24mm Pan or 17mm Vixen LVW?

[bytor666]

Hello there down under!

I have been buying and keeping this time around....not selling as much as I have come to realize that once I get some good glass, I learn to really appreciate it!

I've gone around in countless circles of buying / selling eyepieces and it only ends up going back to what worked in my fast 10" f/4.7 reflector again. However, I am left with ONE eyepiece that I only use for star-hopping: The 38mm Orion Q70.

Not the greatest EP in a fast reflector, that's for sure. It serves up well as a finder eyepiece and maybe for a few other targets, but this is where it stops, (minus the astigmatism etc).

Here is my final dilemma: I have a choice between getting a like NEW 17mm Vixen LVW, (older style, but in MINT condition), and keep the 38mm Orion Q 70 and use it as a finder EP and have the 17mm Vixen LVW to really use a lot on many targets.....or I can get a brand new 24mm TeleVue Panoptic and sell off the 38mm Orion Q-70 and use the 24mm Pan as a finder EP, but it will also serve double duty to look at things as well, and have better overall correction and a smaller exit pupil.

What would you guys do in this situation?

Cheers,

[AG Hybrid]

Apart from the Televue tax. It is so difficult to fault the 24 pan. On the other hand have you thought about a 22mm vixen Lvw? It performs well at f4.7. Cheaper too. You'll probably want the 13mm pretty quickly after sat well.

[Kunama]

I know nothing about the 10" Newt but the 17mm LVW like the 22 LVW are excellent eyepieces.
With your scope the:
17 = 70x
22 = 54x
24 = 50x
and your 38 = 31x

50x as a finder ep is a bit much for my liking. Viewing @ 70x is a favourite, I tend to use it often. I think I would go with the 17mm and keep the 38.

[PlanetMan]

A tough choice as both are excellent EPs in their own right. Perhaps another way of looking at the situation is considering their particular strengths. For example the Pan is a wonderfully small EP which gives you maximum fl at the 1.25. The Vixen gives great ER and comfort but is a much bigger EP

[bytor666]

Well, I have made my decision:

I am going to go with the 17mm Vixen LVW. I tried the 24mm Panoptic and I honestly didn't care for it all that much.

Sure it was extremely sharp, but I think the 22mm Vixen LVW is a lot better. The 22mm LVW has much better eye placement and better eye relief and IMO is sharper across the field than the 24mm pan. Another thing I noticed a lot in the 24mm Pan that I missed before, was edge of field brightening.

Also, since I like to use 70x more than what a lower power EP will offer, I have decided to go for the 17mm Vixen LVW instead and keep my 38mm Q-70 as a finder eyepiece. I can always get a better lower power EP in the future as I don't spend much time at all with lower powers.

Thanks for the tips and suggestions !!!

Cheers!