TeleVue Zooms

[allen g]

Anyone can share their experiences with the TV 2-4 or 3-6 Zooms. Thinking of using them in my TV 101. Much appreciated.

[Moonshane]

I have a 6-3mm zoom and it's quite superb. the field is the same as a plossl (50 degrees) and in a way this should be described as a plossl zoom rather than a nagler zoom. eye relief feels more than 10mm but is relatively tight but comfortable if not wearing glasses to observe. in essence it's a superb quality eyepiece which works perfectly and is optically brilliant.

if you can use the eye relief and have a scope with focal length of <=1800mm then it's highly recommended. it's my main double star / lunar eyepiece.

[jetstream]

This eyepiece (3-6) is excellent in my 90mm Stellarvue.6mm in my scope is 105x which on the high side for a lot of my seeing condtions,but when conditions allow it really works.In your scope I think 6mm will be 90x-perfect.As Moonshane says it is superb on Lunar....unbelievable views.I also use it to check the sky conditions,works very fast for that.I won't be without this eyepiece.

[alan potts]

I have the 3-6mm and I do not believe that you can buy better. I feel much the same as Moonshane with regards to the rest. I use it a good deal in my 115mm APO and it delivers in sack fulls!

Buy one if you can second hand, you will never loose your money unless there is a sudden 50% discount on them.

Alan.

[Pig]

Im not sure what my max mag would be, 3mm will give me 783 x

[estwing]

I have the 3-6mm and I do not believe that you can buy better. I feel much the same as Moonshane with regards to the rest. I use it a good deal in my 115mm APO and it delivers in sack fulls!

Buy one if you can second hand, you will never loose your money unless there is a sudden 50% discount on them.

Alan.

...wise words Alan.

[Stu]

Pretty much the same comments from me too. I use as a high power in my refractors, a 106mm apo (690mm f/l) and my TV76. The 3mm gives me pretty much max power in either scope and being able to tune the magnification to the seeing is ideal. It's pretty much the same quality as other dedicated eps, although I now have a 3.5mm t6 Nagler which I also use a lot.

Stu

[Stu]

Just to add, I've not heard too much about the 2 to 4mm zoom, but assume it would be similar quality. I wonder if this may be the better choice for you? I think in right in saying the TV101 has a focal length of 540mm? If so this gives you x135 to x270 (I know you know that!!!!), which would cover all high power needs pretty much, although the high end wouldn't be used much. The 3 to 6 would only take you to x180 which would still leave you lacking unless you have a PowerMate or decent Barlow.

Just a few thoughts.

Stu

[alan potts]

I have never read anyone on site having a 2-4mm, I am sure they are as good but too short for most of us. I guess the floaters comes into play as well for some at such short F/L, I can't say I have had any problems when using my Nagler zoom though.

Alan.

[John]

I've owned a couple of the 3-6mm Nagler zooms over the past few year and they are really excellent but for some reason I could never really warm to them. I'm probably too much of a wide field junkie to appreciate their finer points

From what I've read, the 2-4mm zoom is equal in quality to the 3-6mm. It might be possible to buy the 2-4 for slightly less on the used market as the short focal length would be too much for some scopes.

[Andrew*]

I'll echo all the above points on the 3-6mm zoom. At the time I bought it, it replaced 3 orthos in my eyepiece collection and I didn't miss them. The zoom was optically equal to the orthos, but had the extra function of being able to tune the focal length between the clickstops with no refocusing or swapping eyepieces.

Brilliant.

My only issue with it was if I let it get cold, it fogged up extremely easily by my eyes' warmth, rendering it useless for a while. I've read others having the same issue with particularly this eyepiece.

As for the 2-4mm zoom, I think it's a rather niche eyepiece. It would be useful in the sense that it's difficult to find eyepieces to fill this gap. Even jumping between 3 and 4mm is an increase in magnification of 33%, so having an infinite choice of focal lengths bridging this gap would be attractive. However, I can not imagine anything other than a fast small apochromatic refractor making much use of the 2mm end of the range. For example, a well-corrected 80mm f/5 scope would be around its limit at 200x magnification with this eyepiece.

Andrew

[Moonshane]

that's a good point Andrew about fogging and true. I find it's the same with plossls and orthos too myself. I just fan/waft my hand rapidly in front of the eyepiece and it clears it quickly - keeps me warm too and the batteries never run out.

[spaceboy]

Love mine and well worth the money! I have seen many an eyepiece come and go over the past 2-3 years but the 3-6 TV zoom has it's roots well and truly set in my EP case.

[allen g]

thanks for all the wonderful feedback. This past Saturday at a star party I had the opportunity to put it into my TV NP-101. the quality of the zoom 3-6 views are comparable in my opinion to fixed EPs. I myself am hooked on wide field EP (my smallest being 72 delos with others being a 31 nagler and the 10 & 21 ethos and an ES 14 100 degree) so going to 50 degrees is a downer. I have the tv 2x barlow so I have 3mm, 5, 6, & 10mm available and higher end. Same evening, I had the opportunity to try the 3.7 ethos sx which is 110 degrees Now that was an experience. Aside from quality of view, the object takes quite a long time to drift across the field (I use the DiscMount which is an Az-Alt). In fact, I intended to buy it so called TV and spoke with David Nagler. His view was that since I had no problem with the 3mm in my scope not to buy the 3.7 sx unless I had issues with turbulence rendering 3mm not suitable and then consider the 3.7 sx. Thus, it was suggested that I wait and see.

[Rickstar]

I'm very interested in the results of this discussion. I've just ordered the TV NP-101 and am awaiting delivery. My other scope is a 9.25 Edge HD. My eyepieces were bought with that one in mind (I have an ES82 30mm., an Axiom 23mm, an Ethos 13, and a Delos 10mm. Given that the TV refractor is f/5.4 with a focal length of 540mm., I'm clearly lacking at the short focal length end of my eyepiece range. I've ordered the Ethos 4.7 given that I LOVE my 13 in the SCT but the 4.7 will only give me 115X. I'm thinking about what else I need to save up for.

Rick

[alan potts]

Rick,

I would love to here your thoughts on the 4.7mm E, I keep thinking of one and it only need one more straw to break the camels back.

Alan.

[John]

Rick,

I would love to here your thoughts on the 4.7mm E, I keep thinking of one and it only need one more straw to break the camels back.

Alan.

I'll be interested in that one as well, it's long been on my "wish list"

You don't see much reported on the Ethos SX's.

[Stu]

The 3.7sx is on my wish list at some point. It should give near optimum high mag in my fracs

Stu

[alan potts]

The short end of the Ethos range just can't be everyones cup of tea. Looking at second hand Astro B&S on a regular basis I have only seen one 3.7mm and no 4.7mm's in the last year or so. I think at this end it is a real, I want this eyepiece and then they keep them.

I just got the the 3.5mm Delos so the 3.7mm is too much of a muchness. then again I have the 4.5mm D as well.

Alan

[Stu]

I wonder why that is? It still has the same eyerelief, but perhaps people feel you just don't need, or cant take in the 110 degree fov?

I have a 3.5mm type 6 Nagler so probably wouldn't bother with a Delos, but a 3.7 Ethos would give x186 in the 106mm which would be very useable. I just don't think you need that size fov for high power though perhaps someone who has one will put me straight?

Stu

[Rickstar]

Once I get a chance to try out the 4.7 Ethos, I'll report on my experience. I'm hoping I'll like it as much as the 13!

Rick

[allen g]

Rick, let me know how it goes with your np 101 I have the Meade lx 90 8" and bought EPs with same thing in mind that is buying the NP 101 withich absolutely love (have it on a discmount which makes the ultimate grab and go. my Eps are nagler 31, ethos 21 & 10, Es 14 100 degrees, and delos 6 also have the tv 2x barlow which david nagler suggested I get and everything works great. so thought about delos 3.5 or ethos 3.7sx but will wait and see. thanks all and looking forward to more dicussion on the above topics.