Lightweight replacement for Delos 6mm?

[osbourne one-nil]

My Delos 6mm, while a lovely eyepiece, is just too heavy for my Portaball. With few ways to counterbalance it, and with the eyepiece being very long anyway, I'm wondering if something more compact like a 7mm Nagler or a 6.7mm Meade Ultrawide would work better? Or even a 10-12mm eyepiece with a barlow?

Any advice gratefully received!

[Reeny]

I am always tempted to swap my 6mm Delos for two Explore Scientific 82-degree eyepieces (8.8mm and 6.7mm)

The 6.7mm would be much lighter for you, and offer a wider field of view.

I have the 11mm ES82 and it weighs in at 250g on the kitchen scales, compared to the Delos 495g.

It is shorter too.

Edit = £96 plus postage costs.

http://www.365astronomy.com/explore-scientific-82%C3%82%C2%B0-n2-eyepiece-67mm-125-p-3862.html

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

An EP with a barlow would often be heavier, I would guess. Depending on your need for eye relief, you could consider the Pentax XF8.5mm (bit longer FL, bit narrower FOV, very sharp and very light (150g)). If eye relief is not an issue, the Nagler T6 designs are lightweight options. Lightest of all would be orthoscopics, but the eye relief is very small, and the FOV much narrower

[swamp thing]

The 7mm Nagler is a superb eyepiece and if eye relief is not an issue i'd go for that. If eye relief is an issue i'd be on the look out for a second hand Radian. 

[alan potts]

One Nil,

The 7mm Nagler is lighter than the 6.7mm Meade UWA I have had both at the same time. As already stated the Nagler is a fine eyepiece and a fair bit less weight than the 6mm Delos though for me the Delos is a slightly better eyepiece. In the TeleVue family thare are no bad boys or girls just some a little better than others, alot of it is nothing more than personal taste..

The eyepiece range that Swamp Thing mentioned, Radians are very good as well and all have 20mm ER and there is a 6mm though difficult to aquire these days.

Alan

[spaceboy]

The 7mm Nagler is a superb eyepiece. I found it has a slight coffee tone to the stars but a superbly corrected eyepiece. As others have said if ER is an issue then maybe consider a radian but these aren't a small eyepiece and from memory my 6mm was heavier than my 7mm nag.

[Fozzie]

Watching this thread with interest as im looking for a similar EP at the moment (or contemplating a powermate to give me a range)

Would the Vixen 6mm SLV be a contender, smaller FOV but I believe its light and getting good reviews??

Just a thought!

Ta

Fozzie

[osbourne one-nil]

Thanks everyone! Eye relief isn't an issue as, while I've reached the age where my arms aren't quite long enough any more, at the scope, I'm fine. FOV is important to me - more so than magnification probably, so intrigued by the suggestions and particularly the ES which I hadn't considered.

[Paul73]

The SLV is a good call. But, as mentioned, the FOV seems claustrophobic compared to the Delos. Othewise, it is very comfy to use, a true lightweight (still feels well made) and heartily recommended.

For the 100x slot, I'd want something with a nice wide fov.

Paul

[Reeny]

The ES is 40% the price of a new Nagler.

I found the very last 5-10% near the edge of the 82^o lost sharp focus, and I needed to re-focuss slightly, or nudge back to centre.

When I say lost sharpness - I mean the striped banding on Jupiter started to blend.

On stars and Nebula, I can see no noticable difference near the edge.

Note: the last 10% in my 82 degrees is where the 70^o view of the Delos ends.

I like the Delos, but the ES pricing is just too good to ignore at the moment.

[Piero]

If you are happy with 82 degrees and relatively short eye-relief (12mm), I also think that a Nagler 7mm is a good choice as many other suggested. A Nagler 11mm is also light, but combining it with a barlow 1.25" weighs just a bit less than your Delos 6mm. 

A Nagler 12mm has a better eye relief, but weighs near your Delos6 too.. 

If you are NOT happy with 82 degrees, what about a Vixen SLV 6mm ? It has 20mm eye relief and weighs ~142g. John gave a review here in the case you are interested: http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/217971-vixen-slv-eyepiece-report-6mm-12mm-and-20mm/

Just another option. 

Piero

[John]

The Vixen SLV has the optical quality and weight that will fill the Delos shoes but the FoV is limited by comparison.

Another contender might be a 7mm Nirvana / UWAN which are very Nagler-like in performance. I do find 6mm a very useful focal length though myself and always like to have that focal length covered by at least one if not two options.

[rwilkey]

Thanks everyone! Eye relief isn't an issue as, while I've reached the age where my arms aren't quite long enough any more, at the scope, I'm fine. FOV is important to me - more so than magnification probably, so intrigued by the suggestions and particularly the ES which I hadn't considered.

The ES82 6.7mm is an outstanding ep, esp.on planets and Moon, also at a reasonable price, I got mine from TH, great service from them.

[smith]

Fujiyama 6mm : It is the one which get the more use in the set for my 1430 focal length instrument.

Tack sharp. ER not that inconfortable, easy to follow DSO at this power.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I am going to get an SLV 5mm shortly, I will compare it to the Delos 8 I have (bit of a gap, but on the 80mm F/6 scope it should be a decent comparison).

[John]

I am going to get an SLV 5mm shortly, I will compare it to the Delos 8 I have (bit of a gap, but on the 80mm F/6 scope it should be a decent comparison).

For what it's worth Michael, I found the SLV 6mm performed as well as the 6mm Baader GO which is about as good a 6mm as I've ever used. It's possible that the SLV's might be THE best long eye relief short focal length eyepieces around at the current time. A boon for those that wear glasses to observe and ortho type performance, comfort and, IMHO, a reasonable price, in one package

I've not used the 5mm but the 12.5mm and 20mm SLV's seem just as good as the 6mm.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

For what it's worth Michael, I found the SLV 6mm performed as well as the 6mm Baader GO which is about as good a 6mm as I've ever used. It's possible that the SLV's might be THE best long eye relief short focal length eyepieces around at the current time. A boon for those that wear glasses to observe and ortho type performance, comfort and, IMHO, a reasonable price, in one package

I've not used the 5mm but the 12.5mm and 20mm SLV's seem just as good as the 6mm.

Great praise indeed. I might get the 6 as well in that case

[Paul73]

I've got the 5mm & 6mm SLV's. The 5mm performs as well as the 6mm. They give 200x & 240x in my scope, so the 6mm gets a fair bit more use. They are very comfortable to use with the easy 3 click positions for the eye guard.

Paul