ES 34mm68d vs XcelLX 25mm vs Q70 on F5 Newtonian

[N3ptune]

Hello, has some people know, I went crazy and ordered a new ES 34mm 68d a few weeks ago for the total amount of 385CAD (235GBP) expensive for me. And the goal of this thread is to review and compare the various things I have and use with my fast F5 scope. I think it's relevant because most Chinese average Newtonian are F5 or less.

So the 34mm already has a few hours of millage, 5 or 6 hours of observation total, Xcel LX 25mm and 18mm both have approximately 2 years of experience and Q70 32mm 1 year.

GLOBAL APPRECIATION OF THE 34mm 68d

After a few observations, I am stunned at the upgrade I did from Q70, there is no possible way to compare these 2 eyepieces with my F5 telescope.

ASTRONOMICAL OBJECTS: So far with it's 2.2 degrees TFOV and 68d AFOV, the 34mm is excellent to look at star fields with many many stars, open clusters objects like the Pleiades, Brocchi's cluster, The double cluster, very large nebula like the Veil, the North America, the Heart, elephant trunk cluster, Sadr Daneb region, and all these large nebulae packed with clusters of stars. Last night it was the Serpents 1.4756 and Serpents NGC 6633 both large open clusters and they were totally beautiful.

ABERRATIONS: Yet I don't notice much of a specific aberration except some coma. Coma is still there but clearly the eyepiece can handle it in a superior way (especially with fainter stars), it's probably has good has it can be (or close to it) without coma corrector. Brighter stars will show some coma like the Playades, but fainter stars like in the double cluster, the correction is impressive.

I am very very satisfied so far.

MOON ABERRATION: Not tested yet.

FOCUS: I can't totally get a perfect focus with my right eye but it's possible with the left (probably an issue with my right eye more then the EP) The focus will be reached almost up to the stop but not totally, still it's beating the Q70 easily but it's quite similar to the Xcel LX 25mm. I suspect a tiny amount of field curvature, non significant. 

CENTRAL OBSTRUCTION DURING NIGHT TIME: The central obstruction is not visible at night but I notice a hint of something if I move my head around and get off the correct pupil disc position. When I stop moving and put my eye at the right distance, the image is perfect. I don't think that's an issue at all because I notice the exact same effect with all my eyepieces even my 4.7mm.

CENTRAL OBSTRUCTION DURING DAY TIME: Not tested.

BRIGHTNESS: Compare to my 32mm Q70, I don't see much difference in polluted sky between 32mm and 34mm. My Xcel LX 24mm and 18mm will show a darker background, especially the 18, notable difference. The 25mm will show a slightly darker background but the quality of the optics is a bit inferior, ES resolution wins by a slight margin, so thats a tie, no winner.

After 4 or 5 observations, even at home with pollution, I just can't leave the 34mm in the box, it's just too fun to use and the result is so impressive, it has the "lost in space effect" (the Q70 also had it because of it's 70d AFOV). The brightness issue will occur (32mm or 34mm) while looking at the city dome of light or an object too low. At that point, it's preferable to take the Xcel LX 25mm. And depending of the light pollution too, at my dark spot, I can go lower with the 34mm.

I was used to 32mm Q70 and the brightness is not really an issue for me even in my worst light pollution condition which is a red region Bortle +- 6 can't point the light dome with the 34mm. My best spot it probably 4 or even 3, it's even more interesting of course.

FULL MOON BRIGHTNESS: To be tested further but it doesn't seems to be a good match with 6.8 exit pupil.

AFOV: The resolution is impressive with the large 68 AFOV, I think it's a perfect AFOV size, I can move my eye around the FOV a bit but not too much is required, everything is there and don't feel trapped.

CAPABILITIES OF SEEING FAINT: This eyepiece has a better capabilities of showing very faint stars, compare to the Q70 and Xcel LX 25mm, with it's large 6.8mm exit pupil, especially with averted vision. I will see more very faint stuff in regions like Cygnus or Cassiopeia, even with a brighter background, because of the quality of the optic, it has less aberration and this will help a lot to locate faint stars and details.

The Q70 was unable to reach that kind of resolution even in the perfect center of the EP.

Luckily I have a good pupil diameter right now which match well the new ES. ((: (Can't help it, I have to show it off again)

34mm vs Xcel LX: The most interesting part of my observations. The 68d  AFOV will not alienate the 60d AFOV from my Xcel LX. These 2 FOV blend quite well together and I don't feel limited by 60d. I am happy to switch the pieces and say: Hey! they go very well together. That's a major point for the ES 68d Series.

The Xcel LX are very good. In term of correction I find them similar in quality with the ES, for the coma and aberrations. I don't notice any major problems with the Xcel LX eyepieces, almost all the FOV is clean for my 25mm and 18mm with F5. 

EYECUP AND FACE PHYSIOGNOMY: The 34mm eyecup is just perfect for me, I can rest my whole face in it and the exit pupil is just at the right place. Without the eyecup, I am hovering over the lens of course. So I guess it's good for a person with glasses. Without the eyecup, I also can rest my nose directly on the Eyepiece and my eye is almost  center spot on, it's comfortable. Overall the position is not perfect but not a serious issue.

LATERAL MISALIGNMENT AND EYE HEIGHT: 34mm is not has tolerant has I imagined but if one remains steady it's not an issue, just an observation. Although the Q70 was far better in term of lateral misalignment tolerance and height position of the eye.

ES 34mm tolerance without it's eyecup is better then XcelLX without it's eyecup. 

Xcel LX 18mm and 25mm with a 2x Xcel LX barlow, they are quite capricious.

AFOV 68 vs 70: I notice the difference of 2 degrees, 68 is very good but 70 was even better, just a very minor personal taste. considering the upgrade in quality, it's at the bottom of my list in therm of importance.

TFOV: ES 34mm 2.2d vs Xcel LX 25mm 1.5d: There is not much discussion there, I wanted to have the absolute wide field for this telescope, the Q70 was beating the 25mm Xcel LX 25mm easily for my taste of wide field and the 34mm gives me that impressive wide field wanted to look dense at star fields. 

The wide TFOV was the reason I replaced the 32mm Q70 (with aberration issues too), I loved the 2.2d TFOV, and that a major plus for a F5 telescope, that should be exploited IMOA.

WEIGHT AND EQ5: The ES34mm is 683g so the 2 weights of my EQ5 are at the very end of the bar, no need to say a 8" with this grenade on will push the EQ5 to it's limits. But It can handle it well for visual observation.

This is the required configuration of the bar.

Observation: I am not sure at all a 1 kg EP could work with this telescope and mount.

COUNTER WEIGHT: I built this counter weight to help in odd position, it's 250g total. And it's probably the very best thing in this in this entire thread, it will help me a big deal along with my rotating ring. Those are invaluable option for this dysfunctional setup. With that and me taking my time, everything is ok (Showing off my open source inventions)

ES 51mm BARREL: I had to sand and recoat the inside of the original 2" adapter that came with the scope. The horizontal stainless grain from the EP barrel was grinding itself on the inside of th holer. I did a little bit of sanding and installed 2 coats of 2 parts epoxy inside, problem solved.

CONCLUSION: For my last 5 observation, the Grenade 34mm stole the spotlight and was in the focuser most of the time, I think it's very good and I love it . Thumbs up for the Xcel LX eyepieces which are very good eyepieces too and standing strong. They are a keeper.

Hopefully this thread will be useful for another person when the time comes to get a wide field low power eyepiece! (to be used with 200p F5)

Thanks for reading and looking.

[John]

Very interesting comparison - thanks for compiling and posting it

[N3ptune]

17 minutes ago, John said:

Very interesting comparison - thanks for compiling and posting it

Glad you like it, frankly this observation report was a fun thing to do, the subject is very interesting (:

[John]

1 minute ago, N3ptune said:

....this observation report was a fun thing to do, the subject is very interesting (:

I used to enjoy the ones that I did for the forum, especially as I was kindly loaned most of the eyepieces so did not have to invest in them myself (thanks First Light Optics ). The problem that I did often encounter was that the UK weather meant that it took quite some time (weeks often) to get enough sessions in comparing the eyepieces to write up a report.

I'm sure others will find your feedback on these products useful

[N3ptune]

I don't know if the weather here is better but in the 4 last weeks we had an exceptional amount of available days for observation, I missed 3 days in these 4 weeks.  I'll say this report represents my first impressions after 5 or 6 hours with the ES 34mm but I had different scenarios, with the moon, has well has with no moon and home polluted sky vs darker sky.  1 observation at the dark spot, it was incredible.

There be an update eventually has more experience accumulates.

I don't have the chance to have a sponsor to try EPs, with my local shop, I am not a beloved customer, very sad...

[MarsG76]

Good head to head comparison...

7mm pupil huh... lucky bum

[N3ptune]

(((: I'll have the 7mm exit pupil for some time hopefully. It's good with the 6.8 exit pupil of the 34mm, i can't wait for the moon to hide so I can use it again on large objects. 

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

The ES 34mm/68° has been on sale for a few days, now, 175€ instead of 230€. Your report and the sale might convince a few to get one, too. Could have been me but I was already ogling a 100°.

[F15Rules]

2 hours ago, Ben the Ignorant said:

The ES 34mm/68° has been on sale for a few days, now, 175€ instead of 230€. Your report and the sale might convince a few to get one, too. Could have been me but I was already ogling a 100°.

The ES34mm 68 is a lovely eyepiece. Quite heavy as outlined in Neptune's very comprehensive report, but very high quality and capable of some wonderful views. 

I highly recommend it☺.

Dave

[N3ptune]

1 hour ago, F15Rules said:

The ES34mm 68 is a lovely eyepiece. Quite heavy as outlined in Neptune's very comprehensive report, but very high quality and capable of some wonderful views. 

I highly recommend it☺.

Dave

So far it's i am addicted to it. I liked my previous Q70 because of its wide field, but I had to replace it with something superior and the 34mm did it wonderfully. You know When you dream of something better, you get it and it's matching (or surpassing) all your expectations?

I hope I am going to like it for a very long time, and it's going to last flawlessly too.

 

[N3ptune]

3 hours ago, Ben the Ignorant said:

The ES 34mm/68° has been on sale for a few days, now, 175€ instead of 230€. Your report and the sale might convince a few to get one, too. Could have been me but I was already ogling a 100°.

Ah I did not know about the sale. were is it on sale?

100d must be incredible you are lucky to own them, maybe I'll get one with more experience in the future. .

[N3ptune]

12 minutes ago, N3ptune said:

Ah I did not know about the sale. were is it on sale?

100d must be incredible you are lucky to own them, maybe I'll get one with more experience in the future. .

Oh my god that last tread was my 1000th and I wished for a 100d in it

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

https://www.explorescientific.co.uk/en/Eyepieces/Explore-Scientific-68-Ar-Eyepiece-34mm-2.html

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p5598_Explore-Scientific-34mm-2--Okular---68----wasserdicht.html

And maybe other places, too; check your dealers.

[Ben the Ignorant]

8 hours ago, N3ptune said:

Oh my god that last tread was my 1000th and I wished for a 100d in it

 

Too bad these numbers can't be played at a lottery!