JayinUT
I'm not Sleepy
Reged: 09/19/08
Loc: Utah
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What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
#5609088 - 01/06/13 07:26 PM
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With ES sending out some of their new 100 degree plus eyepieces, the question came up in my mind on what field of view I enjoy viewing through, and then what field of view others enjoy viewing through. I
Well, here is my view and I'm sure others will have other opinions which of course, if fine. I've looked through, and I've own several 100 degrees eyepieces and I have to admit, that for me, they were too much field for me. I didn't like moving my eye around and the eye relief wasn't overly enjoyable for me.
In the 82 degree range I have used some TV eyepieces, the 17mm being the best that I enjoyed. On the ES line of 82 degree I own the 4.7mm, the 11mm, the 24mm and the 30mm. These are keepers for me to use as outreach and in the case of the 24mm and the 30mm I love each and use regular because I feel that for the price, the quality is just outstanding. These are keepers for me for how I use them.
My favorite eyepieces have a field of view of 70 degrees and are my Pentax XW's. I mainly use the 5mm, 7mm, 10mm (most used EP) and the 14mm with a Paracorr Type I with white lettering. I love the field of view, I enjoy the color in them, love the eye relief and even with sketching, I find the transit time is very nice. For me, I just have to say that the 70 degree mark is the winning FOV for me.
I also own the ES 20mm 68 degree and this again, though not perfect is a wonderful eyepiece and I use it frequently.
So no offense to those who like the wide field and super wide field of view, but I find I don't like that ultra 100 degree field of view too much. I find the 70 degree field of view or so is just right to quote Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
So, what is your preferred field of view and why? Just curious to read what others enjoy and why.
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BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: JayinUT]
#5609111 - 01/06/13 07:38 PM
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Tried them all up to 100 degrees. Had them all in my stall long term up to 82 degrees. 70 degrees is where I settled as the most comfortable and enjoyable and intuitive for my observing. Reason is that I prefer to take in the whole image at once. 70 degrees lets me do that easily without having to gaze around the field. So less work and lets me see the big picture in a glance quite nicely. Going wider than 70 also makes it harder IMO to see asterisms that may be in the FOV. They always pop out more authoritatively in the smaller AFOV eyepieces.
Edited by BillP (01/06/13 07:40 PM)
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eklf
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 05/12/07
Loc: Carrboro, NC
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: BillP]
#5609126 - 01/06/13 07:47 PM
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65ish to 70 here too. For the same reasons as BillP. Eyepieces: 22 LVW, 13 LVW, and 7 XW.
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johnnyha
Postmaster
Reged: 11/12/06
Loc: Sherman Oaks, CA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: eklf]
#5609191 - 01/06/13 08:32 PM
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Same here, 70 degree is the most comfortable for me. I still keep my 13 Ethos because its such a fun eyepiece and barlows well, but I see no need to keep a whole set of ultrawides.
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: johnnyha]
#5609210 - 01/06/13 08:47 PM
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I seem to gravitate to around a 70 degree AFOV, too. I have a couple ES 100 degree eyepieces, but I hardly ever use them. To get a decent view through them I need to install them in my Paracorr. A big, heavy and long eyepiece in a Paracorr? Not my cup of tea for relaxed viewing at the dark site. I'm not the sort that enjoys piling up a lengthy cantilever at the focuser tube.
Also, IME the 100 degree FOV is not as comfortable to view through as a nice 70 or even 82 degree. They are trick eyepieces that are good to have around for the big DSO and for scanning wide vistas of the Milky Way. Other than that? eh...  I might give them a try with an OIII filter for finding planetaries.
Often I think about selling my 100 degree eyepieces. But I'll definitely keep the ES 82 degree 30mm. It is heavier than the 100 degree EPs, but somehow the 82 degree FOV is much more comfortable and more enjoyable for me.
Mike
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MRNUTTY
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/22/11
Loc: Mendon, MA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: Sarkikos]
#5609230 - 01/06/13 09:06 PM
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I have EP's between 42-110 degrees. For EP upwards of 82 and above that present difficulties directly viewing outside of the center, I tend to leave the outside area to my peripheral vision. Craning my head around for imperfect views if less preferable than repositioning the scope.
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turtle86
Pooh-Bah Everywhere Else
Reged: 10/09/06
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: MRNUTTY]
#5609367 - 01/06/13 10:29 PM
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I can enjoy observing with just about any decent EP down to about 50 degrees (I use Meade Plossls with my 8" SCT), but find anything less than that (Orthos, etc.) to be too claustrophobic and unnatural for my tastes--too much like observing a specimen under a microscope. I strongly prefer the ultrawide FOV of the Ethos. To me it just seems more natural to view without having the field stop make itself so obvious; the eyepiece just gets out of the way. I don't necessarily feel the need to strain to see the edge of the FOV. I also like the extra FOV because I can better see DSO's in context with surrounding stars and other DSO's, see more galaxies in galaxy clusters, take in more of extended DSO's like the Veil, etc. As for planets, with the extra FOV of the 4.7 and 6mm Ethos I can take in more of Jupiter and Saturn's moons.
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ibase
Vendor Affilliate
Reged: 03/20/08
Loc: Manila, Philippines 121*E 14*N
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: turtle86]
#5609390 - 01/06/13 10:42 PM
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Agree, why strain the eye trying to view the edge of field on a 100-deg. EP? It's just great having that extra field at the periphery of vision; that said, I do enjoy using 70, 82, and 100-deg EP's in equal measures. Just my 2 cents.
Best,
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GlennLeDrew
Postmaster
Reged: 06/18/08
Loc: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: ibase]
#5609428 - 01/06/13 11:09 PM
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So I take it then that those who prefer the 'smaller' AFoVs clap on a pair of blinders when naked eye gazing... If not, how is a 100 degree field too expansive, when the eye's inherent field approaches 180 degrees?
Nothing says one has to 'work' at swiveling the eye from field edge to field edge. I look at the extra field a useful bonus, which allows the sensitive outer retina to be put to good use. Especially when panning and star hopping, and taking in the really big stuff.
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BillP
Postmaster
Reged: 11/26/06
Loc: Vienna, VA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: GlennLeDrew]
#5609489 - 01/06/13 11:51 PM
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Quote:
So I take it then that those who prefer the 'smaller' AFoVs clap on a pair of blinders when naked eye gazing... If not, how is a 100 degree field too expansive, when the eye's inherent field approaches 180 degrees?
 Good one! However, naked eye, when I move my eyeball to the right to look on-axis at what was off-axis a second ago, my vision does not black-out or have a good amount of lateral color now on-axis until I get my head repositioned just right for the lateral viewing. And when I naked eye gaze to the right, the far left of my peripheral vision does not go away. Plus, when I gaze naked eye to the far right, I am not greeted with ubber-pincushion. All these are common traits in ultra-wides. Some people do not experience many of these, but many many do. Our eye's physiology is different from person to person. At any rate, its a very "unnatural" experience just gazing right in an ultra-wide. Takes some getting used to. For many, not worth the effort as just feels too unnatural. Plus, as said before, noticing unique asterisms in the FOV is much more difficult when one has to gaze around...they just are not as obvious. 70 degree eyepieces seem to tame all the devils much better than wider FOVs, plus still provide a very engaging space-walk like experience as well. Best of all worlds. If others don't have these issues...more power to them. But for me...70 is best and I feel I am missing absolutely nothing since I sold all my 82s...I actually feel things have improved quite a bit 
I still do have 2 82s in the stall, but consider them "novelty" eyepieces, like the 28RKE. Great for once in a while because they give a different perspective, but not good as an every day thing.
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Scanning4Comets
Markus
Reged: 12/26/04
Loc: Deep Space!
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: GlennLeDrew]
#5609497 - 01/06/13 11:57 PM
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I am also in the 70 degree camp. This is why I have the 34mm ES 68, (on the way), 22mm Vixen LVW, 14mm Denk and 10mm/7mm XW's. Nice cozy view to sit back and relax without having to peek around corners. I have tried the 20mm 100 degree ES, 14mm 100 deg ES and 9mm 100 deg ES. I liked those too, but I find overall that 70 degrees and long ER a much better experience.
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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster
Reged: 06/16/04
Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: Scanning4Comets]
#5609537 - 01/07/13 12:37 AM
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I have never looked through a 100 degree AFoV eyepiece so I cannot comment on them. I have eyepieces ranging from a little under 40 degrees AFoV up to a set of Naglers with their 82 degree field of view.
In general I enjoy them all but it does depend on the target and the telescope. In my fast scopes, my "main scopes" are all F/5 or under except for 2, the 82 degree eyepieces offer a better corrected field than the 68 degree and narrower eyepieces.. I tend to use the UWAs far more often for that reason alone.
Jon
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Mike B
Starstruck
Reged: 04/06/05
Loc: shake, rattle, & roll, CA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5609585 - 01/07/13 01:50 AM
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What Glenn said. 
Truly, i enjoy them all... each in their own way. Use in a BVer makes the more "modest" fields (60-70*) seem more generous.
But given a choice, and include decent (ie. eyeglass-friendly) ER, i'll take 82* fields... in a BVer they're really stunning!
100's are fun, in general, but really come into their own when utilized at higher magnifications; in an undriven scope at 300-500x, a 100* EP seems much less a luxury, and more like a good idea!
Besides, the 100's allow you to really get into space- much less restricted, and more like conventional "stargazing"... as opposed to scope peeping.
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Erik Bakker
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 08/10/06
Loc: The Netherlands, Europe
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: JayinUT]
#5609603 - 01/07/13 02:18 AM Attachment (22 downloads)
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My preference is around 70 degrees for most of the observing I do. I find this AFOV both wide enough AND very comfortable for eye positioning. For low power viewing, I use the good old 20 T2 and 22 T4 Naglers.
Incidentally, the best eyepieces I have found for medium power observing are the 16.7 and 12.8 mm 69 degrees AFOV Carl Zeiss eyepieces. What these do on open clusters and nebulosity is quite special. When I first tried the 16.7 mm in my 4" f/8 fluorite on the Double Cluster, I was stunned by the purity, colors and brightness of the stars over any other eyepiece I've ever owned. And it is such a relaxing, natural view. Below is a picture of these eyepieces with the required Zeiss 2" Astro-adapter.
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: BillP]
#5609713 - 01/07/13 07:58 AM
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Bill,
Quote:
I still do have 2 82s in the stall, but consider them "novelty" eyepieces, like the 28RKE. Great for once in a while because they give a different perspective, but not good as an every day thing.
That's the way I feel, and even more so for my two 100 degree eyepieces.
Mike
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hottr6
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 06/28/09
Loc: 7,500', Magdalena Mtns, NM
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: JayinUT]
#5609722 - 01/07/13 08:04 AM
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+1 on SWAs (and Plossls and Orthos).
IMHO, UWAs are too much hard work - hard on the eyeball, hard to haul around, hard on the pocket. Never tried a 100+ degreer, but I can imagine it would be an UWA on steroids - muscle bound.
Another problem with UWAs (and wider) that has not been mentioned is difficulty in centering the target in the FOV, especially when the background field is relatively empty. My skies are very dark, and I cannot see the field stop (except when viewing bright objects). Where the hell do I place the target in a UWA? The only way to find out is to let the target wander near the edge of the FOV to help define the field stop, a procedure that sucks up time.
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: Mike B]
#5609755 - 01/07/13 08:39 AM
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Mike B,
Quote:
100's are fun, in general, but really come into their own when utilized at higher magnifications; in an undriven scope at 300-500x, a 100* EP seems much less a luxury, and more like a good idea!
So far I am not impressed by the sharpness of 100 degree eyepieces, even on-axis. I had originally bought my ES 100 9mm for long looks at planets as they drifted across the FOV. But I get sharper images through my BGOs, Brandons, Paradigms, XW's and, of course, XO's. This is true even if the ES 100 9 is Barlowed. If I can't see fine detail on planets I don't see the point of looking at them, even if I have a longer look.
Maybe a short focal length Ethos would be necessary to approach the sharpness of these other eyepieces. But then those Ethos cost upwards of  .
Mike
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RGM
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/15/03
Loc: Burks Falls, Ontario, Canada
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: Sarkikos]
#5609765 - 01/07/13 08:49 AM
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Another vote for the 70 degree range. I use a mixture of XWs 3.5 to 14, Panoptics 19 to 35, and ES68 20 to 24. My plossls and Nags are for special objects and not for general viewing.
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denis0007dl
sage
Reged: 04/17/12
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: RGM]
#5609827 - 01/07/13 09:43 AM
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68+! I like WA views, and do not like tunnel vision of orthos and plossls!
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Sarkikos
Postmaster
Reged: 12/18/07
Loc: Suburban Maryland, USA
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Re: What Field of View for Your Eyepieces
[Re: denis0007dl]
#5609854 - 01/07/13 10:07 AM
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Get it straight! Orthos and Plossls are portholes. Monocentrics are tunnels. Ball eyepieces are soda straws!
Mike
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