Which 8mm eyepiece

[bomberbaz]

Ok its says 8mm but what I really want is a 4mm although the choices out there within budget is not that great, so I thought a 8mm used with the powermate would be a perfectly acceptable solution.

The scope for this is a 10" Dob and F4.7 (1200 FL)

The choices I narrowed it down to are:

Celestron Ultima Duo 8mm - 68 degree fov - £103

Celestron Ultima LX 8M - 70 degree fov - £77

Vixen SLV 4mm - 50 degree fov - £79

Vixen LVW - 65 degree fov - £137

Skywatcher SWA 8MM - 70 degree fov - £69

Here is my perspective, the LVW is top of the budget but FOV is ok. The SLV although a brilliant price  probably lacks acceptable FOV due to high magnifications being used. The Celestrons, decent FOV but I dont know enough about these to make a decision as I have not read enough reports. LX price is very acceptable although the DUO is a little higher. The Skywatcher, well I have it's older brother at 22mm and I really do like it but is it worth pushing it a little for the better quality pieces above?

Open to other ideas but this is where I am at presently. Not toured the 2nd hand markets yet as I prefer to have a narrow choice rather than a weekly shopping list 

PS. If anyones selling a 8 or 4mm Radian, lemme know 

 

[faulksy]

non of them steve, just get the 8mm ethos

[faulksy]

the 7mm nirvana is good steve and will be great at your fl and similar budget to the others

[John]

I agree with Mike - Powermate the 8mm Ethos and you get a perfect 100 degree 4mm

Back in the budget range you specify, I reckon the Celestron Ultima Duo is probably a re-branded Hyperion and you don't want those at F/4.7. I didn't find the SW UWA 8mm convincing at F/5.3 so I'd not go for that.

Optically the Vixen's would be your best bet. Alternatively the 8mm Delos would be more £'s but top notch.

 

[faulksy]

never thought about the delos john, good choice, or he could go pentax again, even though he sold his last year to me

[Mark at Beaufort]

Steve another option might be this - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/explore-scientific-eyepieces/explore-scientific-82-degree-series-eyepieces.html

I have used the E.S. range in my Orion VX8 f4.5 Newt and have been happy with the results.

 

[rwilkey]

Hi Steve, I agree with Mark, the 8.8mm ES82 is a good choice at a very reasonable price from FLO.

[bomberbaz]

Looked at it mark and robin but it is too close to options i already have available with 5mm radian and 18mn vixen lv. Thanks for the thought though

[Moonshane]

I was going to say 4mm Radian LOL

[bomberbaz]

Or the 8 mate, either would suffice?

[F15Rules]

I've had the LVW 8mm and it's superb, with great build too. Quite heavy though, and it will fit both 2" and 1.25" focusers without a reducer.

Another worth considering is the Pentax XF 8.5mm: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pentax/PentaxXF85.html  - a much underrated eyepiece in my opinion, very lightweight and decent 60 degree FOV which should be sharp across the field in your scope.

Let us know what you go for :-)

Dave

[bomberbaz]

worthwhile consideration that Dave, 2xPMate takes it to 4.25 or x282 in the 10" Dob. 

19 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

I've had the LVW 8mm and it's superb, with great build too. Quite heavy though, and it will fit both 2" and 1.25" focusers without a reducer.

Another worth considering is the Pentax XF 8.5mm: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pentax/PentaxXF85.html  - a much underrated eyepiece in my opinion, very lightweight and decent 60 degree FOV which should be sharp across the field in your scope.

Let us know what you go for :-)

Dave

 

[Dave In Vermont]

My take, Steve -

Have you seen the Baader Hyperions? They are fine eyepieces with a generous 70° FOV. And there's a 8mm of these EP's. I have the full set - minus the 24mm. I have a 24mm Panoptic TeleVue® for that FL EP.

Have a good view,

Dave

[alan potts]

I agree with Mark and Robin if TeleVue is not on the menu. I used the 8.8mm Meade many times and I must assume the ExSc is the same, really good eyepiece if we are not talking those beinging with E. or D for that matter.

Alan

[F15Rules]

3 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Steve another option might be this - http://www.firstlightoptics.com/explore-scientific-eyepieces/explore-scientific-82-degree-series-eyepieces.html

I have used the E.S. range in my Orion VX8 f4.5 Newt and have been happy with the results.

 

Good suggestion, I had the 6.7mm version and it was a nice eyepiece. You're spoilt for choice Steve!!

Dave

[John]

1 hour ago, F15Rules said:

I've had the LVW 8mm and it's superb, with great build too. Quite heavy though, and it will fit both 2" and 1.25" focusers without a reducer.

Another worth considering is the Pentax XF 8.5mm: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/pentax/PentaxXF85.html  - a much underrated eyepiece in my opinion, very lightweight and decent 60 degree FOV which should be sharp across the field in your scope.

Let us know what you go for :-)

Dave

Thats a very interesting suggestion from Dave.

I've just bought the 12mm Pentax XF for outreach sessions (it's very easy to look though) and it seems a very good quality eyepiece in every sense. The 12mm has a little more field curvature than the 8.5mm though that won't impact what I'm going to use it for.

[bomberbaz]

4 hours ago, faulksy said:

the 7mm nirvana is good steve

Needs to be a 8 to max 8.5 guys. All the other suggestions would usually be woorthy considerations but as I am aiming to hit the OTA max magnification sweetspot (or near as) of x300, the XF 8.5 is as high as i would consider.

I think the Pentax XF and Vixen LVW are front runner here tbh but any other considerations will help.

Dave, Hyperions in a F4.7 would not be that good i fear but ty anyway.

[bingevader]

The 8mm TV plossl is very good, but I think that would probably fall into the narrow FOV category.

[bomberbaz]

41 minutes ago, bingevader said:

The 8mm TV plossl is very good, but I think that would probably fall into the narrow FOV category.

Indeed but more over i need glasses due ti adtigmatism so long er is a must too.  Sorry should have mentioned that sooner ?

[Charic]

5 hours ago, bingevader said:

The 8mm TV plossl is very good, but I think that would probably fall into the narrow FOV category.

.......50° afov is not too bad, depending on the subject that you need to frame, but the 6mm eye-relief will be an issue for many folk.

A second hand 72° Ethos? ( Read Delos!) would have been tested to f/4  ensuring  the sharpest full field of view, if you need that level of performance,  and they do a 4.5mm which is close, and an 8mm which could be Powermated/Barlowed, but their not cheap, even second hand, although reasonable, considering their full RRP. Finding them is an art too.

I'm still waiting for the right time and conditions to further test my recently acquired Delos EPs, which to be honest,  were  purchased to mate up with a 10" or 12" scope. But that's not going to happen for a while, unless I chance upon a good deal/opportunity?

[jetstream]

I had the 8mm Delos and it was excellent- maybe a used one will pop up.

[bomberbaz]

2 hours ago, jetstream said:

I had the 8mm Delos and it was excellent- maybe a used one will pop up.

Maybe i ahouldnt have sold the one i had. And that was honestly the one i really WAS thinking of keeping ?

[Paul73]

Steve

I have the 5&6mm SLV's. They are splendid eyepieces with bags of eye relief and a super clear view. I use them pretty much exclusively on planets and PNs so the FOV isn't to much of an issue. I have to admit to owning the 8mm Delos as well.....

Paul

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I had the XF 8.5 and it was superb, and definitely had the edge over the Radian 8 I had. I did replace it with a Delos 8mm, but the main difference was FOV. The XF is very light, and almost a 60 deg variant of the might XWs. I only have a single LVW (42mm, so way over at the other end of the spectrum), and that is also very nice indeed.