Please help me choose a wide EP for my dob

[Revs]

I'm wanting some advise if you can help me. I'm looking for a wide, 2" EP to replace my 32mm 1.25" plossl. It will be used in my 250px Dob (1200mm FL F4.8). I don't want to spend over £150 and more like £100 if I can. This is what I've got so far..

31mm Baader Hyperion Aspheric

Baader Planetarium - Baader Hyperion Aspheric

32mm Skywatcher PanaView 2"

Skywatcher - Skywatcher PanaView 2" eyepieces

35mm Skywatcher Aero ED SWA 2"

Skywatcher - Skywatcher Aero ED SWA 2" eyepieces

33mm William Optics SWAN

William Optics - William Optics SWAN eyepiece

36mm Meade QX

Meade QX 36mm Eyepiece 2"

Any thoughts would be appreciated

[simon84]

Can I recommend the Meade 5000 34mm SWAN, they are currently on offer here, http://www.acecameras.co.uk/asp/web/recorprod/1/product/15903/cat/1352/ph/cat/keywords//recor/1/SearchFor//PT_ID/1/product.aspat £100 off of the current price, I've just ordered one myself after a few recommendations from others on here.

So at £149 I think this EP is going to be an absolute cracker.

Not sure how long they are doing them for but when I called they were running low on stock.

HTH.

[Revs]

Wow that is cheap. Cheers for the link! Hmm..

[John]

Of the ones you list, the Aero 35mm will be best corrected in an F/4.7 newtonain IMHO. The Meade 34mm SWA, at the price they currently are, is probably a good bet as well although I've not tried one personally.

[simon84]

No worries at all. I was looking for one myself today and I remembered someone buying the 24mm for 99.99 so I looked it up and to be fair to the other EP's in your list I think this one going by the reviews I've read will pretty much beat them hands down and for the price its better than buying one 2nd hand so if you did ever need to let it go you'll probably always get your money back on it.

[Revs]

My only concern with it is the weight. It looks HUGE.

[simon84]

It does dosnt it. There is a thread in the users equipment section by Space Beagle and there is one of these EP's in his image next to some televue EP's........it looks more like an astro grenade.

[MikeP]

Hi Revs,

At the Kelling Star Party, I was lucky enough to have the chance to try out the 40mm SkyWatcher Aero and a 42mm Vixen LVW. I decided to buy the Vixen but to be honest, they were so close in performance it was touch and go.

I can't say how they will perform in an f/4.8 scope since I only had my C11 at Kelling and since returning home I've not had a chance to try the Vixen in my f/5 dob but I don't think you'll go far wrong with the Aero, especially at that price.

Mike

[Revs]

Cheers, Mike. The Vixen is a bit a bit much at £200, and it's gonna be a couple a week before I have any money (after buying the Dob), so I think the Meade will be gone buy then. So far the Aero is looking like a winner, but I am intrigued by the Baader as I love my Hyperions. Has anyone tried the 31mm?

[John]

Hi Revs,

At the Kelling Star Party, I was lucky enough to have the chance to try out the 40mm SkyWatcher Aero and a 42mm Vixen LVW. I decided to buy the Vixen but to be honest, they were so close in performance it was touch and go.

I can't say how they will perform in an f/4.8 scope since I only had my C11 at Kelling and since returning home I've not had a chance to try the Vixen in my f/5 dob but I don't think you'll go far wrong with the Aero, especially at that price.

Mike

I've just acquired an Aero ED 40mm to use as a lowest power "finder" eyepiece. I've been pretty impressed with the Aero 40, even in my F/4.8 newtonian, as I was with the Aero 30mm when I tried that while ago. I believe the Aero ED's are optically identical to the TMB Paragons which also had a good reputation.

They do show some astigmatism in the outer edges of the FoV as you would expect, but it's nowhere near as distracting as other budget widefields I've used. Light throughput seems excellent as well.

I'll have to ask First Light optics if they would kindly lend me a Pentax XW40 to compare it with

[John]

Cheers, Mike. The Vixen is a bit a bit much at £200, and it's gonna be a couple a week before I have any money (after buying the Dob), so I think the Meade will be gone buy then. So far the Aero is looking like a winner, but I am intrigued by the Baader as I love my Hyperions. Has anyone tried the 31mm?

You might find this review of interest:

Meade 5000 34mm, GO 32mm, Scopos 30mm, Hyperion Aspheric 36mm - Review

[Revs]

You might find this review of interest:

Meade 5000 34mm, GO 32mm, Scopos 30mm, Hyperion Aspheric 36mm - Review

I did, thanks

[gustavo_sanchez]

I am happy I got my Hyperion Aspheric!

[Revs]

I am happy I got my Hyperion Aspheric!

Yeah I'm seriously thinking about giving it a go TBH. I really like the Hyperion's I have. Great with spec's on and the optical quality is good enough for me. The Aspheric has the widest AFoV of the bunch, too. I've read good things about them elsewhere.

[Revs]

I've just ordered the Meade

Turns out I had the cash after all. As was said I could probably sell it at no loss if I don't like it, anyway.

Thanks again everyone for your input

[simon84]

Excellent stuff. I'm hoping mine will arrive today.

[russ]

You won't regret the Meade. I had 4 (30mm Aero, 32mm Panaview, 30mm Vixen & 34mm Meade) widefield low eyepieces in quick succession earlier this year, finishing with the Meade 34mm. As soon as i got the Meade and tried it out a few times i knew i had found the right eyepiece. I've compared the Meade to 35mm Panoptic and Shaun's 31mm Nagler, both were better but only marginally at the very best.

The downside to the Meade is the weight, it's a real bruiser. I had to counterweight the dob to take it.

[WayBig]

Wow, those meade 5000s SWAs with £100 off are a real bargain....if only I had a gap I could fit one into....

I recently got a SW Aero 30mm which I'm using as a "finder ep". At first it seemed too big and cumbersome and swapping the 1.25/2inch adapter annoyed me....but now I'm used to it It's very comfortable to use, and I now find my other EPs too small! Bah!

[russ]

You're right WB, swapping the 2" is a pain at first and they do seem cumbersome. But i've gotta a real taste for low power widefield and love it. Just a shame i'm back with the 32mm Panaview, an okayish eyepiece but after the Meade it's really nothing special at all.

[Revs]

The downside to the Meade is the weight, it's a real bruiser. I had to counterweight the dob to take it.

Yeah I'll have to see how I get on in that respect. I'm thinking about fitting some sort of easily slide-able weight on the body for quick balancing, but we'll see.

After checking the bank and reading some reviews I couldn't resist

[russ]

Yeah I'll have to see how I get on in that respect. I'm thinking about fitting some sort of easily slide-able weight on the body for quick balancing, but we'll see.

After checking the bank and reading some reviews I couldn't resist

I fitted a long dovetail bar upside down to the back of my dob. And then slide an old EQ6 puck (£5 from Astroboot) along the dovetail to balance. Worked like a charm

[Revs]

Ah, very nice, that's just what I was thinking

Do you now find it a little top heavy, or did you do the same on the under side? Just worried about the balance being effected by the position.

[simon84]

Thats a really nice counterbalance system. I've got some magnetic weights here which I will try but I really do like that.

I've got this Meade and a 4mm and 7mm SW Nirvana and now my Sky Rover 20mm and Moonfish 15mm look rediculous in comparison.

I'm seriously thinking about outing the pair of them in favour of the SW 16mm Nirvana and then getting the Meade 5000 24mm SWA to fill the gap.

That one is only £99 with the £100 off deal but that was out of stock which is a real shame.

Still no 34mm yet, I keep looking out the window for the Royal Mail van.........

[WayBig]

Russ - That's a very neat counterbalance system. Not sure if I'll ever be brave enough to take a drill to my dob!

[russ]

I leave the weight off when not observing near the horizon. The Skywatcher bar isn't that heavy by itself and doesn't affect the balance unless you go right to the zenith. I have changed the original focuser for the heavier Revelation dual speed, plus added a handle at the front underside. But may add a small dovetail at the front underside.