Aero ED SWA 2" 40mm eyepiece?

[william123]

Can anyone comment on the relative merits of the Aero ED SWA 2" 40mm eyepiece?  I'm wanting a 40mm class eyepiece with plenty of eye relief to use with my 130mm f/7.7 apo. 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/ovl-eyepieces/aero-ed-swa-2-eyepieces.html

Thank you!

[YKSE]

I have it, a light-weight 2" 40mm-ish eyepiece, works great in all my scopes, enough ER for my glasses, very easy with eye placement.

What I've gathered is that: it's a clone of TMB Paragon, it's phasing out by supplier (40mm TS paragon assumes to be the same clone, and sold out).

My 120ED f7.5 is closest to your 130mmf7.7, 40mm Aero has quite tight stars in the edge, very good lateral colour(LC) control.

Some other EP's around this focal lengthes:

Panoptic 41mm: slightly better edge correction in your scope, much heavier and costly.

Vixen 42mm LVW: slightly heavier, sightly sharper on axis, noticeable lateral colour(less good), finicky eye placement for some because SAEP (Spherical Aberration in Exit Pupil).

Meade/ES 40mm SWA: Even haveíer than the Pan, but can be de-shroud.

WO 40mm: Not as good as Aero in anyway, slightly more expensive.

Generic 38mm 70°: cost less than Aero, not as good edge and LC correction, bigger and heavier too.

[25585]

TS 40mm eps are inexpensive, as are GSOs. Most are Erfle type designs, 5 or 6 elements anf good light transmission. None too heavy compared to the ES 40 Maxview or TV 41 Panoptic. The latter is also expensive.

[Alfian]

I have the 35mm Rigel which is, as far as I can tell, a clone version of the Aero and I would echo YKSE's comments. In my ED100 it's a very nice EP very comfortable EP to use.

[alan potts]

I had the American market version of this eyepiece, the name escapes me. I have to say I wish I had kept hold of it, used mostly at F10 and F7, it was a dam good eyepiece but I caught Televue fever.

Alan

[Louis D]

5 hours ago, alan potts said:

I had the American market version of this eyepiece, the name escapes me. I have to say I wish I had kept hold of it, used mostly at F10 and F7, it was a dam good eyepiece but I caught Televue fever.

Alan

The original was designed by the late Thomas M. Back and marketed as the TMB Paragon.

[alan potts]

13 hours ago, Louis D said:

The original was designed by the late Thomas M. Back and marketed as the TMB Paragon.

Thanks Louis, I did know that but this one I had was from one of the large US outlets that I bought whilst I was over there, clearly a clone/copy but a good eyepiece nonethe less. One of the other Mods did have an original some years ago, again I don't think I am unfair in saying he regrets selling it too.

[Louis D]

10 hours ago, alan potts said:

Thanks Louis, I did know that but this one I had was from one of the large US outlets that I bought whilst I was over there, clearly a clone/copy but a good eyepiece nonethe less. One of the other Mods did have an original some years ago, again I don't think I am unfair in saying he regrets selling it too.

Then it was probably the Astro Tech Titan Type II ED (whew, what a long name).

[Transient]

Hi, In searching for information on the TMB Paragon and clones, I found this thread.  I have been trying to track a Paragon--or something like it--down, but I don't have any direct experience with it.  That makes it hard to weigh the information I find.  While most notes say it is gone, I do find things.  For instance, I see this when I search: Aero ED SWA 2" at firstlightoptics.com.  firstlightoptics claims to have their eyepieces in stock.  I also found that  teleskop-express.de has TS PARAGON Eyepieces, 30 & 35 (but no 40mm), and they also seem willing to sell.  Looks like both companies will send from DE or UK to US. 

I also see that scopecity.com has the the Astro Tech Titan Type II ED eyepieces listed for sale.  I have never dealt with ScopeCity, but I find that they were not popular and closing stores a few years ago.  They also appear ready to take the order--I'm just not sure what to think of them.  I also see they give the 40mm eye relief as 14mm.  I thought it would be 20mm. 

(Oddly, it almost seems like there are two lines of Paragons to my not-so-educated eye.  I have found at least one reference to a 60 but most are to 68 FOV pieces.)

If any of you kind folks has a thought on any of this and care to pass it along, you might keep me from making a poor shot in the dark, or stepping in a pasture pastry, or however one cares to put it.

[Pig]

I have recently purchased the 40mm Aero from FLO and it is a nice eyepiece, it is also quite light in comparison to other 2” eyepieces of this fl. The views are more than acceptable and it delivers 3.8 degrees TFOV in my scope. Despite the 5mm exit pupil the background is still inky black, which surprised me. I have owned very expensive 35 - 40mm eyepieces and although they delivered tighter stars at the edges of the FOV the backgrounds were quite light in comparison. I am happy with the eyepiece and can see no reason why I will not be keeping it ? 

[Transient]

That is encouraging.  Thanks for the reply.

[F15Rules]

Bit late on this but I have the TS Paragon 40mm (it actually says "Paracor" on the eyepiece), and it works very well in my F8 and F.7.7 refractors. Recommended.

Dave