Eye Pieces you would like to try out

[RT65CB-SWL]

Maybe this... the TeleVue 31mm Nagler in my 're-modded' ETX 105 now that it accepts 2" e/p's & accessories...

...or with my C6/SCT too...

...or my TeleVue Ranger... [but I would need to source a 1.25" to 2" adaptor for it]. 

[YKSE]

18 minutes ago, Lockie said:

 

Now they're just £64, it's very tempting. The 22mm and 17mm are out of stock at FLO, word must have got out, Louis. 

Here's some optical measured numbers to put John and Louis's observations in perspective for the 13mm Ultima LX,

at f7, the 25' arc min spot size means a bright star will have a size of Moon!

[John]

Very detailed and thorough report

Seems to generally agree with my experiences.

[Highburymark]

I'd like to try the RKE28s too - an oddball eyepiece that seems to be adored and loathed in equal proportions. The Docter is another on the list. 

 

[fiestazetecmk2]

Just like more clear skies at the moment.but I'm happy with my bst eyepieces. Very good value for the money.IMHO. 

[Louis D]

3 hours ago, YKSE said:

Here's some optical measured numbers to put John and Louis's observations in perspective for the 13mm Ultima LX,

at f7, the 25' arc min spot size means a bright star will have a size of Moon!

Yes, agrees with what I've seen in it.  The chromaticity can best be described as turning bright stars into pretty rainbows running radially center to edge.  Little kids might like the effect. 

[Chris]

4 hours ago, YKSE said:

Here's some optical measured numbers to put John and Louis's observations in perspective for the 13mm Ultima LX,

at f7, the 25' arc min spot size means a bright star will have a size of Moon!

Hmm? Ok, thanks for sharing your very detailed report. I'll give the 13mm a miss in that case as it probably wouldn't be much better at f/8. The SLV's 50 degrees is sharp at least, so I probably wouldn't be gaining anything.

[John]

7 minutes ago, Lockie said:

Hmm? Ok, thanks for sharing your very detailed report. I'll give the 13mm a miss in that case as it probably wouldn't be much better at f/8. The SLV's 50 degrees is sharp at least, so I probably wouldn't be gaining anything.

Better to have a sharp 50 than a partially astigmatic 70 I feel, especially when the 50 that the SLV delivers is better quality than the central 50 that these SWA's produce, IMHO.

 

[Chris]

17 minutes ago, John said:

Better to have a sharp 50 than a partially astigmatic 70 I feel, especially when the 50 that the SLV delivers is better quality than the central 50 that these SWA's produce, IMHO.

 

Yeah well there is that also  

The SLV's are great of course, I just find 50 degrees better suited to tracking mounts rather than Dobs. A first world problem so I really shouldn't moan 

[25585]

4 hours ago, Philip R said:

Maybe this...  the TeleVue 31mm Nagler in my 're-modded' ETX 105 now that it accepts 2" e/p's & accessories...

...or with my C6/SCT too...

...or my TeleVue Ranger... [but I would need to source a 1.25" to 2" adaptor for it]. 

My dream ep too. But eye relief not long enough - I would need to have a test view first. B interesting to know I the er is lengthened to around mid-20s mm using a Paracorr. 

[jkwhinfrey]

I'm trying out the Lunt HDC 9mm at the moment, so if it's good the 20mm might follow. I'd also like a chance to see how the 17.5mm Morpheus turns out. The ES92s sound good, but I'm not sure I've got a focused that's a match for them.

From the wide to the narrow, the Vixen HR Planetaries and Tak TOEs look interesting. I could add some Brandons to see what the fuss is about... not sure I could bring myself to buy one.

More off beat, I'm intrigued by the plossl and kellner eyepieces offered by ATC in the Czech Republic, and the 2" Siebert Optics Observatory eyepieces.

There are many older eyepieces I'd like to try for no sound reason: Zeiss Jena huygens and orthos spring to mind along with older RKEs. Then perhaps a few Clave plossls or supermonos...

Oh so many ?

James

[Special K]

13 minutes ago, 25585 said:

My dream ep too. But eye relief not long enough - I would need to have a test view first. B interesting to know I the er is lengthened to around mid-20s mm using a Paracorr. 

It’s a great dream to have!!!  

[Louis D]

4 hours ago, 25585 said:

My dream ep too. But eye relief not long enough - I would need to have a test view first. B interesting to know I the er is lengthened to around mid-20s mm using a Paracorr. 

I can just make the original 30mm ES-82 mushroom top work with eyeglasses.  It's actually easier to take in the entire view with than when using a T4 Nagler.  They were also sold as the 31mm Celestron Axiom and 30mm Meade UWA.  If you remove the eyecup, they weigh about the same as the current ES-82 except that the eye lens is no longer flush mounted.  It is now recessed reducing eye relief for eye glass wearers.  The edge correction is not as good as the Terminagler.  If you watch the various astro classifieds and ebay, they come up every few months here in the states for about $200.  I don't know how common they are in Europe or elsewhere.

[AstroSylv1]

The ones I’d like to try, but not necessarily own : Takahashi TOE, Masuyama 5, AP SPL 4mm, Clavé 30, Zeiss Monocentric

The ones I have tried but that I no longer own : ZAO I’s, Clavé (almost all focal lengths), old Masuyama’s.

only kept the ZAO II and Pentax XW / XO

[astronomer2002]

On 10/18/2017 at 22:28, Scooot said:

21mm ethos, I’d like to see if the eye relief is good enough with my Dioptrx. If so would probably be a good replacement for my 26mm nagler.

Strange you are looking to replace the Nagler as the eyepiece I would like to try is the 26mm Nagler.

I acquired a 31mm when I was looking for a 26/31 and it is a great eyepiece. I prefer it to my 22mm T4 in terms of ease-of-use, but the 31 is just a tad too low a power to cope with the low contrast skies we get most days.

Before I acquired Naglers my most used/favourite low power eyepiece was the 27mm Panoptic even though I also have a 35mm Panoptic. This is probably due to low contrast skies, as above, and maybe the seasick feeling you often get when slewing!

Ian B

[John]

I was a great fan of Nagler eyepieces having owned many different types and I still own a Nagler 31. I found that the Ethos range were actually slightly better optically than the Naglers so it's not just that extra field of view that you get for those (not insubstantial) additional £'s.

I recently bought a Nagler T6 13mm to see again how it stacked up against the Ethos 13. The Nagler 13 T6 was one of my favourite Naglers but I still found that I preferred the Ethos despite it's much larger size and weight. So the 13mm T6 has winged it's way to another home.

Expensive games to play though

 

[wookie1965]

Hopefully I have enough inward travel now on my Tal that I will be looking for a 4.5 mm or even a 4 mm not sure what to buy yet. 

[Scooot]

6 hours ago, astronomer2002 said:

Strange you are looking to replace the Nagler as the eyepiece I would like to try is the 26mm Nagler.

I acquired a 31mm when I was looking for a 26/31 and it is a great eyepiece. I prefer it to my 22mm T4 in terms of ease-of-use, but the 31 is just a tad too low a power to cope with the low contrast skies we get most days.

Before I acquired Naglers my most used/favourite low power eyepiece was the 27mm Panoptic even though I also have a 35mm Panoptic. This is probably due to low contrast skies, as above, and maybe the seasick feeling you often get when slewing!

Ian B

I’m not really looking to replace the 26mm Nagler Ian. I was just saying that I’d like to try the 21mm Ethos. If I did & I found the temptation to get one too irresistible I don’t think I’d need the 26mm Nagler as well. The FOV is about the same as the Ethos so it would be a case of weighing up the pros & cons of slightly different exit pupils, magnification & views. I think for my observing it’s one or the other. It’s not going to happen in the near future  

[alan potts]

By and large I am happy with what I have though that in itself is a fairly large collection. It was once larger but I off loaded 6 Delos'ssss and 4 T6 Naglers. The one eyepiece I always wanted to add to the collection it the 4.7mm Ethos, however the man I take the most notice of on here, John, had one and has since moved it on, likewise I have put it on a backburner now. Other than that De-lite range seem to be very good indeed and are now made in F/L's that have Radians in the case 4mm and 5mm, must see if I can dig 500 quid up in the garden.

Alan

[Alan White]

I want to try the ES 82 range, just to see what they are like.

Also want to try a Panoptic 24 alongside the ES 24/68 and Vixen LVW 22 to see which view I prefer.

I do like the 50 degree view most of the time as I can see it all in comfort, the wider the view the move I feel less comfortable wiggling my eyeball about, but that’s me.

Beyond that would need a big influx of cash to try anything else.

That is unlikely for a number of years, so enjoying what I already own and have available.

[25585]

Always interesting reading about these "exotic" eps. My collection apart from diverse A-Team of a Nagler, a Nikon, a Panoptic & a XW are all low priced but good enough for number of times spent viewing these days - much less than the clear cold autumn nights of 30 years ago that seem to have gone in SW England. 

Are there any physical retail shops that stock eps which allow eye piece perusal & trying out anywhere still. As eye relief & comfort are the #1 factor, I would like to take the binoculars/camera approach before buying expensive glass. 

[Piero]

On 19/10/2017 at 22:17, jkwhinfrey said:

I'm trying out the Lunt HDC 9mm at the moment, so if it's good the 20mm might follow. I'd also like a chance to see how the 17.5mm Morpheus turns out. The ES92s sound good, but I'm not sure I've got a focused that's a match for them.

From the wide to the narrow, the Vixen HR Planetaries and Tak TOEs look interesting.

I have the 20mm Lunt HDC and it's a lovely and clean eyepiece to me. Hard to beat given the cost of its concurrent eyepieces! The eye cup is well designed (cloned?) too. In any case, what I'm trying to saying is that it is an eyepiece that works, and works really well! 

The HR line is a niche, but I'm glad to have the 2.4mm. It is handy on a short tube refractor and to get nice close up with longer focal lengths, seeing permitting. I use it on white light quite a lot with the Tak, and on the Moon with the dob. In few occasions, I also barlowed it with the tak...  

[cloudsweeper]

4 hours ago, Alan White said:

I want to try the ES 82 range, just to see what they are like.

Also want to try a Panoptic 24 alongside the ES 24/68 and Vixen LVW 22 to see which view I prefer.

I do like the 50 degree view most of the time as I can see it all in comfort, the wider the view the move I feel less comfortable wiggling my eyeball about, but that’s me.

Beyond that would need a big influx of cash to try anything else.

That is unlikely for a number of years, so enjoying what I already own and have available.

Alan -  I have ES 82s in 30, 18, 14, 11, 8.8, and 6.7mm sizes, and am very pleased with them, not finding the AFOV excessive.

The 18mm has a small eye lens, and quite low eye relief (13mm) which make it less comfortable.

I had thought I'd like to try the ES 24/82, but I have the ES 24/68, and don't use it all that much since my low power needs are covered by the 30/82 and the Meade 5000 UWA 20/82.  I might one day be tempted by the 24/82 though, especially since it is a little cheaper and lighter than the hefty 30/82 (992g).

But essentially, I'm with you on the subject of enjoying what we already have!

Doug.

[John]

6 hours ago, 25585 said:

Always interesting reading about these "exotic" eps. My collection apart from diverse A-Team of a Nagler, a Nikon, a Panoptic & a XW are all low priced but good enough for number of times spent viewing these days - much less than the clear cold autumn nights of 30 years ago that seem to have gone in SW England. 

Are there any physical retail shops that stock eps which allow eye piece perusal & trying out anywhere still. As eye relief & comfort are the #1 factor, I would like to take the binoculars/camera approach before buying expensive glass. 

Hmmm - I'm not sure that your A-Team are really low priced eyepieces, especially if bought new. Easily £1K or more to buy them retail I think.

I don't know any retailers who will loan eyepieces as such but of course the distance trading (not consumer contracts) regs allow you to get a refund (minus postage costs) of you decide something is not for you. I've tended to buy mine used on the basis that a decent EP can be re-sold at little or no loss if it's not to my taste.

[Doc]

On 19/10/2017 at 09:42, John said:

For a long time I've read about the Leica ASPH zoom and wanted to try it. I have one in my eyepiece case now and a VIP barlow so this Autumn and Winter I'm going to "see for myself" as they say

 

 

Well let me know John how you get on as I'm really interested in this eyepiece.