What is your favourite eyepiece & filter?

[25585]

Not most used, unless that is the main qualification, but which ep is your favourite?

It could be because of a view of a particular object or area. Or the immersive "majestic" feel looking through it. Practical or pleasure or both, but which sets it as undisputed #1. 

Same criteria for filters. 

My favourite is a 35mm Panoptic. Not most used but just for finding, scanning & wow factor. Good eye relief & positioning flexibility.  With an OIII filter it's fab for big nebulae and DSOs. An ep I change scope to keep using. 

[nightfisher]

Maybe not a favourite but one that has really surprised me is the Revelation superview 15mm for Luna viewing, it works very well in longer focal length scopes and gives a super sharp cool tone view

[Paz]

The 22mm Nagler is my favourite eyepiece, I've had sessions with the vx14 where that goes in and stays in for the whole time.

Filters is harder but recently I have been using the ND0.9 filter quite a lot on the moon and planets. I didn't used to but have discovered it does sometimes make a difference in picking out details.

 

[AndyH]

1 hour ago, nightfisher said:

Maybe not a favourite but one that has really surprised me is the Revelation superview 15mm for Luna viewing, it works very well in longer focal length scopes and gives a super sharp cool tone view

Agreed. Had a loan of one for a few months and I also was pleasantly surprised by the views it gave.

[alanjgreen]

My favourite is my Ethos 10mm. Great eyepiece, very easy to use and provides sweet spot of magnification in big dob. The 6mm Ethos is pretty good in my Borg too.

My favourite filter is my Astronomik 6nm Ha CCD filter which when used together with night vision makes invisible nebula visible in all their splendour  

Alan

[alan potts]

Though I own a large selection of TeleVue eyepieces even though I had a cull of 12 a couple of years back I feel my favourite is the 35mm Panoptic and it is maybe my most used, as for filter is is the Astronomik's Olll, which was also my first filter, I only have the sort of main 4 in the 2 iinch size and a TV Mars A filter which I must try and use.

Alan

[Mr Spock]

22mm LVW. Very sharp, well corrected and comfortable to use.

[iPeace]

I own three 24mm Panoptics... that must overrule any other reasoning I can come up with.

[John]

Probably the 21mm Ethos and the Lumicon O-III filter.

There is something about the 31mm Nagler that is very special as well, but the Ethos 21 is a more useful DSO eyepiece under my usual skies.

It's not a "majesty factor" though, it's just that the 21mm Ethos is such a good observing tool combined with my 12" dobsonian and the Lumicon O-III filter seems to pull out the most detail and contrast in nebulous targets, more than any other line or narrowband filter that I've used.

 

 

 

 

[rwilkey]

Like others, the 35mm Panoptic is an important part of my collection, however, the ES82 14mm  has got to be one of my most used.   Also looking forward to trying out the Nagler 13mm which I acquired recently second-hand in a job lot. 

For filters, like John above, my favourite is the Lumicon OIII. 

[scarp15]

Also the same as John, 21mm Ethos and Lumicon OIII.

[F15Rules]

If I can only choose one it has to be my Vixen LVW22mm...in my fracs it's pretty much perfect and delivers astounding views of M42 for example.

A very close second (maybe a tie in fact) is my Pentax XL10.5mm. I have also had the newer 10mm XW which has a slightly wider fov (70 vs 65 Deg). If you use the more popular XW version you'll know why I rate these so highly - fabulous contrast, sharpness and comfort in use ?

Dave

[Mark at Beaufort]

I have used and sold so many EPs over years. Favourite is my 13mm Ethos and 1.25" Astronomik O-III filter.

[Highburymark]

If we're allowed zooms, it has to be the Leica ASPH. With a decent barlow it offers incredibly sharp views up to 80 degrees between 4.5mm-18mm, and goes with me everywhere. But I can't overlook the Panoptic 24, probably my most used eyepiece. I have a particular soft spot for the 11mm Nagler T6 though - great views with a Lumicon OIII - and the Delite 4mm for lunar and planetary.

I still get a kick whenever I use one of these fabulous eyepieces - still appreciate how special they are despite years of use.

Then sometimes I dig out a cheap plossl and I'm struck by the excellent views. 32mm Omni for example, which was a little over thirty quid. But then there's the TV plossls, or the Fujiyama orthos - spectacular for binoviewing. And the XF zoom, unbeatable for studying solar proms.

Does that answer the question?

[John]

It's not fair having to pick one favourite eyepiece is it ?

As soon as I'd made my post I was thinking "but what about this and remember the views through that"

 

[RiponJas]

I'll let you know when I can afford some decent ep's. Still new to this amazing hobby and spent more than I expected on scopes.. 

But I do tend to enjoy the clarity of the Bresser 26mm super plossl that came with my frac. Also when seeing is good I do like to use the sw planetary 5mm. I find it very comfortable.. 

All my ep's currently cost less than one decent one but,  whatever the EP at least I'm still looking. ? 

[John]

1 hour ago, RiponJas said:

.... whatever the EP at least I'm still looking. ? 

 

[25585]

5 hours ago, John said:

It's not fair having to pick one favourite eyepiece is it ?

As soon as I'd made my post I was thinking "but what about this and remember the views through that"

 

That's the challenge ; )

Perhaps though I should allow one 2 inch and one 1.25, still....

Lot of Lumicon OIII filters. I have one but it's 1.25, while my 2 inch is Astronomik. The Lumicon, a 1980s model, properly introduced me to nebulae, still does.   

[kev100]

Hi,

It's a close one, for me, between my 8.8, 82 degree Explore Scientific, and the 20mm Myriad. Very different beasts, but both can end up staying in the scope for whole evening sessions ...

Kev

[Louis D]

I'd have to go with my trusty 14mm Pentax XL that I've had for 20 years.  It first showed me the vast majority of DSOs when starting out.  Back then, I could accommodate it's field curvature and never understood what everyone was complaining about.  It is sharp from edge to edge when refocused if you're older as I am now and is easy to use with eyeglasses.

[Geoff Barnes]

I'd really love to contribute to this thread but alas the Melbourne mountain winter weather has really not been conducive to any sort of viewing. ?

Also I need to add to my collection of only one decent EP, my recently acquired ES 4.7mm 82 degree which I can't wait to point at Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon!

I'm really considering the Baader 8-24mm zoom as my next purchase as an economical multi purpose EP, which could well turn out to be my favourite! ?

[Alan White]

Favourite EP is the one sat in my focuser, it’s the view not the kit I favour..........

but in answer to your question, it’s my Vixen 22mm LVW, closely followed by my Pentax 5mm XW. 

They are so comfortable to use for long periods of observing and provide sharp, contrast and colour neutral views.

 

[F15Rules]

4 hours ago, Geoff Barnes said:

I'm really considering the Baader 8-24mm zoom as my next purchase as an economical multi purpose EP, 

The Baader zoom is a cracking all purpose unit Geoff...with your excellent 4.7mm ES and a good wider field low power eyepiece such as an LVW22, Panoptic 24 or ES 24mm 68mm, then 3 eyepieces might be all you ever need?..

Dave

[Geoff Barnes]

Just a quick update, thanks to Dave (F15Rules) and many other posters recommendations, I've just ordered the Baader 8-24mm zoom from FLO for a very reasonable £165. Really looking forward to getting some serious observing done when we get some decent weather in springtime!

 

[John]

Good purchase Geoff - they are nice, flexible tools

As Dave suggested, you might find that a 24mm 68 degree eyepiece for the wider views is still useful plus either a shorter length eyepiece or a good quality barlow for higher powers and that might do you for a long time !