What is considered best Medium to Wide FoV EP Today??

[issdaol]

Hi All,

Looking at upgrading/adding/replacing a few of the Tak LE's EP's in my collection.

I have had a good run with the Tak LE's but finding from using the TV Nagler 31 that I prefer this over all my others (apart from my Tak LE50 that is he he)

Tried a Ethos 13 and while it was good it did not really scream out to me to spend the money to buy it.

Also the Pentax while good was also not screaming out for me to jump at but price is no concerns there at all.

So what is the considered opinion on Excellent Quality EP's in the mid to wide FOV ranges ?? Budget not really a concern apart from if it is Ethos prices then the jump in quality difference has to be noticeably significant.

Also prefer longer eye relief and to be used with the scopes as per my signature of course :-)

Cheers

[Allan]

Hey Phil. Ethos is the reference eyepiece in the 100-110 degree FOV class. They are optically superb, so the decision might be whether you like the combination of the 15mm eye relief and a huge field of view where the field stop is difficult to see.

Delos and XW are the best eyepieces you will buy in the 70 degree FOV class. I think the Delos are the best eyepieces TeleVue have made. Optically I find them a hair better than Ethos and the ergonomics are very nice. I can take in the whole field of view with the comfortable 20mm eye relief. There are not many better choices in the mid to wide field range and they would all work very well in your scopes.

[clive milne]

The Nikon Nav HW series are marginally better than an ethos... the difference is small though.

[The Mekon]

[/QUOTE]

Another vote for Delos, the best eyepiece I have ever used. Been through Kellner, Orthos, Plossls, Naglers and now Delos. WoW!
Not keen on Ethos, hard to get your eye around them.

[el_draco]

I have a few Ethos eyepieces. Used them once and it took me days to get my jaw closed. Stunning to look at, superb to look through. Cost is horrific but you wont need any others I suspect.

[issdaol]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the great feedback.

It looks like the consensus is that Delos comes out on top in the wide field at least in the 70-80 FOV range.

Based on the Ethos I used I don't think its worth the extra for me.

Have not really heard much about Nikon NAV EP's at all Clive. Would love to find out a bit more on yours and others opinions there.

Cheers

[dannat]

Check out vixen lvw, which f/l are you after?
The Nikon SW are more affordable,

[JethroB76]

I love my Ethos'. The nikons are meant to be very good but are another jump in price on the Ethos. Then there is the Docters...

[issdaol]

Basically just replacements for my current Tak LE lineup (in my signature bar) except for the Tak 50mm LE (unless there is another amazing 50mm wide field to better it).

Just grown to like the single Delos I have and the Nagler over the others and want to see whats out there in the 70-80 degree +++ range that will be a fantastic replacement set.

We all tend to default to Nagler/Delos/Pentax but really need practical comparative experiences to judge by.

Plus there might be others I haven't seen or know about !? to consider.

For example never looked at or seen the Nikons or even heard much about them at all.

[issdaol]

the Docters ??? who?.. what?... where?... :-)

[dannat]

docter 12.5mm , almost as expensive as NIKON HW, apparently best ep around
r u happy with the comoft of the delos...its prob the most highly rated ep at the moment

[AG Hybrid]

Delos 14mm... So good. So so good. Doesn't need a coma corrector to clean up the view in a F4.5 - F5 reflector. Unlike a the Pentax XW.

[issdaol]

wow the docter sounds like an awesome EP. Seems they only make 2 FL's ?? is this correct ??

[Wavytone]

OP there's no such thing as a "best" eyepiece - there are too many variables, and the criterion you wish to use is not defined, either (there are several).

The first variable is the scope - each telescope has its own set of aberrations and these can differ significantly. Eyepieces that are great in newtonians may not be ideal for refractors or SCT's.

Then there is the observer - some want lots of eye relief, some don't. Some value wider field over image quality (sharpness). Some obsess about image quality on-axis and don't care if it's terrible off-axis.

And for some "best" means cheapest, no matter what the image quality.

[HCR32]

I second that! Unfortunately this hobby can get quite expensive that's why we ask question first to make sure peer support agrees with us before letting go of our cash. The two mentioned eps are the best in the 80 to 100 degree range. FL lengths are limited.

[ausastronomer]

Hi Phil,

I own 2 cases full of Pentax XW's, Nagler T4's, Nagler T5's, TV Radians, Panoptics, ETHOS and DELOS. In addition, I have used just about all the competition at one time or another.

The 12.5mm Doctor is the single best eyepiece I have used in terms of its overall optical quality and the overall viewing experience and comfort level. It's optical performance is a fraction better (it's close) than the 13mm ETHOS, with a slightly narrower FOV. However, it is much smaller and lighter with infinitely better eye relief and a higher comfort level. I have used the 12.5mm Doctor in several F4.5 to F5 medium to large aperture Newtonians and also in a 4" Astrophysics Traveller.

The Nikon NAV HW are the 2nd best eyepieces I have used and optically the equal of the Doctor. They have generous eye relief at about 16mm and some glasses users would be fine with them (I was but only just). They don't quite have the eye relief of the Doctor but are optically at least it's equal and the added bonus is that you get 2 focal lengths almost for the price of one Doctor :)

If price isn't a concern and you don't mind mixed brands in your bag, it would be hard not include these in your consideration.

I find the Pentax XW's and the DELOS to be excellent and about the equal of each other (depending on which criteria are most important to you), but a small tad behind these.

Having regard to the scopes you own, in the longer focal lengths the 30mm 88 degree Leitz, is probably the best you will get. You would have to buy this 2nd hand and there have been several variations of it over a number of years, each as good as the other optically. Cost 2nd hand is >$US1,000 and they are rarely offered for sale. They are snapped up quick when they are.

Cheers,
John B

[issdaol]

Hi John B and Everyone Else

Thanks for the input. It looks like the Doctor 12.5 is definitely the go for me along with a combination of Nikon and Delos to fill out the other replacements, while keeping the LE50 and Nagler.

I don't mind a mixed bag of EP's as I will go with my preferred/optimal choice for each FL. It only seems that my scopes have all come from one manufacturer for some reason lol

Thanks All

[dannat]

if you want any nikon starbase tokyo generally have the best prices

[issdaol]

Yes I have heard of them and supposedly a very good reputation. But I rarely get to Japan and have not been able to find a web site for them.

Does anyone have a link??

[dannat]

starbase tokyo (http://www.mmjp.or.jp/takahashi-sb/sbn/sbntop)
how's your japanese?

[ausastronomer]

This is the best price I have seen on the 12.5mm Docter

http://agenaastro.com/eyepieces.html?camptype=homepage-btn&manufacturer=398

Unfortunately the US$ exchange rate is poor at the moment so it is still >$A900 landed in oz

Cheers,
John B

[issdaol]

Hi All,

Thanks for the advice and pointers on where to purchase.

Cheers
Phil

[Don Pensack]

Just a note about the Nikon NAV-SW eyepieces.
They seem to have been made more for daytime use than astronomical use. Reports have them showing a lot more angular magnification distortion than rectilinear distortion, and the general consensus is that low AMD is best for astronomical use.

[casstony]

I notice the Leica Zoom 25x-50x ASPH (17.8-8.9mm) hasn't been mentioned. It performs much like a Delos/XW zoom in terms of the FOV and image quality; eye relief is long but 2 or 3mm shy of the Delos. Not everyone's cup of tea but I enjoy the convenience of not changing eyepieces.

My viewing conditions don't allow me to push gear to it's limits but more than one person has compared the Leica favourably with premium planetary eyepieces.
http://www.cloudynights.com/page/articles/cat/user-reviews/eyepieces/zooms/leica-zoom-25x-50x-asph-178-89mm-r2317