Meade s4000 QX Wide angles

[Dobman]

Hi everyone, quick query. Has anyone used these EP's or heard anything about them, in particular the 26mm 2" They are 70 deg afov and seem to be very cheap ($89 US Astronomy Jan '06)?
I'm after a low power (50x -75x)2" EP
Any feed back would be welcome
:help3:

[Miaplacidus]

I think they get a good recommendation generally as the best EPs Meade ever made. (The review of the S5000 basically said the S4000, which the 5K were meant to replace, were overall better, albeit heavier). I've not used one, though, so take this with the suitable grain of NaCl.

Cheers,

Brian.

[Striker]

I could be wrong but I thought the Meade QX eyepieces were one of the worst ever made.....the standard 4000series plossl's were better.

I just remember looking into them at the time and the reviews were shocking.

[Rodstar]

Guys, I might be wrong, but I think these are a new option, and not to be compared with any other series 4000 Meade Eps. I'd be interested, too. I would have thought that with a 70 degree FOV, at that price, you would have to expect some field distortion, but sometimes cheaper EPs can be just as good in the right scope.

[astrogeek]

Well I am getting one in a few weeks (Comes with my 12" Meade Lightbridge) so when I do I will post a quick review for all those interested :)

[33South]

Brian thats the 4000 series not the 4000(made to a price)QX

I got steered away from them so cant give first hand opinion.

[chunkylad]

Hi Dobman

Imho, for your F5 dob, any budget type wide angle ep will suffer from loss of performance towards the edge of the fov; and from what I've heard, these QX eps are no exception.

Cheers
Dave

Fwiw, I have just bought a Panoptic 19mm in preference to these Meade eps, even though I could get two QXs for the price of one TeleVue. You get what you pay for, especially in fast 'scopes.
DW

[Rodstar]

Report on that, too, please!!! ;) :P

[ausastronomer]

Hi,

I used a borrowed 1 in my 10"/f5 dob for about 30 seconds because that was how long it took me to get it out of my telescope and give it back to the owner. Pretty average IMO particularly as the scope gets faster. I believe they are "fair" in a slower scope like a SCT or Maksutov. Basically you get $89 worth which in a widefield eyepiece isn't much.

CS-John B

[janoskiss]

Searching for info on them in the past, I got the impression (don't ask me where) that they are effectively Meade's "SuperViews", which I do not care for very much at all in f6 or faster scopes.

[astrogeek]

Don't worry, I will be reporting on both. Hopefully the lightbridge will be in before Feb so I will review it ASAP. Im going to Vietnam for 17 days on the 31st of jan so I hope it arrives before then otherwise it's a long wait. If it arrives before the 28th of jan there is a good chance that I will take it up to the ASV's dark sky site on the 28th. If I am I will post so that anyone who is in the ASV and is interested in the lightbridge can come and have a look :)

[Rodstar]

Hope it comes soon. I am looking forward to hearing how long and complex the set-up process is, and what the quality of the mirror is like. :)

[astrogeek]

Quality wise I have heard nothing but praise from the people in the states that have got them. The scopes have exactly the same optics as the GSO dobs (Premium). The only issues have been with packing, with lots of people saying that the primary mirror cover has come off during transport and scratched the crap out of the mirror. Meade says that new shipments should not have that problem as they have changed the way they pack them, but who knows. At least you can get it replaced if this happens.

[ving]

now this sound exciting!!! :D

I have heard only bad about the qx eps tho. and they are not the same as the swa, the swa is better according to various reviews n' opinions. :)

[astrogeek]

I was talking about the Meade Lightbridge not the qx ep :)

[ausastronomer]

Its a pity Meade ship the QX eyepiece with the new scopes, which as you mention I have had nothing but good reports on.

For people that already own a set of eyepieces this isn't an issue, but for people relying on the supplied eyepiece, I think they may be dissappointed.

Meade may have been better off, offering the scope without eyepieces as opposed to adding $$$$$ to the cost of the package and including a marginal eyepiece. A Series 5000 plossl may have been a better inclusion, albeit the AFOV is smaller, the edge of field performance in an F5 scope will be much better.

Enjoy the new scope !!!

CS-John B

[astrogeek]

Yeah, I agree. I would have preffered paying $100 less than pay more for the QX ep. I'm getting the deluxe model for the az. barings and deluxe red dot finder. Still I am easily pleased where EP's are concerned so maybe I will like the QX. Only time will tell.

Leon

[astrogeek]

Does anyone have a link to a review of the 26mm 2" QX? I can't seem to find one.

[ving]

this touches more on the series as a whole i think... i didnt read it all
http://www.skynewsmagazine.com/images/reviews/MeadeeyepiecesreviewJA05.pdf.

and an owners observations @ f5 taken from this observint log
http://www.astrobuysell.com/paul/logbook/2005.htm

[astrogeek]

Thanks for that Ving.



My 2x Barlow should improve the performance in the f/5 lightbridge then.

[PaulM]

Hello,
It's interesting to find my "quick review" of the Meade QX eyepiece quoted here!! Looks like you found me WAY before I found this Forum!!
Good to see my efforts to keep my web site up to date are worth while:thumbsup:

and an owners observations @ f5 taken from this observint log
http://www.astrobuysell.com/pa ul/logbook/2005.htm (http://www.astrobuysell.com/paul/logbook/2005.htm)

Quote:
Quick review of the Meade 2-inch QX eyepiece, 26mm
Near the centre of the field of view it's very nice, but towards the edges the stars are streaks and never come to focus. I suspect this eyepiece is not suitable for fast f5 optics. I hope this eyepiece will perform better in my 10-inch f10 LX200 ! The wide field of view (70* apparent FOV) is very nice. When compared to a 26mm plossl, the Meade QX gave an extra 40% field of view. Of course, when stars are streaks towards the edges, the extra field is kind of useless.
** Update: this eyepiece performs better with the f10 LX200 !!



Cheers,
Paul.

[Don Pensack]

It will reduce the astigmatism and various other aberrations caused by the eyepiece's inability to field the wider light cone. Just be aware that it will not reduce coma from the mirror (which, anyway, is not caused by the eyepiece).
But the 26mm QX is a 2" eyepiece, and the LB scopes can't handle most 2" barlows, as the barlows need too much infocusing.
So you may not be using a barlow on that eyepiece after all.
Don

[JethroB76]

Given that these QX eyepieces are packaged by Meade with the Lightbridges, do you think that a retailer would provide credit on the eyepiece if you wanted to replace it in the package?

[xstream]

No harm in trying but I doubt it.

[JethroB76]

Yes, a long shot I thought. Probably wouldn't get much of a credit but not sure how easily you'd sell one S/H, there doesn't seem like there is much demand for them:doh:

[JimmyH155]

Just adding my five bobs worth (don't know how old this thread is) I got the QX with my 112" LB and the first time I tried it, I was not impressed because of fuzziness around edges -- HOWEVER when I tried it a few days later on some large clusters, I was absolutely blown away with the view - I could not even see any noticeable fuzziness. I think the first time I tried it, the mirror had not come down to temperature, so air currents stuffed it up.
I now call the QX my "Cluster Buster" and use it all the time - it is almost my favourite as I just love those open clusters. :D :D :lol: