Whats the best 3.5mm EP and Why ?

[StarGazing (Alex)]

Hey guys,

Whats your thoughts on high mag EP's. Primarily a 3.5mm EP. I would like to hear your thoughts and experinces.

Cheers, Alex.

[Waxing_Gibbous (Peter)]

Tough one.
The Takahashi LE 3.6 seems to be universally admired, though with only a 50 degree view you'd better be quick or have good tracking. Televue Nagler 3.5, Type 6 gives you the 82* view and is reportedly very good. The Burgess/TMB 4mm and the WO 4mm also get good press. I believe the latter has more eye relief.
I haven't personally tried any of the above, but what I have tried is a 7mm Pentax XW (70* AFOV) with a 2x Barlow. Seeing was pretty bad, but the image was very pleasing, being sharp, colour-free and with minimal scatter. It also maintained its 20mm eye relief (more or less). If my mount wasn't so rubbish, that's the combo I'd go for.
Hope this helps a little.
Peter

[Lismore Bloke (Paul)]

I don't have one, but I have heard that the Vixen LVW 3.5 is very good.

[CoombellKid]

I have owned a Pentax XW 3.5mm for a few years. It doesn't get used
a whole lot. But when those night of good seeing where I can up the
power, it's an awesome EP. Actually my most favorite planet and
planetary EP.

But I am slightly XW bias, but you do get the same cool crisp views as
the rest of the shorter FL XW's. I wouldn't be swapping it anytime soon.
Once I was able to observe upper cloud layers off the limb of Mars. And
things like the Ghost of Jupiter look a whole heap more interesting at
higher powers.

I have tried several other brands including TV's range, and haven't found
anything that has tickle my fancy. So my vote goes to a 3.5mm XW

Cheers,CS

[PhilW]

Another vote for the XW 3.5. It has a great balance of qualities, including a wider field than most other short FL eyepieces, and far better eye relief.

That said, you might find an XW 5 gets more use on most nights. Or a secondhand XL 5.2 is also an excellent eyepiece, just 5 degrees less field.