Mid power zoom EP recommendations

[Sirius Bizness]

After my latest viewing session I have come to the conclusion a zoom EP covering somewhere between 6-20mm would be really useful.

Can anyone who has experience with any zoom EPs make any recommendations?

I currently use my 12mm Nagler for mid power which I love. I wanted something at around 6-8mm and then at around 18mm. However I am flexible on what range the zoom covers. I don't want to compromise the quality of the views going to a zoom. I don't mind compromising on FOV and eye relief.

So far I have seen options from Baader and Pentax reviewed. I was leaning toward the Pentax as the views are in general regarded as better over Baader EPs on fixed focal lengths.

One thing I am not clear about is the best Petax zoom available. The XF has some good reviews but I have seen the XW is available and on fixed focal lengths the XW are highly regarded. Not seen any reviews about the XW zoom. Most sites selling the Pentax zooms suggest they are for spotting scopes? Is there a reason for this?

I am open to other recommendations. Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Martin

[alan potts]

If you want quality and it sounds as if you do I would look at the Pentax zoom 6.5mm-19.5mm that will cover most if not all of your needs.

I dont know of one that goes lower and still has above 20mm, the norm is 8-24, I have an Antares 8-5mm but these have a short range for you.

Alan

[Sirius Bizness]

Cheers Alan.

The two Pentax options are the XF 6.5-19.5mm and the XW 8-24mm. I am wondering if the XW is worth the higher price. To be honest I would prefer the higher power of the XF.

I can only see a Pentax XL zoon at FLO: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pentax/pentax-xl-8-24mm-zoom.html. Is this different to the XW?

I would appreciate some opinions on this compared to fixed focal length EPs.

I am surprised Tele Vue have not made a popular zoom EP in this range. The Tele Vue 8-24mm zoom is hard to find for sale anywhere.

[E621Keith]

Pentax has two zoom eyepieces and two spotting scope eyepiece series. The XF zoom is part of the 'budget' XF series and the SMC 8-24mm is considered part of the higher end series. When the SMC was released, Pentax's high end series was the XL, so the SMC zoom was called XL zoom. When XL was replaced by XW a few years ago, the zoom stayed, and people started calling the zoom the XW zoom. They are actually the same eyepiece, Pentax always called it SMC zoom. I heard XF zoom suffers from chromatic aberration and is said to be optically inferior to Baader Hyperion zoom.

The Televue 8-24mm is the same eyepiece as Meade and Vixen 8-24 zoom, but made to different standard. It was always consider inferior to the Baader, which is probably why they stop selling it when the Baader became widely available.

Zeiss 6.7-25.1mm zoom is the only zoom I know that starts at 6.X and finishes at 20+mm. APM Germany sells an adapted version of that, but it's not cheap (€700 each !!!).

http://www.apm-teles...ar-6.7-25.1-mm1

[alan potts]

Well there you go Keith has given you a fuller answer than me. I have only ever used the XF and I found that to be top class, I do have a great deal of quality Ep's and it pleased me. Though for budget as keith says it is still expensive.

Alan.

[Moonshane]

I had a TV 8-24mm zoom and sold it within 24 hours of purchase. I really did not like it.

The only other zoom I have experience of is the TV Nagler 6-3mm. This is a superb eyepiece and my main double star ocular providing 267-533x with my 6" f11. There's really no comparison for me between this and the other refrred to above. The only issue with this eyepiece is it may be a little high powered given your preferences (although I don't see why it would not be great with both your scopes), it has comfortable but short for some eye relief at 10mm and the field is 'narrow' at 50 degrees.

It's not an eyepiece I'll ever sell I don't think and if TV produced a similar 6-12mm version I'd be in the queue.

[Sirius Bizness]

Thanks for clearing that up Keith. I guess the Baader zoom might be the best option. No one has really recommended the XL zoom. If I go for the Baader option I will probably keep my other EPs. I was probably hoping for too much from a zoom EP. I doubt many people have tried the zeiss.

I really do like the sound of the Nagler 3-6 zoom. Seems like the advantage of having the zoom at the high power is very useful. Several people have recommended it. The price is a bit high new considering the use it will get. Even second hand they don't come up often for a reasonable price. Same with the Baader zoom actually. I guess that says a lot about what people think about them.

[Moonshane]

just noticed that for £239 you can get the Baader zoom with a dedicated barlow. this will give 3.5-24mm in 'one' eyepiece. might be a good option for travel use. never used it but lots like it.

[E621Keith]

Thanks for clearing that up Keith. I guess the Baader zoom might be the best option. No one has really recommended the XL zoom. If I go for the Baader option I will probably keep my other EPs. I was probably hoping for too much from a zoom EP. I doubt many people have tried the zeiss.

I really do like the sound of the Nagler 3-6 zoom. Seems like the advantage of having the zoom at the high power is very useful. Several people have recommended it. The price is a bit high new considering the use it will get. Even second hand they don't come up often for a reasonable price. Same with the Baader zoom actually. I guess that says a lot about what people think about them.

The reason Pentax 8-24 don't get recommended much is its price (£400 each). Most reviews found it to be slightly better than the Hyperion, but the difference is small and most can't justify the price difference. I bought mine used for about the same price as a new Hyperion zoom.

I've never use it, but a Hyperion zoom with the matched Hyperion zoom barlow sounds like a good choice for what you want to do.

[Astral Enigma]

I have an Opticstar XL Premium Zoom ) or that's what they used to call it!), 7.25mm-22.5mm. As far as I can tell, it could well come from the same factory as the Skywatcher Hyperflex 8E zoom - based upon its shape seeming to be identical, as is the font used on the gradations and text on it....

Whether it's any good I can't say, as I haven't compared it directly with anything else and having never had perfect seeing conditions I don't know whether what I'm seeing should have looked better than it sometimes does. But I will say a zoom is a useful thing to own, and at the 22.5mm end I can't really tell any difference compared to my bundled Celestron 25mm Plossls and at the 10mm point there isn't much difference to my 10mm Hyperion, in fact to my eyes the zoom often seems better.

But I'm seriously thinking of switching to the Pentax XL/SMC 8-24mm - what does anyone think? 

 

 

[GimmeAMoonlite]

For 300 quid there is a Pentax SMC zoom in the FLO Clearance section. Probably the best price you will get it for new.

[Astral Enigma]

1 minute ago, GimmeAMoonlite said:

For 300 quid there is a Pentax SMC zoom in the FLO Clearance section. Probably the best price you will get it for new.

Yes... that's what's got me thinking!! I must learn to stop thinking. It usually ends up being expensive.... :/

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The SW Hyperflex 7.5-22.5mm zoom is essentially the same as my William Optics Zoom II 7.5-22.5mm, which is my stalwart solar EP. It is very capable, has comfortable eye relief (bigger than most others at a generous 18.5-19 mm), and is pretty sharp. Yes, my Delos and Pentax XW EPs are just a touch sharper, and are even more comfortable, but the WO zoom is very decent indeed. The Pentax XF zoom has tight eye relief, which makes it unusable for me, the XL zoom does sound interesting

[Astral Enigma]

1 hour ago, michael.h.f.wilkinson said:

The SW Hyperflex 7.5-22.5mm zoom is essentially the same as my William Optics Zoom II 7.5-22.5mm, which is my stalwart solar EP. It is very capable, has comfortable eye relief (bigger than most others at a generous 18.5-19 mm), and is pretty sharp. Yes, my Delos and Pentax XW EPs are just a touch sharper, and are even more comfortable, but the WO zoom is very decent indeed. The Pentax XF zoom has tight eye relief, which makes it unusable for me, the XL zoom does sound interesting

Sounds like the Pentax XW and XL are one and the same thing if I correctly follow what was posted a dozen or so posts above... just a branding issue in different places/times...?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

All links I can find are to the XL. I have found no link showing an XW zoom

[Highburymark]

The Pentax XF zoom (6.5-19.5mm) is a very average performer at night - with noticeable CA - even on not particularly bright objects. Rule it out unless you want to use it for HA solar - it's a superb solar eyepiece and is all I use with my Lunt.

The only other Pentax zoom widely available now is the one you've been discussing, the XL 8-24 (although confusingly it's still referred to as XW by a couple of retailers). It's one of the very best zooms you could buy - though large and heavy. Until recently it was £400+ - but is currently £299 at FLO. If your mount can handle the weight, this is a bargain. 

By the way, most of these top class zooms were designed for spotting scopes - the birding market is much bigger than the stargazing market. I have the Leica zoom which is top drawer, but if the Pentax XL had been under £300 when I was buying, I'd have certainly considered it.

[Stu]

One thing to note with the Pentax vs Leica is the apparent field of view. The Pentax is 38 to 60 degrees, the Leica is 60 to 80 which makes a big difference. It was one of the things that drew me to it, plus the optical quality too obviously.

[Highburymark]

Good point Stu.  38 degrees is a bit meagre at a F/L when you most appreciate a wider view. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Still, an XL zoom plus MaxVision 24mm 68 deg would make a very versatile travel combo with my 80mm F/6 scope, especially if I add the 5mm SLV