Nagler V Ethos value for money?

[sirmetin]

In a low cost reflector there is one finished surface and most of the cost of the scope will be in that surface. In a quality EP there is anything from 8 to 12 optical surfaces to make a good one it will be expensive you could look at the scope as the back half of the horse and the EP as the front so a 50/50 expenditure is not unreasonable the only problem is that as you make each horse up you need another front even though you keep using the same rear end.

This is confusing enough for you to be able to convince your other half that each EP needs to cost as much as your scope!!

[RikM]

In a low cost reflector there is one finished surface and most of the cost of the scope will be in that surface. In a quality EP there is anything from 8 to 12 optical surfaces to make a good one it will be expensive you could look at the scope as the back half of the horse and the EP as the front so a 50/50 expenditure is not unreasonable the only problem is that as you make each horse up you need another front even though you keep using the same rear end.

This is confusing enough for you to be able to convince your other half that each EP needs to cost as much as your scope!!

love it

There are other things to consider than just the quality of the view. I suspect Nagler / Ethos eyepieces would give a slightly better view than my Pentax XW's. I could have bought any of these types, but chose the Pentax because they were available in the focal lengths I wanted and had the long eyerelief and 70° aFOV that I prefer.

[John]

... I suspect Nagler / Ethos eyepieces would give a slightly better view than my Pentax XW's. I could have bought any of these types, but chose the Pentax because they were available in the focal lengths I wanted and had the long eyerelief and 70° aFOV that I prefer.

When I borrowed a Pentax XW 10mm from FLO I was able to compare it with my 9mm Nagler Type 6. Despite being a big fan of the Naglers I concluded that the XW had slightly better light transmission as well as the more comfortable eye relief. It was a gem of an eyepiece

[Damo636]

love it

There are other things to consider than just the quality of the view. I suspect Nagler / Ethos eyepieces would give a slightly better view than my Pentax XW's. I could have bought any of these types, but chose the Pentax because they were available in the focal lengths I wanted and had the long eyerelief and 70° aFOV that I prefer.

I think the Nagler/Ethos would only provide a wider fov. Optically i doubt if either would give better views than an XW. I haven't looked through one but by all accounts they are a fantastic eyepiece.

[Damo636]

Too slow, again!

[RikM]

The XW's are awesome EP's but I haven't done a side by side. Some reviews suggest that edge correction is better in the TV than the XW. I have looked through a few Naglers and the view is very good but I don't like the 82° field and shorter eyerelief of the T6. Yet to have the Ethos experience though.

[Damo636]

Personally i find the Ethos easier to use than the Nagler T6's. The extra 3mm of eye relief really made the difference for me to the extent i would describe it as comfortable. With the rubber eyecup folded down i am aware of the fieldstop with averted vision without my eyelashes contacting the lens. It is literally like looking out of a spaceship window, almost as if the eyepiece isn't even there. The T6's are fantastic eyepieces but i never got the buzz i get from the Ethos each time i use them. I only wish i could afford the 21mm as it is considered by many as the jewel in the crown.

[Adz]

Personally i find the Ethos easier to use than the Nagler T6's. The extra 3mm of eye relief really made the difference for me to the extent i would describe it as comfortable. With the rubber eyecup folded down i am aware of the fieldstop with averted vision without my eyelashes contacting the lens. It is literally like looking out of a spaceship window, almost as if the eyepiece isn't even there. The T6's are fantastic eyepieces but i never got the buzz i get from the Ethos each time i use them. I only wish i could afford the 21mm as it is considered by many as the jewel in the crown.

Damo have you seen this one?

U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

[Doug]

Hi Rob

IMHO I think buy the best now and save money

There is not many people that stick to the eyepieces they purchased years ago they all billed up to better eyepieces and as eyepeices are going up every few years like Televue did last year you will save money in the long run

I start with the Meade 4000 and they are a nice eyepiece with a 52*FOV and whilst i was at a star party I looked though a Meade 5000 82*FOV my word was WOW that fantastic so I purchased a 18mm UWA then I looked through a Televue Nagler

so then,,,,you know were this is going so buy the best now and you will be all sent for the future That's my thoughts on it

let us all know what you buy we love to be nosey

Doug

Essex UK

[aa6ww]

The Ethos are just wider, they aren't any better than the naglers out to 82 degrees. I've use them all, and the Exploorer Scientifics. If you want more field of view, the ethos or ES make more sense. Ive noticed however, you have to force yourself to look around the glass to see those extra 18 deg field of view. If you have the money and want to spend the extra on them, then its all good. They do add a touch more Luxury to the view even if you don't use the extra field of view. Its like a big car, the extra size is nice sometimes.

They seem to be equally nice on my SCT's and both Achro refractors and APO's I own, so overall, they are nice. If I had the extra money, Id own them all, but still hold onto my 26 and 31 nagler and 41 pan. By stating that, it says I like them better, but again, its because of the luxury of the wider field of view. If I can go wider than my 41 Pan, Id get one in a heart beat, but till that happens, I'm good with the naglers. The ES are just as nice visually, and cost considerably less. Ive done some pretty extensive teasting and reported on 3 of the ES and they are identical to similarly size Ethos. All are very nice in my 7" TMB, my TOA my C14 and TSA, and even my wide field achros.

...Ralph

[johninderby]

The Ethos are just wider, they aren't any better than the naglers out to 82 degrees. I've use them all, and the Exploorer Scientifics. If you want more field of view, the ethos or ES make more sense. Ive noticed however, you have to force yourself to look around the glass to see those extra 18 deg field of view. If you have the money and want to spend the extra on them, then its all good. They do add a touch more Luxury to the view even if you don't use the extra field of view. Its like a big car, the extra size is nice sometimes.

They seem to be equally nice on my SCT's and both Achro refractors and APO's I own, so overall, they are nice. If I had the extra money, Id own them all, but still hold onto my 26 and 31 nagler and 41 pan. By stating that, it says I like them better, but again, its because of the luxury of the wider field of view. If I can go wider than my 41 Pan, Id get one in a heart beat, but till that happens, I'm good with the naglers. The ES are just as nice visually, and cost considerably less. Ive done some pretty extensive teasting and reported on 3 of the ES and they are identical to similarly size Ethos. All are very nice in my 7" TMB, my TOA my C14 and TSA, and even my wide field achros.

...Ralph

I have to disagree. After using and comparing the most of the Naglers and Ethos eyepieces the Ethos are sharper with more contrast. A really noticeable difference. Also they have a higher light transmission than the Naglers so you get a brighter image. For example while observing the crater Plato some small cratelets that were barely discernible in the Nagler became proper craters in the Ethos at the same mag. The FOV of the Ethos is irrelevant to me, it's the quality of the views that impress me the most.

John

[Damo636]

Damo have you seen this one?

U.K. Astronomy Buy & Sell

Yep, seen it Adam but unfortunately my astro fund is completely depleted for the forseeable future

[Damo636]

The Ethos are just wider, they aren't any better than the naglers out to 82 degrees. I've use them all, and the Exploorer Scientifics. If you want more field of view, the ethos or ES make more sense. Ive noticed however, you have to force yourself to look around the glass to see those extra 18 deg field of view.

...Ralph

I would also have to disagree with this. I moved from Nagler's t6's and Panoptics to the Ethos and the first thing that struck me was not the huge fov but the sharpness and neutral tone of image it produced. The contrast is also noticeably higher with the Ethos. Going back to the op's question i would say the Nagler is better value for money but in my not very experienced opinion the Ethos are a step up again optically. None of these expensive eyepiece's will disappoint though as they are all at the top of their game.

[John]

I would also have to disagree with this. I moved from Nagler's t6's and Panoptics to the Ethos and the first thing that struck me was not the huge fov but the sharpness and neutral tone of image it produced. The contrast is also noticeably higher with the Ethos. Going back to the op's question i would say the Nagler is better value for money but in my not very experienced opinion the Ethos are a step up again optically. None of these expensive eyepiece's will disappoint though as they are all at the top of their game.

I'm another who has taken the Nagler to Ethos journey and agree with both Damo and Johninderby - there is a lot more to the the Ethos range than just the larger field of view.

[spaceboy]

Again I don't want to bang on about it but as I said earlier in reply to the OP's question I do feel you have to take in to consideration what you scope has to offer before you go spunking ££££'s on premium EP's. TV fans go chewing at the bit as soon as a negative or perceived as negative comment is made towards Pans, Nags and Ethes with out taking the whole picture into consideration.

For example

A Tele Vue 24mm Panoptic produces a fantastic view in a Sky-Watcher 130P. Should the scope owner deny themselves this view because the scope is "unworthy"?

Yes you are correct GB you will get a significant improvement with the £235 24 PAN in the £157 130P newt but is that improvement any where near the improvement that would be seen in a £271 200P ?? This is where I was questioning where an eager astronomer has to ask the question is my Budget scope really going to get the value out the EP. In the scenario you described would it not have been better to have spent the £235 on or towards a better scope and the £157 on one or two EP's ??

I have always doubted my choice of EP's for the same reason. Sure I get better correction to the views in my 10" dob due to TV EP's but they're not going to show me anything more impressive than what a cheap set of TMB clone would in a 14" dob.

My reply was in regards to the question the OP asked but they seem to have left us to guess to what scope they have.

But as I said and I respect the fact that it's

Just my opinion and I'm sure many would disagree.