William Optics SPL or Tele Vue Radian ?

[John]

I'm in the market for a decent quality 3mm eyepiece.

It won't get used as much as some of my others as conditions will need to be excellent but I'd like the option of that "6th gear" none the less

Has anyone compared the William Optics SPL 3mm with a TV Radian 3mm ?.

I'm sure both are excellent within their price bands but I'm wondering if the additional £'s are worth finding for the Tele Vue.

Thanks

[NGC 1502]

Hi John, not exactly what you have asked for but this link http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=1718 is a review of the WO SPL 3mm and has a comparison with barlowed TVs etc., so may be of some help perhaps.

I'm a Radian fan myself, it's probably a safe bet, if you don't mind paying the extra.

Regards, Ed.

[John]

Thanks Ed

I'll have a look at that. I tend to feel that a Radian is a "safe bet" too but I'm wondering how close the WO SPL would press it. The eyepiece won't get a lot of use so I don't want to invest extra £'s without a reasonably good reason.

[faulksy]

I'm in the market for a decent quality 3mm eyepiece.

It won't get used as much as some of my others as conditions will need to be excellent but I'd like the option of that "6th gear" none the less

Has anyone compared the William Optics SPL 3mm with a TV Radian 3mm ?.

I'm sure both are excellent within their price bands but I'm wondering if the additional £'s are worth finding for the Tele Vue.

Thanks

that must be a first john you asking for advice rather than giving it

[alan potts]

John,

I have run this question over and over in my mind myself. WO 3mm or Radiain. You like me would not use it a great deal and because of this I still have not covered this F/L.

I keep thinking Radian because I know we both come down on the side of quality. I have another idea and that is buy a 6mm Delos and use our powermates.

Alan.

[ollypenrice]

I have a 4mm Radian. The thing is that, even though you may not use the three very often, you will use it for exctracting a maximum of detail at high power. That's exactly when TV quality stands up to be counted...

I admit to being rather indifferent to WO as a firm so I might well be biased. They do produce some bad stuff (and some good) but TV get things right.

Olly

[DirkSteele]

I have another idea and that is buy a 6mm Delos and use our powermates.

I love both my Delos and Radian EPs, and have always been impressed with the extra little details and contrast they deliver over lesser EPs. Obviously even more money that the Radian, but the whole line up of Delos EPs which includes very short focal length (including a 3.5mm) are about to launch in the UK. David Nagler is visiting us at the BSIA in a couple of weeks and I am hoping he might bring some samples to try out.

[John]

Thanks for all the feedback folks. If I'm going to invest around £200 the Powermate option might be worth thinking about further although I'm a little wary of the weight issue as my 6mm is an Ethos. Perhaps I'll try a wanted advert for a 3mm Radian and see what comes up - there may well be folks who have one but find it's used to little to want to keep it.

Olly's point about not compromising on optical quality at high powers chimes with me too

[Moonshane]

Another option is a wanted ad for the WO 3mm and if you get one (presumably for about £45-50) and you like it then you've saved some cash. If you don't then it will sell well I'd think. Personally though I'd just go for the Radian.

[John]

Another option is a wanted ad for the WO 3mm and if you get one (presumably for about £45-50) and you like it then you've saved some cash. If you don't then it will sell well I'd think. Personally though I'd just go for the Radian.

Thats the great thing about buying decent quality used equipment - if it does not quite suit then you can usually recoup your investment

[Moonshane]

too true John. I hardly ever buy new nowadays. the last thing of any note I bought new was my 26mm Nagler when the 20% discount was on. This was bought at a used price (now) though!

[John]

Of course a 3-6mm Tele Vue Nagler zoom would be another option ........

[Moonshane]

if it came to a choice of a powermated ethos vs a 3-6mm zoom then I'd have the zoom personally.

or

ok I cheated a bit with the scopes but you get my drift.

[John]

........ok I cheated a bit with the scopes but you get my drift.

Yep

[Damo636]

Pentax XW5/Antares 1.6X Barlow=3.125mm

Sorted

[John]

Pentax XW5/Antares 1.6X Barlow=3.125mm

Sorted

Another idea to think about. Thanks Damo

[DirkSteele]

Of course a 3-6mm Tele Vue Nagler zoom would be another option ........

I have the Nagler 3-6mm Zoom (one of my EPs when I travel abroad - cuts down on the weight substantially). We tested the Nagler Zoom against a range of EPs sometime ago at the BSIA and it matched/outperformed virtually every fixed focal length EP that was thrown at it. The only thing I would say, is when you have become use to Panoptic/Delos/Nagler/ethos fields of view, it does feel a bit restrictive.

[Mark at Beaufort]

John I know that you have used a 3mm-6mm Nagler zoom in the past and to be honest I really think it would be your best option. I had a Nagler 5mm and thought long and hard whether to buy the 3.5mm Nagler. However, I felt it would not be used that often so I went for the Nagler zoom. I never regretted that decision and the quality is certainly as good as the prime EPs - IMHO.

About 6 months ago I bought this little barlow for my binoviewers and decided to screw it into my Ethos 8mm - well I was really surprised at the view. You could try this a cheap alternative on your 6mm Ethos giving you a 3.75mm and keeping the 100 degree FOV and the eyelief. Also not really a weight problem either. If we meet up sometime you could try it out if you are not in a major hurry.

http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/astro-engineering/barlow/astrophotography/AC555.html

Mark

[Charic]

Old topic I know, but did you ever get the chance with the 3mm SPL ?

[John]

46 minutes ago, Charic said:

Old topic I know, but did you ever get the chance with the 3mm SPL ?

No, I've not had that pleasure as yet

I would expect that it would be a pretty good eyepiece though - I've read lots of positive feedback on the SPL range (including yours !).

 

[Space Hopper]

Just another point........ 

i can recommend the Vixen LVW 3.5mm if you can find one used.

You'd probably get one at a good price too.

I had one a good while ago (i had the whole set actually) and it performed very well.

[Charic]

John, You want to try mine?

[rwilkey]

Hi John, I have the 6mm versions and have to say there is not much in it, but for me the 6mm Radian has the edge in both build quality and views, made more comfortable by the click-stop eyeguard (Instadjust) that extends the barrel of the eyepiece upwards.  Why not get both like I did s/h (only joking).

[John]

14 hours ago, Charic said:

John, You want to try mine?

Thanks for that generous offer Charic.

I'm not observing much at the moment so I'll not take you up on it just now but I really do appreciate the gesture

[Charic]

Up until today, I was seriously considering selling the set of SPL’s. 

I bought the 6mm on good advice from @rwilkey as an alternative to not having a physical 6mm Starguider. 

I eventually bought the set, cheap too, but  having read loads more since your first post, the reviews I’m seeing are all positive with regards to the comparison between Radians. 

Now the 6mm is good, but never realised how many folk really admire the SPL’s for high powered views on Planetary targets!

To me it’s just a 6mm  with less than 60° afov and not a Starguider, and  I know what SPL means, but that’s just advertising hype yes/no!

I think I’m going to keep the SPL’s a while longer, or at least until I’ve had a better look at a planet with them. 

I’ve also just moved my Revelations out of the classifieds, they sold  the next day, took the offer? so I’m just holding three groups now, Starguiders, SPL’s and my Panaview, all of which work very well on the f/6 Skyliner. 

I've trialled several  eyepieces now, but far fewer than your commitment, and you know yourself, unless folk try for themselves, they’ll never really know just how good, bad or indifferent some eyepieces can be.