Widefield 1.25" Eyepieces

[Jiggy 67]

Hi all,

So I'm in a quandary. I want a low power eyepiece with as wide a fov possible in a 1.25" format. I don't want to go to 2" at this stage, mainly because of filter requirements and I can do without swapping adapters in and out mid session. The eyepiece would be used on both a 200PDS reflector (F5) and a 100ED refractor (F9).

I have settled on two choices:

TV Panoptic 24mm 68 degree ep

Explore Scientific 24mm 68 degree ep

All the figures appear to be very similar, they have similar field stop dimensions, similar eye relief but NOT a similar price, the TV being double the price of the ES. I'm not sure if I want to go down the Televue rabbit hole either.....as I still have a mortgage to pay!!

What are your thoughts?.....Is the quality of the TV worth double the price of the ES?......or is there an alternative?

[Second Time Around]

The 24mm APM UFF and it's clones get a lot of praise.  More eye relief than the ES, and certainly more than the Pan.

[Saganite]

Hi,

I use a pair of 24mm Panoptics in my binoviewer, they are superb, but so too are the 24mm Explore scientific  and I would have chosen them had they been slightly smaller diameter.  I could not accommodate with my IPD, however, as  a single eyepiece they give nothing to the Pan in my opinion.  Save yourself some money and go with the Explore 24mm, you will not regret it.

Edited January 28, 2021 by Saganite

[Jiggy 67]

Thanks Saganite, I am leaning that way but that darned pesky @Second Time Around has put the cat amongst the pigeons!!

[Second Time Around]

Just now, Jiggy 67 said:

Thanks Saganite, I am leaning that way but that darned pesky @Second Time Around has put the cat amongst the pigeons!!

 

[Second Time Around]

Hee, hee!😄

[Saganite]

Well I have never tried the 24mm APM UFF, but they get good reviews, so it is down to you.  I have used the 24mm Explore Scientific and it is excellent...

[John]

I've owned both the ES 24 / 68 and the TV Pan 24. Not much difference in performance to be honest with you. The TV is smaller. I just really like TV's though and I had owned a Pan 24 in the past so it was kind of inevitable that I would end up with another one

I've not used the APM UFF 24.

 

[John]

50 minutes ago, John said:

Posted in error. Can't get used to the new location of the Edit option

 

 

Edited January 28, 2021 by John

[Louis D]

You've probably already read Bill Paolini's 24mm-26mm eyepiece comparison article during your research, but it in case you haven't, it's worth a read.

Edited January 28, 2021 by Louis D

[Don Pensack]

I'd get the 24mm APM and not look back.  It's the only one of the three with a glasses-friendly eye relief.

[John]

5 minutes ago, Don Pensack said:

I'd get the 24mm APM and not look back.  It's the only one of the three with a glasses-friendly eye relief.

I didn't know that the OP wore glasses when observing ?

 

[Don Pensack]

Perhaps not, but someone he shares views with might and if he owns the eyepiece several years, he might too.

A person who doesn't wear glasses can use an eyepiece with long eye relief, but a person who does wear glasses cannot use an eyepiece with small eye relief.

A complicating factor here is that the 24mm APM is also compatible with the TeleVue DioptRx.

It sounded like he didn't want to spend the price of a 24mm Panoptic, which is the best of the 3 optically.

[Jiggy 67]

4 minutes ago, John said:

I didn't know that the OP wore glasses when observing ?

 

No I don’t wear glasses. I’ve had a good read of the reviews @Louis D posted. There really doesn’t appear to be much between the pan and the ES so l think I’ll go for the ES . Only problem is there is a bit of a wait for these to come into stock. Thanks all for your opinions 

[Saganite]

Good choice, I hope you find one soon. Probably worth an advert for one in the interim....

[jetstream]

7 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

No I don’t wear glasses. I’ve had a good read of the reviews @Louis D posted. There really doesn’t appear to be much between the pan and the ES so l think I’ll go for the ES . Only problem is there is a bit of a wait for these to come into stock. Thanks all for your opinions 

I really like the 24mm ES 68 and am not motivated to seek any other eyepiece in its class, they work very well.

[Louis D]

27 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

Only problem is there is a bit of a wait for these to come into stock.

If memory serves me correctly, the 24mm ES-68s were often in short supply long before the lock downs put everything in short supply, so be prepared for a long wait.

[Jiggy 67]

35 minutes ago, Louis D said:

If memory serves me correctly, the 24mm ES-68s were often in short supply long before the lock downs put everything in short supply, so be prepared for a long wait.

Yeh, FLO state 40-60 days, I’m not holding my breath though and if it’s likely to take longer I may switch to the TV

[Dantooine]

Es 24/68 I owned was a very comfortable to use eyepiece. In my opinion I would save yourself some money over the pan 24. I think the Es has more eye relief too. Tv’s are great eyepieces but there are a fair few people out there who choose the Es over the Tv. The Es 24/68 is very comparable. 

Edited January 28, 2021 by Dantooine

[scarp15]

Another consideration, at a little more power in a 1.25" format and just as with John, I have to mention TeleVue, would be for an 18.2mm DeLite. This compact lovely eyepiece, yields a pleasant 62 degree apparent field, same glass composition as Delos, relaxed eye relief / eye placement and field stop presentation on subjects. Initially purchased for a winter deep sky reasoning, I have non the less used it quite a lot on backyard lockdown sessions as my starter, wideish field, low power e.p. Mine was as new / second hand from ebay, they do from time to time come up used of course. 

[Dantooine]

2 minutes ago, Jiggy 67 said:

Yeh, FLO state 40-60 days, I’m not holding my breath though and if it’s likely to take longer I may switch to the TV

Have a search around other retailers, you never know 🤞

[Jiggy 67]

2 minutes ago, scarp15 said:

Another consideration, at a little more power in a 1.25" format and just as with John, I have to mention TeleVue, would be for an 18.2mm DeLite. This compact lovely eyepiece, yields a pleasant 62 degree apparent field, same glass composition as Delos, relaxed eye relief / eye placement and field stop presentation on subjects. Initially purchased for a winter deep sky reasoning, I have non the less used it quite a lot on backyard lockdown sessions as my starter, wideish field, low power e.p. Mine was as new / second hand from ebay, they do from time to time come up used of course. 

I’m not sure I need that focal length as I have 17.5mm Morpheus which I think covers all or at least most of the advantages you mention but certainly something to keep in mind

[Louis D]

Astronomics (CN sponsor) just got the 24mm ES-68s back in stock.  Hurry if you want one.

[Jiggy 67]

4 hours ago, Louis D said:

Astronomics (CN sponsor) just got the 24mm ES-68s back in stock.  Hurry if you want one.

If I was in the US I would be all over that!...thanks

[Dantooine]

10 hours ago, Jiggy 67 said:

If I was in the US I would be all over that!...thanks

You still could be all over that. The next lot coming from China will probably price hike anyway.