Televue Dioptrx

[Paz]

Although have been aware of these for some time I've only just got around to getting one. This was prompted by a change in my glasses where my new glasses are not so great for observing with.

A 1.00 dioptre version has just arrived. I've not tried it in a scope yet but have had a look through it just straight through and am shocked at how much it sharpens up the view with my left eye which it matches. Even using it on my right eye which is only 0.5 it still improves sharpness.

I've found that it won't quite fit my SLVs or Mk4 zoom but I know it will fit all my Televues.

I'm really looking forward to giving this a go through a scope and ditching my glasses.

[Charic]

One of the reasons that persuaded me try the Delos was their Dioptrx eyepieces, though like yourself took a while to decide upon buying the first one.

That said, I sold my  Delos  EP's before I had the chance, but Tele Vue's blurb does state how much better they are over prescriptions glasses!

As I understood it, you simply bought the Dioptrx of a size that matched your astigmatism, ignoring any other values values,  attach the lens and rotate until you see/feel the correction.

Hope it works out for you.

[niallk]

I'm 0.5, and since my optician showed me the rather dramatic effect of astig correction when looking at a 5x5 array of black dots on a white background, I've been considering getting a dioptrx!  Haven't taken the plunge just yet, but it's only a matter of time I feel if/as my astig worsens as I, erm, age... ?

Will be interested to hear how you get on under the stars. 

[Paz]

On checking it out I have discovered that you have to take of the rubber eye cup in order to fit the Dioptrx...

Which is an extra task I had not figured but this means that actually it will fit n the Mk4 Zoom because you can unscrew the eyeguard from that...

Which just leaves the question can you remove the eyeguard from an SLV eyepiece? Having had a fiddle it doesn't look like you can - I wonder has anyone tried it?

[djpaul]

I tried a 1.25 dioptrix  to match my prescription but found it no better. I then borrowed a 1.50 and still no better. 

I don't think they work for everyone.

I actually prefer not using them .

 

 

 

[Charic]

20 hours ago, djpaul said:

I tried a 1.25 dioptrix  to match my prescription but found it no better. I then borrowed a 1.50 and still no better. 

I don't think they work for everyone.

I actually prefer not using them .

 

 

 

Out of interest, did you rotate the Dioptrx eyepiece? TeleVue refers  to it as 'tuning', which allows the wearer to obtain the sharpest image. I'd hate to think this was simply overlooked, but maybe not, and quite simply, as stated, Dioptrx is not right for your needs.
Dioptrx is still something I'd  consider if ever I went down that route again.

[Louis D]

1 hour ago, Charic said:

Out of interest, did you rotate the Dioptrx eyepiece? TeleVue refers  to it as 'tuning', which allows the wearer to obtain the sharpest image. I'd hate to think this was simply overlooked, but maybe not, and quite simply, as stated, Dioptrx is not right for your needs.
Dioptrx is still something I'd  consider if ever I went down that route again.

Right, astigmatism has both a diopter strength and an axis in degrees.  It is that axis that has to be "tuned" by rotation.  It's interesting that most eyes have multiple axes of astigmatism, each with their own strength, and opticians try to find the best compromise of strength and orientation to correct out as many of them as possible.  Actual laser surgery on the eye can remove all of the various imperfections of the eye at once that no prescription lens could ever do.

[Louis D]

On 13/10/2018 at 19:09, Paz said:

Which just leaves the question can you remove the eyeguard from an SLV eyepiece? Having had a fiddle it doesn't look like you can - I wonder has anyone tried it?

Unfortunately, I haven't heard of any method to remove it.  If it could be done, someone would have decloaked it by now and posted pictures and instructions. ?

[Paz]

In testing it straight through I have figured out the right orientation for both my eyes and I've practiced removing and replacing the rubber eye cups so that I can do it in the dark without doing a finger-plant on a lense by mistake, it's now just a case of waiting for a clear sky - which could be some time! Trying it out just looking at a distant street light in the dark isn't the most scientific of tests but it looks very promising.

[djpaul]

Yes I did turn the lens.

It made no difference for me

I'm due an eye test soon so will ask the optician for more details .

Paul

 

[Charic]

Hopefully no major issues from your eye test.

As with most items when it comes to astronomy, no matter what the item, we only ever know and learn by trial and error.  Paul, I doubt your alone with Dioptrx.

[Paz]

The Dioptrx has at last had its first run out. I tried it with an ST120+Baader Mk4 Zoom+1.5x Barlow at 24mm all the way through to 8mm. I really struggled with getting it aligned in the field in the dark, and although it does fit on the Mk4 it's not as solid as I would like. In the end I would hold it up to the moon directly, rotate it around to the correct alignment and the try to go back on the eyepiece without losing the orientation. I thought this was quite a bit of hassle and it will be sensible to somehow mark the right orientation so I can feel it with my fingers in the dark and line it up easily.

I found it really hard to notice a difference but the seeing was poor, thin cloud was not lifting and my scope was not cooled because I was lazy. Using a light mount (again too lazy to get out a heavier mount) meant vibes every time I adjusted it and this put me off trying for too long.

I then tried a 4.5mm Delos. The fit was much better but it is a hassle removing the rubber eyecup on the Delos in order to put on the Dioptrx. Again I could not see a noticeable difference but the conditions were still poor.

This is disappointing so far but probably not the fairest of tests. I realised while packing up that at small exit pupils the benefits get less and that may also play a part.

The next time out I aim to have the correct orientation marked, and pick wide field clusters or star fields observing them with large exit pupils and better conditions. That ought to be a better test.

[Paz]

Just to make sure the record is complete I have one further update using the Dioptrx with the ST120 and when I (eventually) get to give this a go in the VX14 I will feed back on that. My last notes are from October 2018 - ST120+ dielectric mirror diagonal + LP filter + 10mm Delos + Dipotrx. (60x magnification and 2mm exit pupil).

I could by this time align the Dipotrx a bit more easily but even so I planned the whole session sticking with one eyepiece to keep it simple. A 2mm exit pupil is getting small when considering the benefits of correcting for astigmatism which occurs more at large exit pupils but here's my notes...

Vega - really good view, super clean and round. If I rotate the Dioptrx it starts to go out of round and resemble Saturn at low magnification. Rotating back it tidies up and goes back to a clean round star.

Epsilon Lyra - not enough magnification to split each pair but I didn't want to mess with eyepieces so moved on.

NGC 869 (one of the double cluster) - a horseshoe (to my eye) of stars in the centre, best view ever seen with ST120. Rotating the Dipotrx makes the brighter stars soften and makes the fainter stars disappear. Rotating it back into line makes the brighter stars harden up and makes faint stars reappear from the ether as tiny points. Spent a long time on this view and scrapped the idea of other targets thinking it best to know when I'm on to a winner and just appreciate it.

Looking across the FOV stars are pin sharp everywhere.

This then was a good result and being able to rotate the Dioptrx allowed me to see directly if it was benefiting or not.

The notes I made previously about the Dioptrx being a bit difficult to use remain the same - it does create an extra workload but when it's on and lined up it is working for me. As most of my observing is short and opportunistic I am not using the Dioptrx much in order to keep things simple and save time, but I'm looking forward to trying it on the VX 14 as it won't be rotating all over the place so much with big changes in eyepiece and head position like it does on scopes mounted to my EQ5.

[Scooot]

I don’t bother putting the eye guards back on. I just store them in the case. Each eyepiece is then ready for the dioptrx. However I don’t usually bother using it with my 10mm Delos because the astigmatism is less noticeable with high power. My biggest issue is when I use it with the 13mm ethos, I have to have the dioptrx eyeguard down. Which means the heat of my eye often mists up the eyepiece. But overall I like using the dioptrx, I keep meaning to buy another but I haven’t got around to it.  

[Paz]

21 hours ago, Scooot said:

I don’t bother putting the eye guards back on. I just store them in the case. Each eyepiece is then ready for the dioptrx. However I don’t usually bother using it with my 10mm Delos because the astigmatism is less noticeable with high power. My biggest issue is when I use it with the 13mm ethos, I have to have the dioptrx eyeguard down. Which means the heat of my eye often mists up the eyepiece. But overall I like using the dioptrx, I keep meaning to buy another but I haven’t got around to it.  

I hadn't thought about leaving the eye guard off, that's a good time saving idea.

[Ullomat]

Hi all,

usually, the astigmatism of the eye degrades the view less, when the exit pupil gets smaller. I have 0,75 in my left eye and use the Dioptrix for my Nagler 31mm, Delos 17,3 and Delos 10mm. From 6mm EP Focal length and shorter my eye astigmatism does not show up any more. 

At the longer focal length it is very obvious but totally corrected by the Dioptrix. This made me exchange my Ethos EP's to Delos since the Ethos eye relief of 15mm was not enough (for me) to use it with the Dioptrix. With the Delos it is perfect for me. 

http://televue.com/engine/TV3b_page.asp?id=54&Tab=_Choose

cs,

Uli

[Scooot]

18 minutes ago, Ullomat said:

Hi all,

usually, the astigmatism of the eye degrades the view less, when the exit pupil gets smaller. I have 0,75 in my left eye and use the Dioptrix for my Nagler 31mm, Delos 17,3 and Delos 10mm. From 6mm EP Focal length and shorter my eye astigmatism does not show up any more. 

At the longer focal length it is very obvious but totally corrected by the Dioptrix. This made me exchange my Ethos EP's to Delos since the Ethos eye relief of 15mm was not enough (for me) to use it with the Dioptrix. With the Delos it is perfect for me. 

cs,

Uli

Hi Uli, out of curiosity what Ethos did you exchange? I can see the full fov of my 13mm with it with the dioptrx eyeguard down and I’ve read the 21mm is similar, which I had considered buying one day. I agree however the Delos are perfect.  

I also have to have it’s eyeguard down with the 26nm Nagler 

[Ullomat]

Hi Richard,

I sold the 17mm and the 10mm. With the eyeguard down also, I still had to go that close to the glass of the Dioptrix that my eyelashes made it "greasy". In addition the view was somehow unsteady and a bit uncomfortable. The Delos (with and without the Dioptrix) is different. I can look through it very relaxed and blocking of stray light is very easy (always difficult for me with the Ethos). 

After some time with the new Delos, I was so convinced of this EP Design that I changed all my Ethos (and Ethos SX) to Delos. 

But as always eyepiece preferences are a very individual thing. 

cs,

Uli

[Scooot]

28 minutes ago, Ullomat said:

Hi Richard,

I sold the 17mm and the 10mm. With the eyeguard down also, I still had to go that close to the glass of the Dioptrix that my eyelashes made it "greasy". In addition the view was somehow unsteady and a bit uncomfortable. The Delos (with and without the Dioptrix) is different. I can look through it very relaxed and blocking of stray light is very easy (always difficult for me with the Ethos). 

After some time with the new Delos, I was so convinced of this EP Design that I changed all my Ethos (and Ethos SX) to Delos. 

But as always eyepiece preferences are a very individual thing. 

cs,

Uli

Yes the Delos are lovely, I nearly sold my 17.3mm when I bought my 13mm Ethos, I’m very glad I didn’t. I have a 9mm Delite I use with my little Tak and that has the same eye relief design and is also very nice, although I don’t bother using the Dioptrx with it.

This is an old thread I saved about eyepieces that are ok with Dioptrx that people might find useful.

 

[Paz]

I went for Delos for the eye relief, and also went for a 22mm and 31mm Naglers as they are both also long eye relief so the Dioptrx work well on the whole set.

[Ullomat]

Hi Paz,

I have the 31mm Nagler, too. It works perfectly for me with the Dioptrix. 

cs,

Uli