PanaView 32mm still a decent value 'finder' EP?

[russ.will]

I'm on more of a (self-imposed where astronomy is concerned) budget these days, concentrating my budget in the middle of the range I use most.

I was about to spring for the ubiquitous 24mm and/or 30mm UFF as a natural partners to the 12.5 & 17.5mm Morpheus when I reality checked myself. I might get plenty of use out of the 24, but the 30?

Forgetting the 24mm for the moment, I used to have a Panaview 32mm way back when. I seem to remember it being a decent little EP, even in an f5 Explorer 200p.  A bit dodgy toward the edges, but contrasty and crisp in the middle 60% or so with the big eye lens and ample eye relief being a comfortable view. I'm figuring that in the less testing realm of an f9.8 scope it should be a very capable little EP and more than up to the task, no?

Russ

[Don Pensack]

That is nostalgia speaking.  You'd be disappointed, when comparing to the Morpheus eyepieces.

The 30mm UFF is a FAR better eyepiece, one of the finest eyepieces at any price.

The 30mm to 17.5mm gap is not bad in your scope, either.

With a 1218mm focal length, that would be 41x (30mm) and 71x (17.2mm, the actual focal length of the 17.5mm Morph.)

I can't conceive of needing magnifications closer together than that.  The 24mm UFF would be way too close to the 17.5mm's magnification (only 20x).

The 12.5mm Morph.(actually 12.4mm) is 98x, so the 30mm>>17.2mm>>12.4mm is a pretty even spread.

he next logical focal length after that is the Morpheus 9mm (really an 8.9mm).

In your 8", magnifications from 40-150 will be heavily used.

 

[Mr Spock]

"SVBony 3-8mm, Morpheus 12.5 & 17.mm"

You have three really good eyepieces. I'd recommend the 30mm UFF to maintain that quality. It's expensive, but you'll notice a quality drop with anything else. You don't need anything between 30mm and 17mm.

[cajen2]

+1 for the UFF 30mil - its quality matches that of your Morphs, making you more inclined to use it for widefield viewing as well as for finding stuff. It's an excellent EP.

[Louis D]

I used a cheap, low power finder eyepiece for years to locate objects while scanning.  The edge aberrations always frustrated me because I'd think I'd see a planetary nebula I was hunting at the edge only to discover it was simply a bloated star once moved to the center.  Save yourself that irritation and get the 30mm UFF.

[russ.will]

Thank you @Don Pensack @Mr Spock @Louis D @cajen2 for your input. You put me right and a UFF 30mm will be the preferred purchase when the time comes, however...

I did buy an ES68 24deg! Why? I saw complete mint Skymax 127 OTA, finder & gag on one of the FB groups and got it for £120.  Thus, I suddenly needed the widest AFOV EP that would fit in the 1.25" visual back of the Mak. Now it's here, I realise I forgot I don't own a 1.25" diagonal any more, but that's athread in its own right.

Russ

 

[Don Pensack]

Russ, it's OK.  That is also a fine eyepiece.

It's not quite as wide as the APM 24mm UFF (27.6mm field stop) or the Baader Hyperion 24mm (28mm field stop), but unless you go 2", it'll do fine.

The 30mm UFF has a 36.3mm field stop, so quite a bit more "real estate", LOL.

[bingevader]

Still got my 32mm Panaview.

Yep, soft round the edges, always was, always will be.

If your budget will stretch to the UFF, then go for it.

I've never been disappointed with the Panaview, no nostalgia here.

But then I've never bought an EP as expensive as the UFF!

[rwilkey]

Hi, there are better out there but in my opinion I have never owned a better 'on axis' eyepiece, it was also my very first ever upgrade.

[bingevader]

As a 'finder' I've had no problem using mine to star hop to the Vale before popping in the other EP with the filter.