6-7mm wide angle eyepiece

[Mike_S]

Okay so building up my eyepiece set for my f4.7 dob. 

I have a 5mm Myriad MWA and Pentax XW.  My next size up is a 9mm Myrid MWA.

i need one inbetween. Will probably buy the first I see come up second hand out of:

Explore Scientific 82 degrees 6.7mm

Televue Delos 6mm

Televue Nagler 7mm

Pentax XW 7mm

What would you go for given the choice?

[John]

What focal length Pentax XW do you have ?

Of the ones you list I would go for either the 6mm Delos or the 7mm Pentax XW. Ideally, both 

I find that I need more options as the focal length of the eyepiece gets shorter so my eyepiece ranges goes:

31mm, 21mm, 13mm, 8mm, 6mm, 5mm, 4mm 3.5mm, 3mm, 2.5mm and 2mm. Not all of those get much use with a 1200mm focal length scope of course !

 

[Mike_S]

It’s a 5mm Pentax XW. I’m leaning towards the Delos and the Pentax as well thanks  

[Mike_S]

John what are your shorter focal length eyepieces up to 8mm?

Edited May 27, 2019 by MSammon

[John]

17 minutes ago, MSammon said:

John what are your shorter focal length eyepieces up to 8mm?

From 8mm down I have:

8mm Ethos, 7mm Pentax XW, 6mm Ethos, 5mm Pentax XW, 4mm-2mm TV Nagler zoom and the 3.5mm Pentax XW. Some overlap between the zoom and the 3.5mm of course.

I also use a 21.5mm - 7.2mm zoom plus Baader 2.25x barlow combination quite often which gives me a 9.55mm - 3.2mm zoom which works surprisingly well. Great for mobile use when I don't want to cart a big set around.

My scopes range from 480mm to 1590mm in focal length and from 70mm to 300mm in aperture.

 

 

 

[Mike_S]

So it looks like my eyepiece collection will be Myriad 3.5mm, Myriad/Pentax XW 5mm (will sell one eventually). 6mm Delos, 7mm Pentax XW, 9mm Myriad, 13mm APM Lunt, 20mm Myriad and 30mm Explore Scientific 82 degrees. Just three left to buy. 

[Mike_S]

Do you think there is much use for an 8mm in a 10 inch f4.7 dob?

[Mike_S]

Sorry ignore going off topic. Just noticed the Nirvana 82 degrees 7mm too. Might be worth a try for now for £75!

[John]

Between a 7mm and a 9mm, it might not get a lot of use but then again ....... it might be just what is needed for some targets/ conditions

The Nirvana is nice but the 7mm XW is better optically I feel.

 

[Paul73]

6 & 8mm Delos are as good as it gets in that scope. Although, from your list, I have not tried the Pentax. 6mm for planetary. 8mm for PN’s, detail in galaxies etc etc 😁.

Paul

[Ruud]

The geometric mean between 5 and 9 mm is sqrt( 5 * 9 ) = 6.71 mm. This would give you equal steps in  magnification of 34% from 9 to 6.71 to 5mm

ES 6.7 82° would be your best in between fit, but I don't like that line due to its uncomfortable eye relief so I can't recommend it.

I have a 6.5mm Morpheus which is really good at f/5. You might consider that along with the others you mentioned.

[Louis D]

I have the 7mm Pentax XW, but it is a bit difficult to hold the exit pupil with eyeglasses and has some lateral color, so not a favorite of mine.  The 6.5mm Morpheus or Meade HD-60 might be better alternatives.  I have the latter and find it quite enjoyable to use with few negatives other than a 65 degree field (yes, it measures 5 degrees wider than the claimed 60) rather than a 70 degree field (measured as indeed 70) for the XW.  I do have the 9mm Morpheus, and it is very nearly the equal of the 10mm Delos but wider (78 degrees measured) and ever so slightly less sharp.

[alan potts]

I have had the 6mm Delos and 7mm Pentax and both as said by others are superb. If however you want a somewhat cheaper option the Meade 6.7mm 82 degree UWA that use to made by them is a very good eyepiece, ExSc make the same F/L too.

Alan

[Mike_S]

Been offered a 6.7mm Meade 82 degrees second hand. Good to hear they are good.

[John]

15 minutes ago, MSammon said:

Been offered a 6.7mm Meade 82 degrees second hand. Good to hear they are good.

Is that the 4000 or 5000 series ?

 

[Mike_S]

5000. 

[John]

23 minutes ago, MSammon said:

5000. 

Here is a review comparing that with an older ES 82. The Meade does well:

https://www.cloudynights.com/articles/cat/user-reviews/eyepieces/eyepieces-3mm-13mm/meade-uwa-and-explore-scientific-67mm-82-degree-wide-field-eyepieces-r2118