I recently purchased 2 sets of the MEADE HD 60* FOV eyepieces. I wanted to get a set for BinoViewing and was looking at the TV brands (Panoptics, Radian) but didn't want to spend so much, so I decided to get the Meade HD eps. They meet my needs; wider field than Plossl, nice eye relief and lower cost than a Radian or 24MM Panoptic.
I got a pair of 25MM and 12MM and will probably get a 6MM or 18MM pair depending on how much in focus I am able to use with the Baader Bino Viewer (which has not yet shipped). Since the weather in NJ has been terrible (rain since last week), I had been playing with them on terrestrial objects. Today we had a clear day so I used them on the sun. The scope was a Lunt 60MM HA scope with B1200 blocking filter. There were several nice prominences on the sun and a nice sun spot group in the center of the sun. For comparison, I also used an 11 MM Nagler, the Lunt Zoom and a 6MM Radian to get a feel of how these EPS performed.
So let’s get to the review:
Quality and Build:
They are very nicely built. The Meades come in a nice paper box with a custom foam insert. They have a rotating eyepiece cup which is smoother than the UWA mechanism and not as abrupt as the Radian. There is a large made in China stamp on the barrel (like in the UWAs). The best part is that they don’t have the round body like the UWA and Axiom. It’s a nice well built EP. They come with 2 covers that fit snugly. The only negative was in both 25MMs there is some nicking of the filter threads although 1.25” filters thread fine). Both 25MM had the internal nicks, the 12MM didn’t. Overall build was very nice. I would say A- (the only reason being the nick on the internal barrel)
Ergonomics:
The eyepieces are large for 1.25”, comparable in size to a Radian, larger than a T6 Nagler but weighing comparable. I don’t think they would cause any balance issues on a dob. I had no issues with using them on my Lunt. They have the barrel undercut, so for some that is an issue. The movable eye cup was a joy to use, not stiff at all, just a smooth motion. The eyecup has a soft flexible rubber, which I (and eye) like. One is also able to firmly plant the eye and not have any stray light which is important in solar viewing. Ove all IMO better ergonomically built than a Radian (I dislike the instaadjust) and better designed for daytime use compared a T6 Nagler. Ergonomically as well built as the Lunt Zoom and easier to use than the UWA and Axiom. I would say A+, other manufactures could learn from this EP.
Day Time Viewing:
Ok, this review was done during the daytime so I can’t say how the EP functions at night but the skies give clouds so I make due. I hope to have a clear night (HAHAHAHAHA) eventually but for now, this is the best I can do. So I set up the Lunt on a my deck (BTW no a review of the Lunt, but this scope is an A+, no wonder there is a 3 month wait for it) and started the LXD75 mount. Since I had set it to Sleep, I turned on the mount and select OBJECT>SOLAR SYSTEM> Mercury and then used the TV Sol Finder (another A+ product) to find the Sun. I started off with the Meade 25MM and the Lunt at the 21.5MM and the first thing I noticed is that the Eye Relief is more (much more) on the Meade. It was actually difficult to find a position that I would not get a black out. Once I raised the eyecup, it was just perfect, the Sun was in view and blackouts stopped, it did take 3 trys to figure out what to do, but once I got it, it just worked. The view was nice, I tuned the Lunt and several large prominences were visible at 12 and 6. I put in the Lunt Zoom and the eye relief is less but not bothersome, the same prominences appear, but I also noticed that some phages by the sun spot were not visible. I put the Meade back in and they were there, the Zoom they were but not as visible. It could be magnification. I also noticed a progressive darkening of the image in the Zoom while the Meade did not have it.
I then went to the 12MM Meade and the suns disc was fully visible without the darkening that accompanied the Lunt Zoom, the difference was that the solar disk was not so clear on the Lunt Zoom, but had more contrast on the Meade. More stuff was visible with the Meade on the solar disk. The view on the Zoom was just softer. I then put it the Nagler and the image was slightly better on the solar disk, I could make out a phage was slightly longer and the region around the sunspot was better defined but I did find one negative, the Larger clearly showed the edge of the 12MM Blocking Filter (considering the Nagler has a 14.9MM Field Stop, it was expected, but bothersome) while the Meade just showed the solar disk floating in space. This is probably the first time, I have been bothered by a large FOV.
I finally tried at the Zoom maximum of 7.2, the 6 MM Radian and the 12MM Meade Barlowed with a 2.5X powermate. Not exactly equal and the viewing wasn’t allowing it on the solar disk, but the prominences showed some very fine details. I had to do a lot of focusing to adjust the view as seeing was just not great. At this power with the not great seeing, none of the EPs performed as expected.
Please note that since this was a daytime test, I wasn’t able to notice any color difference between the EPs.
I would say that for daytime use the Meades are an A- (not as sharp as a Nagler or TMB Monocentric, but comparable to a Radian)
Overall
I have to say that I like the Meade, I actually put away the Zoom and Nagler and stayed for over an hour using the 12MM. It was a really nice view. For $79 these eyepieces are a bargain. If you are looking at getting a Radian, consider these, they have the same features and if used for daytime the same view.
I will do a night review when or if it ever clears up.
And here are the pictures
