ES 82 degree v Morpheus

[bosun21]

I just wanted a few options on which one of these two would be deemed the better choice for me to buy in the 14 mm and 11mm(12.5mm) focal lengths? I am attracted by the wider 82 degree FOV with the ES but think that the image quality would be better with the Morpheus. Thoughts anyone 🤔

[Dave scutt]

I use the es 14mm in my f5 fov is great and stars are sharp to the edge but I can't comment on the morphous because I haven't got any.

Dave 

[Louis D]

Most of the Morpheus range actually measure out to have 78 degree AFOVs.  The lone exception is the 17.5mm at 74 degrees.  The ES-82 range have measured AFOVs of between 80 and 85 degrees, so only a bit wider in some cases.

The eye relief is much better with the Morpheus if you have astigmatism in your vision and need to wear eyeglasses at the eyepiece.

The Morpheus may be better corrected to the edge.  Some focal lengths come close to Delos and XW levels of correction in f/6 and slower scopes.  The ES-82s tend to have slightly poorer correction than their Nagler equivalents except in slower scopes where the difference is negligible.

[bosun21]

I have just pulled the trigger on the 14mm and 11mm Explore Scientific. They can introduce me to the wider FOV experience. I just hope it’s not as addictive as this buying astro gear is proving to be 🤣

[mikeDnight]

I've not used the ES but I have used and owned many top end 82° eyepieces and wider. I also have most of the Morpheus range, which are superbly comfortable due to their long eye relief and large eye lens. It's just my personal view, but you have to remember the fields of view are "apparent fields" and not true fields. The actual difference in real field is, from my perspective, negligible. I'd choose the better optical quality over any percieved field advantage. Then of course there's something else to consider. Very few observers ever really study an object at the very edge of the field, but centralize it. And even if its a large target, the object is usually scanned by moving it across the field of view so that each area is viewed from the centre of the field. Seventy degrees is often considered the most natural apparent field that doesn't need excessive rolling of the eye.

[paulastro]

13 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

I've not used the ES but I have used and owned many top end 82° eyepieces and wider. I also have most of the Morpheus range, which are superbly comfortable due to their long eye relief and large eye lens. It's just my personal view, but you have to remember the fields of view are "apparent fields" and not true fields. The actual difference in real field is, from my perspective, negligible. I'd choose the better optical quality over any percieved field advantage. Then of course there's something else to consider. Very few observers ever really study an object at the very edge of the field, but centralize it. And even if its a large target, the object is usually scanned by moving it across the field of view so that each area is viewed from the centre of the field. Seventy degrees is often considered the most natural apparent field that doesn't need excessive rolling of the eye.

Yes Mike, quite right.  As you know, I have the 17.5 Morpheus, and with a field of 76 degrees it's the ONLY eyepiece I've come across with a field of over 70 degrees where I can see the whole field in one go without scanning across the field.  For a spec wearing astigmatised person it was a breakthrough eyepiece for me when I 'discovered' it.  Mind you, it has taken me fifty years.

[Don Pensack]

1 hour ago, bosun21 said:

I just wanted a few options on which one of these two would be deemed the better choice for me to buy in the 14 mm and 11mm(12.5mm) focal lengths? I am attracted by the wider 82 degree FOV with the ES but think that the image quality would be better with the Morpheus. Thoughts anyone 🤔

At f/5, yes, the Morpheus is sharper to the edge.

At f/6, the difference is marginal.

At f/7, it's getting hard to tell.

At f/8, no difference to the edge.

However, in my experience, the Morpheus have better contrast and a lot less internal scattered light.

[Louis D]

34 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

Very few observers ever really study an object at the very edge of the field, but centralize it.

Most folks who use nonmotorized alt-az mounts allow the object to drift from edge to edge to get uninterrupted observing time.  At higher powers, wider fields of view become critical.  Trying to use a 30 degree monocentric at 300x under these conditions would be maddening.  However, using a 110 degree HWA is quite doable.

[Piero]

Between the two, I would go for the Morpheus for the reasons stated by Don previously and because the Morpheus are more competitive cost wise. The ES were bargains some years ago.

[glafnazur]

Everyone is different but from my experience I'd recommend the Morpheus. I have the 14mm ES and it is a great eyepiece and was my go to eyepiece for many years until I bought a couple of the Morpheus. They blew me away and I fell in love with them straight away, I just need to convince my wife that I need the whole set