The Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens is a fine investment for any astronomer who wants to enjoy twice as much magnification power as a telescope upgrade. For those who are just getting started with astronomy and are not familiar with the term, Barlow lenses are telescope accessories (that can be a 2X, 3X, 4X or 5X Barlow lens) that can extend the focal length of telescopes, as well as other optical instruments. The most popular variety is the second kind like the 2x Barlow lens Orion manufactures. According to Amazon, the Orion Short Barlow Lens is the best Barlow lens for sale on this platform, with a #1 spot in this category. The Orion Shorty 1.25 inch 2x Barlow lens offers a great telescope eyepiece boost for any 1.25 eyepiece for telescopes, such as the Orion XT8 telescope.
Why would you be interested in telescope power boost through astronomy accessories like the Orion Shorty eyepiece upgrade 2x Barlow lens? Well, you have to be aware of the immense distance between yourself and the celestial objects you plan on observing and also the fact that the telescope magnifying power won’t take you that far. Barlow lens advice from advanced astronomers stress upon the fact that the best Barlow lens accessories on the market will completely transform your viewing experience through crisp, clear and quality images. But what makes the Orion Shorty eyepiece boost sell more than other Barlow lenses on the market, such as the 2x Barlow lens Celestron manufactures? You’ll find all the information you need about the Orion Short Plus Barlow lens in our full review below, including the pros and cons of Orion contact lenses, where you can find the Orion Barlow lens for sale and additional information about the Orion Shorty zoom boost that will definitely help you in making your buying choice.
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What is the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens?
To start off, it’s best if you get a complete presentation of the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens so you can understand the accessory we will be talking about. It is a Barlow lens that provides 2x magnification, meaning that you basically have the features of twice as many eyepieces as you own already.
It features multi-coated optics, a convenient design and computability with eyepieces built by Orion. One of its nicest features is that it is highly compact (hence the name ‘Shorty’), at a mere three inches long. This means that the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens is only half as long as most Barlow lenses on the market and it weighs just 0.2 pounds and can fit in the palm of your hand. Astronomers with a bit of experience will know how essential this aspect is, as carrying around a telescope for observing in various places is tiring as it is.
How does the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens work? All you have to do is slip the Barlow in the slot of your eyepiece and then your eyepiece into the Barlow lens. The feedback regarding the Orion Shorty is almost overwhelming – customers have openly expressed their praise for this Barlow lens in detailed comments, describing the enhanced observing experience in detail. However, all products – even if they are the best-selling in their class – have their downsides in addition to their upsides, so get full details about this below.
Pros and Cons to Using the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens
PROS:
- Quality – for its incredibly low price, the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens represents a wonderful value. It provides vivid images of planets that have led to countless positive reviews from even the pickiest of customers on Amazon.
- Price – as we mentioned before, the price is very low. If you get the Shorty on Amazon, you’ll pay just $47 and you’ll also get free shipping on top.
- Reputation – not only is Orion celebrated as a reliable manufacturer optical instruments, but the Shorty has almost a flawless online reputation. Its average customer rating is 4.6 out of 5 stars, meaning that an amazing 75% of customers awarded the product with full five stars.
- Versatility – the Orion Shorty will work with any telescope that uses a 1.25 inch eyepiece, no matter what brand it is made by. It is compact and easy to use for astronomers of all levels.
- Customer Service – you know that a company does a great job of communicating with their customers when even a critical review describes how amazing their customer service is. Even though this pro is not directly connected to the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens, it is one of the benefits of working with Orion for getting telescopes and accessories.
CONS:
- Deep Sky Targets – the Shorty has such exceptional feedback that it’s difficult to find any cons to go with it in the first place. The only minor (and we really mean minor) downside is that it won’t be useful if you want to view deep sky objects. However, this is a general rule of thumb when observing such targets, as they require low power magnification. In the end, it is not a con that is strictly about the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens.
Where to find the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens?
The best place to buy the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens is on Amazon. You’ll have access to all the customer reviews we told you about and you’ll also get an awesome deal for this telescope accessory. The normal price for it is usually around $48, but sometimes you can find it on sale for just $44. Also, customer service from both Amazon and Orion won’t let you down.
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Extra Info:
Maintenance Advice
As with any other optical instrument or related accessory, it is best if you stored the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens in a safe, dry place, such as your accessory case. The Shorty is durable and all, but you shouldn’t try to push its limits.
Accessories
You will need any 1.25 inch eyepiece to use with the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens. Some customers have additionally purchased a moon filter from the same manufacturer in order to see this celestial object.
Warranty and Guarantee Information
While clear warranty information isn’t stated on Amazon, you can request any details on this subject by sending an email to warrantyquestions@amazon.com. If you do so, make sure that you include the complete product title and the link to the product’s page.
Customer Feedback
As you have noticed, customer feedback is without a doubt positive when it comes to the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens. There are very few critical reviews, and even these have mostly a 3 star rating, pointing out very small details that won’t affect your purchase.
Our Recommendation
To put it in a nutshell, the Orion 08711 Shorty 1.25 Inch 2x Barlow lens is probably the best Barlow lens you can find on the market. Its quality-price ratio, as well as its other features, gives beginner astronomers every reason to take it into consideration when choosing boosted magnification. Don’t forget that you will be saving a lot of money on additional eyepieces by getting an accessory like this one.
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