33 replies to this topic

[Murff]

I'm currently looking for a 7mm eyepiece that I plan on using with a barlow quite often.  (I want a 7mm because with a barlow it gives me 3.5, which gives me 230x, the most for my scope).

I'm comparing a few different ones, and was wondering if anyone that owns any of these could comment.
I'm hoping to get good planetary views, as well as split some doubles.

7mm Type 6 Tele Vue Nagler - https://www.astronom...6.html?___SID=U

7mm Tele Vue DeLite - https://www.astronom...5-eyepiece.html

Any other 7mm suggestions would be welcome as well.

Thank you in advance!!
 

Edited by Murff, 10 August 2020 - 04:48 PM.

[John Fitzgerald]

I own the 7mm Delite, and it is wonderful for splitting doubles.  It gives about 173x in my most used scope.

[havasman]

Both of those are very fine eyepieces that should serve you well. The wider field of the Nagler might be preferred in a non-driven scope and the Delite might be preferred if the scope tracks.

[BlueMoon]

I own the 7mm Delite, and it is wonderful for splitting doubles.  It gives about 173x in my most used scope.

+1

 

I recently acquired a "pre-owned" TV 7mm Delite and I agree with John on splitting doubles as far as my experience goes. About 128x with a 62 degree aFoV in the 100ED. Very comfortable viewing.

[csrlice12]

Pentax XW 7mm.

[Murff]

Thank you all for your comments.  Always makes me feel better before a purchase to gets owners thoughts.

[mikeDnight]

The 7mm Pentax XW is a beautiful eyepiece well worth consideration.

[John O'Hara]

I can speak only for the 7 mm Nagler T-6.  I own this eyepiece and use it in all of my scopes and it's an excellent performer on the deep-sky or solar system objects whenever an eyepiece of this focal length is called for.  I can't say I've critically compared it with other eyepieces of that focal length, but it's sharp on and off axis.  It has comfortable eye relief for me (without glasses).  However, at the exit pupils this eyepiece provides in my scopes, I don't need glasses as my astigmatism is not bothersome below about a 3 mm.

 

I've read comments from stating that eyepieces such as the Pentax XW or Delite are somewhat sharper on center, but I can state that the 7 T-6 is one good eyepiece.  Maybe someone has done critical comparisons.  

[river-z]

I bought a T6 7mm specifically for splitting doubles. When the seeing is good-not-great the 7mm (250x) is way better than my T6 5mm (350x). And when the seeing is really good I use it with a Barlow for 500x. I prefer the T6 over the Delite for doubles due to the wider FOV.

 

Also: I should add that I have an 11mm Delite that I don't use much.  I think I'd use it all the time if my skies were dark enough to make finding clusters and galaxies fun.  But... LA

Edited by river-z, 10 August 2020 - 07:31 PM.

[quercuslobata]

I have the 7mm delite and I use it with a 2x Barlow in my f7 refractor for doubles, moon, and planets (when seeing allows). I like it a lot. Also use it w/o Barlow in my f6 dob. Field isn’t as wide as some eyepieces, but I like the eye relief and smaller size.

[dhferguson]

Cheers,

 

You might consider a used 7 mm Nagler Type 1. I've very much enjoyed using mine these past twenty-five years. Stars are point-like to the edge with both a 14.5" f/4.5 scope w/Paracorr Type 2 and a Stellarvue 125 Access (f/7.75). Eye relief is a really nice 16mm and there is no kidney beaning apparent at this focal length. The eyepiece is relatively lightweight, wholly unlike the Nagler 1 and 2 series in longer focal lengths.

 

Also, for more money of course, I've been very pleased with the Pentax XW 3.5 mm. If anything, stars are even sharper to the edge than with the Nagler/Big Barlow combination but of course the Pentax has a narrower 70 deg AFOV, as opposed to 82 deg AFOV for the Nagler. Given the Pentax is a more modern eyepiece, I would guess the coatings are a bit better and so too would be the throughput. I can't tell the difference, though. Best of all is the great eye relief of the Pentax, especially if you wear glasses while observing.

 

I am an eyepiece manufacturer agnostic. However, one advantage to sticking with one brand is your set is more likely to be near parfocal (same focus point). This is definitely not the case between the Nagler Type 1 and the Pentax.

 

Depending somewhat on your age, you may have trouble with floaters using ANY eyepiece with an exit pupil less than about 1 mm, so be warned.

 

Happy observing always,

 

Don

[rexowner]

I was 2x'ing my 7mm DeLite with a Powermate this afternoon terrestrially, and tonight on planets,

and life was good.  Was actually experimenting with 3.5mm looking at high magnification for my

scope as well -- certainly no problems with the DeLite.

 

If the FOV meets your needs, it's a great eyepiece.

[bulletdodger]

Celestron Axiom LX 7mm is a great eyepiece and barlows well. Compares well with TV Naglers and can be found fairly cheap on the used market since they are discontinued. They fly a bit under the radar since they were not sold for long and some confusion occurs since they are similarly named  with the older 

Axiom series. 

 

Best of Luck

Bob

[Jacques]

You can't go wrong with any of the aforementioned eyepieces. I like the 7T6 a lot for double star splitting (and everything else for that matter) together with a good quality 6mm ortho when a little bit more magnification is desired or to obtain a different perspective by the smaller field of view of the latter. 

[Jacques]

...it also barlows well

[John Fitzgerald]

The 7mm Nagler, 7mm Delite, and the 7mm Pentax XW are all great eyepieces.  I think you would be happy with any one of the three.  The Delite or XW would be better for eyeglass wearers, however.

[russell23]

The 7mm Nagler, 7mm Delite, and the 7mm Pentax XW are all great eyepieces.  I think you would be happy with any one of the three.  The Delite or XW would be better for eyeglass wearers, however.

The 7mm Nagler is definitely more difficult to look through than the 7mm DL and 7mm XW.  I had trouble seeing the full field of the 7mm Nagler w/o blackouts.   If the eye lens was just a little bigger I don't think I would have had this problem.

[Tropobob]

I have a 7mm Delite andI love using it in my refractors (mainly in the F7s).  I also have an old 7mm Nagler Type 1 and the Delite is superior in every way except for the size of the field of view.   

[e7FvPDZR]

I own the 7mm Delite, and it is wonderful for splitting doubles.  It gives about 173x in my most used scope.

Same here.

 

Using a 8" f/6 Dobsonian, I was able to split the Epsilon Lyrae double double using a 7mm Delite I just obtained. With what little experience I have, I was pleased with the view. Then it was off to the ring nebula. Which I found impressive, but again, I have little experience.

[j.gardavsky]

... or a 3.5mm Pentax XW without a Barlow.

 

I have it, and I like it,

JG

 

[25585]

My favourite "7" is the Baader Morpheus 6.5mm. I have a Pentax XL 7mm too, but with 76° AFOV and good eye comfort & performance, the Baader is unbeatable.

 

I used to have a 7mm XW, but like the 5mm XW, its exit pupil was too finicky (but 10mm XW is great).

[rowdy388]

My 7's are the XW and Nagler T1. The XW gets a lot more use. It's bigger but much more comfortable,

negating the larger field of the Nagler.

Edited by rowdy388, 13 August 2020 - 03:17 PM.

[gwlee]

I'm currently looking for a 7mm eyepiece that I plan on using with a barlow quite often.  (I want a 7mm because with a barlow it gives me 3.5, which gives me 230x, the most for my scope).

I'm comparing a few different ones, and was wondering if anyone that owns any of these could comment.
I'm hoping to get good planetary views, as well as split some doubles.

7mm Type 6 Tele Vue Nagler - https://www.astronom...6.html?___SID=U

7mm Tele Vue DeLite - https://www.astronom...5-eyepiece.html

Any other 7mm suggestions would be welcome as well.

Thank you in advance!!
 

I have owned both for years and both are excellent and not too large. The T6 has a noticeably wider field, but eye relief is not enough for some eyeglass wearers. It was my favorite until my prescription change enough to require more eye relief. The Delite that I am using now has much more ER, but less FOV,. However, even if you normally use glasses to correct for astigmatism, you might not need them with your scope if the resulting exit pupil is small. The only way to know for sure which will work best for you is to try them. 
 

[rkelley8493]

7 XW is my favorite and most used high power eyepiece. It's magical in an f/7 scope 

[j.gardavsky]

7 XW is my favorite and most used high power eyepiece. It's magical in an f/7 scope 

Yes,

it is the magical EP even on my 6" F/5 achro,

JG