17 Ethos v 19 Panoptic

[taxman (Matt)]

After some time on Luna, Jupiter and the Lagoon & Triffid nebulae through my TV102 over past week, I am pretty sure I prefer the 19 Panoptic to my 17 Ethos.

I know - weird...

The Ethos is of course much, much wider, but I find the view in the Pano to be somewhat more pleasing. It is hard to define, perhaps a little more sharp and a little more contrasty.

I had a bit of a down-size a few months ago and got rid of everything with the aim of getting a TV85 at the new price it was then ($4099 I think), but got a used TV102 with Gibraltar in immaculate condition for about 60% of the new 85 alone instead. Which left me with quite a bit of wonga left over.

I assumed the Ethos line would be the best in the Televue line up as they were the most expensive. And they were certainly better than my Meade SWAs, my Williams SWANs and various plossls. But over the last week, I have been using a friend's TV85 to see if I made the right decision (I did - my TV102 will need to be pried from my cold, dead hands) and cannot get over the view from the 19 Pano in the 102.

So tell me, has anyone else found this to be the case or am I crazy to be considering selling my 17 Ethos and replacing it with a 27 or 35 Pano and Powermate?

[wavelandscott (Scott)]

Eyepieces can be a subjective thing...

Outside of the "technical specifications" and Quality Control the real right answer for you (and only you) is...Which view did you like the best?

I can site chapter and verse about why one eyepiece is technically superior but to my mind that means nothing compared to you own experiences...

Don't let us "peer pressure" you into picking one over the other! This is a hobby for enjoyment and you should pick the one you like!

[Satchmo]

I don't think it has any difference to do with the inherent contrast of either eyepiece. Some people just prefer the framing of a jet black field stop and in some ways it creates a contrasting border and the field stop directs the eye in toward the centre of the field where the `action' is . With the 100 degree field the eye wants to swing around randonly trying to get its `bearings' .

I had a similar experience daytime viewing through WO 66mm refractor. I much preferred the 18mm Radian's 60 degree field to the 13mm Naglers 82 degree. I just enjoyed the framing of the view . That might not have been the case for night time viewing .