Wide angle between 7 and 9mm

[shredder]

Hi Roger,

An alternate (and cheaper) option is to get one 2nd hand. You can pick up the Meade 4000 UWA very cheap (well in comparison to the ones nominated here anyway). I have the 6.7 UWA and 8.8 UWA, both are very good. My only feedback would be the 6.7 is about 1/2 the size and weight of the 8.8 and if you have a smallish scope this might be a better option.

Anyway I am sure any of them would be a good option, quality is quality, the differences are probably very minor (and possibly mostly subjective).

Just my thoughts

M

[ving (David)]

hey hey,

seems everyone has a preference/opinion hey

dont overlook the seiberts that jonh (astronut) sugested. you also get good ER with them too wich EPs in this FL lack
they are 70+ deg and have 20mm of ER.

http://www.siebertoptics.com/Siebert...ultra.html#7mm

they come in 1.25 and 2 inch

[Gargoyle_Steve (Steve)]

If I'm not mistaken the Stratus/Hyperions are clones of the Vixen LVW range, and good enough ep's in fact that they are themselves being cloned now. If they perform as well as the LVW's, and I would assume they are cheaper ($175 - $215 Stratus/Hyperions), would they not be worth considering to close that $50 gap from the LVW to the Meade?

I have directly compared the Stratus 13mm to the Hyperion 13mm and could find no difference for visual observing (in my f5 scope). So if one did not need to use the built in threads for camera, etc, attachment that the Hyperions provide you could save another $30 or so by getting the Orion Stratus. (I have an 8mm Stratus, and I am very fond of it, but I have insufficient experience to make direct comparison to Meade UWA or Vixen LVW).

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

The Stratus/Hyperion do not perform as well as the LVWs. At f/5 the difference in sharpness near the edge is dramatic. In my f/4.7 the 13mm Stratus is looking pretty ordinary. Combination of astigmatism and field curvature. Only the central 45-50 degrees are acceptable. It does much better at f/6. I have not tried the 13mm LVW at f/4.7 but I have tried the 22mm LVW, which is good to the edge with just mild FC that my eyes can compensate for.

btw. My guess is that the Stratus or Hyperion are not "being cloned" - but just sold under other brand names, eg Saxon.

[PeteMo (Pete)]

I heard from the BTOW shop that some of the SkyWatcher eyepieces were Stratus eyepeices rebadged. Whilst the LVW, Hyperion and Stratus eyepieces may look identical there will be differences in tolerances and materials. The Hyperion uses a different lens coating to the Stratus, and the LVW uses Lanthium glass. I wonder if the SkyWatcher/Saxon eyepieces are made to slightly different tolerances than the Vixen, Baader and Orion offerings.

Has anyone compared SkyWatcher/Saxon variants with the Hyperion/Stratus?