Baader Planetarium 8-24/3.6-10.7 mm Hyperion Universal Zoom Mark IV with Barlow 2.25x - Black

I wanted a nice zoom eyepiece to complement my Celestron 6SE and the Baader MkIV Hyperion Zoom (and 2.2X Barlow) fits my expectation nicely. Initial daytime tests proved the excellent contrast and resolution throughout the ENTIRE 8-24mm range and the Baader Hyperion Barlow 2.25X is an excellent quality piece that doesn't degrade the image. Nightime views are great and eye relief is fine. In side-by-side comparisons this Baader Zoom compares very favorably to my Meade 4000 Series (Japan) Plossl's and gives quality views quite similar to my Televue 7mm DeLite eyepiece. Overall, VERY SATISFIED with the Baader quality of the fine optical zoom eyepiece!

We love this high quality lens

This is an amazing product! Baader Planetarium MARK IV Hyperion Zoom and 2.25x Barlow Eyepiece, 8-24mm Focal Length. So easy to use and such high quality optics. The zoom focus mechanism is smooth and precise.

Must have for all astronomers and astrophotographers. So nice to use 1 lens for mount calibration. I use the 24mm to set the rough star alignment, and then zoom to 9mm for the precise alignment. Makes my mount alignments so much faster and easier! Has alot of eye relief, and is adjustable. Great with glasses. Has adapters to shoot a DSLR through the lens. Is both a 2" and a 1.25" eyepiece. My only gripe is image quality is not as sharp as an individual eyepiece, obviously right. Well it's noticeable. Feels like it rounds the corners alot, not a flat field. But still way better than cheaper Celestron type zoomers...

I love the Mark IV zoom lens.

I've now spent quite a lot of time using this EP under clear, dark, somewhat steady skies, mostly with a 8" f/6 Newtonian with absolutely stunning optics. I've worked through quite a few EPs made by several vendors (Baader Planetarium, Explore Scientific, Pentax, Tele Vue) at focal lengths within the range of this EP. My opinion: for anybody who wants to haul their 6-8" Dobsonian telescope out on an unexpected free and clear night, this is a match made in Heaven. In fact, if that were the only telescope I owned, I would buy a 30-ish mm EP and this. I struggle to improve on this EP, despite many efforts to do so. As regards my 8" Newtonian and 8" SCT, this EP has gone toe to toe with single focal length EPs from Baader Planetarium, Tele Vue and Pentax. There are complicated and sometimes borderline reasons to prefer one over another. Basically, an insurmountable limitation of this zoom is apparent field of view vs a premium wide angle EP at long focal lengths. This is not a heart-breaker for 17.5mm Morpheus vs ~ 18mm Hyperion zoom, but I could see the difference. At the longest focal lengths it was obvious vs every comparable EP I have. So if I owned none, but had $500 to blow on EPs, I'd buy this for sure. If I had SCT, then I'd get a decent 17-20mm fixed focal length EP. If I had a wide aperture, short focal ratio reflector, then I might get a longer focal length, wide FOV EP, and maybe something like a Tele Vue 3-6mm zoom. But for a "one to rule them all" eyepiece for a generic telescope1, I'd get this and never give it another thought. I own gorgeous EPs, and still have to have a very good reason to replace it at the focuser to do so. There are a lot of things to see. ;-)