BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: MrJones]
#5302283 - 07/04/12 01:54 PM Attachment (46 downloads)
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Thanks to a fellow CNer just had a new "do not sell" eyepiece make its way into my planetary lineup...Front & Center: 1st Run 4mm TMB Supermono!
I think my planetary line-up is now finally complete  All best-in-class candidates, and all having their own prominent spot in eyepiece history, representing the best in skilled artisanship and collaboration from Japan, Ukraine, Germany, and the U.S.A.
|
kepheus
sage
Reged: 10/11/09
Loc: Germany
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5302476 - 07/04/12 03:32 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Bill,
wow, what a nice planetary line-up!
If I had to choose between a wooden box, containing a full set of ZAO-II eyepieces as well as a Zeiss Abbe 2x barlow lens on the one hand or your planetary line-up on the other hand, I would not know what to do... 
If I had to choose between your planetary line-up and a wooden box, containing an extended set of Brandons as well as a 2.4x Dakin barlow lens, I would know what to do... 
Regards,
Brend
|
jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Loc: Petaluma, CA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: russell23]
#5302500 - 07/04/12 03:44 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
There's a very easy way to be sure. Rig a blinding device. (black felted box with tiny hole in the top to view through), and have your buddy load and unload your diagonal and place the blinding tool over it before you turn around to observe. Try and pick out the eyepiece with "snappier focus", "sharper stars" and "better contrast". I've played that game. The results were amusing to say the least.  I'm working on a set of tests using the blinding box. I plan on drafting the OFLI-ites as guinea pigs. Imagine the hilarity when an observer opines that "Eyepiece #1 was much sharper than Eyepiece #2 and #3" only to find out that I didn't change eyepieces at all and Eyepieces #1, #2 and #3 were the same eyepiece. Muahahahaha!
Originally I was going to use it for tone/hue comparisons to test the "Televue is Cofeeish" adage, but think blind testing of eyepieces has much longer legs than that.
Regards,
Jim
|
iceblaze
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/15/11
Loc: 33.9° N, 118.4° W Lawndale, CA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: kepheus]
#5302624 - 07/04/12 05:12 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
If I had to choose between your planetary line-up and a wooden box, containing an extended set of Brandons as well as a 2.4x Dakin barlow lens, I would know what to do...
Take the Brandons, right?
I think I'd have a set of Brandons AND Bill P's set. I think they would compliment each other beautifully. Except the 8's.. that would be a battle to the death!
-James
|
BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: kepheus]
#5302823 - 07/04/12 07:40 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
If I had to choose between a wooden box, containing a full set of ZAO-II eyepieces as well as a Zeiss Abbe 2x barlow lens on the one hand or your planetary line-up on the other hand, I would not know what to do...
If I had to choose between your planetary line-up and a wooden box, containing an extended set of Brandons as well as a 2.4x Dakin barlow lens, I would know what to do...
 I've owned the full set of Brandons, and have had on loan to me the full set of ZAOs. And I've had the 4mm through 8mm TMB Supermonos as well. None of them, as sets unto their own, were IMO sufficient. One really needs single focal lengths extending over the range appropriate for your telescope for planetary magnifications. The TMB Supermonos do satisfy this, but they are problematic in undriven or faster scopes due to the limitations of their design. There is something to be said also for mixed sets as each eyepiece type has it's own character that is unique. So nice to bring unique attributes to the table with each focal length...variety is the spice of life  I would like to have a Brandon in this lineup, and probably would if they made a 9mm or 10mm to fit in. But in my travel set I keep an 8mm Brandon...and hope to get a 12mm for it as well as these two with Barlow make great planetaries (the rest in my travel kit are Plossls). Brandons are definitely great planetary eyepieces and the best current production line out there IMO so the new 4mm Don is planning with his 6mm and 8mm would make a great trio. But I've been lucky enough to have hunted these very top tiers down and can say that they are best-in-class for their focal lengths having tested them all against the others available out there (excepting the 4mm which is new but the TMB-SM line is as good as it gets so am sure it will prove 1st rate).
Bottom line is that for me, those other sets are not tempting since the distance between focal lengths is too great to really fine tune the view. So I would not be tempted by those other full sets...although the 25mm and 34mm ZAO duo would be greatly loved!! Oh yes...let's not forget about the temptation of a full set of Pentax SMC Orthos
|
BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: iceblaze]
#5302847 - 07/04/12 07:51 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
...Except the 8's.. that would be a battle to the death!
I had more than a year long battle between the 8mm TV Plossl, RKE, Brandon, TMB Supermonocentric, and AP-SPL. The battle was really over right away but spend the rest of the year+ confirming that the results remained consistent. Basically the RKE was an easy knock-out. After that the TV quickly fell as well. The Brandon was good, easily a crisper and higher apparent contrast view than the RKE or TV, but fell short of the TMB and SP-APL by a good notch. The real battle was between the TMB-SM and AP-SPL. Usually nothing can touch the on-axis of the Monocentric, but to my shock this particular AP-SPL was showing a more detailed picture...even on the Moon (which surprised me). The 8mm in the AP-SPL has a reputation as being the gem of the line, and it sure showed itself to be that as it consistently edged out the TMB-SM (2nd/3rd Run). So I let the TMB depart sadly. I had hoped though to get a 7mm TMB for my open slot but could not track one down. So when a Pentax SMC came along snapped it up and am glad as they are simply beautiful EPs for colorful doubles and of course excellent planetary. The 4mm hole has been problematic...but good fortune shined and a 1st run 4mm TMB found its way here -- I am particularly fond of the 1st runs. Anyway, I digress...in the battle of the 8's, the AP was and is the clear winner with the TMB being second best and the Brandon I would call honorable mention. The rest just good generalists.
|
jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Loc: Petaluma, CA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5302883 - 07/04/12 08:25 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
The best all around 8mm eyepiece in existence? 8mm Vixen LVW. On axis it's up there with TV Plossls, Brandons and TMB Supermonos. It *may* not quite nip the best on-axis, but it's close enough as to not be much worth quibbling and it's well corrected out to the edge. It is much more comfy than any of those, and has a much wider FOV to boot. Hence "best 8mm" bragging rights. All IMHO, of course.  Oh, and yes, I do think that it's a a bit better all-around eyepiece than the 8mm Ethos, which isn't bad by a long shot.
- Jim
|
BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: jrbarnett]
#5303032 - 07/04/12 10:45 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
The best all around 8mm eyepiece in existence?
I very much liked the 8mm in the Hyperion and LVW incarnations. Very comfortable indeed. For me though, the best all around 8mm would be a 20mm XW with a 2.5x Barlow  And for me, the "do not sell" characterization means nips are critical so the particular 8mm AP-SPL I have will only leave the stall through the execution of a will (it's really that spectacular and only takes a split second to notice the difference when compared to others) 
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: jrbarnett]
#5303322 - 07/05/12 06:45 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Jim,
Quote:
The best all around 8mm eyepiece in existence? 8mm Vixen LVW.
It is my favorite eyepiece for monoviewed planet observation.
Quote:
Oh, and yes, I do think that it's a a bit better all-around eyepiece than the 8mm Ethos, which isn't bad by a long shot.
Yet another reason for me not to buy an 8mm Ethos.
Mike
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5303331 - 07/05/12 06:57 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Bill,
Quote:
Basically the RKE was an easy knock-out.
That matches my experience with the RKEs. I really don't think they are very good planet eyepieces, though some observers do. They are better suited to open clusters and maybe the Moon.
Mike
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5303335 - 07/05/12 06:58 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Bill,
Quote:
After that the TV quickly fell as well.
I have a recently-acquired pair of smoothside 7.4mm I want to binoview for Jupiter next opposition. I'll see how that goes. So far I haven't been too impressed by my 25mm pair. I can get as good or better results enhancing contrast on Jupiter by screwing a Baader M&SG filter onto BGOs or Paradigms.
Quote:
The Brandon was good, easily a crisper and higher apparent contrast view than the RKE or TV, but fell short of the TMB and SP-APL by a good notch.
This matches my experience with the Brandons, RKEs and TVs. I have no experience with the others.
Mike
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5303338 - 07/05/12 07:02 AM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Bill,
Quote:
I had hoped though to get a 7mm TMB for my open slot but could not track one down. So when a Pentax SMC came along snapped it up and am glad as they are simply beautiful EPs for colorful doubles and of course excellent planetary.
Is this the Pentax SMC Ortho or the Pentax SMC XO? I was able to catch an XO 2.5 on sale, and I'm still waiting for the 5.1 to arrive. So far I'm impressed with the 2.5. Very nice for Mars and Saturn through my 10" f/4.8 Dob.
Mike
|
jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Loc: Petaluma, CA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5303780 - 07/05/12 01:24 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Man, I can't stand the Hyperion 8mm. Mine is soft on and off axis. I don't think the Hyperions are really knocks offs of the LVWs as much as they are a packaging exercise intended to palm off a cheap eyepiece of very different prescription as an LVW equivalent by means of mimicking the LVWs housing.
In fact, I have an 8mm Hyperion that I'm actually embarrassed to sell without copious warnings about what a poor performer it is. I might even be embarrassed to give it away without an apology.
- Jim
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: jrbarnett]
#5303804 - 07/05/12 01:40 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
I have read here on CN that the Hyperions, Radians and LVWs were more or less clones - I do not recall which came first, which are copies, which are knock-offs. But I've never heard enough positive about either the Hyperions or Radians to make me decide to buy an eyepiece from either line.
For me, image quality comes first, then eye relief, comfort and an attractive package. IME & IMO, my 8mm LVW has all of those qualities. Lateral color? I never noticed.
Mike
|
Scanning4Comets
Markus
Reged: 12/26/04
Loc: Deep Space!
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: Sarkikos]
#5303885 - 07/05/12 02:35 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
Man, I can't stand the Hyperion 8mm. Mine is soft on and off axis. I don't think the Hyperions are really knocks offs of the LVWs as much as they are a packaging exercise intended to palm off a cheap eyepiece of very different prescription as an LVW equivalent by means of mimicking the LVWs housing.
In fact, I have an 8mm Hyperion that I'm actually embarrassed to sell without copious warnings about what a poor performer it is. I might even be embarrassed to give it away without an apology.
- Jim
I'd hardly say that the 8mm Hyperion was that bad on axis....maybe off axis, but not that bad "on axis". You must have a lemon or yours was polished with a brillo pad.
Quote:
For me, image quality comes first, then eye relief, comfort and an attractive package. IME & IMO, my 8mm LVW has all of those qualities. Lateral color? I never noticed.
Mike
Lateral color: BIG TIME. I owned one myself.
|
BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: Sarkikos]
#5303936 - 07/05/12 03:17 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
Bill,
Quote:
I had hoped though to get a 7mm TMB for my open slot but could not track one down. So when a Pentax SMC came along snapped it up and am glad as they are simply beautiful EPs for colorful doubles and of course excellent planetary.
Is this the Pentax SMC Ortho or the Pentax SMC XO? I was able to catch an XO 2.5 on sale, and I'm still waiting for the 5.1 to arrive. So far I'm impressed with the 2.5. Very nice for Mars and Saturn through my 10" f/4.8 Dob.
Mike
I was talking about the 7mm TMB Supermono that I was trying to track down but could not find. I now have the 7mm Pentax SMC Ortho in that slot and am quite happy with it.
The XOs are quite spectacular IMO...but I only have the 5mm and am happy to Barlow that if I need to go extreme.
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: BillP]
#5304029 - 07/05/12 04:29 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
No XO 5 here. I haven't been able to find any of those still available, though I continue to try. I suppose I should be happy I was able to get one of the XO 2.5 at a nice sales price.
The XO 2.5 is not really extreme in my 10" f/4.8 Dob. Just about right for Mars at its current small apparent diameter. It is also appropriate for Saturn, which takes higher power quite well in the 10". In fact, I'm thinking about getting an XW 3.5 before the price goes up or the supply runs out, in case they are discontinued, also.
Mike
|
Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: Scanning4Comets]
#5304056 - 07/05/12 05:02 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Mark,
Quote:
Lateral color: BIG TIME. I owned one myself.
Some of us notice the lateral color in eyepieces, others see the field curvature. 
Mike
|
jrbarnett
Eyepiece Hooligan
Reged: 02/28/06
Loc: Petaluma, CA
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: Scanning4Comets]
#5304219 - 07/05/12 07:08 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
That is the LVWs one vice; a little lateral color as you approach the field stop. But for 60-ish degrees of AFOV free of aberrations, generous eye relief and on axis images as crispy sharpy as many oft-praised premium simple eyepieces, that's a small price to pay. By comparison when I look through a Hyperion or Stratus I feel like my eye stepped in something foul.
Regards,
Jim
|
Larry Geary
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 09/24/06
|
Re: What's in your "do not sell" case?
[Re: jrbarnett]
#5304313 - 07/05/12 08:29 PM
|
|
Edit
|
Reply
|
Quote |
Quick Reply
|
|
|
Quote:
In fact, I have an 8mm Hyperion that I'm actually embarrassed to sell without copious warnings about what a poor performer it is. I might even be embarrassed to give it away without an apology.
Do what everyone else does: Donate it to an astronomy club - preferably one to which you do not belong.
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
