100* MEADE 21 MWA and 14 XWA.....

[deepspacehunter]

After enjoying the MEADE 14mm XWA for the last 3 months, I decided to order the MEADE 21mm MWA.... I realized that through the 14mm I am seeing more COLOR stars than in any other EP that I have ever owned...Tonight is CLEAR and GOOD SEEING... I will be observing in a short while.... FIRST light for the 21mm... I do not know why MEADE 100*  EPs have green bands and  some have blue bands... and if they are all marketed as 100* EPs , why are some XWA Extremely Wide Angle and some MWA Mega Wide Angle...I know that these MEADE's have not been getting too much respect... but I don't know why...I have been really enjoying the VIEWS through the 14mm, and I am anxious to see what the 21mm will do.... REPORT COMING SOON

Clear Skies

Mark

Edited May 7, 2015 by deepspacehunter

[John]

I'm glad you are enjoying the views with them - thats the whole point rather than what they look like

I have heard some criticism that the 21mm Meade MWA is not actually a 100 degree eyepiece but closer to 88/90 degrees. It will be interesting to see how it compares to the 14mm for you

[alan potts]

Was the FOV not thrown around in a thread on CN and the general opinion was it was as you say 88-90 degrees, John. Still if the buyer is happy so what to size of the FOV, misleading though.

It is completely different in size to others of the 20-21mm it's almost more Nagler like.

Alan

[estwing]

yes i read the same report Alan....if the owners happy then thats what counts

[russ.will]

I read the reports on the MWAs with anticipation and was similarly disappointed by what I read. But lets leave the Meade marketing blah, blah out of the equation for the moment. A 90deg AFOV EP with 15mm ER is a desirable result and remains so at the price, despite the label on the tin.

I'd be keen to hear more reports on how well corrected it is in an F5 scope and whether other owners are bothered by the EFOB. It seems to me that reports by one owner, particularly sensitive to EFOB and another who was disappointed by the AFOV (can't really disagree with that) essentially stunted all further interest.

However, it seems to me that if you accept the actual AFOV and that EFOB is something that the same user found unacceptable in some well thought of TV EPs, then the MWAs could still be very good value in F5+ scopes.

Russell

[Don Pensack]

The MWA and XWA are from two different manufacturers.

It will be interesting to see if the reviews of the MWAs are favorable, since they are, at the moment at least, a little less expensive than the XWAs were.

100 degree eyepieces are getting popular.  It seems a new one springs up every month, though, to be fair, many are the same eyepieces with different private labels on the outside.

Every now and then, someone makes a design change that favors use (example: the new Lunt 100/110 degree eyepieces).

I'm glad to see the expansion of interest: Agena, Explore Scientific, Lunt, Magellan (KK), Meade, Omegon, SkyWatcher, Telescope Service, TeleVue, William Optics, Nikon.

Now, if only someone other than Explore Scientific became interested in 120 degree eyepieces.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Don Pensack

[alan potts]

Don,

A little off the topic of Meade's but after I read I believe it was your report on the 120 degree, that put me off a fair bit as it was the in use aspects that unnerved me, the looking at the objective to edge of field and the stray light issue. The other thing that nails the coffin for me and most others I would bet, is the price. I feel if Televue made it, it would nudge the 2000 dollar milestone.

However it is good to see someone other than TeleVue pushing the envelope.

Alan

[John]

....However it is good to see someone other than TeleVue pushing the envelope.

Alan

Indeed it is. It's also interesting that when they do, the retail price is quite a bit higher than when someone else has already done the leg work.

[deepspacehunter]

M13 when seen through the 14mm XWA (barlowed  214X) is a STUNNING VIEW, I have never heard of the compliments , like I have heard when showing others the Great M13 with this EP... and M82 with the 14mm XWA (107X) is as good as I have ever seen it, in fact almost everything viewed through the 14mm XWA is Very Nice...

and the 21mm MWA is a fine EP for looking through the CYGNUS Milky Way, and larger Star clusters.... I do keep the 14mm XWA in my Telescope most of the time....

Mark

[alan potts]

Mark,

I like these targets around this power with my 12 inch Meade but I have to use longer eyepieces to get the same results, I had most of the Meade 5000 range going back a few years and I always like them, the SWA range was more or less made for the LX 12 inch scope, the UWA's were lovely as well.

alan 

[YKSE]

Looks like that TS has the cloned MWA here:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7921_TS-SWA-100--Ultra-Series-21mm-2--Xtreme-Weitwinkel-Okular.html

Constant 16mm eye relief, 6 lens in 4 groups, some variation of 12mm T4 Naglers?

[John]

Looks like that TS has the cloned MWA here:

http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7921_TS-SWA-100--Ultra-Series-21mm-2--Xtreme-Weitwinkel-Okular.html

Constant 16mm eye relief, 6 lens in 4 groups, some variation of 12mm T4 Naglers?

Another few months and there will be a few more re-brandings of this range I guess. If / when William Optics produce one I'll bet it will be labelled "101 degrees"

[YKSE]

Another few months and there will be a few more re-brandings of this range I guess. If / when William Optics produce one I'll bet it will be labelled "101 degrees"

I can't say that I'd be surprised then

[Lenscracker]

If the Lord has intended for you to have 120 FOV, He shalt add a goggle to it..