Which EPs?

[pook]

I'm looking at Televue EPs and I'm confused as to what to get. Naglers look good and everyone raves about them, but the Radian EPs seem good also.

Radian seems to have greater eye relief, but Nagler wider field.

I'm seriously torn between the two kinds here.

[nicnac]

Televue brand EPs are regarded the best so either way your on a winner

the Radians are fantastic for those who wear specs or those who dont like to press their eye right up against the EP

the Naglers give you a wider view and great for that space walk feel

[swamp thing]

Hi

My first question would be: what focal length eyepieces are you looking at?

Regards Steve

[pook]

Probably a shorter one to start with.. around 6-10mm. I can cope with my current SW 25mm, but the 10mm SW is truly rubbish.

[Doug]

Hi Pook

I must go alone with Nike on this I use mine on a f/10 scope but I also use them on my friends f4.5 a fast scope all I can say is that the Naglers are fantastic I use the t4s

They are a life time investment

Doug

[swamp thing]

Hi

If you are mainly looking for a planetary eyepiece I would go for the 8mm or 6mm Radians as you have a GEM so wide field isn't so important.

OTOH if you want a medium to high power deep sky eyepiece the 9mm or 7mm type6 Naglers take some beating.

I would try to have a look through one or all first you might prefer the longer eye relief of the Radian or the bigger picture window of the Nagler.

That would be my options with no easy winner. Others will no doubt have different ideas.

Also worth remembering is if you have not been observing long you might not find the benefit of Televue products yet.

Not that I would say Don't buy them just be sure you really want to part with the vast amounts of cash involved in getting their products first.

There are cheaper options that are excellent products too, so have a good long think.

Good luck with your choice and post what you decide on.

Regards Steve

[neilmack]

Choice of eyepiece ought to be informed by intended targets. Deepsky observation with an undriven dobsonian really benefits from the very wide fields of the Naglers (by general consent the best of breed). On the other hand there are other and better choices for the planetary or double star observer. I'd be inclined to look at a Nagler which gave me an exit pupil somewhere in the 2mm - 2.5mm range, for deepsky, and opt for a narrower field four-element eyepiece for high power and planetary work. If you have to wear specs all the time, or want more eye relief than a plossl characteristically gives, consider the Takahashi Long Eye Relief eyepieces - sharp, contrasty, and comfortable to use.

cheers

Neil

[spaceboy]

Also worth remembering is if you have not been observing long you might not find the benefit of Televue products yet.

Not that I would say Don't buy them just be sure you really want to part with the vast amounts of cash involved in getting their products first.

There are cheaper options that are excellent products too, so have a good long think.

Well said Steve.

[Moonshane]

I agree with most of the comments so far, especially don't blow loads of cash straight off but if you insist of buying top quality (and don't wear glasses to observe) then don't overlook the humble Televue plossl (the 11mm is superb and very user friendly) or the Baader Genuine Ortho (I find down to 7mm fine for decent eye relief). For the money you cannot go wrong for planetary use even on a manual mount. OK the field is narrow but the views crystal.

[John]

Some good advice here. Just don't make the mistake that I did when I bought my 1st Tele Vue eyepieces 20+ years back (I was a bit "green" back then ) when I thought that they would show me things that other "lesser" eyepieces could not. Naturally, I was a bit disappointed when (of course) the TV plossls did not reveal the spiral arms of M31 or the central star of M57 so, I part exchanged them for something else

It took me a few years to realise what premium eyepieces do actually deliver which is an incremental improvement.

By all means invest in some Tele Vues (as I have now with a vengence !) as they are excellent but do bear in mind when balancing your budget that for the price of a couple of Naglers you could also get a 10" dobsonian scope which really will show you new stuff

[pook]

Thanks for the advice all.

I won't be buying anything just yet, as I always think things through.. hence getting this advice.

I think eye relief is more important than angle of view, so the Radians seem ideal.

I am well aware that a better eyepiece will not make my scope resolve things it otherwise couldn't I am keenly aware however, of the sheer uselessness of my current 10mm EP.

I don't see the point in upgrading EPs in increments, as that's just wasting money. As someone in this thread said, it's a lifetime investment, so why not just go straight for something that has already proven itself time and time again. How long I've been viewing seems irrelevant to me.

I already know my priorities in terms of upgrades, and they are:

Mount

EPs

Planetary scope

Upgrade or change fast DSO scope.

[spaceboy]

We all know where you are coming from Pook but we are also well aware of the lure of the "green and Black" You will buy a TV replacement for your 10mm and next thing you know you will want a full set of Radians and you bank account will be bare

[Andy79]

but the 10mm SW is truly rubbish.

Amen to that!

[pook]

We all know where you are coming from Pook but we are also well aware of the lure of the "green and Black" You will buy a TV replacement for your 10mm and next thing you know you will want a full set of Radians and you bank account will be bare

I know... and you're probably right, but that SW 10mm has to go. Using it gives me a headache. The eye relief is terrible. I just don't want to "waste" money on an interim purchase when I can just go for the best. I'm happy to plod along with the SW 25mm. It's not too bad actually.

[edit]

Arrrghh.. they just released a new one.. the Delos. Typical.. I was 99% sure I was going for a Radian... now this.