Televue versus Explorer Scientific 100 degree eyepieces.

[Guest]

I visited an astronomy shop in London yesterday.I am interested in buying a Televue 22mm Nagler.The owner was kind enough to spend time letting me try out some of the eyepieces. I was of course keen to see the 22mm Ngaler.It was a fine eyepiece indeed.I could see the field stop/edge,but the view was bright.

I then had the most jaw dropping eyepiece experience.The 21mm Ethos was placed in the focuser.Well, the description "Spacewalk" came alive.I was not able to detect the eyepiece or the telescope tube in my viewing. I needed a chair to take the load off my legs,they went wobbly.I would be happy with the Nagler.But I would then always think "What if" if I had bought the Ethos.So I may wait and save for the Ethos.My daughter told me that she would buy an eyepiece for me,perhaps I should ask for the Ethos and contribute towards the cost.

Now to put a spanner in the works,there are some goods reviews of the Explorer Scientific 20mm 100 degree eyepiece.

Is there anybody that has any experience of either the Televue or the Explorer Scientific 100 degrees eyepieces and how they compare.There may be quite a price difference.

Martin.

[jetstream]

So far my 21mm Ethos is my least used eyepiece,I'm hoping that it provides a superior view of the Veil neb etc coming up.It has excelled for me on some other nebs such as the Monkey head ( with OIII).The 100 deg AFOV is awesome-I love that wide field for low power obs,with my 17E being the most used-excellent EP and lighter than the 21mm.

In my f4.8 dob the 21E could use a coma corrector,while the 17E is more tolerable to me.Some people wonder why buy an Ethos....it is not just for the bigger field,they have better contrast than a lot of other Ep's-IMHO.On the Veil the 17E provides a brighter, better view than my 16mm T5 Nagler for instance,and it is a very good,high contrast EP.Same as on M42,the Ethos are superior in my scope(10" dob).These differences are really accentuated under dark,transparent skies and combine the huge TFOV and AFOV and the results can be mind blowing.The Double cluster in the 21mm is fantastic,and the Beehive....

I have heard that the 20mm 100 deg ES is very close to the 21E and the price is attractive.If used with a refractor I would make sure the 21E 'suits the mount",as my set up gets very sensitive to balance and the length of the EP can be an issue as well at various angles of view.

[Guest]

I appreciate the variety of eyepieces mentioned in your reply jetstream.I did start off looking at the 17mm Delos eyepiece. You have now got me thinking againg towards an eyepiece of this focal length.

Martin.

[jetstream]

See if you can try them out first if you can,maybe a member can help out.Not sure which scope you have,a 100mm refractor if i remember?I love the Delos too,last night on Saturn it was great,for me though low power means wde field-the Ethos also have big dia field stops and a huge apparent field.Martin,we just missed a huge 20% off at OPT on the Ethos,I'm looking at the 3.7mm-it went for $480.00 USD or about 270 pounds.it seems they do this once a year,i picked up 2 of them on sale last year there.They sold all existing inventory in hours.Once you know exactly what you want,the deal shopping becomes much fun!Have fun with the choice!

[estwing]

John had the ES 20mm so he's the one in the know... I avoided looking in the ethos range and just went for them...the views still knock me dead!

[John]

I've owned the 22mm T4 Nagler, then a 20mm T5 Nagler then a 20mm Explore Scientific 100 and finally I've ended up with a 21mm Ethos. 

In all honesty the differences between all four are much more about ergonomics and possibly price, rather than performance. They are all superb eyepieces in performance terms.

The ES 20 / 100 was probably the best value for money because it delivered views which, to my eyes, are very much the same as the Ethos 21mm which costs considerably more than any of them. They are both very heavy and very tall eyepieces and that is worth remembering and if your scope is prone to coma 100 degree low power well corrected eyepieces like these will really highlight it.

The 20mm T5 Nagler was wonderfully sharp and a really compact package for a 2" eyepiece and the 22mm T4 Nagler was really immersive and more comfortable to view though than any of the rest.

You could be very happy with any of them although the 20mm T5 Nagler does have quite tight eye relief so would not suit the glasses wearer.

If you want a 100 degree eyepiece experience then the ES 100 degree range will do that pretty much to the same standard as the Ethos in the vast majority of scopes and can be bought used for around £200 less than an Ethos.

On the basis of what I know now, I'd have stayed with the 22mm T4 Nagler. The others are all really great eyepieces and I've enjoyed my time with them but, on balance, I don't feel they don't really offer anything to me that the 22mm Nagler does not.

And on that bombshell ...... 

[alan potts]

I have never had the 22mm but I had and still have the 20mm as the buyer has let me down. I bought the 21mm Ethos about a years ago, maybe more, while I had the Nagler 20mm I was using it all the time and the Ethos just got left in the case, it was that that made me try to sell the 20mm.  There is notheing wrong with the Ethos quite the opposite, but I just like John find there is so little between them apart from an extra chunck of field.

If it has got TeleVue writen on the side it will not be bad, I am sure the 22mm will be excellent and give you hours of enjoyment and it is a bit more affordable.

Alan

[jetstream]

That is awesome that your daughter is buying you an EP Martin-the Televues do make an excellent keepsake.

[Guest]

I have been diliberating which eyepiece would be one that I would keep and enjoy thinking that she has bought it for me. I visited an astronomy shop in London Friday.They demonstrated The 21mm Ethos and The 22 mm Nagler.I really was taken aback with the Ethos,but it was not as comfotable to use as The Nagler 22mm.It's the 22mm that I am going for.

I am as always here on SGL grateful for all the advice received.

Martin

[estwing]

That's why we come on here....top advise so money isn't wasted,clear skies

[faulksy]

maybe i need to start using my 22mm more, its strange but its my least used ep. when i have used it i love it, but always reach for the delos

[Guest]

I got the Televue 22mm Nagler today.Looking forward to some clear skies.

[alan potts]

Maybe I should buy one.

Alan

[jetstream]

I need an EP in this range for solar as my 21mm Ethos is not that great in my set up,but my 16mm T5 Nagler is superb even with all that glass.The 22mm Nagler may just be what I need for my refractor in general,manageable weight, & has a great field stop diameter too for a really wide view.I bet this thing is great for nebulas, clusters etc....hmmm