Your best/favourite EP?

[Carl Au]

Explore scientific 6.7mm 82 degree series for planetary observations and the 28mm for the wide field stuff from the 68 degree series 

[JeremyS]

Since confirming my astigmatism this morning, I think I might favour anything that takes Tele Vue Dioptrx.

[bosun21]

3 hours ago, graham56 said:

Charles frank 4" reflector back in 1963 )

That was my first telescope as well! I can remember my dad taking me to the Charles Frank shop in Glasgow cross looking for my Xmas present. That must have been 1967-68. Memories 🤔

[Mr Spock]

I'll second, third or whatever the Vixen 22mm LVW. It's sharp, clear and comfy 👍

[Elp]

I don't really have a favourite but the one that's worked at everything I've put it through (lunar, planetary, star clusters, solar white light and halpha (which is difficult for a lot of eyepieces due to internal reflections and edge definition)) on a number of different scopes is my WO 9mm swan. Its also my worst eyepiece as it's full of dust. But pin sharp and wide ish visuals.

[Louis D]

For sheer wow factor when wearing eyeglasses, I really like my 17mm ES-92.  The 12mm isn't quite as well corrected and has a touch of SAEP, so it's a close second.

I still greatly enjoy slipping my decloaked 40mm Meade 5000 SWA into the focuser and just panning around the sky to see what's out there on any given night.  Its vast amounts of eye relief with no blackout issues and a sharp, low power field makes for a relaxing stroll around the sky.

[badhex]

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Since confirming my astigmatism this morning, I think I might favour anything that takes Tele Vue Dioptrx.

Sorry to hear that Jeremy. Oddly enough I have been having this creeping suspicion that I might have astigmatism as well. Jupiter's fault, it looks like a seagull to my naked eye which I'm pretty sure it didn't used to. 

[markse68]

2 hours ago, JeremyS said:

Since confirming my astigmatism this morning, I think I might favour anything that takes Tele Vue Dioptrx.

it's one of the great tragedies that we only have the time/money and in my case interest to pursue this hobby and buy nice equipment when we reach a certain age and our bodies start letting us down- I'm in the same boat I think Jeremy though I need to get it confirmed with an eye test- I have real problems getting nice stars in wide fov eps

[Louis D]

Look at it this way, you got quite a few good years in without astigmatism.  I've been fighting with astigmatism since I was 14 years old (something to do with puberty changing my eyes).  My distance prescription back in the day was only 0.25 to 0.5 diopter off, so it was mostly the strong astigmatism forcing me to wear eyeglasses.

[wesdon1]

My Skywatcher planetary EP's, 5mm, 9mm with 58 degrees app. FOV. I never realised just how big a difference a decent EP would make before upgrading from the stock EP's you get with telescopes. Now i'm planning on getting 82 degree + FOV EP's when I have saved up enough money for them. The wider FOV really does make a difference, and obvs the higher quality glass and coatings etc also makes a huge difference.

[Doc]

I have had so many different eyepieces during my time enjoying this fantastic hobby. The stand outs for low power were the Televue Nagler 31mm, a Pentax XW30 mm, William Optics 28mm UWAN, and the Clave of Paris 30mm and 40mm eyepieces. For high power I would say the Baader Genuine ortho range, Clave of Paris 6, 8, 10, amd 12mm, and the 10mm Pentax smc ortho.

But if I had to choose it would be any of the Clave of Paris eyepieces.

As you can see quite a range so not much help 😀

 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Doc

[Pixies]

Vixen LVW 22mm too!

Although I'm quite taken with my new (to me) Nirvana 28mm 2"

[IB20]

6 hours ago, Don Pensack said:

If the Delite didn't focus in that scope, neither would any other 1.25" TeleVue eyepiece, alas.

Wow, that’s great to know. Don’t get me wrong I know it’s the Tak that’s at fault here but every other eyepiece I have comes to focus in this configuration. So what gives?

[graham56]

its not the eyepices but where you view with them ,i was out couple nights ago  looking at jupiter and saturn with a tak  and 3 to6 nagler zoom  ,the view was crap due to bad seeing, location stoke,  the point i took a  astrotech 66  plus 2 vixen plossls

up the roque de los muchachos in la palma ,the view off the orion nebula m42 is still etched in my brain  to this day,  then you come back to the citys  in england and clouds and light pollution  and you wonder why we do this hobby. (because we love it )

[IB20]

3 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

I'll second, third or whatever the Vixen 22mm LVW. It's sharp, clear and comfy 👍

I had you down as an ortho man!

[HollyHound]

3 minutes ago, IB20 said:

Wow, that’s great to know. Don’t get me wrong I know it’s the Tak that’s at fault here but every other eyepiece I have comes to focus in this configuration. So what gives?

You might just need a slight extension before (or after) the diagonal... there is limited focus travel on the FC-76 and FS-60CB, so getting all your eyepieces to focus can be tricky... it's on reason I've chosen to stick with XWs and Masuyamas (as they are all relatively parfocal). Having said that, I'm sure I can also use my Nagler 3-6 Zoom in that scope, but haven't done so for quite a while, so will need to check, as I know I put a 20mm extension ring in (to maximise focus flexibility) 🤔

The FC-100DZ and FOA-60 are much better in this respect, in that they have much greater focus travel 😬

[Don Pensack]

9 minutes ago, IB20 said:

Wow, that’s great to know. Don’t get me wrong I know it’s the Tak that’s at fault here but every other eyepiece I have comes to focus in this configuration. So what gives?

Eyepieces focus all over the place, but TeleVue 1.25" eyepieces may require slight additional in focus.  They are all very nearly parfocal.

So the obvious answer is a shorter adapter if using a 2" focuser (adapters are available with heights from +16.5mm to -12.7mm)

If the focuser is 1.25", then a) a star diagonal with a shorter internal light path (if one exists), b) machining a different mounting ring for the focuser to get the focuser closer to the tube,

c) shortening the tube, d) using eyepieces with lower focal planes that require less in focus to get to focus in the scope.

I suspect you may be stuck with d).

[JeremyS]

13 hours ago, IB20 said:

That’s a very nice looking EP. Is it 2” only? 

I want to try some more Televue gear as enjoyed the Delite, I felt I had to sell it when it didn’t come to focus in the 76DC though. Bit worried other ranges will yield a similar result.

 

Not tried any Delites, but all  my TV Naglers, NZ 3-6 and the Panoptics I’ve tried come to focus in my Tak FC 76DCU. The only eyepiece that didn’t is my Baader super zoom in 1.25-inch mode, but when I loose one of the rings on the focuser it does focus. I’m sure there must be a back-end configuration that would work with your FC 7C 🤔

I use the Tak 1.25-inch prism 

Edited October 13, 2022 by JeremyS

[IB20]

12 minutes ago, JeremyS said:

Not tried any Delites, but all  my TV Naglers, NZ 3-6 and the Panoptics I’ve tried come to focus in my Tak FC 76DCU. The only eyepiece that didn’t is my Baader super zoom in 1.25-inch mode, but when I loose one of the rings on the focuser it does focus. I’m sure there must be a back-end configuration that would work with your FC 7C 🤔

I use the Tak 1.25-inch prism 

Yes I use the Tak prism too. I have used Ultimas, Orions, BGOs, BCOs, XWs, Morphei, NPLs, BSTs, VT orthos, Starbase Orthos and TOEs. They all come to focus, the only EP that didn’t was the Delites… 🤷🏼

[Louis D]

Since the TV Delite eyepieces all focus 0.25" below the shoulder (reference surface), and the XWs focus at the shoulder (pretty sure on this point), pulling the Delite out of the focuser holder 1/4 inch should bring it to focus following focusing with an XW.

[IB20]

8 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Since the TV Delite eyepieces all focus 0.25" below the shoulder (reference surface), and the XWs focus at the shoulder (pretty sure on this point), pulling the Delite out of the focuser holder 1/4 inch should bring it to focus following focusing with an XW.

You’re dead right, I did have to pull it up slightly to focus. That set my OCD off though and it was one of a few reasons I got rid; eye relief mechanism was another. It was a fantastic EP though but I think the XWs are better.

[Stu]

3 hours ago, IB20 said:

Wow, that’s great to know. Don’t get me wrong I know it’s the Tak that’s at fault here but every other eyepiece I have comes to focus in this configuration. So what gives?

Perfect excuse to pop a Feathertouch on it 😉. Focuses with the 24mm Panoptic using a T2 prism (or mirror if I recall correctly). Also copes with binoviewers with a cool wedge which needs plenty of inwards focus. Tak used to do a 105mm SV tube (vs 127 or 145mm for the CB or C (nm era from memory), and this gave more info is, wish they still sold them. 

[SuburbanMak]

My favourite EP is the Baader Classic Ortho 18mm - super crisp across the field, contrasty and Barlows well to 8mm. 

Most used widefield is the Baader Hyperion 24mm 68 degree - my galaxy hunter. 

Both punch well above their weight for value.  

[NGC 1502]

Ok, having read the above, I’m thinking about selling my Vixen 22mm LVW.

£1000, or very near offer😁😁😁

[HollyHound]

12 hours ago, IB20 said:

You’re dead right, I did have to pull it up slightly to focus. That set my OCD off though and it was one of a few reasons I got rid; eye relief mechanism was another. It was a fantastic EP though but I think the XWs are better.

As mentioned earlier, you may find that the simple addition of a 7.5mm extension ring before the diagonal would allow sufficient focuser movement either side to allow all your eyepieces to focus 🤔