.to/3a10BeG
To purchase in UK
amzn.to/363tTIM
5x Barlow for mainly webcam and photographic use - can be used visually:
To purchase in USA
amzn.to/3c5DLoY
To purchase in UK
amzn.to/3iMFaSU
Presented by Robert J Dalby
Produced by DB Video Services for Astronomy and Nature TV

Пікірлер: 177

@geemanbmw 3 жыл бұрын

It's hard to believe this video is 10 years old i just finished watching it and thought it was current. Sir you are by far the best in explaining this. Thank you

@mad_clown475 Жыл бұрын

now it's 12 years old.

@NIKOinIRL 11 жыл бұрын

This bloke should be on the tv, he is ace, great vids.

@kevinwright7617 9 жыл бұрын

I've just purchased a second hand telescope as a starter to have a look at the night sky. These videos are by far the easiest to understand for me as a beginner and especially the one concerning the German equitorial mount set-up. Enjoyable learning. Thankyou.

@MrSparkums 3 жыл бұрын

Best Astronomy tutorials on KZfaq..

@Velviit 7 жыл бұрын

I understand much more about Barlow lenses after watching this video Thank you

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

@heavenlyhighlights Hi there, thanks for watching! Generally the accessories supplied with telescopes are not always a good match for the main instrument. Look to upgrade these basic 'bundled-in' accessories as soon as you can. The good news is the upgrade path need not be expensive. Take a look at our vids on the topic of upgrading eyepieces. Hope this helps. A&NC

@wesleydonnelly2141 5 жыл бұрын

I'd just like to say i love your channel. The vids are so well made, very informative and your presenter is so reassuringly English lol. He just makes so much sense, and explains things so well and easy to understand. I'm 4 months in, on my 2nd ( 130mm aperture/900mm FL) Telescope and i'm loving every second of my new hobby, but there's sooo much complicated information to learn and absorb, and your presenter is brilliant at making sense of it all for the viewer. So Thank You and please keep up the great work! Wes.

@drsanjaygulati 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for posting such a simple yet comprehensive video. You are a master teacher!!

@Emetris 11 жыл бұрын

extremely useful. 40 seconds in and i know how to use a barlow lens

@Crazyarnold12 3 жыл бұрын

You joined 14 years ago!!! WOW AND YOU SAID THIS 8 YEARS AGO WOW!!

@darkpsyclown5273 3 жыл бұрын

@@Crazyarnold12 ahahaha

@TimK-1971 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for such a comprehensive explanation of what's available in Barlow lenses

@bostronomy 4 жыл бұрын

I could listen to you talk about this stuff all day. I’m really hoping you start making more and more content again. You’re the best on KZfaq by far and away. Thanks for all the help.

@janes-e378 6 жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant this video and the rest of the videos as well. Many thanks

@wattage 11 жыл бұрын

Great video. I'm dabbling with photography and telescopes and was confused where and how the Barlow lens fit in. It answered my question of how to get closer (i.e. increase magnification) when you connect the camera to the telescope -- use a Barlow. Your video was great and easy to understand. You took your time and carefully explained things. Great work!

@3dchuy 10 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, most people tent to rant about other equipment and confusing the hell out of newbies like myself haha. Thanks for the Info!

@Revelation13-8 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for explaining this , just what i needed.

@frippeastro7726 6 жыл бұрын

This channel has helped me so much for getting started, got my telescope 3 days ago, managed to get going with some books i've read and watched other videos, but you guys helped me advancing in only 2 days. How to use equipements such like the planisphere and alot of tips and tricks. Thank you so much!

@ericemanuelson5128 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video's they've help me immensely though my couple years in astronomy

@Elwooddudes Жыл бұрын

12 years old crazy! Thanks for the information! Only found out about Barlows today. I’m now exited to buy one!

@Lifeodditiesz 2 жыл бұрын

Gotta be the most simple and easiest explanations for how to use barlows with a camera ive seen, once you know what you're doing i suppose it is easy but when learning it is about simplicity and this guy nails it

@TheLesserWeevil 4 жыл бұрын

Just discovered this channel as a total amateur. Getting my first scope tomorrow. Thanks for the awesome advice.

@mikejung3908 3 ай бұрын

Great imformation, thank you, lots learned and lots to still learn.

@Hi-lb8cq 4 жыл бұрын

I love this video!!..so informative!

@UKFreedomFighters 12 жыл бұрын

Hey man, thanks very much for this and your other videos. Ive been looking up at the starts since I was a kid, but its only now in my 20s i actually bought a telescope. Your information is invaluable, keep up the good work :)

@fredjpearce5962 7 жыл бұрын

Nice vid. Learnt a lot, now to see if this has been updated!

@johnjriggsarchery2457 7 жыл бұрын

I'm putting a plug in for the Celestron X-Cel XL barlow. The price wasn't excessive and it's a great piece of optics.

@bobbya8622 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Great video and info on Barlows!

@gregohks 13 жыл бұрын

Valuable help provided.Thank you so much.

@dianebeckeett5057 11 жыл бұрын

T y very helpful on the Barlow lense! ty very much.Good video learned alot.

@nilesh7585 13 жыл бұрын

Thank you, nice video. Please keep up the good work.

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

@lordphilip Hi there, thanks for watching! Yes the current AC555 is furnished with a female filter thread on the front. Older versions lack this feature. Of course you can always add a filter at the rear (ie put the filter on the eyepiece before fitting the MagniMax) and this will increase the amplification effect - the more filters, the greater the amplification. This can be a useful feature of this type of image amplifier. Regards A&NC

@bicycleninja1685 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks. That helped me understand a few things.

@kubr1ck36 12 жыл бұрын

Learned a lot from your vid.!! Thanks a bunch.!!

@glensmith654 8 жыл бұрын

Learnt a lot thanks for that.

@lustylaws 9 жыл бұрын

Thank you a great help :)

@everFaded2012 8 жыл бұрын

great video mate really did help :-)

@freddofrog9892 3 жыл бұрын

Astronomy noob here. Brilliant video - extremely informative, message was really easy to understand

@Andyle70 12 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video

@michaelskoblin2315 4 жыл бұрын

I had a 5X Nagler that I just loved to use.

@sold9603 3 жыл бұрын

Great video thanks for sharing

@billwatts1977 3 жыл бұрын

Great video thank you

@livelongandprosper70 10 жыл бұрын

yes indeed, it did help, cheers :)

@pureblood7240 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, you’d have to be deaf to NOT understand this gentleman! Very clear, precise info and excellent suggestions, while pointing out positive/negative attributes from each Barlow variation. Why can’t ALL teachers be so clear and informative? Thank you Sir, (And I, being from America, I love your accent)

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

@paulkazjack Hi there, thanks for watching! The nett amount of light arriving at the eye-end of your telescope is determined by the instruments aperture. However the 'apparent' brightness of the image in a particular eyepiece is influenced by a number of factors, some small, some larger in impact. The actual size of the image presented to the eye is an example: with a fixed amount of light entering the scope - spreading this light over a wider area it will appear dimmer to the eye. KR A&NC

@savtheastroguy 4 жыл бұрын

I have a zoomion 200 EQ telescope Please let me know what 3x Barlow lens should I buy under 20 USD

@kanopus06 8 жыл бұрын

I got a 2.25x Baader planetary QTurret Barlow, it is made of metal, it was about 50€, it has a detatchable lens that gives 1.3x , and quite happy with it. Combined with a 750mm focal lenght reflector and a 10mm ocular it gives nice sharp images and a good amount of magnification.

@Jambull 11 жыл бұрын

Thanks, informative and not confusing.. Ever thought of a job in Broadcasting..

@RocketPlanet 13 жыл бұрын

@bicnarok Hi there. 2 ito 11/4 inch is a standard adapter and widely available. If you follow the links to the A&NC you'll find our websites - there's plenty of these adapters listed - if you have a rummage on our Astroboot pages you can normally find one for about a fiver! Hope this helps - thanks for watching. JM A&NC

@asylkhanaubanov1751 3 жыл бұрын

Now I understand. Thank you.

@f-s-r 9 жыл бұрын

Great video!! Just one question: what happens if you use a 5x barlow with a DSLR? Cannot that be used to get more detail of the moon, for example?

@andonisr 11 жыл бұрын

Hi there..great informative video...I had forgotten how to use my 2x barlow..! Do you have any videos on how to best achieve good pictures/videos with prime focus photography? I have a Canon just like yours and had my first go with prime focus tonight with the full moon..! I could not manage to get my camera setting off the Manual focus. I just used the focus knob on my telescope to clear the image before taking pics...thank you...!

@Tysondrumm 11 жыл бұрын

Great video! My wife got me a Celestron 80LCM and it works great, but I was wondering if a barlow lens would help me see things more clearly such as deep field objects. Thanks for any help! * I'm new to these things*

@lmaoroflcopter 5 жыл бұрын

I love this series of videos you have. The presenter has a perfect voice for presenting, really enjoyable learning how to use my new telescope :)

@grandbleutrev 12 жыл бұрын

Excellent Video thanks. Have you done one on using an SLR or digital camera with the Synscan 127 goto???

@SylvesterFritz 11 жыл бұрын

thats useful to know i had the same question on my mind as tmanzz

@bobhurley4369 6 жыл бұрын

Hi, many thanks for the video. I think that the little blue telescope on your table is what I have (Meade etx 80?) is has a built in Barlow - is this any good ? I liked the idea of the 5x barlow, would this work with this telescope ? Bob

@Craigy2k11 9 жыл бұрын

I have a few old M42 Pentax camera teleconverters. Can they be used as a Barlow with the aid of a T mount adapter setup? TY for the videos, they are very helpful. 👍

@AntaresNeo_ 10 жыл бұрын

man is behind -telescope heaven" :)

@FlashedNinja 12 жыл бұрын

I have just brought a MEADE ETX-70AT which is no longer being produced and i think the one your using is that one or the ETX-60AT,i'm new with telescope and hardly have much knowledge about these things and i just wanted to know what would be the best recommended eyepiece and barlow for my telescope that is best for viewing planets and if possible with my telescope nebula's, clusters and such.... and if needed the eyepiece i got with the telescope are 25mm and a 9mm thanks

@thomasperring5129 12 жыл бұрын

Hey!!! I recently bought a Celestron Travel scope 70, it came wiv a 3x Barlow lens. When I used it within my living room which is quite dark, it worked. When I took it outside it just was light/blurry, I thought it was due to the light being too much for the scope. I tried it last nite on the Moon & it was the same, the moon was quite bright, so I was wondering if you had any advice or help??? A moon filter or prehaps a 2x Barlow? thanks for time in response, I look forward to hearin from you!!

@andonisr 12 жыл бұрын

Hi there...Great and very informative video on this..! I have a Sky Watcher Maksutov, 127mm/1500mm and had not used it for a while, so the other day I was unboxing it, and came across my 2 eye pieces, (10mm and 25mm), plus another instrument that is a 2x metalic Barlow..I had no idea and could not remember what was it for...:-) Now I know...and I have to check if I can connect it directly, (obviously if it has a t ring), with my canon 60D...or..if I have to get prime focus adapter...is it a 2".?

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

Hi I think the Barlow may be the weak point here. Typically a bundled-in 3x it will be a plastic barrel job with a single element lens. Invest in a better 2x Barlow with an achromatic lens head (two lenses) - they are not expensive. I hope this helps. A&NC

@yanksspanks100 6 жыл бұрын

Hello , great Video , I just purchased a Galileo 800mm x 95mm with a 3x Barlow and a 6mm and 20mm eye pieces I would like to find planets and view them. Pls help me what do I need to do or get?

@anythingajag 3 жыл бұрын

Very interesting and understandable. I also watched the DSLR video which was great. I have a problem with a ZWO camera on my Sky Watcher 130 Newtonian due to limited back focus. Works with a Barlow x2 but too magnified for easy focussing. You mention a x2 / x1.5 Barlow 1.25inch, I cannot find these, is there a specific make? Thanks.

@RudolfAW 3 жыл бұрын

Up from a newbie here! :)

@Pilotguy251HC 11 жыл бұрын

Nice video. I was recently gifted with the Celestron 70Az PowerSeeker telescope, and when i use my 3X Barlow that came with it. i get a blurred image. with the 20mm lens, i can clear it up a little when i focus it but not much. what other things could i view with the barlow? could i see Jupiter and its moons? what will i need to see that?

@patterdalezipsuzilil 5 жыл бұрын

Buddy I shifting from refractor eyepiece projection lumix g8 and iam after a 150pds do I get shorty barlows or long barlows I normally use a (500mm douplet +star diaganol +5mm baader eyepiece because it screws into my T2 adaptor iam not sure if that will work with a reflector due to focal lengths what do you think

@richarddarr2346 10 жыл бұрын

Ken, you do well, but I use a telescope calculator with the field of view with matching it power. Range...cost is the factor, last diffrent optical companies with the same eyepiece power have a diffrent in focus travel...

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

@DonPipeFelipe The one in the vid is just an old banger we had lying around but the one we would recommend (we don't sell it I'm afraid) is the Philips SPC880 with a flash update to the SPC900NC specification. We do sell the best nose-pieces and filters for it however. Just Google SPC880 and click away! Hope this helps. KR A&NC

@not-kate2639 7 жыл бұрын

any recommendations for a guy with a 70mm refractor wich wants to see the cloud belts of Jupiter?

@RS-jz2yu 6 жыл бұрын

Does anyone know what happened to Astro-Engineering? or where I can purchase their products? I like the thought that went into their Barlow lenses.

@leonardvorhis838 Жыл бұрын

Hi thanks for the vid. If I use an F/5 focal extender on a 120mm F/5 achromat will the scope's aberrations be reduced to the level of a F/25? L

@andonrangelov8844 4 жыл бұрын

I got a question about the barlow lens. I got spherical prime mirror reflector telescope with short focal length of 300mm (mirror diameter is 76mm) if I use a x2 barlow is it going to reduce the spherical aberrations? I mean if it enlarge the focal length then may be it also reduce the spherical aberrations?

@Matthew.1994 7 жыл бұрын

i dont think i will get an answer here but ill try it.. i am thinking to buy a omegon Teleskop N 130/920 EQ-3.. what sohould i buy to be able to see the jupiter in a very great picture/sharpnes with the cloud layers and maybe some moons of the jupiter? the 2x barlow or a 5mm okular? or maybe both

@Caesarlivenloud 11 жыл бұрын

Hi. I'd like to ask you if you know Seben telescopes are good. I've been told they're rubbish but would like to know your opinion. I'd like to start discovering the skies but don't want to spend much on my first scope. :)

@paulkazjack 12 жыл бұрын

Does adding a x2 Barlow to your scope reduce the image brightness?So a x4 Barlow would produce a 'closer' image at the sacrifice of image brightness...?cheers.

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

Hi You probably got MA eyepieces with the scope (the Meade Plossl is 9.7mm) so you might consider upgrading the 9mm to a good quality Plossl eyepiece and also invest in a good quality 2x achromatic Barlow lens. Don't be tempted to go for a shorter than 9mm EP with this scope. A 9mm PL with a good 2x Barlow will give you about as good as you can expect to get from that little scope. I hope this helps. A&NC

@7DrumDanny 6 жыл бұрын

Hi, I currently bought the Tele Vue 2x barlow 1,25 but i thought that I could unscrew the bottom lens and put it in my eyepieces but unfortunately it’s not the same size! Looks like it’s not universal size! Do you know if there’s an adapter for it? Thanks

@jalalshehadeh3174 3 жыл бұрын

I have a serious question can you put Barlow lenses on top of each other to magnify even more

@paulrob404 5 жыл бұрын

Just starting out could I use a barlow with skyscanner100

@SylvesterFritz 11 жыл бұрын

If I have a scope with a max magnification of 400x how do I know what eye pieces and Barlow’s I can use to get the max, How do you work it out?

@biijoykhomdram9658 4 жыл бұрын

If I have to use 2x Barlow lens on 400mm telescope how much length should I choose for the Barlow?

@britainthroughmylens 10 жыл бұрын

A very clear and helpful video - thanks. One quick question if I may and perhaps slightly off topic but would you recommend the use of a 'zoomable' eyepiece giving variable magnification? These seem very useful and practical in the field but does that practicality come at the cost of optical quality? i.e. would I get better results with 'prime' eyepieces?

@JohnMHammer 8 жыл бұрын

+Somerset Pete If better results means quality of the image, least light loss, lack of aberrations, width of field, eye relief, and lots of other factors, then yes, a "normal" eyepiece of the same price range will be better. However, for casual observing especially without a motor drive and equatorial mount, a zoom eyepiece is a lovely convenience because you never have to take your eye away from the image or your hands away from the controls in order to change magnification or field of view. For casual observing, a single 8mm-24mm zoom eyepiece, even though it will cost twice as much as a pair of better "normal" eyepieces, can save you a lot of money because it can take the place of more than two eyepieces - perhaps as many as five! Some zoom eyepieces are even parfocal, which means that you don't have to adjust the focus while zooming in and out and even those that aren't parfocal tend to be nearly so. If you're looking at nebulae and wide clusters, or scanning for comets, you probably won't be changing eyepieces often or at all so you would be best off with a "normal" eyepiece with a fairly long focal length. If you're exploring the moon you might want to change magnifications frequently and a zoom eyepiece's drawbacks won't matter as much, therefore a zoom might be a great convenience and time saver. Not to mention just plain fun to use. Even for a serious observation session where you might be sketching details of the Martian surface or recording the apparent magnitude of variable stars, a zoom eyepiece can give you a quick idea of what focal length "normal" high-end eyepiece might be best to use based on the current atmospheric conditions.

@PuneetBanga26Aug 4 жыл бұрын

Hi, i have Orion xt8 dobsonian and wanted to know, is Orion E-Series 7-21mm Zoom Eyepiece is better then individual plossl eyepieces. And please let me know eseries eyepiece are plossl, means crisp image as plossl eyepieces does.

@tmanzzz 12 жыл бұрын

Hello. When you buy a tellescope, on the manual it tells you its highest usable magnificcation e.g 307x. Using a barlow lens can you also double the usefull magnification because the focal lenth is being doubled?

@cristianfranguloiu7828 8 жыл бұрын

Hello guys are new to the telescopes, my daughter received a 76 mm Firstscope and I would like to Barlow lens 3x or 5x buy using eye SR4mm and H20mm you think would be most appropriate?

@bosonh7723 11 жыл бұрын

A question, I have a 70mm celestron travel scope ,and i want to see the saturn and its rings.I have 3xbarlow,20,10,4mm eyepiece and diagonal.I can not even see the saturn properly as it looks blurry.what eyepiece,or barlow would you suggest for me to see saturn clearly,the only object i see is the moon and even for that i can not see the crater so clearly.I do not know what i am doing wrong and can not see it.Please HELP!

@ElVerdeVida 12 жыл бұрын

Hi i bought a ioptron silver GPS Computarized 6" 150mm, im new to all this and i would like to ask what accessories you recommend me to get and how can i take pictures ? Thanks hope someone can give me some tips im totally new 100% new in fact i havent use it still. thanks

@toml.8210 3 жыл бұрын

I have a variable (2x - 3x) Orion Barlow that was 'free' with some lenses I bought. It is just a tube with a couple lenses inside at either end, and has a pinch screw in a slot that you move to the desired factor. You didn't mention those in this video. Would you please comment on them sometime? Cheers.

@oddsandwindsocks5905 4 жыл бұрын

Is there a limit for using Barlow, ive a 650 mm. Meade 130 Polaris. Until I need a better scope

@paganphil100 Жыл бұрын

Barlow / Powermate / Focal extender.......are they all the same thing or is there a real difference?

@bluename4 4 жыл бұрын

what would be the downside of using a 5x Barlow with a DSLR camera (instead of using just a 2x barlow)?

@denisogara8005 3 жыл бұрын

5x Barlow lens. Hello I own a celestron skywatcher 114mm diameter reflecting telescope with 500mm focal length, so quite a small scope. I have a 2x barlow which came with scope and works ok. I recemtly bought a 5x Barlow lens for £24 but when i use it with my 10mm eyepiece the image is actually smaller than when using my 2x Barlow with the 10mm eyepiece. I see some other reviews for this product saying a similar thing. Am i missing something? I don't want to name the actual product as it is probably ok, just perhaps my lack of understanding. how can it be labelled as 5x but give less than 2x magnification. I know a 5x is too big for my scope, i was just experimenting.

@kavi14in 6 жыл бұрын

Where can we find AC 710 barlow lens. What is the cost. If you can attach a url link is highly appreciated.

@cpr336 3 жыл бұрын

I have a 3x barlow...I put it in the telescope, eye peice inside it but the image is still fuzzy...I focused all the way out to all the way in and it doesn't clear up...how do I fix that..what am I doing wrong

@rayr1444 6 жыл бұрын

Concerning the function of the Barlow, realistically, 2+2 equals 4, whether you do the math on your fingers, paper or with a calculator. Ultimately, a 2x Barlow does double magnification.

@ruanvisser7592 8 жыл бұрын

where can I get that Web cam?

@richarddarr2346 10 жыл бұрын

On barlow lens they are good on some objects,but they loss some light and decrease the F.O.V...sky conditions must be great for thier use..on photo you need them. I have 2x barlow I hardly use it. Try to use high grade barlow lens, for better color correcting..at time their great with zoom eyepiece. Do your math and have fun!

@ChefBuckeye 7 жыл бұрын

What if I use a barlow lens on a barlow lens and then my actual eye piece? :3 Just wondering what would happen.

@AstroPinoy 9 жыл бұрын

nice video but isn't that the F-Stop also multiplied...so it affects astrophotography and length of exposure...which now needs a good mount and autoguiding device..

@Godoftheturnaround Жыл бұрын

I’m so confused I know it’s something missing to a telescope was given to me - the barrel 3x barlow has grooves on it but apparently it is missing for something to screw onto it’s a power seeker- please help me

@RocketPlanet 12 жыл бұрын

Hi The short answer is no. The ultimate powerhouse of an astronomical telescope is the aperture. A well made modern telescope should be able to deliver about 50x magnification per inch (or 25.4mm in new money) of aperture. So a 50mm refractor is only going to give you good magnifications up to about 100x (other factors will also reduce this figure) Above about 100x you are just going to get a bigger more blurred image with such a scope - no matter what you do to the focal length. Regards RJD