Tele Vue 5X Powermate image amplifier for 1.25" eyepieces

$228.01

Availability: In stock

If you must wear glasses while observing, and you're looking for an ultra high power Barlow to get high magnifications from your favorite long focal length/long eye relief eyepieces, look no further than this 5x Powermate. While not technically a Barlow, this unique new 4-lens image amplifier performs the same functions, but at a higher level of optical correction.

Barlow lenses have a n . . .


Our Product #: 7650T
TeleVue Product #: PMT-5126
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Product Description

If you must wear glasses while observing, and you're looking for an ultra high power Barlow to get high magnifications from your favorite long focal length/long eye relief eyepieces, look no further than this 5x Powermate. While not technically a Barlow, this unique new 4-lens image amplifier performs the same functions, but at a higher level of optical correction.

Barlow lenses have a negative power that diverges field rays, lengthening the effective focal length of the telescope and increasing the magnification. If Barlows are made too short or with too much magnification, the diverging rays can cause severe vignetting and image degradation in eyepieces due to mismatched pupils.

The Powermate is a 4-element parfocal compact amplifying lens system that consists of a negative achromatic doublet (a Barlow) plus a positive "pupil-correcting" doublet. While it looks and functions like a Barlow, your eyepieces will operate with pupil locations where the eyepiece designer intended, avoiding vignetting and mismatch problems with wide field eyepieces. The Powermate optimally mates its power to your eyepieces.

It is fully multicoated, with blackened lens edges and internal antireflection threading for excellent contrast. Its barrel is threaded for standard 1.25" filters. There's an undercut safety groove in the barrel that helps hold the Powermate in place should the focuser thumbscrew accidentally loosen. A non-marring brass clamp ring (with a captive thumbscrew that can't be lost in the field) holds your eyepieces securely in place. The Powermate has a 3.8" length and a short chrome barrel that allows it to be used in star diagonals.

This TeleVue is parfocal with TeleVue Plössls below 32mm in focal length, so you won't have to do any major refocusing as you change from an eyepiece alone to an eyepiece/Powermate combination. It is optically corrected down to f/4 for use with fast f/ratio reflectors, but will provide excellent performance with any telescope type or focal ratio. It is parfocal with the 1.25" diagonal of the TeleVue Ranger for quick power changes during terrestrial observing.

The chrome barrel containing the Powermate's optics can be removed from the black eyepiece holder section and used for lunar and terrestrial photography with close coupling cameras or CCD imagers. It is particularly useful for increasing the photographic magnification with short focal length refractors. An optional T-ring adapter, 81PMT, is needed to connect the chrome optical portion of the Powermate to a camera or CCD imager.

Tech Details

Barrel Size 1.25"
Length 3.8"
Number of optical elements 4
Power 5x
Weight 6 oz
Warranty 5 years

Reviews

Review by:
I bought this focal extender to be used with my 8" F5 Newtonian, the quality is amazing, and the magnification is to die for really, Tele Vue really does know how to make their products nicely, happy with this product. (Posted on 10/31/2019)
Review by:
I bought this as my first big investment into Astronomy. I bought this for visual use at first with my Celestron 6se but have used it for planetary captures and astrophotography at times. Keep in mind if you dont have super clean optics you will find that you see a lot more dust\ with this thing as its super zoomed in. Recommend this highly to anyone looking for a great quality part for visual or astrophotography purposes. (Posted on 1/14/2019)
Review by:
The 5x requires a large aperture scope to get enough light for imaging the dimmer planets. Its optically excellent! (Posted on 12/31/2018)
Review by:
Much clearer than a barlow. It does not dim the view much at all. (Posted on 12/29/2018)
Review by:
The TeleVue Powermate was one of the best purchases I have ever made in this hobby. Excellent for high-power planetary viewing. Amazing optics. Much better than a standard barlow. On good nights this was indispensable for planetary viewing thru a refractor or a cassegrain. No matter what scope you have, if you need that extra ooomph, this will be a fine addition to your arsenal. A must have in my opinion. (Posted on 12/3/2018)
Review by:
I have gotten very satisfying results used photographically to increase the EFL of my telescope.
(Using a refractor for solar system imaging).
I can't comment on visual performance. Based on my experience with a 2.5X Powermate for visual, however, I would probably recommend using an eyepiece with 1/5 the FL, rather than Powermating a longer FL EP. (Posted on 11/26/2018)
Review by:
I bought this primarily for prime focus astrophotography with my DSLR, and it certainly worked for Jupiter. I'm just a beginner in astrophotography, so the 5x on my 180mm f/15 mak-cass was overkill. The image still came out well enough for me to do some processing and make Jupiter look respectable. For just viewing with an eyepiece, 5x is too much for most of my 1.25" eyepieces, but I have fun pushing the limits of the eyepieces. I'll be using it next to image Mars with an 80mm apo triplet, so I'm glad I have the 5x Powermate as an option for imaging. (Posted on 11/15/2018)
Review by:
Yes, the PowerMates are a bit on the pricey side ... but boy do they perform! Very happy with the images of Mars this allowed my to capture during this year's opposition, and it also comes in handy for high-power star tests of collimation. (Posted on 10/18/2018)
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