Mystery eyepiece can you help identify?

[lguise]

Hi,

I have an 16mm, 80 degree 1.25” eyepiece with no makers name that I would like to identify, see photo. It has a look very similar to a Moonfish but as far as I know these are labelled with the brand name. It performs very well and certainly has a wide field with good eye relief.

Any help in identifying it appreciated.

Many thanks ,

Linton

[Saganite]

Hi Linton,

It looks like a Columbus Ultra Wide, as sold by 365 Astronomy.

Cheers

[johninderby]

The same eyepiece was sold by quite a few different places mainly on eBay. Not so common now. Best used with a slow scope though.

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by johninderby

[lguise]

Many thanks both, it does look just like the Columbus From 365 just with a silver barrel. John that’s interesting that you mention best used in a slow scope. I was using it in a Vixen ED 102 S at f9 so middle f ratio, did you used to have this same scope? I will have to try it in some others.

just using these beautiful mild evenings to go through my eyepiece collection Which has grown rather large over the years!

Best wishes,

 

Linton

[johninderby]

I used to have the same eyepiece and found it worked fairly well in a slow scope such as an SCT or Mak but when I tried in in an f/5 scope all sorts of distortions crept in and it wasn’t nice to use. Never had the same scope as yours but would imagine it performs very well. 👍🏻

The earlier eyepieces had a silver barrel but the later ones switched to a black barrel. 

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Telescopes-Ascension.asp?p=0_10_5_1_1_0

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by johninderby

[John]

These are Chinese clones of the Japanese Widescan III eyepieces. The earlier Widescan II's were sold back in the 1980's / 90's branded by Fullerscopes as their "Super Wide Plossl" range although it is not a plossl design at all. 

I've owned the Japanese versions which, as has been said, were good at F/10 but edge sharpness declined rapidly in faster scopes. I let them go when my main scopes were an F/6.5 refractor and an F/6 dob - the zone of sharpness was just too restricted at those focal ratios. I would expect this clone design to have similar characteristics.

 

 

[lguise]

Great information chaps, many thanks for taking the time to reply.

best wishes,

Linton