Review of Televue Nagler 3-6mm Zoom

[Moonshane]

I am working toward what I consider my 'perfect' eyepiece collection (is there such a thing?) and I decided a short while ago that I should sell my beloved Powermate and just stick to a few more eyepieces to achieve the magnifications I want to cover.

My latest purchase toward this goal is the Nagler 3-6mm zoom eyepiece. I have asked for comments on my other proposed purchases and 'swaps' and would welcome comment on that thread of anyone has experience of the eyepieces concerned - http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/108958-sat-here-knowing-will-cloudy-again-pondering-eyepieces.html

I can only post my first impressions without using the eyepiece in anger at this point. It arrived today and it's been cloudy for weeks here so I have used my tried and tested method of staring through it at my PC screen.

I was concerned about the somewhat tight eye relief (stated at 10mm throughout the zoom range) but needn't have worried. Helped by the 50 degree field, you can easily see the field stop with no issues (obviously without spectacles). It feels like it will be a very comfortable eyepiece to use despite the eye relief seeming to tighten slightly at the 3mm end of the zoom - as it happens, I will probably not use this end except on rare occasions or if I buy a short tube refractor/reflector.

The field of view also seems quite adequate although clearly less than my Radian and Panoptics which provide a 60 and 68 degree field respectively. I bought the zoom for lunar/planetary/doubles so I am sure the narrow(ish) field will not be an issue to me.The field in the zoom clearly darkens from 6 down to 3mm but this is to be expected as the exit pupil reduces.

I have to say the Panoptic field is perfect for my eyes, filling pretty much all I can see without moving my eye about. They just 'feel' so good.

The zoom build quality as expected is superb and I cannot wait to use it in the scopes. The field lens is set well into the barrel and would be tricky to clean so it's recommended that the nosepiece cap is always immediately replaced after use.

I'll report back once I can actually see some sky. First impressions are that I'll be keeping this one.

Cheers

Shane

[kris h]

Hi shane good to hear you have got your E P like you said the lunar/planetary views will be awesome hope you get some clear skies soon so you can put it through its paces. you should post a pic ov your new E P.

[John]

Nice report Shane - I've owned a couple of the Nagler 3-6 zooms and they are very nice indeed - I'm sure you will really enjoy it's performance under the stars.

[Moonshane]

cheers John

I cannot wait but it won't be tonight that's for sure!

Given your TV knowledge, would you be willing to advise me on the following thread? http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/108958-sat-here-knowing-will-cloudy-again-pondering-eyepieces.html

I am planning well ahead as I will probably not have enough money until Christmas for any more purchases but just researching things before I decide either way.

Thanks again

Shane

[Rossco72]

Hi Shane,

I also have this EP and it provides the max magnification for a number of my scopes, at the 3mm end, and can be fine tuned between the click stops to suit the particular seeing conditions. As with all TV stuff, its a lot of money for a tiny package, but you just know the quality is there.

Clear Skies and happy gazing......

Stuart

[Moonshane]

cheers Stuart

this is exactly why I went for this eyepiece. in truth I'll possibly never even use the 3mm end of the zoom but if the seeing is ever so good that I can then I'll have it ready. it's not worth me buying something specifically for that mag though (like the 3.5mm Nagler). It's amazingly expensive (esp. new) for what it is but if you can handle the ER and FOV then with all the intermediate mags, it is 'better' than four other premium eyepieces which would be at least three times the cost.

BTW, as another TV fan, would you be willing to advise me on future purchases (I see you have a 12mm Nagler) http://stargazerslounge.com/equipment-help/108958-sat-here-knowing-will-cloudy-again-pondering-eyepieces.html

I'd value the opinion of anyone that has used any of the eyepieces I mention.

cheers!

Shane

[johninderby]

Hi Shane

Glad you managed to get the 3-6 zoom. It's amazing just how good this little eyepiece is.

John

[Moonshane]

cheers John - hopefully if the cloud ever shifts I'll be able to agree!

[Moonshane]

Update.

The first clear night since I was in short pants meant that I was finally able to try out my new toy in both my refractor and my dob.

The seeing was 'OK' but a bit dodgy and one unexpected bonus of this eyepiece was that it finally allowed me to have a go at a star test. Helped by another local astronomer who showed me what to do, the Nagler zoom gives the power to see really good in and out focus rings. Gaz (Kef9 also joined us and I made the big mistake of looking through an Ethos for the first time!).

Cloud eventually rolled in spoiling things but I managed to get a look at the moon, Jupiter and several doubles.

A more subjective test will be done when I get more time (maybe tomorrow if the forecast works) but I can say that especially on the moon, this eyepiece is absolutely awe inspiring. It really was like looking at the moon for the first time again.

The masses of light allowed me to use the zoom right up to the 3mm mark on both scopes (approx 300x+ on the refractor and 500x+ on the dob). Obviously at the higher magnification end the image was somewhat unstable but in the moments of clarity you were really 'on the moon'. This was just way beyond anything I'd expected. The moon was almost full too so I expect that I will be able to see incredible detail on a higher elevated and eg crescent moon. Even at the lower end the 6mm focal length gave breathaking views. I used it in my dob which has manual 'nudging tracking' and it really was a synch to keep it lined up even at 500x - very easy at 260x.

I was testing this alongside a 7mm Nagler and they were equally sharp (if anything the wholly sharp field of the zoom gave a generally sharper appearance than the Nagler 7mm which seemed slightly softer and almost like it had less depth of field - a strange thing to say I know but that's the impression I got.)

The Nagler has been kindly loaned to me and I need to decide whether or not I will buy it. It's possible I may go for Radians instead but no decision made yet.

Despite the shorter eye relief the zoom felt easier to use and the whole field stop was seen with ease. The view was clearly more constricted than the Radians or the Naglers but was not overly so and nothing like the 'drinking straw' referred to by many about 40 degree eyepieces. I'd say it felt more like my Radians than the Nagler.

On Jupiter and doubles it did not seem to fare so well but Jupiter was quite low in the sky still. That said it was the best I have even seen Jupiter in terms of the size of the disk - amazing.

I even managed to find Uranus for the first time so a successful night all round. I cannot wait for these to be in a darker and higher position.

Despite the relatively high cost of this eyepiece, about £200 used, it is really worth the funds if you can afford it. It provides masses of magnification and the quality is really incredible as long as you can cope with the quite short relief - not really suitable for spectacles users (unless you remove them to observe of course!).

The zooming action is smooth and with 'infinite' positions.

If you have been thinking about getting one of these amazing eyepieces, don't think - get one and you'll never regret it for a minute. Wish I'd had it when Mars and Saturn were up.

[Kef9]

I just thought I would add to this since I was out that night. I also looked through the 7mm nagler and the zoom. I thought the zoom was a tiny but sharper although the difference wasnt much. Eye relief for me wasnt a problem whatsoever and I thought it was really easy to look through.

I think I will be on the lookout for one of these now because the powermate/speers combination is a bit ridiculous as seen on the night and not really practical although I have used it quite alot in my own scope which has adjustable legs so I can lower it as required. For those high mags though the nagler is more practical even if it does give up alot on FOV. For me its good that they are across a different range aswell, 5-8mm for the speers and 3-6mm for the nagler. I think the 2-4mm nagler would be too much power for any scope.

Like shane said the nagler zoom was too much power for jupiter and it didnt look good but on the moon it was really good. I just wish we would have looked at jupiter with the ethos. I also wished we had done a direct comparison between the 7mm nagler and the speers at 7mm but i suppose we can do that next time.

[johninderby]

While the 3-6 zoom is as good as the Nagler, it is distinctly second best in terms of contrast and sharpness compared to a barlowed Ethos. I'm just waiting for the 3.7mm Ethos SX due out in September. That should be an amazing planetary / lunar eyepiece.

John

[Moonshane]

I just thought I would add to this since I was out that night. I also looked through the 7mm nagler and the zoom. I thought the zoom was a tiny but sharper although the difference wasnt much. Eye relief for me wasnt a problem whatsoever and I thought it was really easy to look through.

I think I will be on the lookout for one of these now because the powermate/speers combination is a bit ridiculous as seen on the night and not really practical although I have used it quite alot in my own scope which has adjustable legs so I can lower it as required. For those high mags though the nagler is more practical even if it does give up alot on FOV. For me its good that they are across a different range aswell, 5-8mm for the speers and 3-6mm for the nagler. I think the 2-4mm nagler would be too much power for any scope.

Like shane said the nagler zoom was too much power for jupiter and it didnt look good but on the moon it was really good. I just wish we would have looked at jupiter with the ethos. I also wished we had done a direct comparison between the 7mm nagler and the speers at 7mm but i suppose we can do that next time.

cheers Gaz - indeed we should do it again sometime and maybe even at a darker site - that would be excellent. you are not wrong that the S-W zoom and powermate at full tilt was mad! like a blummin baseball bat. BUT the image was still good and this is what for me was so impressive.

I reckon when Jupiter is higher we will get a better image with the zoom and hopefully I can have a look with my Ethos when I collect it later in August - cannot wait for the Orion Nebula in that with the dob.

unfortunately, the borrowed Nagler has gone back now as Mike sold it but we can do some direct comparisons with the Nagler zoom/S-W at maybe 5mm and my TMB 8mm and the S-W. By the next time we get together I may even have an 8mm Ethos if my book sales go to plan.

one thing I also wish we'd done is M13 in the Ethos and the dob - another for next time methinks!

[Moonshane]

While the 3-6 zoom is as good as the Nagler, it is distinctly second best in terms of contrast and sharpness compared to a barlowed Ethos. I'm just waiting for the 3.7mm Ethos SX due out in September. That should be an amazing planetary / lunar eyepiece.

John

give us a chance John I've not even got my 13mm yet

let alone the 8mm or the 6mm or the 3.7mm (or the 10mm or the 17mm or the 21mm - now where's that Autotrader )

before you think I've gone mad by the way, really I only have desires for the 13mm and the 8mm currently. I'll see how I get on with the 13mm first though.

[John]

give us a chance John I've not even got my 13mm yet

let alone the 8mm or the 6mm or the 3.7mm (or the 10mm or the 17mm or the 21mm - now where's that Autotrader )

before you think I've gone mad by the way, really I only have desires for the 13mm and the 8mm currently. I'll see how I get on with the 13mm first though.

I have the 13mm Ethos and I'd like more but for now I'm going to try using the 13mm with an Antares 2" 1.6x barlow lens - reputedly this barlow works rather well with the Ethos

[Moonshane]

nice one John

do you know the weight of the Antares please?

[John]

nice one John

do you know the weight of the Antares please?

It's 260 grams. The 2" 2x Powermate weighs 625 grams and the TV Big barlow is 425 grams.

[Moonshane]

cheers John

seems like a good choice and much lighter than the other options.

[Rossco72]

The powermate may be chunky, but its pure quality!!

Probably no good for dob owners though i suppose because of the balance issues

[Moonshane]

The powermate may be chunky, but its pure quality!!

Probably no good for dob owners though i suppose because of the balance issues

too true - I expect it's excellent BUT it's also a fair way to another Ethos

[Kef9]

give us a chance John I've not even got my 13mm yet

let alone the 8mm or the 6mm or the 3.7mm (or the 10mm or the 17mm or the 21mm - now where's that Autotrader )

before you think I've gone mad by the way, really I only have desires for the 13mm and the 8mm currently. I'll see how I get on with the 13mm first though.

That was funny. When I saw Johns post I was thinking to myself flipping eck.

We can however test this out by powermating the 13mm ethos and comparing it to the nag zoom at 6mm.

[Moonshane]

indeed mate - it will be excellent to try this. I bet the Ethos and Powermate is a great combo.

[johninderby]

I did do a comparison between the 3-6 zoom and a 6mm Ethos (with and without a barlow) one night while observing the crater Plato. The difference was that while I could see a number of craterlets with the zoom, with the Ethos the craters became sharply defined craters with detail. It was just that step-up to the next level in performance.

Although having said that I still wouldn't mind getting another 3-6 zoom sometime as it is such a nice eyepiece and also so small and lightweight.

Now if only they made an Ethos zoom.

John

[John]

I did do a comparison between the 3-6 zoom and a 6mm Ethos (with and without a barlow) one night while observing the crater Plato. The difference was that while I could see a number of craterlets with the zoom, with the Ethos the craters became sharply defined craters with detail. It was just that step-up to the next level in performance.

Although having said that I still wouldn't mind getting another 3-6 zoom sometime as it is such a nice eyepiece and also so small and lightweight.

Now if only they made an Ethos zoom.

John

What barlow were you using with your Ethos John ?.

I share your feelings the 3-6mm zoom - I've bought and sold them twice now - I wish I could justify owning one AND my T6 Naglers

[Moonshane]

ha ha nice one John

from what I have read I think that your comments reflect something that's often overlooked. i.e. that the expensive glass of the Ethos is not just used to make a wider field, it's just sharper with more contrast generally than most eyepieces too.

an Ethos zoom.......mmmmm donuts.

[johninderby]

What barlow were you using with your Ethos John ?.

I share your feelings the 3-6mm zoom - I've bought and sold them twice now - I wish I could justify owning one AND my T6 Naglers

It is one of the A&E Supreme photo-visual APO 1.25" ones. It' about the same price and quality as the Televue barlow but the barlow element can be unscrewed and put directly onto the eyepiece which gives 1.5x.

John