Agood 3.5 eye piece

[vince 66]

I am looking for some help in choosing a 3.5 mm EP Or are the Televue 2-4 mm zoom eye pieces any good ?. I normaly stay clear of Barlows and zoom EP's . This ep will be for planets only so any suggestions would be appreciated I am leaning towards a TV zoom. I can't go for anything to big like a XW as I won't have room in my case and I want to keep my EP's to one case .

[Ben Ritchie]

Both TV Nagler zooms are excellent optically, and the ability to set the zoom to match conditions is a definite bonus. They're also very compact, and for owners of 'scopes in (roughly) the 500-1000mm focal length range they can provide an entire set of highest-power EPs in one unit.

Downsides are that the AFOV and eye relief are a touch limited - I found eye relief in particular a little problematic, although it's better with the eye guard folded down. At some focal lengths you may also find the highest-power settings wasted under general conditions, although it's awfully nice to have for those rare nights.

[John]

Hi Vince,

I used to use a Nagler Type 6 3.5mm as my highest power eyepiece - that worked really nicely and it's not too bulky either

[vince 66]

Yes John the 3.5 nagler is on the list I am off to ace cameras in the morning to hold the zooms and hopefully a 3.5 Nagler up to the light this should give me a good idea.

[vince 66]

Well it was the 3-6 Nagler zoom that won it in the end I'm not to botherd about eye relief as I do most of my observing with Ortho EP's. I just hope it is as good as every one says then I will be able to pull back some of the cost by selling my 5 and 6 mm BGO's there's not alot of eyepiece for the price so one can only asume that it is going to be very good oh and yes it did cloud over just after sun set.

[johninderby]

The Nagler 3-6 zoom is a great eyepiece. Just as good optically as the regular Naglers, and the only real compromise is the FOV. Some find the eye relief a bit tight but it never bothered me in the slightest.

John

[John]

That's a good choice Vince. I've owned a couple of 3-6mm Nagler zooms and they really do perform excellently. The zoom facility is really useful when finding out what the seeing conditions will allow.

[rightguard]

tmb clones are pretty good, should pick em up for ~30 s/h

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

And then there is the Ethos SX 3.7, not quite 3.5mm but reportedly outstanding. Haven't looked through one yet.

Only costs an arm and a leg .

[johninderby]

And then there is the Ethos SX 3.7, not quite 3.5mm but reportedly outstanding. Haven't looked through one yet.

Only costs an arm and a leg .

The ultimate lunar / high power planetary eyepiece. Not cheap but I never regretted buying mine. However it's not exactly the smallest eyepiece, but surprisingly not very heavy.

John

[MjrTom]

That's a good choice Vince. I've owned a couple of 3-6mm Nagler zooms and they really do perform excellently. The zoom facility is really useful when finding out what the seeing conditions will allow.

Yes thats one of the reasons I got this eyepiece in the first place

I am an avid fan of the 3-6mm EP, its my most used eyepiece in my case and is used with both my refractors

[John]

The ultimate lunar / high power planetary eyepiece. Not cheap but I never regretted buying mine. However it's not exactly the smallest eyepiece, but surprisingly not very heavy.

John

Lovely John

I have to "fake" mine by using the Antares 1.6x barlow lens with my 6mm Ethos

[astro_al]

I am a huge fan of the 3-6mm Nagler zoom. In fact it has seen off all of the fixed focal length EPs that I have owned in that range. It isn't as 'good' in my opinion as some of the better orthos that I have owned, however the difference was so minimal on most nights that the advantage of the zoom always won out. Can't see me ever parting with it.

[MjrTom]

It says a lot about this eyepiece that it very rarely comes up for sale on the used Market. If you buy one you never part with it

[johninderby]

I used to really like my Nagler 3 - 6 zoom, and I only sold it as the Ethos was that much sharper with more contrast that I hardly used the zoom any more. I could see detail with the Ethos that I simply couldn't make out with the zoom.

Having said that though I wouldn't mind getting another 3 - 6 zoom sometime for use in a travel scope as it's so small and light, and even though it was outclassed by the Ethos it's still an excellent eyepiece.

John

[vince 66]

Well looking at the sky I think tonight will be the night for first light of the 3-6 zoom hope im not dissappointed.

[MjrTom]

Hope it stays nice and clear for you

Let us know what you think

[vince 66]

I did get out for a few hours last night but the seeing was not good I could'nt even split the double double. I did try the zoom for a while and early indications are it's going to be a top eye piece I can't realy say alot more until I have given it a go under better conditions.