27mm vs. 35mm Panoptic

[bytor666]

I need to know which one you would prefer in an 8" f/6 reflector

[Dave47tuc (David)]

I use a 35 Pano in my 10" and love it.
Can not got wrong with either

[Starkler (Geoff)]

If your goal is max field then the 35 pano will give it with a 5.8mm exit pupil, which is good from a dark sky and not so good where there is light polution.

Personally I would choose a 30mm Pentax XW for that scope.

[astroboy]

Hi
I have both and find the 35 mm has less barrel distortion which is only noticable when moving the scope , but it is a lot heavier , both very nice though.

Zane

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Eye placement is more critical with the 35mm IME. On the few occasions I tried it I found it awkward to use compared with the 27mm. (But I did own a 27mm Pano though so I was more used to that.) A couple of Televue eyeguard extender should help with that though.

If finances allow, I second Geoff's recommendation of 30mm XW. Brilliant. Has Panoptics for breakfast.

[AstroJunk (Jonathan)]

At such a low power the answer has to be the 35 - I assume you're looking for maximum fov for open clusters with this one?

[bytor666]

If finances allow, I second Geoff's recommendation of 30mm XW. Brilliant. Has Panoptics for breakfast.

From the Pentax XW's I've tried, (14mm XW, 10mm XW & 7mm XW), I would jump all over a 30mm XW if I knew how it performed and I had the $$$. I hated the curvature in the 14mm XW, but loved the 7 & 10mm. What is the 30mm XW Like???

[Ambermile]

I'd say the 27mm actually - more contrast will be available as you will not be stretching the optics so far. To go the extra mile though... 31mm T5

Arthur

[skies2clear]

Originally Posted by bytor666

From the Pentax XW's I've tried, (14mm XW, 10mm XW & 7mm XW), I would jump all over a 30mm XW if I knew how it performed and I had the $$$. I hated the curvature in the 14mm XW, but loved the 7 & 10mm. What is the 30mm XW Like???

Agree with others here about the 30mm XW. It's great. Most comfortable to use of any 30mm or thereabouts. Whole field presents itself beautifully.

Clear skies

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by bytor666

I hated the curvature in the 14mm XW, but loved the 7 & 10mm. What is the 30mm XW Like???

Certain eyepieces like the panoptics and the 12mm nagler t4 show alot of spikes and coma-like astigmatism to my eyes when viewing stars.
I see next to none of this in the 30mm xw so the view looks much 'cleaner' to me.

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Originally Posted by bytor666

From the Pentax XW's I've tried, (14mm XW, 10mm XW & 7mm XW), I would jump all over a 30mm XW if I knew how it performed and I had the $$$. I hated the curvature in the 14mm XW, but loved the 7 & 10mm. What is the 30mm XW Like???

None of the FC of the 14mm (I don't like that either). Like Geoff said astigmatic stars off-axis in 27mm Pano are pinpoints in 30mm XW. The 30mm XW is very much like the 10mm in every respect except magnification of course.

But should note that the astigmatism in the Pano is very mild compared with cheaper widefields, e.g. 30mm superview or 1rpd & clones.