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Orion 2x Shorty Barlow
| Brand | Orion |
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| Availability | available |
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Product Info
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Reviews
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Feb 28, 2009
Oron 2X Shorty Barlow
Pros:Nice entry level barlow, inexpensive, cap, plug & box, allows filters.
Cons:Sides not darkened, some ghosting.
Comments:During some observations over the past weekend I had a chance to use an Orion shorty 2x barlow for a little while (Not the plus, but the non-plus version).
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
New they go for around $30 plus shipping. Seems to be well made and to me it's a perfect entry level starter barlow. Has a decent blue tint to the glass and most important, you can use filters. Some barlows don't allow that nice feature.
However the insides on this barlow were not darkened and it allowed some rather bright light into the viewing when viewing bright objects such as the moon. Other than that it worked well in my 8" f/10 SCT.Feb 27, 2008One of the most used pieces of equipment I own
Pros:This is a very versatile, well built barlow
Cons:None
Comments:This was a gift from my sister who knows nothing about astronomy equipment. Someone suggested this one to her and am I ever glad they did because I absolutely love this barlow. I use it almost every time I am out observing.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
As others have said, this doubles your eye piece collection. This is a very sharp little barlow, is built extremely well, and has 2 screws to hold your eyepiece in place. It is fully multi coated. It has a very rugged build, which for me is a must since I don't like having to baby things. I don't notice any coma, etc. and it is very sharp all the way out to the edge.
I would recommend this barlow to anyone.Feb 14, 2008Very Nice
Pros:Good Optics and coatings, nice construction, good price, good performance
Cons:None
Comments:On the outside this barlow looks to be an excellent piece of equipment. The coatings also look to be of good quality, as do the lenses. In general I would say that externally it looks and feels like an excellent piece of equipment. In my Discovery 12.5" f/5 scope at 167x with my 19mm Panoptic barlowed, Saturn is an excellent sight with the broad rings and beige disk. The Cassini division was just easy to see. With the barlow I have been able to push the powers above 300x with decent results. Jupiter at 167x with my 19mm Panoptic barlowed is a beautiful sight with the four major moons ringing the planet and detail emerging on the disk, but 244x with my Hyperion 13mm barlowed on a night of good seeing is really something else. The disk of the planet shows tons of new detail. On nights of good seeing five bands are starkly visible with a few more near the poles becoming slightly visible. Above 300x the view starts to waver but with a precise touch on the focuser the image can be amazing. In any event the GRS has become a fairly easy target as well as the shadows of the moons when crossing in front of the planet. For its price this is an excellent barlow. The fit and finish are a class above what I had expected and the optical quality has easily exceeded my expectations. I you are in need of a decent barlow or require a short barlow, I would find it easy to recommend this one to anyone. Another plus is that the lens can be removed and screwed directly to an eyepiece to achieve 1.5X.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? YesSep 5, 2007Competes well with more expensive barlows
Pros:Cheap, compact size, good quality for price.
Cons:Lettering easily fades, no compression ring.
Comments:This barlow was one of my first accessories upon entering the hobby and has served me well throughout the years. It effectively doubled my eyepiece collection at a point in time when I really needed it.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
Much of the initial lettering has now faded on my unit. Whether this is proof of its cheap price or a testiment to its usefulness I'll leave up to the reader. However, I will add that performance of this barlow is still the same today as when I first bought it.
I sometimes find its smaller size preferable to using my larger and more expensive Ultrascopic barlow. I also prefer the more stream-lined set screw on the shorty. Larger set screws (such as the one on my Ultrascopic) can be hard to slide into the set screw groove of some combo 1.25"/2" eyepieces like the 14mm Meade UWA 4000.
Overall, a nice accessory to have whether you're new to the hobby or simply need a cheap but useful way to quickly double your eyepiece collection.Aug 31, 2007Orion 2x Shorty Barlow
Pros:Well built; Versatile; Removable lens cell.
Cons:None.
Comments:This 2x barlow has served me quite well for the last several years, and I've not rushed out to buy another. The benefits of a good barlow can't be denied. Your eyepiece collection is doubled, the focal length of the scope and ocular is increased, lending itself to sharper images, and eye relief is improved. And I discovered that I can unscrew the lens housing from the barrel and use it as an optical compensator on my Burgess binoviewers without the use of an extension tube.....a nice plus that works well with my C80ED refractor and William Optics diagonal.
Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
This is a 1.25" unit, with fully multicoated optics and is about 3" long, hence the name, "Shorty". I love this little barlow and will probably keep it even when moving up to a better unit. Highly recommended.Sort by
