CrazyPanda

For extended objects, differences in magnification generally have no effect on contrast. Sky glow and the object itself both get dimmer at the same rate. However, the increased magnification usually aids in object visibility, so the object's perceived contrast may be higher. For example, M31 in my SQM 20.7 - 21.0 skies seems to exhibit variable contrast depending on magnification. Using a zoom, you can find some optimal balance of magnification and view brightness where the dust lanes seem to "pop". They go from being washed out to more visible as you zoom in. But then you get to a point where they start getting harder to see again because you've zoomed in too much. The same is true of targets like M1 and the Veil Nebula. As you increase magnification, they become easier to see and the brain is tricked into thinking the background got darker than the target did. That's not technically true, it just appears that way. This is why I'm a big proponent of having a broad selection of eyepieces, and/or a decent quality zoom. Just like with the planets you can dial in the right magnification for the night's conditions, having lots of focal lengths to choose from lets you dial in the right balance of magnification and view brightness for different extended objects.

I bought the 8mm and the 11mm. They are outstanding eyepieces. Pretty much the highest contrast eyepieces I've ever looked through. The 8mm bests my 8mm Ethos for sharpness, star size, contrast, light transmission, and focus snapiness but it's very hard to look through. The 11mm matches my 11mm DeLite in every respect except eye relief and FOV. The plossl has maybe the tiniest bit of contrast advantage over the DeLite on the moon, but it's likely due to the effects of the smaller apparent field of view (less volume of light entering the eye) rather than the quality of the eyepiece itself. The 11mm is also a bit hard to look through, but mainly because of the terrible thick rubber eyecups that TV includes on these units. You have to fold down the eyecup, but then the lens cap doesn't fit, so you're constantly having to fold and unfold the eyecup to look through it and put it away. I might just rip the eye guard off entirely since it serves no practical purpose. I recommend the 11mm Plossl as a minimum. Despite the quality of the 8, it's just not worth the next to zero eye relief and tiny FOV at its higher magnification. Since the DeLites seem to be every bit as sharp and contrasty as the Plossls, I strongly recommend going with DeLites for focal lengths below 11mm. Yes, they're more expensive, but are well worth it.