Nagler 3-6 Zoom your recomendations- comments

[PaulC-I]

Hi Experienced gazers

I'm thinking of buying one of these. Any feedback on quality of your views through this ep would be greatly appreciated.

As a guide I have been using OU, Tak & pentax SMC orthos with 2.5 Powermate to acheive the Mag up to now.

I like the idea of one ep does all.

Thanks in advance of your views.

Paul

[Ben Ritchie]

Hi Paul, as you know I switched from the 5mm XW to the 3-6 Nagler zoom. Optically the zoom is excellent, and the practicality is superb - being able to flip back and forward between 100 and 200x magnification with the 80mm refractor is very useful, as is being able to match 'max power' to the conditions with the 130mm refractor (3mm is almost always too much magnification, but the others get used).

Saying that, I still miss the wider AFOV of the XW, and might well switch back at some point.

[Andrew*]

Loved mine, and found it quite difficult to part with it. It was all I ever needed for high power and is truly parfocal. It's so easy to twist the top section and get exactly the right power for the conditions. Only reason for parting with it was my new main observing scope (16") had too long a focal length. I would love to see TV make some more variations on this eyepiece (4-8mm? 6-12mm?).

As for sharpness and contrast, I can't say I could ever find anything to complain about. Views were always crisp and pleasing. Eye relief was on the short side, but you'll be used to that from orthos.

I should stop talking about it now - I'm really starting to miss it!

Andrew

[John]

I owned one for a while (Andrews ) and it was optically and mechanically superb. Mind you a Powermate and a Tak or Pentax Ortho would be pretty close in performance I should think so I guess it's whether you value the convenience of the zoom.

John

[Astronut]

I was about ready to buy one of these but I had second thoughts and bought a 2x Powermate instead so I'd still have the benefit of the wide FOV and long eye-relief from my eyepieces.

If I had a tracking mount, I'd probably get one - I've not seen any bad reports about them.

[ottUp]

I like mine a lot. It's my most-used eyepiece on my 100mm and 60mm refractors, and occasionally on my larger scopes (The 3 and 4mm settings are too short for long focal length scopes). Well made, very sharp, and for the scopes I have, really hits a sweet spot in focal length.

The field of view is narrow compared to naglers and pentaxi, but since it's mainly (for me) a planetary eyepiece, that's not a problem at all. A bigger problem is the eye relief - it's just on the edge of what is useable for me with glasses on - not a problem with glasses off. (Since I do a lot of public demos, I like to focus with glasses on, so it's focused for the corrected vision of the average visitor.)

I would definitely not part with mine, and would buy it again if I had the decision to do over.

- Richard

[PaulC-I]

Many thanks for all your views. Has been very useful.

Cheers

Paul