Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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I'm looking for your best recommendation for a ~30mm (pref. widefield, 68+ degrees) EP for an f/6 'scope. When I say "used", I'm talking about what they generally go for on CN classifieds or A-Mart.
Thanks!
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Kevin
MN-76
Edited by Agnosticus (10/02/08 08:19 PM)
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bsim
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 684
Loc: New York City
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I checked A-mart and I don't think you can get a high quality 30mm for $150 or less. The closest to your specification is a 30mm Paragon or Titan Type II. The used 30mm Paragons sold for $210. The last two 40mm Paragons sold for $190-$200. You can buy reasonable 30mm EPs new for under $100.
I tried the under $100 EPs and found them sorely lacking. My finder EP is a Panoptic 35. You can find those used on A-mart for $280 and up.
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Teeter's 10" F/6 Truss Dob / Sky Commander DSC / Round Table Platform
Celestron C80ED / MoonLite CF Tri-Knob
William Optics ZS66, Orion XT8i, Orion XT4.5
Canon 10x30 IS, Constellation View 2.3x40 Bino
Astro-Tech Voyager, Bogen 3011 & 3036, UA MicroStar Deluxe
Howie Glatter Laser & tuBlug
13 & 8 Ethos, 35 & 24 Panoptic, Nagler 3-6 Zoom, TV 8-24 Zoom
Edited by bsim (10/02/08 08:54 PM)
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KWB
Postmaster
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 7635
Loc: Westminster,Co Elev.1646Meters
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Hi Kevin
Do you mean best value or best quality? There is a difference.
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Kenny
"When dealing with a mystery,choose the most unlikely of the likely possibilities"-Sherlock Holmes
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BillP
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/26/06
Posts: 2245
Loc: Vienna, VA
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How about the old Televue 32mm Wide Field 2"? Usually go for around $130 when they show up.
Otherwise the Baader Hyperion-Aspheric Eyepiece - 31mm gets some good press from users - $189 new.
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250mm f/4.7 Orion XT10i Dobsonian
102mm f/8.0 Tak TSA Super-APO
66mm f/5.9 WO ZenithStar SD APO
40mm f/10 Coronado P.S.T.
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Tamiji Homma
sage
Reged: 02/24/07
Posts: 418
Loc: California, USA
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Agnosticus,
You might want to check out Burgess Optical.
They have TMB Paragon 30mm at $99. Web site
still says $249 but it is $99. I just got mine today 
I think it is a great deal. Oh, I don't know how well
it performs with f/6 scope. My fastest scope is f/7.5.
I am happy with performance so far. I do more observing
later tonight.
Tammy
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NeoDinian
Experienced Postmaster
Reged: 10/05/05
Posts: 12073
Loc: Rockford Illinois
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Everyone is talking higher end EP's used...
What about any of the 30mm 80 degree clones? You can get those for anywhere between $59.00 - $89.00 new.
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Neo... (Jeff)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
10" LX200-GPS/SMT UHTC "Draco"
 Rockford, Il.
NeoDinian's Eye on the Sky!
Coming soon:
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Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Hi Kevin
Do you mean best value or best quality? There is a difference.
Well, when I say "best for $150 in an f/6 'scope" I'm not sure how more specific I can be... "Best quality for that value" -- there is a difference between value and quality, but I was asking for both.
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Kevin
MN-76
Edited by Agnosticus (10/03/08 11:20 AM)
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FirstSight
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/26/05
Posts: 2517
Loc: Raleigh, NC
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If you can go about half again above that figure used price, 28mm William Optic UWANs are in near-Nagler class quality. I looked through one back to back with my 26T5 Nagler one night in the same f/6.9 refractor, and was extremely impressed with the 28 UWAN - while the Nagler was a tiny tad sharper/better in contrast/sharper to the edge, the 28UWAN was a close enough second that I could be satisfied with one if I didn't already have the Nagler.
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Chris M., aka "First Sight"
Orion XT12i Dob with Moonlite CR-2 focuser
WO Megrez 90 refractor on UniStar Light mount
Nikon 10x50 Binoculars
Edited by FirstSight (10/03/08 10:11 AM)
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KWB
Postmaster
Reged: 09/30/06
Posts: 7635
Loc: Westminster,Co Elev.1646Meters
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Quote:
Quote:
Hi Kevin
Do you mean best value or best quality? There is a difference.
Well, when I say "best for $150 in an f/6 'scope" I'm not sure how more specific I can be... "Best quality for that value" -- there is a difference between value and quality, but I was asking for both.
Your asking for a lot. The giving of an answer for the term "best" is going to be be based on someones subjective opinion. In mine I think you either need to up your budget to gain a high quality eyepiece or accept using a budget widefield like one of the various 70º Taiwanese eyepieces marketed under a number of different vendor brands. I believe one of these provides value and decent off axis performance in an F/6 scope for less than $100.00 new.
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Kenny
"When dealing with a mystery,choose the most unlikely of the likely possibilities"-Sherlock Holmes
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DSalters
sage
Reged: 03/03/07
Posts: 438
Loc: High Ridge, MO (St. Louis)
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f/6 is not too fast but still not slow enough to be able to handle some of the cheaper widefield designs. Therefore you have selected a good expected price to pay.
I currently own a 32mm TeleVue Widefield (~68°). Even though it is discontinued, it will still pop up on the used market. They range from $100 (rarely) to around $150 (regularly).
There is a lot of good to be said about the fairly recently discontinued Celestron Axiom 34mm which also has about a 68° AFOV. I know, this is not a 30mm, but it fits your budget and does well in scopes such as yours.
Siebert widefields can come up around $150 used, so I wouldn't rule them out. I've never used one but most users are quite happy with these.
Happy Searching and Viewing
Daniel
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6" f/8 Bushnell Voyager Dob. Rebuild
10" f/5 Highe Dob. variant
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION: 5" f/5, 8" f/6, 13" f/4.6)
Baader Hyperions--Primary Eyepieces
"The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor." -1 Corinthians 15:41
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Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Hi Kevin
Do you mean best value or best quality? There is a difference.
Well, when I say "best for $150 in an f/6 'scope" I'm not sure how more specific I can be... "Best quality for that value" -- there is a difference between value and quality, but I was asking for both.
Your asking for a lot. The giving of an answer for the term "best" is going to be be based on someones subjective opinion. In mine I think you either need to up your budget to gain a high quality eyepiece or accept using a budget widefield like one of the various 70º Taiwanese eyepieces marketed under a number of different vendor brands. I believe one of these provides value and decent off axis performance in an F/6 scope for less than $100.00 new.
I recognized from the beginning that responses would be subjective -- such is the nature of opinions. And, really, I wasn't asking for "alot", just the best recommendation experienced users could suggest. If "Taiwanese" EPs are the only ones that fit that particular criteria, then it is what it is. Upping my budget is not an option in this case (hence the criteria). Nonetheless, I've not tried every EP out there, so there may be one of which I'm not familiar that someone tried and liked and would recommend.
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Kevin
MN-76
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Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
f/6 is not too fast but still not slow enough to be able to handle some of the cheaper widefield designs. Therefore you have selected a good expected price to pay.
I currently own a 32mm TeleVue Widefield (~68°). Even though it is discontinued, it will still pop up on the used market. They range from $100 (rarely) to around $150 (regularly).
There is a lot of good to be said about the fairly recently discontinued Celestron Axiom 34mm which also has about a 68° AFOV. I know, this is not a 30mm, but it fits your budget and does well in scopes such as yours.
Siebert widefields can come up around $150 used, so I wouldn't rule them out. I've never used one but most users are quite happy with these.
Ahh yes, the Axioms. I had forgotten about those, actually. Good call. Also, I've had a Siebert before. As I recall, I was reasonably happy with it (it was one of the Observatory series). I might like to check that line up out again...
Thanks!
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Kevin
MN-76
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Alleline
professor emeritus
Reged: 02/07/06
Posts: 583
Loc: Farmington, New Mexico
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I don't have direct experience with good cheap wide fields in the 30mm focal length - If you would consider a shorter FL, I can recommend the 22.5 mm Siebert Ultra, with 70 degree AFOV, which I bought used in the 2" format for $110, and sells new for $179 (new 1.25" format is $159). The Ultra was not as good as a 22mm Nagler Type 4, but mostly the difference was in contrast. The correction was quite good at F5. I preferred it to my 21mm Stratus.
I see two recent sales on astromart of the 24mm Siebert Ultra in the 1.25" format, and of the 30mm Ultra, all under $100. I have not tried those FLs, but based on the experience I had with the 22.5mm, it might be worth researching those.
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Tom
Meade DS-16 (F4.5), C-8, Synta 120mm F8.3 refractor.
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Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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Just bought one of the 30mm Paragons for $99! Very good bargain. Thanks for the heads-up!
Kevin
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Kevin
MN-76
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 4460
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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Kevin-
Nice move!  I'm betting you'll like it!
Please DO keep us posted on how it works...
 mike b
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Just for giggles- Next time when the money comes out the ATM, scream "I Won!, I Won!"
* * 15" F4.55 Starsplitter Dob * *
 Pacheco State Park
 Fremont Peak
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Agnosticus
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 09/12/04
Posts: 1001
Loc: Wisconsin
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Quote:
Kevin-
Nice move! I'm betting you'll like it!
Please DO keep us posted on how it works...
mike b
Will do!
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Kevin
MN-76
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John Fitzgerald
In Focus
Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 1257
Loc: AR
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I recently paid $160 including shipping for my TV 32mm Wide Field smoothside , but it is in excellent condition. I have not seen them for under 150 shipped, but I don't look at the ads every day.
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?
Observing since 1966
Messier Cert #898
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