Alternatives to 27Pan/26N/35Pan

[Waxing_Gibbous]

I'm a bit out of my depth when it comes to low power / wide field EPs.
I am after 2 LP/WF eyepieces to use in my 12" f5 dob. One in the 26-28mm range another in the 35-38mm range. Both with 60-70* AFOV
I find the longer FL Naglers a bit of overkill as I can't get the whole field in. Also there's the $$$$ factor. There seem to be a number of alternatives but very few cogent reviews. Trying to keep each under the $200 mark.
Current line up is 10mm Pentax, 13mm N6, 19 Pan, 24 Pan & 32mm GSO Wide View.
Any suggestions most welcome.
Thanks,
Peter

[wavelandscott]

Maybe split the difference with a 30 mm Pentax XW...I hear that they are pretty good!

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Scott,
Thanks for responding.
I am leaning that way, but its a pretty expensive eyepiece. Do you have any experience with the AstroTech (I Think)Titans or the Orion Q70s.
I,ve tried a 27 Edge-On, but wasn't impressed.
Thanks again
PJH

[dpastern]

The Andrews 30mm isn't too bad (82º).

Dave

[casstony]

The Andrews 30mm is a good finder eyepiece but is not suited to f/5 scopes if you're after a good quality image.

As Scott said the 30mm XW is probably first choice(but I haven't used one).

[mental4astro]

I tried the Q70's, & there are many identical EPs just rebadged. The GSO 30mm superview is a better EP, & cheaper. I've got one so was able to compare.

I'm in the market also for an EP like yourself. There is only one, two really for our fast scopes: TMB Paragon 30mm & 40mm.

I had a go with the 40mm in my f/4.5 17.5"- truely unreal! Just a hint of 'seagulling' on the real outer edge of the FOV! Yes, this EP gives an exit pupil too big for my scope, but the image was really bright, clear & crisp. Whipped the pants off my GSO Superview.

I'm torn between choosing the 30mm (better matched exit pupil), or a slightly wider view & loose a little light with the 40mm. The 40mm did perform much, much better than the 'technically better matched' GSO 30mm. Oh, brother...

New they retail for around $300 from Frontier Optics.

At the price end we are talking about, finding an EP with minimal distortion in the outer FOV is difficult. This is the closest I've come to without using a coma corrector. Even extreme FOV's, like 100 degrees, there is no way of not getting distortion without a coma corrector in fast scopes. I tried a Nagler Type 5 31mm in mine- distortion. Even Tele-Vue in the web site states using a Parracor with it in fast scopes:

http://www.televue.com/engine/page.asp?ID=11

An alternative to the Parracor is the MPCC by Baader - where do you want to go with things though?

[erick]

I like my 35mm pan in my 12" f5. But when I can afford it, I will add a 27mm Pan to my collection. The 35mm is a touch too wide for me.

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Thanks for the input everyone. The EPs main use will be for scanning the sky and a bit of med./wide field viewing. A "getting warmed-up" EP in my 102 f9 refractor and a bit closer in for the 12" The equiv, roughly, of a 19-24 Pan on the refractor.
Alex, I found a 40mm gave a bit of a 'washed-out' look, while around the 27-30mm 65-80ish FOV gives the right combo of exit pupil and wide view. I've had the supplied 32mm on the dob only once and I had Jupiter and Luna together in the same field, both crystal clear. Wow!
But like a 40mm its still a bit "weak" with noticable "brown out" off-axis.
I hadn't realised 30 Paragons were available here. The 40's have a good rep in big refractors and dobs. Thanks for the heads-up everyone. Looks like it, whatever it is, will have to go on the prezzy list for Christmas.
Just had to spend $2300 on the !#$^%%*&* car!

[Paddy]

Hi Peter,

I'm happy with my 28 mm WO UWAN with 82 deg TFOV. I haven't compared it directly with an equivalent Nagler, but its very nice for larger objects like OC and very good for finding things. Except that it is a rather large thing and weighs about a kg I think. And I like it better in a parracor - but then that's so with most eps. Even though I like it, I still use my 24mm Pan a lot,which I bought as wide field ep in my 12" GSO. Even though the fl of my current scope is longer (1960 vs 1500) I like the lightness of and view through the Pan.

[dannat]

you could import one of the harry siebert ep's - from the ultra range about 70 deg fov & not too expensive

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Alas the Pentax and the UWAN 28 are a wee bit dear at the moment (car!).
I thought of importing various EPs, but lack of local distributors put me off. If anything was wrong, it would have to go back and forth, etc. etc.
As a BTW: I requested ordering info on the TMB 30MM Paragon from Frontier. They informed me that Burgess was OoS and that there was a 30MM Mark2 coming "soon". No more details than that I'm afraid. But its annoying as I had picked that as my WF eyepiece!!:doh: