I got mine from Optcorp. But that was when our dollar was at $1.10 US. But, even now its still great value. There's a couple local vendors. VTI Optics and Extravision.
I've bought a number of items from VTI Optics and their service is very good. The website doesn't currently list the 14mm 100D so send them an email to check availability.
Now checking some comparisions to the ES range I come up with:
ES 6-Element 28mm 68° - 73x mag
ES 9-Element 14mm 100° - 146x mag ($339)
ES 9-Element 9mm 100° - 228x mag ($399)
ES is less expensive.... but Imay have to factor in shipping which will close the gap slightly. Thoughts on this hyperthetical, 3-piece, all-round EP kit?
However the 17mm is a 2" version and has a big eye lens and is good for eyeglass wearers whereas the 16mm is not. Both are quality eyepieces though. An alternative would be to replace your 27mm Panoptic with a 26mm T5 Nagler which happens to be close to Parfocal with the 17mm T4 Nagler. The 26/17 is a very nice match and both have 82 degree apparent fields. The 26mm T5 Nagler also has a bigger true field than the 27mm Panoptic and slightly less exit pupil.
Note though the thickness of your 2" to 1.25" adaptor will come into play when swapping eyepieces that are parfocal. I personally like the 26/17 combination.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stephenb
Thanks Adrian and MortonH for your quick replies.
I'll shoot them an email shortly and see what they can do....
On a broader topic I've been considering expanding my EP kit (from one lonely EP) and creating a kit of 3.
Thanks to some advice from Bintel I am now looking at this range and the magnifications based on an 18-inch f4.5:
Now checking some comparisions to the ES range I come up with:
ES 6-Element 28mm 68° - 73x mag
ES 9-Element 14mm 100° - 146x mag ($339)
ES 9-Element 9mm 100° - 228x mag ($399)
ES is less expensive.... but Imay have to factor in shipping which will close the gap slightly. Thoughts on this hyperthetical, 3-piece, all-round EP kit?
Thoughts on this hyperthetical, 3-piece, all-round EP kit?
Well, my thoughts are that, compared to 100° eyepieces, you will get 95% of the enjoyment from 82° eyepieces and 90% of the enjoyment from 68° eyepieces. Personally, I can't see the edges of an 82° field of view in one go, anyway, so that's wider than I need.
If you have any budget limitations at all (which, apparently you do) then you'll save a lot of money from going with, say:
ES 28mm 68°
ES 18mm 82°
ES 8.8mm 82°
... or even more eyepieces while still saving a little money:
ES 28mm 68°
ES 20mm 68°
ES 16mm 68°
ES 11mm 82°
ES 8.8mm 82°
The ES 82° and 68° eyepieces are also smaller and lighter than 100° eyepieces. ES eyepieces are either Argon or Nitrogen purged to make them moisture-proof.
If I were you, I would be inclined to shoehorn a ES30mm 82deg, into you lineup. A great widefield ocular, for a larger aperture dob,(helps someway to overcome the ever shrinking FOV as aperture increases). This ocular is a formidable rival, to the Nagler 31 t5 82deg, at a much lesser cost.
17mm and 10mm Ethos or Naglers with Paracorr, I quite like my 11mm type 1 Nagler too. Televue beats everything else I've tried with my unsophisticated eye
The ES 11mm 82 degree is competitive with the T6 Nagler and much cheaper. The ES 6.7 and 30mm are also excellent. I haven't tried the others.
At 17mm (and other focal lengths) you could consider Delos - very comfortable and less likely to fog up with the long eye relief.
While many ES eyepieces are decent replacements for Televue, the 100 degree series is not among them IMO. Ethos has barely enough eye relief for the FOV while the ES equivalents have a recessed eyelens which reduces useable eye relief by 2 or 3mm.
The ES 14mm 100 + ES Coma corrector makes everyone's argument invalid. (except eye relief and green letters) 100 degree's of flat, pin point perfection and together they are still cheaper then an Ethos 13mm.
THank you all for your replies. I'm trying to digest all this info so give me a few hours to do so... but if it makes any difference I already have a Feathertouch SIPS coma corrector which I might add, was the best investment I've made in a long time. The first time I looked at 47 Tuc I nearly fell backward off the ladder!
If you're looking for a high magnification EP for planetary, the 9mm in your list, you could save a few $s and get the Pentax XF in 8.5mm...the smaller apparent FOV is largely irrelevant and it's a nice piece of quality glass for under $200 from VTI. Alternatively, the ES 8.8mm 82D is another balanced EP for a lot less.
IMO the 100 degree experiences are better at lower magnification, although if you're Dob is non- tracking I can understand the inclination...
The ES 14mm 100 + ES Coma corrector makes everyone's argument invalid. (except eye relief and green letters) 100 degree's of flat, pin point perfection and together they are still cheaper then an Ethos 13mm.
Psyk!!!!
I jest, I jest you Televue fanies.
No, but really. Just a winning combination.
The ES 14mm 100 is the best EP I've ever looked through and that includes Naglers, Delos', Pentax XF (never looked through an XW or XL). There are a multitude of CN reviews comparing the 14 mm 100 ES l with the 13 mm Ethos and the only difference noted was $$$. I use my 14 mm in a fast dob and enjoy a flat field with no discernible astigmatism across the entire field. You cannot see all 100 degrees but when you close with the lens and look around in there it really is pretty crazy - especially at a dark site.
The ES 6.7 82D is the best in the series and especially suited for planetary viewing.
Their 24mm 68D is also a good ep for low to medium power viewing.
You can't go wrong with these.
Well I've tried all these eyepieces and I keep coming back to the Televue Ethos and Naglers. Other Dob owners I view with have checked them out in their Dobs too and then they go back to their Ethos and Naglers, I'm just sayin'.
Well I've tried all these eyepieces and I keep coming back to the Televue Ethos and Naglers. Other Dob owners I view with have checked them out in their Dobs too and then they go back to their Ethos and Naglers, I'm just sayin'.
Of course they do Naglers are like old pipes you've been sucking on for 30 years - irreplaceable. I think some people also stand by an eyepiece when it costs 3x the amount of one of potentially equal quality. Many respected reviewers on CN suspect the ES 100 and Ethos designs are one and the same and that the ES are a direct rip-off. Certainly most reviews I looked at o/s struggled to split them.
If you've already got an Ethos sure you'll go back to it, no one is saying they are better than Ethos, not me anyway as I've never had the pleasure of an Ethos but if you are trying to decide on ES 100 and Ethos there are a plethora of comparisons that suggest that the ES 100 is up to it's eyeballs in the fight and costs half the price.
For some more thoughts….
Kind of with Astro Bot on this.
Had quite a few of the ES 82's…nice but short on the ER front so sold them.
Had 9 14 and 20 100's... really nice but short on the ER front, which meant I didn't use them after the initial wow factor wore off…so I sold them.
Had and still have the ES 68º really nice. They tick the box on the ER front with the exception of the 16mm, but it's such a beautiful eyepiece it's failings there are forgiven.
After a few years of buying, trying and selling, I stayed with the 68's as they are the easiest to look through... for me.
For the ES line up I'd say get the 34 24 20 and 16 ES 68º add a 1.25" 2x barlow and thats it…covered.
The 16mm is a bit tight on ER, but worth it…. a gem of an eyepiece.
If you really want a 14mm the best is the Denk 14, contrast, flat field…..the only eyepiece I wish I still had, the ES 16mm is quite close, in comparisons I did when I had both, which is why I sold the Denk.
My Newt is an Orion Optics UK 10" f4.8, with an ES coma corrector which gives pinpoint stars to nearly the edge, 98% out.
The problem I had with the 82 and 100's is to see the full field I was having to get close to the glass, give me the 68's any time, way more relaxing.
With a nice scope and focuser and CC, your most of the way there anyway.
Well, whatever eyepieces you decide on, a good starting point for an 18" f/4.5 (assuming a Paracorr in the focuser) is a set:
30mm/15mm/10mm (+/- 1mm)
or, without a coma corrector (which I wouldn't recommend at f/4.5):
26mm/13mm/9mm
Then, add eyepieces in-between or above as needed, but at least you'd have "the basics".
