Greg,
With my 18” SDM, my 13mm Ethos is my most used eyepiece on most targets at 185x mag, my 21mm Ethos would be 2nd at 115x mag and equal 3rd would be either my 8mm Ethos 300x mag or 31mm Nagler at 75x (I love this mammoth eyepiece). I would do 90% of my visual observing with the 13mm Ethos.
I’m sold on Televue and have most of the Type 4, Type 5 and Type 6 Naglers, but they don’t get much use since I’ve had the Ethos eyepieces.
The 100deg eyepieces are unbelievable, and up 1 or 2 steps on the ladder the spacewalk feeling does make you think you’re floating .... have to grip the step ladder
I do most of my viewing at a Bortle 2 site past Ballarat in Vic. Speaking of M42, i would say the 5th star is clearly visible 90% of the time, the sixth star about 50% and I’ve seen the 7th star on the odd occasion with averted vision and on night’s of really great seeing.
I’ve tried the Explore Scientific 100deg pieces, but I think the Ethos are much better .... for a much higher price, but I haven’t tried any other brands. Most of my visual buddies have Ethos so I that the limit of my 100deg brand exposure.
My visual process involves viewing with eyecup folded down and I’ve never really have any problems with kidney bean effect. I just go to a target, look though the eyepiece and literally fall into the eyepiece.
Hope this helps.
Paul