Baader Morpheus 6.5mm - how does it compare

[Mike_S]

The wide eye lens looks similar to Pentax XW. I find something like this more comfortable. How do they compare to say Pentax XW 7mm and Televue Nagler 7mm?  Or even the ES 82 degrees 6.7mm? Does it represent possibly the best value for money out of these?

Does bigger eye lens mean more eye relief?

Edited July 20, 2019 by MSammon

[Ruud]

I can only compare Morpheus 6.5 (76°) to Delos 8 (72°). 

In a flatfield f/5 refractor, considering that the M6.5 gives 23% more magnification than the D8:

• Sharpness is very similar. Both are excellent in the centre 72°. That's where the view stops for Delos. Outside 72°, Morpheus 6.5's sharpness gradually drops toward the edge. Delos is slightly better.
• Contrast is very similar. Excellent in both.
• Pincushion distortion is low in both. Morpheus is slightly better.
• Eye relief is copious in both. Non-eyeglass wearers may prefer to use a raised eye cup.
• Comfort is equally excellent. Both have well defined exit pupils and in both the entire afov is easily seen at a glance.

The M6.5 is more sensitive to seeing conditions than the D8 due to its higher magnification, so the stars may actually look sharper in the D8. In good conditions against terrestrial targets though, both eyepieces seem equally sharp to me.

Based on other focal lengths, I'd say that ES 82 with their short usable eye relief are less comfortable than Nagler T6 and much less comfortable than the Morpheus. In ES 82 can't see the entire field at once, and my eyelashes frequently brush the eyepiece. With NaglerT6 I don't have these problems. Also, Naglers look sharper to me, over the entire field and especially at the edge. 

Morpheus are more like Pentax XW and Delos (long eye relief eyepieces) than to ultra wides, which tend to have (much) shorter eye relief.

If you want to go 82°, there is also the 7mm Skywatcher Nirvana / WO UWAN which may be better than the 6.7mm ES 82. My 16mm Nirvana is very Nagler like.

 

[Mike_S]

6 hours ago, Ruud said:

I can only compare Morpheus 6.5 (76°) to Delos 8 (72°). 

In a flatfield f/5 refractor, considering that the M6.5 gives 23% more magnification than the D8:

• Sharpness is very similar. Both are excellent in the centre 72°. That's where the view stops for Delos. Outside 72°, Morpheus 6.5's sharpness gradually drops toward the edge. Delos is slightly better.
• Contrast is very similar. Excellent in both.
• Pincushion distortion is low in both. Morpheus is slightly better.
• Eye relief is copious in both. Non-eyeglass wearers may prefer to use a raised eye cup.
• Comfort is equally excellent. Both have well defined exit pupils and in both the entire afov is easily seen at a glance.

The M6.5 is more sensitive to seeing conditions than the D8 due to its higher magnification, so the stars may actually look sharper in the D8. In good conditions against terrestrial targets though, both eyepieces seem equally sharp to me.

Based on other focal lengths, I'd say that ES 82 with their short usable eye relief are less comfortable than Nagler T6 and much less comfortable than the Morpheus. In ES 82 can't see the entire field at once, and my eyelashes frequently brush the eyepiece. With NaglerT6 I don't have these problems. Also, Naglers look sharper to me, over the entire field and especially at the edge. 

Morpheus are more like Pentax XW and Delos (long eye relief eyepieces) than to ultra wides, which tend to have (much) shorter eye relief.

If you want to go 82°, there is also the 7mm Skywatcher Nirvana / WO UWAN which may be better than the 6.7mm ES 82. My 16mm Nirvana is very Nagler like.

 

Thank you Ruud for a very detailed and helpful reply. Just bought a Pentax XW7mm used as someone responded to one of my wanted adds since I posted this. 

[Ruud]

Good choice! The XWs have an excellent reputation.