Skywatcher Aeros - 40mm and 30mm v Meade 5000 and Panaview 32mm

[earth titan]

I've not seen a lot of reviews related to these eyepieces so I thought I would post my findings for others to ponder over. My experience is limited to medium quality eyepieces (never looked through the green and black as I can't afford to).

I picked the 40mm up secondhand and the 30mm was a new one purchased from Scopes and Skies. They have been purchased primarily to be used in the obsy in a 200mm SCT for DSO work but will also have to double up for deep sky work in the dob.

For comparison purposes,

• Aeros are 40mm and 30mm with a 68 degree FOV.
  
• 32mm Skywatcher Panaview 70 degree.
  
• 32mm Meade 5000 Plossl 60 degree.
  

At £120 to £130 new, the Aeros they fit into what I think of as medium quality and as such, should outperform the Panaview which is arund £80. But the Aeros are about the same price as the Meades when they were newly released so should be comparible.

The report will be in a number of sections as I'm going to be trying them in 2 very different scopes so you'll have to wait until we get a good spell for me to get the LB out to a dark sky site:

• an 8" Meade SCT at F10
  
• a 16" Lightbridge at F4.5
  

Firstly build:

There is nothing flash about the Aero. Both have screw out eyecups and plenty of weight to them, but they lack the nice chrome bits you get on the Meade so 1st impressions are subdued. They are very workmanlike in appearance but in no way horrible.

Interestingly the 40mm which is older has fewer manufacturers markings and matches those shown in publicity shots from Skywatcher. The 30mm has a few more markings but other than that they look much the same.

I've now sold the Panaview so can't show a picture of that but it was similar to the Aeros - workmanlike.

In use in the SCT

Not exactly a tough test for an EP as the scope if F10, but nonetheless the comparison will still be useful.

The Panaview is a very capable eyepiece but comparing it with the Aero, it is clear the Aero is a different beast in terms of light transmission. With the Aero, more stars were visible from my back garden obsy.

As a test I used 'Kembles Cascade' and ranked the eyepieces in the following order for light transmission (stars I could see in the cascade):

1. Aeros
   
2. Meade
   
3. Panaview
   

I then used all three to look at M76 (very faint with my 200mm scope from my garden obsy - always a good test). And again, the same order applied:

1. Aeros
   
2. Meade
   
3. Panaview (not visible)
   

Colour again followed the same order:

1. Aeros and Meade - no noticeable difference
   
2. Panaview
   

Ease of use again showed the Aeros and Panaviews as good eyepieces. All three have excellent eyecups and do all that is required. I did find the Meade kept 'blacking out' and was very sensitive to eye position so ranking this time:

1. Aeros
   
2. Panaview (not visible)
   
3. Meade
   

Verdict so far?

The Aero is the best of the three in the SCT. If it wasn't for the blacking out, the Meade would be a good alternative - just not quite as good.

The next step will be to test them in the LB. I've since sold the Panaview but took notes when I used it v the Meade so will be able to provide an objective comparison. Come on weather.....

[John]

Good report Tom

I've liked the Aero ED's that I've used - the 30mm and 40mm. Lightweight too, for 2" eyepieces.

I'm looking forward to part 2 .......

[paul schofield]

Nice write up Tom. I um'd and ah'd between the Panaview and the Aero for a while, went for the Aero 30mm. Totally agree with your findings regarding these excellent eyepieces. I find the Aero quite light for a 2inch ep, very light in fact, when compared to say my Meade 5000 24mm swa. Look forward to your follow up report.

Paul.

[swamp thing]

Nicely written report Tom.

Very interesting about the light transmission.

[andrew63]

A nice report Tom - will be very useful to many as these are the types of lens that people consider when moving into wide field. I used the meade 32 and a hyperion 31 and found both soft in the outer field at F7 so put me off a bit trying an aero. The meade 34 was however excellent to the edge but big around 900g!

andrew