Pentax vs. TeleVue

[Kenza]

Which do you prefer?

Also, what is the Pentax comparative of the Panoptic 24mm?

[John]

Which Tele Vues and which Pentax's ?

I own Tele Vue Naglers and Ethos's and Pentax XW's. They are different in many ways but all great eyepieces.

The nearest Pentax to the Panoptic 24mm is probably the 20mm XW. I've owned the Panoptic but not used the 20mm XW. From the other eyepieces of these manufacturers that the differences will be more about personal preferences than any optical superiority of one over the other.

When we are at this level the optical performance differences are usually very subtle

[estwing]

lets see how long this string is....

[kirkster501]

With respect to original poster, Its like a BMW v Audi or a MAC v Windows question: each have their own set of fan boys or advocates. One can do one feature brilliantly but can't do what the other can do brilliantly. Keep going round that loop 4 million times and you'll be back where you started - its all in the eye of the beholder.

Lecture over - I am a Televue man !

[James]

What he says above.

I use a Tele Vue 24mm Panoptic and two Pentax's a 7mm XW and a 10mm. I've not found anything that comes close to my two Pentax's. Nor have I found anything to match my 24mm Panoptic...

So on balance as per Kirksters post I'm a Mac using, Audi driving Pentax person...

James

PS. Well, I drive a Toyota but never mind.

[alan potts]

I only have one Pentax but many Televue, I don't really think of one being better than the other. I tend to like the wider fields but I cant find a real difference between the Pentax 14mm and the Nagler 13mm I have apart from FOV. These two are without doubt towards the top of the pile and few eyepieces can claim to up there with them.

Some other manufacturers like Vixen and Meade come close on one or two eyepieces from a range, but with Pentax and TV you are struggling to find things wrong with any from a whole ranges. At the end of the day it is all down to you and me, if you are happy with what you use who am I to question that.

Alan.

[Kenza]

I know they are both brilliant. I was just curious about your personal experience with either. That's all.

[swamp thing]

I find TV Naglers more comfortable and easier to use.

For some reason I don't know why, but I always seem to struggle to get my eye in the right place when using the Pentax. No doubt others will be the other way around. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Pentax it's me being an awkward muppet

I haven't spent long enough using both to be able to pick a winner in the views. They are very, very close.

[alan potts]

Kenza,

OK if you want an answer as to which is best from me I go for televue, 90% down to FOV though.

Alan

[E621Keith]

If you are comparing Pentax vs Televue overall, I'd say Televue is better. Televue cares about astronomy and invest in R&D, so we get new and better eyepieces. In comparison, Pentax has given up on astronomy, the 1.25" XW can be used as spotting scope eyepieces so they stayed, but the 2" XW and XO were purely astronomical eyepieces and both were discontinued this year. It suggest Pentax doesn't care about the astronomical market any more and XW may be the last astronomical eyepiece series they sell.

I've never used the 24mm Panoptic, but I heard the closest to it is Vixen's 22mm LVW.

[andrew63]

The main thing i think is, that you have some choice as then you can see what suites you best. As you are raising the 24mm range, this is a a good review - if somewhat a bit of a minefield to trawl through!

24-26 mm Eyepiece Comparison - Review

andrew

[NGC 1502]

I've never used the 24mm Panoptic, but I heard the closest to it is Vixen's 22mm LVW.

I had a 24mm Panoptic, and still own a Vixen 22mm LVW. It's very close, but kept the Vixen because of the more comfortable eye relief.

I prefer TV over Pentax ( I had 10.5mm Pentax XL ) because they offer a wide range of options to fit any requirement (apart from low price).

But if the Pentax range meets your needs, then you won't be disappointed. TV and Pentax are both excellent, and consider the Vixens as well, good in all scopes down to F4.

Regards, Ed.

[Moonshane]

For me it's not about better or worse, it's about range. Televue have eyepieces from narrow(ish) plossls to comfy Radians to wide Panoptics/Delos to very wide Nagler to mental wide Ethos. Each comes in a good range of focal lengths and with varying eye relief. If you like a set of more eyepieces of the same type then TV has more choice. You will not ever be disappointed with many if any eyepieces at this quality. All that said, I have some BGOs and they are just as good optically as my TV but with a narrower field and a lot cheaper.

[John]

If you are comparing Pentax vs Televue overall, I'd say Televue is better. Televue cares about astronomy and invest in R&D, so we get new and better eyepieces. In comparison, Pentax has given up on astronomy, the 1.25" XW can be used as spotting scope eyepieces so they stayed, but the 2" XW and XO were purely astronomical eyepieces and both were discontinued this year. It suggest Pentax doesn't care about the astronomical market any more and XW may be the last astronomical eyepiece series they sell.

I've never used the 24mm Panoptic, but I heard the closest to it is Vixen's 22mm LVW.

It's taken me quite a while to reach this point but I now reckon the Pentax XW's perform a little better in light transmission and light scatter control than the Nagler Type 6's. To me the XW's match the Ethos in these aspects. The T6's are great eyepieces (I've owned them all over the years) and it's taken a lot of back to back comparing to reach this conclusion.

I could have saved some time and money if I'd listened to Steve (FLO) a few years back who suggested that an ideal set could comprise of Naglers for low to medium power and Pentax XW's for medium to high powers (this was pre-Ethos / Delos). He was right on the money with this advice, I now realise

[RikM]

I can only echo what's been said already. There is no real difference in quality between them.

I own Pentax XW's from 7mm to 20mm. My reason for choosing these over TV was the aFOV, eyerelief and range of focal lengths available at the time.

I don't get on with ultra-wide fields, and need long eyerelief as I wear glasses when observing. I like high contrast views with good light transmission. The Pentax XW ticked all the right boxes. I would probably have bought a 25 over a 20mm if they had one available, but in hindsight, that would have been a mistake. I have had a few goes at comparing the 20mm XW with the Pan 24 and I prefer the 20mm XW. The actual field you can see isn't that different and the Pentax gives a (slightly) darker background and is a very immersive eyepiece to look through. As Steve (swamp thing) says, I find it easier to find eye placement with the XW than TV.

This is purely personal preference though, the Pan 24 is a thoroughly stonking eyepiece, as is the 19mm Pan.

[Mike73]

My XW's and TV Delos have similar FoV's, the same eye relief and to be honest I cant find any reason to sell the XW's to get the full Delos set (when they become available) because they are just so similar in the views they give.

Infact having two brands of EP's so very similar in quality gets a big +1 from me as it gives a great range of focal length EP's, if you like 70˚-72˚ FoV then I think we are spoilt for choice at the moment.

[ollypenrice]

Both great. However, unlike most people I find the Pentaxes that I've tried a little 'harsh.' It's hard to describe but it's almost as if they are verging on a touch of false colour. As I say, I have never met anyone else who found this so I'm best ignored!

Olly

[Moonshane]

I feel a bit like this about the 13mm Ethos as it happens Olly. For me it's superb on (literally) absolutely everything other than the moon where I 'hate' the brightness and actually feel it's bordering on false colour also and I much prefer my 12.5mm BGO for the moon. maybe it's also just me so ignore that too

thankfully the availability of great ranges of eyepieces in a great array of price points means we can all enjoy a collection built specifically for ourselves.

[Damo636]

I prefer my Televue ep's for low-med power and Pentax XW's for med-high power. Personally, apart from BGO's, I find the XW's the most neutrally toned range of ep's I have used to date.

[Mike73]

I think that it goes to show just how much EP choice really is a personal thing.

My old 8mm Radian used to make the moon look like someone had painted it magnolia!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I prefer my Televue ep's for low-med power and Pentax XW's for med-high power. Personally, apart from BGO's, I find the XW's the most neutrally toned range of ep's I have used to date.

That is my preference too. I use the XWs and XF for planetary stuff, and Naglers for wide. I might get a Delos 8 or 6 in the planetary range, just because XWs don't come in those focal lengths.

[alan potts]

Mike, at least it would save having to buy a filter. It is something that I will have to get. I find looking at the moon with the 12 inch gives me a headache unless I really bang on some magnification. I think my 10mm Radian did much the same, we will have to see what the new owner thinks. I will not steal his thunder if he wishes to first light it for himself.

Alan.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My experience with the two Radians I had (8 and 10mm) is that that they are very sharp, very comfortable, but that they have a distinct warm cast, most noticeable on the moon. The XWs are perhaps a touch less comfortable, a smidgen sharper, and definitely more neutral in colour balance, and of course with a larger FOV. In either case, I prefer a moon filter on the moon. The XF is the equal of the Radian in comfort and FOV, also a smidgen sharper, and as neutral in colour as the XWs.