20mm ES 68 degree v Vixen LVW 22mm

[Alan White]

Question for you good folks.

I love my Vixen LVW 22mm to bits, but its far heavier than all my other ep by a margin, this upsets the balance on my AZ4 and any following Alt Az.

I have a 16mm ES 68 degree and think its just great.
If I replaced the LVW with a 20mm ES 68 or a Maxvison or Meade, the balance will much improve, but
will I loose quality in my view?
I think I may not in my scope, but your thoughts and experience please.

[F15Rules]

Hi Alan

Hope you're well?.

I have owned both and both are fine eyepieces. You know how much I love  the LVW 22(!), and purely in optical terms I think the LVW is significantly better in terms of contrast and edge of field sharpness.

But you mention the weight being a possible issue, and there is no doubt that the ES is significantly lighter. I personally would stick with the LVW but it's your choice..

By the way, if you think the LVW is heavy you should try the ES34mm 68 - it's a bloomin grenade!! (Great EP though?).

Dave

[Knighty2112]

You could perhaps try something like the Baader Q turret which allows multiple EP's to be fitted to the scope. That way you could balance the scope better maybe with a couple of EP's in the turret and not have to worry about a change in EP weight upsetting the balance when changing EP's.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/baader-planetarium/baader-q-turret.html

[Alan White]

Thanks Dave, hoped you would chip in.
I am very good thanks, just pondering options really at present.

 

Thanks Gus.
Not sure on a turret to be honest, not sure the focuser would like that near zenith.


Another option for F.O.V and weight is a 24mm Panoptic, but I don't like the price, I do like the small size and weight though.

[John]

I've owned a LVW 22 and more recently an ES 24 / 68 folllowed fairly rapidly by a Panoptic 24.

These were all very good eyepieces I thought. The LVW and Panoptic are very slightly better performers than the ES 24 / 68 in my faster scopes (edge sharpness) but cost more, quite a bit more in the case of the 24 Panoptic.

The Panoptic 24 seemed quite a bit smaller and lighter than the ES 24 / 68 and I think both a smaller and lighter than the LVW 22.

 

 

[jabeoo1]

32 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Another option for F.O.V and weight is a 24mm Panoptic, but I don't like the price, I do like the small size and weight though.

This may interest you then Alan:  

https://www.telescopehouse.com/offers/preowned/televue-24mm-panoptic-preowned-6540.html

[Alan White]

3 minutes ago, jabeoo1 said:

This may interest you then Alan:  

https://www.telescopehouse.com/offers/preowned/televue-24mm-panoptic-preowned-6540.html

Thanks James, I saw this a little earlier.
Now trying to decide whether I come up with a balance weight so I can keep the LVW as I really like the view through it and that's what its about after all.

[Alan White]

LVW 22mm 349g
ES 68 24mm 370g
Pan 24 231g

All my other EP weigh about 150g

 

I will need a 200g counter weight for the LVW or ES so the Pan wins on weight, but at a price premium.
Hmmmm.

 

[TheLookingGlass]

Nice post!

I've owned all of the ones mentioned here, except the 16mm ES 68, which from what I have heard has excellent correction in fast scopes, but has limited eye relief. If it were me, I'd keep the 22mm LVW for it's outstanding correction. 

I just ordered an 18mm APM / 65 degree, (kinda new as far as eyepieces go), for my fast 10' F/4.7 reflector and I can't wait to try it out. IIRC, these were made specificallly for F/5.5 bino-scopes.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/568816-new-apm-eyepiecesuf-24-mm-65degree-10-mm-60-degree/

Cheers!

[F15Rules]

10 hours ago, Alan White said:

LVW 22mm 349g
ES 68 24mm 370g
Pan 24 231g

All my other EP weigh about 150g

 

I will need a 200g counter weight for the LVW or ES so the Pan wins on weight, but at a price premium.
Hmmmm.

 

Hi Alan

Your original post referenced the ES 20mm 68, but your latest mentioned the 24mm..Have you changed your mind on size?

I ask the question as there is a good deal of weight difference between the two, you quote 370g for the 24mm and the ES USA website quotes just 247g for the 20mm. 

So the 20mm is much closer to your other EP's in weight and the 20mm 68 would present a very similar field view to the LVW 22mm 65 degree.

I'd still stick with the LVW personally but as said, all great eyepieces?.

Dave

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I have had the MaxVision 20mm but couldn't get on with the limited eye relief. The image quality in my F/6 frac was good, however. I still have the 24mm which is my travel wide-field EP, Good performer down to F/6 or F/5, starts showing seagulls at F/4. I only have the LVW 42 and rather like it. If the LVW 22 mm is anywhere near as comfortable, it has the MV/ES 20mm beaten by a mile in terms of observing comfort.

[Alan White]

12 hours ago, F15Rules said:

22 hours ago, Alan White said:

 

Hi Alan

Your original post referenced the ES 20mm 68, but your latest mentioned the 24mm..Have you changed your mind on size?

I ask the question as there is a good deal of weight difference between the two, you quote 370g for the 24mm and the ES USA website quotes just 247g for the 20mm. 

So the 20mm is much closer to your other EP's in weight and the 20mm 68 would present a very similar field view to the LVW 22mm 65 degree.

I'd still stick with the LVW personally but as said, all great eyepieces?.

Dave

Dave you are correct in your observation, I did change to show the 24mm and did ask about the 20mm.

Looking at the weights I should perhaps stick with the LVW as I like it so much.
I could find a counterweight when using it to hang off the scope, perhaps a magnet of some kind?
Or change my other eyepieces to get heavier ones of course, I know I might anyway in the future, I am addicted to astro gear!!

Thinking out aloud here really helps.

[mikeDnight]

Here's a thought Alan,

You could collect the entire set of LVW's as they come up second hand from time to time, and resolve your rebalancing issues by doing so. There are few things as mouth watering as a fine, matching, set of quality eyepieces, or am I just really sad!?

Mike

[Alan White]

Mike

I understand your suggestion and I am with you about a nice set, that's not sad.
I have however tasted Pentax with an 8.5 XF recently and therefore a very mixed set may result.

The 22mm LVW is going nowhere, it's too good an eyepiece.
It may gain a few brothers and sisters as funds allow, but back to that Pentax....

Alan

[Alan White]

Or I could take advantage of the SLV offer at FLO and have a balanced matching set of course.....

[Mr Spock]

I have the 42, 22, 13 and 8. They are the most comfortable eyepieces I've looked through