Ethos 13mm - good, worth ?

[cpper]

Hi everybody

What are your opinions about the TV Ethos 13mm eyepiece, regarding DSO observing ? I might take one for 450$, is it worth ?

[Joves]

Quite possibly the best eyepiece on the market. Whether it's going to be worth $450 to you or not, I can't say, but I would imagine that if you're not happy with it, you're not likely to be happy with any eyepiece of that focal length. Resale value for these is strong, so I think you'll be safe.

[RikM]

The 13mm Ethos is a wonderful eyepiece if you like ultra wide fields and don't need to wear glasses while observing.

[Joves]

Good point about the eye relief, Rik.

[Scott]

I've looked through one once. without a doubt the best views I've every had. Imaging is my main interest  but if I ever stumbled across a cheap one I'd snap it up for sure

I should say that my ep collection is very limited so I'm not really comparing the ethos to anything special.

[Mike73]

The 13mm Ethos is a wonderful eyepiece if you like ultra wide fields and don't need to wear glasses while observing.

Yeah I think this sums up Ethos quite well, claims like its the best is a bit far fetched IMO but its up there amongst them.

Try before you buy if possible just incase the 100˚ doesn't suit you, most people love them though and the 13mm seems to be the one most used.

[Damo636]

A wonderful eyepiece indeed and was my favourite fl Ethos when I had them. Another to consider is the Explore Scientific 14mm 100°. I have used both side by side, & hand on heart, couldn't tell much of a difference! Just some food for thought ☺

[DaveGarland]

I've never looked through the Ethos but I do have the ES 14mm and it's a cracker. Might be worth considering.

[ollypenrice]

I guess I'll have to make the slightly less far fetched claim that it is the best EP I have ever tried. Until I have tried all others I can't reasonably say it is the best ever made (  but I bet it is!!!   ) 

I find it phenomenally sharp and love the expansive view in which you don't see the field stop, so you have this feeling of not looking through a scope at all. Contrast is fabulous, the background dark, the colours convincing.

As said above, you can always sell it on but I bet you won't.

Olly

PS, Regarding the copies, however good they are TV did the research and took EP design to the next level. I think we should reward them.

[cpper]

Thank you all !

I was afraid you would say that the ES 14mm 100° is better. It's 2", cheaper, but I will have two 1.25" filters.

Here in Romania, the Ethos is 815$, so if I don't like it I could maybe sell it for the same 450$

[Davey-T]

I have a few Ethose's (where should that apostrophe go Olly ? ) and the 13mm is my favourite.

Dave

[John]

I have the Ethos in 6mm, 8mm 13mm and 21mm focal lengths. Superb eyepieces but I'd agree that the 13mm is the best of the lot and quite probably the best eyepiece I've owned. It's a fair point though that the ES 100's are very close indeed to Ethos performance. I used to have the 20mm ES 100 and I'm having a job to decide where the 21mm Ethos brings any benefits over that.

[cpper]

I hope it will be a good choice for most of the DSO's(galaxies,nebulas,globs) . It will give a 2.2mm exit pupil and 92x in my scope.

[ollypenrice]

I have a few Ethose's (where should that apostrophe go Olly ? ) and the 13mm is my favourite.

Dave

No apostrophe! Just 'Ethoses,' though 'Ethi' seems to have caught on!

Heheh,

Olly

[Dude_with_the_tube]

if the money question is on 100degrees,then either Ethos or ES are optically exactly the same with very tiny advantage to Ethos,but is that tiny advantage worth the extra cost? no.If you are fan of televue then go for ethos,if money is subject,go for ES and you will be equally rewarded.

however,recent searches of "holy grail" aka best possible detail on DSO's showed that Televue Delos is better then Ethos.Go figure

[Moonshane]

I had a 13mm Ethos and sold it to Olly. It's a fabulous eyepiece and does what it says on the tin. I don't regret selling mine at all. I bought a 12mm Nagler Type 2 for a third of the price and the views are just as good to my eyes given the skies I observe in most of the time. Personally I feel that my TV plossls are also just as good (as are my Radians) with differences being the field possible.

In my experience there are very view objects you cannot see well with a basic range of eyepieces and a couple or three scopes with different focal lengths.

It's cheaper to get a different scope than a wider field eyepiece.

All that said, an Ethos is money well spent. I bought mine in as new condition, looked after it but used it for a couple of years and then sold it for just a bit less than I originally paid. Net cost almost zero for a lot of fun. If you can buy used there's not a lot of financial loss likely at all.

[jetstream]

I hope it will be a good choice for most of the DSO's(galaxies,nebulas,globs) . It will give a 2.2mm exit pupil and 92x in my scope.

The 10E gives the best galaxy contrast tried so far @ 2.1mm exit pupil in my scope,I am waiting to find a better one for this,but it may be a long wait.I hear the Delos might,but the difference shows up under Arizona skies with big 20"+ dobs, on threshold galaxies/DSO.

[cpper]

Yeah I heard some more people saying the Delos is sharper and shows fainter things than the Ethos.  But, I'd stay with the Ethos because of the FOV.

Gerry, I would also observe nebulas and globs. Will also use the eyepiece barlowed.

[John]

....however,recent searches of "holy grail" aka best possible detail on DSO's showed that Televue Delos is better then Ethos.Go figure 

In those same tests the Baader 10mm Classic Ortho was even better than the Delos - go BCO ! 

[estwing]

Best ep ever made the 13E....one look and it sticks in the mind,was funny watching Auspom "fall" into space!!!

[Dude_with_the_tube]

In those same tests the Baader 10mm Classic Ortho was even better than the Delos - go BCO ! 

its hard to beat a good ortho

[ollypenrice]

its hard to beat a good ortho

Not that hard!

Olly

[alan potts]

The 13mm Ethos is a very fine eyepiece but the same can be said for many from this manufacturer, they don't make rubbish. As to whether it is the best on the market, I think I still have many to check out but it will be up there with them.

Alan

[cpper]

I hope to get that used Ethos If not, then I'll choose either a Nagler or two ES82.

Thank you all for your opinions

[laservet]

I guess I'll have to make the slightly less far fetched claim that it is the best EP I have ever tried. Until I have tried all others I can't reasonably say it is the best ever made (  but I bet it is!!!   ) 

I find it phenomenally sharp and love the expansive view in which you don't see the field stop, so you have this feeling of not looking through a scope at all. Contrast is fabulous, the background dark, the colours convincing.

As said above, you can always sell it on but I bet you won't.

Olly

PS, Regarding the copies, however good they are TV did the research and took EP design to the next level. I think we should reward them.

I'm a long time planetary/lunar/cluster observer and have a nice spread of eyepieces, including the ZAO I's and II's. If I had to keep only one set I would keep the Ethos, they have been game changers for me. The give up very little to the ZAO's on planetary, and only then on nights of great seeing with low humidity, stunning on lunar and clusters. With the 13 Ethos in my 10" Mak-Cass M13 nearly fills that expansive fov, worth the entry price for that view alone.

As far as buying from TV or the copy cats, I feel the same as you. TV spent a lot of time and money to bring these to market and I want to reward them with my purchases. If it were an automobile or a television my purchase wouldn't make a bit of difference to the company but those who develop new products for amateur astronomers are usually small, often family companies who sell small volumes in a very small niche market in the middle of a horrible recession. I feel my purchases do matter to them and I do what I can to support them so they can continue to innovate.