Well finally got to try out my new Ethos 17mm tonight even though its nearly 3/4 moon and the seeing is bad with haze and gusty winds here in Brisbane.
I compared it with my 13 nagler, 35mm panoptic and various orion widefield pieces between 9mm and 26mm in my 12 LX200R scope.
Let me say, this eyepiece is the best
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It gave an almost errie feeling of looking out of a bubble window. You can look up, down, left and right at nearly side on into the eyepiece and the view seems to keep going wth pin point clarity.
It made my 13mm Nagler feel like a plossl.
Some people say or won't like this but you don't have to look around if you don't want to but I like it .
I have heard that the ultra wide field takes away some of the contrast on things but I found this to be the opposite but I was only comparing it to my 13mm Nagler, 35mm panoptic and orion eyepieces.
After testing on about 12 different objects the 17mm Ethos stayed in the focuser for the rest of the night.
Buts its not just about the field of view but it made objects just stand out so much better in this 2 out of 10 night based on the conditions. The majesty factor that TV go on about is true, to my eye's at least. I went to Jupiter first and got 5 to 6 bands and compared to my 13mm nagler there was no contest. Slightly less magnification than the Nagler which probally helped considering the conditions but it was still one of the best views I have had of Jupiter in along time.
The moon was a show stopper, way more clarity, better colour and features just stood out alot better with more depth feel to the image what really caught my attention with the ethos on the moon was that the shaddows off the mountains and craters stood out alot better with more depth feel to them and at this mag around 180X you could see half the terminator and when you looked up left or right you could see right out to the edge of the disk .
Omega centaurus was spectacular at this mag and framed nice.
The ring was great well rounded and with good image scale, colour and field of view.
Lots of other globs, open clusters were just spectacular considering the conditions. The jewel box really stood out.
I can't wait to put it through its paces on new moon and to get it out to some dark skies as well.
My other TV eyepieces are real nice but this thing is the next step up.
I can see it getting a flogging now. Pity they are pricey but the R & D that goes into these things has to be paid for somehow.
Regards Matt.
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