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Equipment Discussions >> Eyepieces

Pages: 1

CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

#5289447 - 06/26/12 01:26 AM

howdy all,

Well the brown truck will arrive soon and i have a question.

Several years ok... maybe 10 years or more? ago I sold my brother a scope and threw in a nagler zoom as I wouldn't need it.

I have most ep's I want, but the itch just had to be scartched and so I bought another nagler 3-6 zoom. I'll be using exclusively for planetary on my 160.

What I'm wondering is, this new one looks a bit different?, is it my memory just getting bad(what there is of it

) or has the design chaged since late 90's - y2k or thereabout?

follow on question -if different what is your impression of the two?

Thanks

Post Extras:

Mike Hosea
Postmaster

Reged: 09/24/03

Loc: "Metrowest" Boston

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: CounterWeight]
#5289475 - 06/26/12 01:59 AM

One can never tell what might have changed just last week. All I can tell you is that I bought one a couple of years ago, and it was, as far as I could tell, the same as the one I had bought when they first came out. I've yet to see an image of one that was any different.

Post Extras:

PJ Anway
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/04/03

Loc: North Coast

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: Mike Hosea]
#5289648 - 06/26/12 07:52 AM

I would agree with Mike. I'm on my third 3-6mm zoom and have not noticed any visible design change. However, this one does not show the internal reflection that was apparent in the first two I had. Perhaps an improvement inside?

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saemark30
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 02/21/12

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: PJ Anway]
#5290418 - 06/26/12 04:19 PM

What do you think of it, is it as sharp as a premium eyepiece?
Some say the contrast is not as good.

Post Extras:

Mike Hosea
Postmaster

Reged: 09/24/03

Loc: "Metrowest" Boston

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: saemark30]
#5290438 - 06/26/12 04:31 PM

I personally hold it in higher regard than all the expensive wide angle and non-premium alternatives that I've tried but below the best of the best premium planetary eyepieces (like ZAO-II and Pentax XO). It may not place the same at all focal lengths. It has a warm view and some lateral color, but its versatility, eye relief (versus orthos and such), and perhaps even its 50 degree apparent field earn it a place in many eyepiece cases even when the best-of-the-best are also there.

Post Extras:

PJ Anway
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/04/03

Loc: North Coast

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: saemark30]
#5290464 - 06/26/12 04:45 PM

Mike said it very well. The points he made and the convenience factor, really makes it a valuable addition to any eyepiece case. I like the weight, the size, the focal lengths and the general feel. It sits alongside my Zeiss and Pentax orthos and still gets a lot of use.

Post Extras:

Kutno
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 08/17/09

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: saemark30]
#5290657 - 06/26/12 08:31 PM

Quote:

What do you think of it, is it as sharp as a premium eyepiece?

Why, the 3mm-6mm Nagler Zoom is a sharp premium eyepiece!

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Kutno
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 08/17/09

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: saemark30]
#5290663 - 06/26/12 08:35 PM

Quote:

Some say the contrast is not as good.

This is a canard. In reality, the 3mm-6mm Nagler Zoom just about rivals my 5.1mm Pentax XO on Jupiter.

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starcam
professor emeritus

Reged: 09/24/07

Loc: MD

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: Kutno]
#5290911 - 06/26/12 11:36 PM

I like it with a magenta 31 comes closer to the pentax xo 5 view on planets.

Post Extras:

CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: starcam]
#5290986 - 06/27/12 01:16 AM

Well it is here!... one thing, it cannot see through clouds...

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Jb32828
sage

Reged: 08/01/10

Loc: Orlando, FL USA

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: CounterWeight]
#5291222 - 06/27/12 08:51 AM

For all you Nagler Zoom experts out there, I have a couple of questions...

Is it a click stop, hard setting zoom or is it like the celstron where I can set it anywhere in the focal range?

Anyone use it with a 12" or larger dob with any success, given nights of quality seeing and assuming your mirror is capable?

I am doing some eyepiece upgrades - and am considering the 6,8 and 10 ethoi, which would yield the same mag used with a barcon or powermate. At a star party my neighbor let me use her 8 ethos and barcon and the view of Saturn was mind-blowing. And I am kind of a 2" barrel snob. Obviously, the Nagler zoom is much less expensive; but I would probably buy two of the ethos eyepieces anyway.

Guess I just answered my own question?

Thanks!

Post Extras:

PJ Anway
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 06/04/03

Loc: North Coast

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: CounterWeight]
#5291278 - 06/27/12 09:40 AM Attachment (16 downloads)

Quote:

Well it is here!... one thing, it cannot see through clouds...

You mean you didn't order a cloud filter with it?

Post Extras:

doctordub
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/11/06

Loc: New Rochelle, New York

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: PJ Anway]
#5291358 - 06/27/12 10:38 AM

Can I borrow yours, mine got rained on!

CS
Jonathan

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CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: doctordub]
#5291455 - 06/27/12 11:50 AM

Wow... first time I've seen one like that! The usual version here has four wheels or wings

Post Extras:

Scott in NC
Mad Hatter

Reged: 03/05/05

Loc: NC

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: Jb32828]
#5291572 - 06/27/12 01:02 PM

Quote:

Is it a click stop, hard setting zoom or is it like the celstron where I can set it anywhere in the focal range?

It has click stops, but you can also easily place it between settings.

Quote:

Anyone use it with a 12" or larger dob with any success, given nights of quality seeing and assuming your mirror is capable?

I don't recall ever using it with my 12" f/4.9 dob, but that's because the longest focal length with that EP (the 6mm setting) would give me 250x mag, and I don't do a whole lot of observing at > 200-250x.

Post Extras:

CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: Scott in NC]
#5292132 - 06/27/12 08:02 PM

The click stop has a nice smooth action, not too much or too little effort needed - feels just right - at least for me without gloves. It's clear and sunny this afternoon - hope I can try some moowalking along the terminus, and a short hop to Saturn... tonite if it doesn't cloud over.

Post Extras:

Scott Beith
SRF

Reged: 11/26/03

Loc: Frederick, MD

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: CounterWeight]
#5292149 - 06/27/12 08:11 PM

I have only owned one and it is a current model. One of my favorite EPs.

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CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: Scott Beith]
#5292509 - 06/27/12 11:43 PM

Well... I'm not waiting for it to get cloudy... atm pretty stable (very little wave motion) and moon near dead south... looking with the TEC as civil twilight approaches (Sun is still up ! , almost set but not yet... (~8:30 PST)) - no probem down to 3mm setting. Exit pupil a bit small and a few floaters which can be blinked away at intervals, but it's very crisp, the TEC just drinks it up

Not intended as a review of any type except looking at the moon before sunset.

[EDIT abt 11pm began high cirrus and so packed it in. My impresiion of this ep for lunar / Saturn is 'wonderful', I'm very pleased, esp when it comes to scatter which bothers me more than some other ep issues. Sharp up to ~65x/inch in the TEC 160ED at f/8, under average seeing, details on Luna simply outstanding

]

Edited by CounterWeight (06/28/12 02:07 AM)

Post Extras:

t.r.
Post Laureate

Reged: 02/14/08

Loc: Upstate NY

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... new

[Re: CounterWeight]
#5292817 - 06/28/12 08:09 AM

Jim, you will find that the ability of the 3-6 to zoom to the seeing conditions is priceless! It is a very utilitarian eyepiece all short focus refractor owners should own for lunar/planetary/doubles IMHO, all for the price of one premium fixed focal length eyepiece!

Post Extras:

CounterWeight
Postmaster

Reged: 10/05/08

Loc: Cloudyopolis, OR.

Re: nagler 3-6 zoom ... [Re: t.r.]
#5293177 - 06/28/12 12:46 PM

Hi Tim,

yes - !

Alberio was my 3rd 'test object' before seeing / atm went to 'poor'. I had some company over and we were each taking a turn at the eyepiece, everyone really enjoyed using it. I alternated in a few ep's at intervals on each object for a comparison / test on each and was really plesantly surprised at how well it performed... it really rose to the ocassion, I'm impressed. I'm still keeping the other ep's, but feel this will see far more use. Dialing the ideal mag to seeing is just too great to pass up, and I really like the 'action' of the click stop zoom. Happy camper.

Post Extras:

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