Explore Scientific 1.25" 5x Focal Extender / Barlow # FE05-125

Our #: OBAR-ES-FE05-125
Mfg #: FE05-125
Our Price: $199.99
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Quick Overview

Explore Scientific 1.25" 5x 4-element focal extender # FE05-125 with compression ring.

  • Provides excellent control of chromatic and spherical aberration, and a flatter field-of-view compared to standard barlows.
  • Fully multi-coated.
  • Lens edges and all internal metal surfaces are blackened to maximize image contrast.
  • Tapered 1.25" barrel for safety. Includes one dust plug and one end cap.
  • Comes in a beautiful foam-padded box.

Product Details

Increase Your Magnification Without Sacrificing Magnification Factor or Eye Relief

A Focal Extender does exactly what the name implies; it extends the effective focal length of the lens that it is used in conjunction with, thus producing higher magnifications for imaging and visual applications.

Focal extenders are similar to a Barlow or tele-negative lens, but there is one important difference between the two that you will want to take into consideration, especially if you plan to use the Explore Scientific Focal Extender for imaging and astro-photography.

When you use a standard Barlow or tele-negative lens to increase the magnification of your optical system, your results will be dependent on where you place the Barlow in the optical chain. For instance, if you put a 2x Barlow lens in front of your diagonal instead of behind it (Barlow-Diagonal-Eyepiece as opposed to Diagonal-Barlow-Eyepiece), you won't get 2x magnification in both set-ups. The magnification varies with placement. However, with an Explore Scientific Focal Extender, even if the distance is changed, the magnification remains the same. You can place your Focal Extender anywhere along the optical chain between an eyepiece or a camera, and if you are supposed to get 2x magnification, you will get 2x magnification.

When it comes to imaging, this is a critical difference, because you may want to introduce an accessory like a flip mirror or filter wheel in between the Focal Extender and a CCD camera, which would increase the distance to the focused image. This difference in design allows users to rest easy, whether they are pumping up the magnification of a lower power eyepiece for visual observations or using their Explore Focal Extender in imaging applications.

Explore Scientific Focal Extender Highlights

  • More Magnification Choices without Sacrificing Eye Relief: A good Focal Extender adds some real versatility to your telescope accessory line-up. First of all, it allows you to increase the magnification of any eyepiece with the same barrel size that you already own. In other words, 3 eyepieces offer 6 magnification choices with the addition of a focal extender. Secondly, most of the time, lower magnification eyepieces have better eye relief than higher power models. When using a focal extender to increase your magnification, you get to enjoy the generous eye relief of the lower power eyepiece, and that's quite a bonus, especially for eyeglass wearers or for those with fast telescopes who can really push high magnification eyepieces. Remember, we make focal extenders in 2X, 3X and 5x models, so there is something for every style of telescope.
  • Optimized Optical Design: Explore Focal Extenders are optimized through each design, fabrication, and testing process to produce high contrast, high resolution images.
  • Durable EMD Coatings & Finishing Touches: Each of the four elements in your Explore Scientific Focal Extender is fully multi-coated with EMD (Enhanced Multi-Layer Deposition) enhanced coatings, resulting in bright, sharp images. And like Explore Scientific eyepieces, the lenses are edge-blackened to eliminate internal light scatter. When you add a high quality focal extender to your optical chain, the entire optical package is optimized for the highest light transmission and contrast, and will deliver crisp, clean images to your eyepiece or imaging system.
  • Tapered Barrel for Extra Security: The insert barrel of each extender is double-tapered to allow smooth insertion to, and removal from, a telescope's eyepiece holder, focuser or diagonal, however the wide dimension of the taper helps prevent the focal extender from falling out of the telescope should the set-screw holding it in place become loose.


Producing optics for amateur astronomers that can be relied upon to deliver research-quality images requires a solid design, careful fabrication, multiple tests, and continued diligence to make sure we are always doing everything we can to produce a cutting edge, quality product. This is what we do at our facilities at Explore Scientific, and to insure your satisfaction, we back each eyepiece with the Explore STAR Transferrable, Extended Life of the Product Warranty, so you can keep exploring!

Key Specifications:

  • Total height = 4.05" / 102.8mm
  • Length of 1.25" nosepiece = 1.22" / 31.0mm
  • Weight = 9.2oz / 261g
  • Clear lens aperture = 0.30" / 7.6mm
  • Made in China

Other Information

  • Country of Manufacture: China
Size Format 1.25 inch
Magnification Factor 5x
Number of Lens Elements 4
Lens Coatings Fully multicoated
Total Length 4.05 inches / 102.8 mm
Length of Nosepiece 1.22 inches / 31 mm
Outside Length of Upper Body 2.83 inches / 71.9 mm
Insertion Depth 1.61 inches / 41 mm
Max Diameter Excluding Thumbscrew 2.42 inches / 61.4 mm
Clear Aperture 0.3 inches / 7.6 mm
Weight 9.2 oz / 261 g
Barlow Lens Cell Removable No
Filter Threads at Bottom of Barlow Cell Yes - 1.25" (M28.5x0.6) Filter Threads
Filter Threads Between Barlow Cell and Tube N/A
Barrel Type Tapered barrel
Compatible Agena Bolt Case (with Screw Removed) 52x80
Compatible Bolt Case (with Screw Attached) 65x80
Number of Thumbscews 1
Thumbscrew Thread Specification Coming Soon
End Caps (Subject to change without notice) 2
Compression Band/Ring in Eyepiece Holder Yes
Country of Manufacture China