JustinJ
member
Reged: 08/07/08
Posts: 69
Loc: Central Pennsylvania
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Has anyone done a comparison of this eyepiece to a Panoptic 27mm or Nagler 31? I have tried to find reviews on the XW 30 but have not found any. Does anyone use this eyepiece? I was thinking of using it as a finder and some general viewing. It would give me a wider FOV than my Panoptic 27mm but am not sure about the other qualities of the eyepiece. I hear a lot about the contrast and sharpness of the Pentax lines but have not look through one.
Thanks,
Justin
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Discovery PDHQ 10 f6
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rickertk
sage
Reged: 06/14/07
Posts: 217
Loc: Outer Philadelphia suburbs
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Justin,
I have one, and really like it. However, I haven't compared it to either of the other two you mention. It does well as a finder and large open clusters look very nice in it (stars seem quite sharp across the field).
Keith
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Oberwerk 11x56
Orion 8XTi
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Stephen65
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/14/07
Posts: 934
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
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I have an XW30 and I use it as my standard long FL EP. It's very sharp and contrasty and perfectly flat across the entire field in my refractor. I have compared it from time to time with the 26 and 31mm Naglers and they're all excellent options. I subjectively prefer the XW but I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.
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Megrez 90
FLT 132
Mewlon 250
Lots of XWs, an Ethos, Supermonos and some other EPs
Edited by Stephen65 (08/22/08 04:05 AM)
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Spyke
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/22/03
Posts: 1916
Loc: Scotland
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This is nice. I've just ordered an XW30 and I too was frustrated by lack of objective comments about it. Nice to hear the good experiences! 
Ant
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GSO 8" f6 Dob (Hi-Lux coated)
ED100 Pro, ED80
Skymax 127 Maksutov
Coronado Ha PST
Vixen GP, Porta-mount, multiple AZ-3 mounts.
Berkut 10x50 Binos, 'reasonable' no. of eyepieces
Should I buy an Equinox 120ED? 
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Bob Griffiths
Post Laureate
Reged: 10/10/05
Posts: 4116
Loc: Frederick Maryland
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I own 10 20 & 30 mm Pentax XW's and a 35 mm Pan
honestly I use them in a slow f/10 SCT and my eyes have been in use for 64 years now and are not the best...
I prefer the contrast of the XW's have but it really is subjective... IF the Pentax line up included a 35 mm EP I would have purchased it but since I did not want to go all the way to a 40 mm I purchased the 35 mm Pan....
My point is that I enjoy the 35 mm Pan very much and would not sell it but nor would I sell any of my XW's...
Bob G
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CPC1100
Nexstar 8i + GPS & Rays Brackets
Denk S1 power switch
Orion 100 mm Refractor
Meade LXD 55 ...AR-5 127 mm Refractor
Exploradome Observatory S.I.E. (Smiling Irish Eyes)
39*21'03" N
77*28'12" W
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Starkler
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/04/05
Posts: 682
Loc: Australia, Melbourne
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Quote:
Has anyone done a comparison of this eyepiece to a Panoptic 27mm or Nagler 31?
I have compared all three in the field in a 10" f5 newt.
The Pentax has the least aberrations to my eye by a big margin. Contrast is top notch as can be expected from the XW range and the field is flat without the barrel distortion of the two televue products. My opinion was seconded by those who viewed that the XW was clearly superior to the 27pan by quite a margin.
I only own a 31 nag in preference due to the wider field it offers vs exit pupil size.
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Geoff
15" SDM truss dob | Vixen r130sf | GSO 10" dob
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JustinJ
member
Reged: 08/07/08
Posts: 69
Loc: Central Pennsylvania
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Geoff,
Thank you for the information. I am going to have to try the Pentax XW 30 . I value contrast and sharpness over FOV . I like having at least 68 degrees FOV because I am using a Dobson telescope. It would be nice if Pentax would lower their price on their eyepieces.
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Discovery PDHQ 10 f6
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Starkler
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/04/05
Posts: 682
Loc: Australia, Melbourne
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Quote:
I value contrast and sharpness over FOV .
Then its a no-brainer, the Pentax is the one you want 
Here is a Japan based dealer that sells and ships globally. Certainly better prices than can be had locally here in Australia.
http://www.kkohki.com/English/kkohkiparts.html#Pentax%20XW
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Geoff
15" SDM truss dob | Vixen r130sf | GSO 10" dob
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Daniel Mounsey
Vendor - Woodland Hils
Reged: 06/12/02
Posts: 2853
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Here you go.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Eyepieces&Number=525557&Forum=
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JustinJ
member
Reged: 08/07/08
Posts: 69
Loc: Central Pennsylvania
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I just got the Pentax XW 30 today. It is a huge eyepiece. I was surprised. The biggest eyepiece that I have is the Panoptic 27, but it looks small to the Pentax. Of course it will be cloudy tonight but maybe there will be a break in the clouds. I am impressed with the clarity just looking through the eyepiece. It is really a solid eyepiece.
I am excited to give it a try. If I really like it, I may have to try the 10mm Pentax XW.
Justin
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Discovery PDHQ 10 f6
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28161
Loc: montana
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Justin, hate to tell you; but you will also love the 10XW 
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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sabir
sage
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 466
Loc: Pune (India)
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Just to rub it in a bit more...some people do rate the 10XW as the best in the entire XW series, and with good reason IMHO 
Sabir
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csa/montana
Astro Ambassador
Reged: 05/14/05
Posts: 28161
Loc: montana
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 We are bad 
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Carol
AstroTech 16" Dob (Thanks ASTRONOMICS!)
AstroTech 66ED / Vixen 80MF/AstroTech Voyager
Masuyama's 7.5, 15, 25W, 35mm,
Tak LE 5mm B/TMB 3.2
7mm Pentax XL, 10mm Pentax XW
14mm Meade 4000 UWA
22mm Pan, 35mm Pan
DreamCatcher Dobservatory, #2
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Stephen65
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/14/07
Posts: 934
Loc: Melbourne, Australia
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The Ethos and the 10XW are my two all-time favourite general purpose eyepieces.
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Megrez 90
FLT 132
Mewlon 250
Lots of XWs, an Ethos, Supermonos and some other EPs
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Rob S
sage
Reged: 03/16/07
Posts: 407
Loc: NZ
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Quote:
Just to rub it in a bit more...some people do rate the 10XW as the best in the entire XW series, and with good reason IMHO
Sabir
+1 to that.
Rob.
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8" f5 Dob with Feathertouch
Brandon: 16
Pentax: 7, 10 & 20XW
TMB: 30 Paragon
TV: 8 & 13 Ethos;
5 & 13 NaglerT6;
24 Panoptic;
Leica Trinovid 8x50 BN
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