Low Power EP Shootout!

RapidEye · #1 21-01-2006, 07:43 AM

I rounded up a handful of low power EP's and did some side by side comparisons.
http://rapideye.us/astro<WBR>/LPEPSO.html

I won't spoil the ending, but there is a certain 2" Taiwanese EP that did VERY well that is also VERY inexpensive!

Enjoy!
<RE>

ving (David) · #2 21-01-2006, 08:15 AM

very cool mister eye!

but whats a DIOPTRX?

Robert_T · #3 21-01-2006, 09:22 AM

excellent, balanced and informative review Rapideye - many thanks. Very topical too as I'm seeking a good eyepiece in this range... only problem being I use long FL cassegrains so the experience is no doubt different to your with he fast newtonians.

keen to hear more if you do get a 30mm pentax and 31mm nagler to put through their paces. There's a brand of eyepieces "Wide Scan" made by Kokasai Kokhi in Japan with 84deg fov in a 2in barrel 30mm fl version that's be great to add. These run around the $275US mark in Aust.

cheers,

Kieken · #4 21-01-2006, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ving

very cool mister eye!

but whats a DIOPTRX?

I think it is something that TV makes to correct astigmatism.

davidpretorius · #5 21-01-2006, 09:46 AM

excellent write up, thank you for that!

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #6 21-01-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert_T

There's a brand of eyepieces "Wide Scan" made by Kokasai Kokhi in Japan with 84deg fov in a 2in barrel 30mm fl version that's be great to add. These run around the $275US mark in Aust.

cheers,

Robert,

Those KK Widescan III's, are an excellent eyepiece in slow scopes like your Tak mewlon and C9.25. Unfortunately they are poor performers in scopes faster than about F7 or F8. In fact they are no better than the cheap chinese/taiwanese eyepieces in a fast dob.

The 2" versions are also more than $275 I think, they used to be almost $400 12 months ago. The 1.25" versions used to sell for just under $300.

Actually I just checked:-

http://www.sirius-optics.com.au/eyepieces.htm

$399-00 for the 2" and $299-00 for the 1.25" versions.

CS-John B

ving (David) · #7 21-01-2006, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieken

I think it is something that TV makes to correct astigmatism.

wonder if they are expensive... being TV they probably are

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #8 21-01-2006, 10:39 AM

Jim,

Nicely done review.

I own both a 27mm Panoptic and 30mm GSO Superview and regularly use both in my 10"/F5 GSO dob. My findings are very consistent with yours. In fact I have been pushing the 30mm GSO Superview on this forum and on talking telescopes for 2 years as being "easily" the best value for money budget 2" widefield eyepiece in faster scopes. Good to see someone else agrees with me

BTW The 7mm Pentax XW is superb !!!! if and when you go there, every bit as good as the 10mm XW.

CS-John B

RapidEye · #9 21-01-2006, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieken

I think it is something that TV makes to correct astigmatism.

Yup - just go to their website to get the details, but thats it in a nutshell - it corrects eyeball astigmatism.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Nicely done review.

Thanks - I was working with Gene and Rick over on the SQ group to clean it up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

My findings are very consistent with yours. In fact I have been pushing the 30mm GSO Superview on this forum and on talking telescopes for 2 years as being "easily" the best value for money budget 2" widefield eyepiece in faster scopes.

I know you have

That is one of the reasons I got it. I should go back and ammend that section of the page. Honestly, your gushing on the EP was a big factor in my getting it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Good to see someone else agrees with me

At least where EP's are concerned - not on vegamite I'm afraid

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

BTW The 7mm Pentax XW is superb !!!! if and when you go there, every bit as good as the 10mm XW.

Yup - your past recommendations on it is one of the reasons it is towards the top of my list. I love my 10 and 14mm - the 7mm is a no-brainer

I actually had this completed a couple of weeks ago - I've just been burried at work and haven't had time to clean it all up and get it posted.

To bring it all back, full circle, that EP is what I won in the first IIS trivia contest =-) BinTel let me swap the Telrad for the EP (with a few $$$ to make up the difference) It was only fair to let the IIS community know how good the EP really is!

janoskiss (Steve H) · #10 21-01-2006, 01:57 PM

Thanks for the detailed review, Rapid. Unfortunately, my experience with the Superview 30mm in an f6 more closely matches what you said about the Astrola. I'll have to compare my SV to someone else's, Ken! , to see if it's just me or if it's QC.

Starkler (Geoff) · #11 21-01-2006, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Jim,

Nicely done review.

I own both a 27mm Panoptic and 30mm GSO Superview and regularly use both in my 10"/F5 GSO dob. My findings are very consistent with yours.

I have looked through two examples of the 30mm GSO SV and both left me similarly unimpressed. Contrast and clarity were poor, with abberations becomming intrusive approx 70% from centre to edge.

I used to own a 27mm panoptic, which I rate as one of the best eyepieces I have ever had the fortune to look through.

I have seen mention of two different versions of the SV, and this could be the case, as I cant imagine anyone with any experience rating the SV's I have seen as being within coo-ee of the 27mm panoptic

mick pinner · #12 21-01-2006, 03:10 PM

l would be interested in a review by someone on the performance of the 30mm SV in an f/10, l use mine quite a lot in the Meade and in my opinion you can forget your high end Pans and Naglers they are no better in this focal range.
l would like someone elses opinion as a comparison.

RapidEye · #13 21-01-2006, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

I used to own a 27mm panoptic, which I rate as one of the best eyepieces I have ever had the fortune to look through.

Agreed - which is what my review said

I think my quote was "off the chart" good

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

I have seen mention of two different versions of the SV, and this could be the case

You are not the first person I've seen post this - 2 different versions. It is entirely possible.

One of the things I illuded to was that I sent my GSO back to the guy I borrowed the 27 Pan from - he was the one that discovered the DIPTRX fit the GSO.
Anyway - he also has a very critical eye for EP's AND rather than having a 30mm Ultima, he has a 32mm TV Plossl - I'm hoping he'll do a comparison between the 3 EP's: TV Plossl, Panoptic, and SuperView.

It would be nice to have some backup from someone that has used the same EP's as I did (exact ones).

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #14 21-01-2006, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

I have seen mention of two different versions of the SV, and this could be the case, as I cant imagine anyone with any experience rating the SV's I have seen as being within coo-ee of the 27mm panoptic

Geoff,

I posted something about 2 different versions of the 30mm GSO Superview about 6 mths ago, unfortunately I can't find that post.

I was observing with a few of the Central Coast guys at Kulnurra about 6 mths ago and at the time was looking through Rod Berry's scope. Rod told me the eyepiece in place was a 30mm GSO Superview. I had cause to change the eyepiece and when I removed Rod's eyepiece I immediately sensed something different. I thought, "this eyepiece feels nothing like my 30mm GSO". I took it back to my table and physically compared it with my own, it is at least 1" shorter in the eyepiece body ( the barrels are the same length) and its somewhat lighter.

I haven't had a chance to compare them optically, which I hope to do next week at Lostock. The limited time I spent with Rod's version in his F10 SCT didnt show anything negative that may show up in a faster scope.

The sample I have is one of the 1st ever made as I received it at least 2 months before these eyepieces were available in USA. Maybe the more recent versions are a slightly different design which is inferior, I know the price of them has dropped a lot.

I will post a follow up when I get a chance to compare them properly.

CS-John B

Starkler (Geoff) · #15 21-01-2006, 05:38 PM

If you can get a side by side picture and note any differentiating marking etc, that would be fantastic John.

Robert_T · #16 21-01-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausastronomer

Robert,

Those KK Widescan III's, are an excellent eyepiece in slow scopes like your Tak mewlon and C9.25. Unfortunately they are poor performers in scopes faster than about F7 or F8. In fact they are no better than the cheap chinese/taiwanese eyepieces in a fast dob.

The 2" versions are also more than $275 I think, they used to be almost $400 12 months ago. The 1.25" versions used to sell for just under $300.

Actually I just checked:-

http://www.sirius-optics.com.au/eyepieces.htm

$399-00 for the 2" and $299-00 for the 1.25" versions.

CS-John B

Thanks John, that's good to know that the Widescans would be good for my slow scopes. As you point out though they're not so cheap - the $275 i quoted below was an estimate of US$ as Rapid is in the good ol' US of A. Yep $399 AU.
cheers,

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #17 21-01-2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

If you can get a side by side picture and note any differentiating marking etc, that would be fantastic John.

Geoff,

I will have the wife's digicam at Lostock so that will be no problem. I did a quick comparison of the labelling on that night and it looked identical, but it was in the dark with a red torch.

CS-John B