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Equipment Discussions >> Eyepieces

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Stephen S
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/21/07

Loc: Evansville, IN

What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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#5305340 - 07/06/12 12:45 PM

Got a new scope (80mm refractor) and went a little crazy on eyepieces.

I now have some significant overlaps in my line up and need to thin things about a bit.

The best option would be to use these for a while and go with what works best over time. Alas, I need to do some upgrading of my 12.5” homemade dob and have no budget for doing so. I would have the budget to do so if I sold a couple of nice eyepieces. So… looking to thin out the group. Here is what I have:

Scopes:
12.5” f/6 homemade dob
8” Vixen VMC200L
4” Vixen ED100sf
3” Stellarvue 80mm APO

Eyepieces:
Naglers: 31, 22, 17, 12 (all 82 FOV)
Pentax: 20, 14, 10, 7, 5 (all 70 FOV)

I have a goto iOptron mount but mostly use my push to Vixen PortaMount even with the Vixen VMC200L. My dob is strictly push to in design. I observe with glasses (thus the reason for all the long eye relief eyepieces). I enjoy viewing planets and DSO equally. Most viewing is a from a light polluted location.

From a field of view perspective, the 14mm Pentax overlaps significantly with the 12mm Nagler. The 20mm Pentax is a significant overlap with the 17mm Nagler.

I’m thinking of selling either the 14mm and 20mm Pentax eyepieces OR the 17mm and 12mm Nagler eyepieces. Any thoughts as to which of these you would keep given my scopes? Any particular issues I should be considering when deciding? I'm having a very difficult time determining what would work best in my set up. They all look great to me (at least when looking through the 80mm refractor).

Any thoughts on what you would keep and why would be appreciated.

Thanks! Steve S.

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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

new

[Re: Stephen S]
#5305360 - 07/06/12 12:57 PM

I hear that some of the mid range Pentax's show some significant field curvature in a Newtonian...

Jon

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Richard McC
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/31/04

Loc: Australia

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? [Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5305390 - 07/06/12 01:15 PM

I'd sacrifice the 14mm and 20mm Pentax XWs and keep the 12mm and 17mm Nagler Type IV oculars. The Naglers offer about the same true field of view as the Pentax pair with the bonus of a slightly higher magnification. I find the Type IV Naglers about as comfortable to view through as the XWs. Ultimately you will have to decide which pair you prefer since choosing oculars is about preferences as well as objective performance criteria. Happy deciding and best wishes for the 12.5" upgrades.

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Tarzanrock
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/07/08

Loc: Los Angeles

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Richard McC]
#5305463 - 07/06/12 02:00 PM

Keep them all -- you already have an outstanding set of eyepieces. Then buy the Pentax 30 mm XW and the Pentax 40 mm XW.

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Stephen S
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/21/07

Loc: Evansville, IN

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5305477 - 07/06/12 02:08 PM

Quote:

I hear that some of the mid range Pentax's show some significant field curvature in a Newtonian...

Thanks for pointing this out Jon. I've not tried the Pentax eyepieces in the dob yet (was planning to fix it up a bit before pulling it out again). Maybe in really need to get it out once before making a decision on the eyepieces. Sounds like a good thing for me to do this weekend.

As for viewing comfort, I would put the type 4 Naglers on par with the Pentax (the only eyepieces I've found that compete with the Pentax in terms of comfort). My 22mm Nagler is arguably the nicest eyepiece I've used (both in terms of comfort and view). It's definitely safely in the 'do not sell' category.

My homework for the weekend, get the dob out and try it with the various eyepieces.

Weather permitting, of course.

Thanks! Steve S.

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BillP
Postmaster

Reged: 11/26/06

Loc: Vienna, VA

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Stephen S]
#5305558 - 07/06/12 03:05 PM

I would say that this would be the "golden" combination (and really hard if not impossible to beat as a lineup for your scopes or anyone's scopes):

Naglers: 31, 22, 17, 12; Pentax: 10, 7, 5

This is quite a Dream-Team

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Steve W
super member

Reged: 09/27/04

Loc: Dundee, OR

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: BillP]
#5305592 - 07/06/12 03:29 PM

Bill beat me to it, but I second his "golden" combination. I prefer the XWs from 10 and below (much more comfortable to use) and TV Naglers and Ethos above that.

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slack
sage

Reged: 05/02/12

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

new

[Re: BillP]
#5305610 - 07/06/12 03:36 PM

Quote:

I would say that this would be the "golden" combination (and really hard if not impossible to beat as a lineup for your scopes or anyone's scopes):

Naglers: 31, 22, 17, 12; Pentax: 10, 7, 5

This is quite a Dream-Team

That is the set I have had with a TV-102. Plus the Pentax XW 3.5 (and with the Nagler 3-6, 4.8 and 7 owned but not getting much use).

However, I have been replacing the remaining Naglers with XWs, too. I've got a XW 30mm to replace my Nagler 31mm T5 and a XW 14mm is in the mail to replace the 12mm T4. I'm looking to pick up the XW 20mm.

So, my preferred set is morphing from:

Tele Vue Nagler 31 T5, 22mm T4, 17mm T4, 12mm T4, Pentax XW 10mm, XW 7mm, XW 5mm, XW 3.5mm

To:

Pentax XW 30mm, 20mm, 14mm, 10mm, 7mm, 5mm, 3.5mm (yielding 29x, 44x, 63x, 88x, 126x, 176x, 251x in the TV-102, which, if you subscribe to the 1.4x step rule, is ideal)

After encountering various problems and deficiencies with Naglers, I've come to believe that the XW eyepieces may be superior optics and construction. I also have enjoyed using them more. Btw, many people report field curvature with each of these Naglers, too. The only one of these Naglers that I have really become disappointed with is the 12mm T4 (blackouts, kidney beaning).

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GeneT
Ely Kid

Reged: 11/07/08

Loc: South Texas

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: BillP]
#5305988 - 07/06/12 08:07 PM

Quote:

Naglers: 31, 22, 17, 12; Pentax: 10, 7, 5

I agree. I own the above Naglers. Another option would to buy the 10, 8, 6 and 4.5 or 3.5 Delos.

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JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy

Reged: 09/19/08

Loc: Utah

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: BillP]
#5306107 - 07/06/12 10:26 PM

Since you own them, Bill nailed this dream team, that will deliver gold to you every time.

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Scanning4Comets
Markus

Reged: 12/26/04

Loc: Deep Space!

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: JayinUT]
#5306118 - 07/06/12 10:34 PM

Send me your Pentax 10mm XW.....you are becoming sleepy...sleepy...sleepy.

Cheers,

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helpwanted
Post Laureate

Reged: 07/04/07

Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Scanning4Comets]
#5306129 - 07/06/12 10:41 PM

I have found the Pentax to be better without a Paracorr, but with one, the TVs end up being sharper.

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slack
sage

Reged: 05/02/12

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: JayinUT]
#5306153 - 07/06/12 11:04 PM

Quote:

Since you own them, Bill nailed this dream team, that will deliver gold to you every time.

Plenty of people, myself included, have not found this "dream team" to deliver gold every time!

It can start innocently enough, with a short focal length XW dalliance. Next thing you know, your cozy Tele Vue home is getting all broken up...

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RAKing
Postmaster

Reged: 12/28/07

Loc: West of the D.C. Nebula

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Tarzanrock]
#5306443 - 07/07/12 09:08 AM

Quote:

Keep them all -- you already have an outstanding set of eyepieces. Then buy the Pentax 30 mm XW and the Pentax 40 mm XW.

+1 if you can do this!

I also went this route then discovered just how much more comfortable the Pentaxes are to use. I now have the full set of Pentaxes and my Naglers have been drifting away to new homes.

Also as mentioned above, I was able to let the Paracorr go because the Pentaxes worked fine in my Dob. I still get that "porthole in space" sensation and I don't miss the wide angle view as much as I thought I would. I guess our tastes and feelings can change over the course of time.

Cheers,

Ron

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Mike Foreman
sage

Reged: 04/06/07

Loc: Texas

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: RAKing]
#5306627 - 07/07/12 11:50 AM

Quote:

my Naglers have been drifting away to new homes.
Ron

And happy they are Ron

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Stephen S
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/21/07

Loc: Evansville, IN

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

new

[Re: Mike Foreman]
#5310031 - 07/09/12 03:44 PM

Thank you for all the feedback. The one thing that seems clear is that eyepiece selection is a personal issue. I really need to get these out and test them myself.

Weather and family obligations conspired against me being able to observe this weekend. My hope is to be able to do a detailed comparison of the eyepieces in question sometime within the next week or so. This assumes the weather cooperates, a very big assumption here in southern Indiana.

On the upside, I've convinced my wife that it's necessary that I keep all the eyepieces until I've had a chance to give them a detailed side by side comparison. This may or may not happen before I begin my dob repairs. I've got the green light either way.

My wife is very supportive of my astronomy equipment addiction. Finding time to observe, that's a totally different story (which is understandable since I have a 3 yr old daughter at home). I think I need to get my daughter hooked on astronomy. Any tips on getting a 3 yr old interested in astronomy would be helpful.

I don't think I can convince my wife I need to get the 30mm and 40mm Pentax eyepieces prior to selling off any of my existing stock of eyepieces but one never knows.

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GeneT
Ely Kid

Reged: 11/07/08

Loc: South Texas

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Stephen S]
#5310251 - 07/09/12 06:21 PM

I would sell the Pentax 20 and 14's and keep the rest. My view of life--I buy and sell my telescopes, but keep my eyepieces.

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SteveG
Post Laureate

Reged: 09/27/06

Loc: Seattle, WA

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: GeneT]
#5311480 - 07/10/12 02:47 PM

Quote:

I would sell the Pentax 20 and 14's and keep the rest. My view of life--I buy and sell my telescopes, but keep my eyepieces.

Me too!

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Stephen S
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/21/07

Loc: Evansville, IN

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: SteveG]
#5315689 - 07/13/12 09:49 AM

I my quest to reduce the number of eyepieces I have...

I just purchased the 3.5mm Pentax XW.

I was viewing Saturn the other day and it was clear I could go deeper with the SVR80 Triplet if I had the right eyepiece for doing so. I really like the 5 and 7mm XWs and decided the 3.5mm would fit well into the line up. I wanted to get it while I could still do so at a reduced price new.

This will all delay some of the upgrades I had in mind for my 12.5" dob. That said, I like the idea of settling in on eyepieces and trading scopes overtime instead. Totally makes sense since I'm already thinking it would be nice to have something bigger than my 12.5".

Still have to figure out what to do with the overlap in the 12-20 range. That said, I am excited to (at least temporarily) have a complete set of the 1.25" Pentax XW eyepieces.

Thanks! Steve S.

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Tarzanrock
professor emeritus

Reged: 12/07/08

Loc: Los Angeles

Re: What to sell? My Pentax or Nagler eyepieces? new

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[Re: Stephen S]
#5316228 - 07/13/12 03:31 PM

Steve:
You did the right thing. You now need to strike the word "temporarily" in you last sentence; and, hereafter focus on the acquisition of the Pentax 30 mm XW and the Pentax 40 mm XW.
Best regards,
William

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