173 replies to this topic

[gmoney]

Its still my ES 92 12mm even over the Ethos but the Ethos are my favorite to use on regular basis.

[C. Evangelista]

In my F6 and F8 triplet apos:

 

- Kokusai Kohki Widescan III 30mm 84°

 

- Kokusai Kohki Widescan III 20mm 84°

 

- Nikon NAV SW 14mm 72°

 

That´s not only due to the superb transmission and contrast of these EPs...  

[bobhen]

For Deep Sky: There is only one "eyepiece" that stands out head and shoulders above the rest. And that is my image intensifier "eyepiece". My image intensifier taught me that it's not about that ultra-wide field of view, it's about what's in the view that counts. And it's what's in the intensifier eyepiece that makes me forget all other distractions and makes for an immersive view. I believe that Al Nagler had a similar "eye-opening" experience, as Tele Vue now also sells image intensifiers along with their eyepieces.

 

For the Moon and Planets: Once you find an eyepiece that is exceptionally sharp, it then comes down to ergonomics and comfort. If the eyepiece is sharp but uncomfortable to use then it takes me out of the moment. To that end, I like the Tele Vue Delites because they are both flat and sharp and also have wonderful ergonomics and are reasonably lightweight and have long eye relief. All the aforementioned keep me in the moment and that makes for an immersive view.

 

Bob

[GrassLakeRon]

My XWAs.

[scottinash]

 “Immersive” standout to me is the RKE 28mm.  Yes, a few of my “premium” EPs are great but had to go with what immediately fired off in my head.  

[Mike Q]

Man that is a tough call because i use different eyepieces for different objects. What is immersive on one kind of object doesnt necessarily do  well on another.  So i will fall back to my default choice of 13/14mm and 20mm eyepieces in the 80 to 100 degree area, these are my go to choices for the views i like the most which includes a certain amount of immersion. 

[Jon Isaacs]

I do nearly all my deep sky star gazing with eyepieces that provide 80 degree to 110 degree AFoVs.  I do some with Panoptics and such..  Most of the eyepieces have been mentioned already in the this thread by someone.  

 

I don't really think about "immersion", they all provide an immersive view on some level.  And I believe the immersive experience has a lot to do with the skies, the objects being used and the particular telescope, it's focal ratio, aperture, field correction etc.

 

Jon

[alnitak22]

22 Nagler Type 4

[nkoiza]

17 ES 92 and 12 ES 92 eyepieces. From my perspective, no contest - even when up against Ethos and XWAs. The LER of the ES 92s is very helpful for immersion.

Edited by nkoiza, 25 January 2025 - 11:14 AM.

[R.Kelley]

Most immersive:

Explore Scientific 92° 17mm & 12mm

TeleVue 22T4 Nagler and Ethos-SX 4.7mm

 

Very immersive:

TeleVue Ethos 21mm & 10mm, Nagler 31T5

 

Sharp & immersive:

Pentax XW's and TeleVue Delos (10 XW and 6 Delos in particular)

 

..a refractor owner's subjective opinion..   

Edited by R.Kelley, 25 January 2025 - 06:35 PM.

[Ihtegla Sar]

I don't really think about "immersion", they all provide an immersive view on some level. And I believe the immersive experience has a lot to do with the skies, the objects being used and the particular telescope, it's focal ratio, aperture, field correction etc.

Jon

Same here. I don't think about immersion much. But if I have to think about it, I am probably most immersed using my 6mm and 9mm TPLs looking at double stars in my f/7 TEC 140. They are not wide field by any means, but I don't need a particularly wide field for double stars with a tracking mount. They are miniscule in size and weight, so easy to switch. They have excellent sharpness, contrast and transmission and the 6mm and 9mm provide a good combination of magnification and exit pupil for general use in my light polluted skies. So they always give a beautiful presentation.

I have shorter eyepieces I can use if I need more magnification, but that usually means I am trying for a tighter double, and those can be some work to suss out. When I am using the 6mm and 9mm TPLs in the TEC 140, I am mostly just cruising, which is probably why I find them the most immersive.

Edited by Ihtegla Sar, 25 January 2025 - 12:00 PM.

[nathantw]

The Nikon HW-NAV 12.5mm/10mm is definitely my favorite. However, the most comfortable is the binoviewer that have 15mm eyepieces installed. I'd love to have two Nikons but that would be very, very heavy and especially cost prohibitive. 

Edited by nathantw, 26 January 2025 - 12:14 AM.

[Apnee44]

I do nearly all my deep sky star gazing with eyepieces that provide 80 degree to 110 degree AFoVs. I do some with Panoptics and such.. Most of the eyepieces have been mentioned already in the this thread by someone.

I don't really think about "immersion", they all provide an immersive view on some level. And I believe the immersive experience has a lot to do with the skies, the objects being used and the particular telescope, it's focal ratio, aperture, field correction etc.

Jon

Agree with that. I could see also that is really depending of the equipment used. Example, my Pentax XW 14 is a great eyepiece when used with my Dobson… but magical when used with my 80ED (give x40 and 1.75 degrees). Depends also if your environment is very dark. One day I was looking Saturn by using my Pentax XL 7 and decided to move my eye quite fare from the eyepiece as it was really dark … a crazy view, Saturn was like floating in the dark.

[russell23]

16.5mm Pentax XW

[jack45]

I like the 31mm, 23mm Axiom LX, 20mm Tele Vue Type II, and 17mm Nagler T/4. I can start with any one of these eps, my most immersive eps.

 

Clear Skies!

[Jeff Morgan]

I certainly have not tried them all … but for those looking to compile a list you should add (in no order):

 

22 Panoptic

17 Nagler T4

12.5 Docter

48 Brandon

[PJBilotta]

I go for the more affordable and mid-FOV options, and for me they are the ES 28/68 and Morpheus 9. Both have housings that simply vanish when I'm looking through them - especially the Morpheus. The effect is a magical portal to space simply floating in mid-air, without any border.

[M44]

Nikon Nav 17/14 HW

[Piero DP]

I'm often a bit confused when I read the word "immersive", but maybe this is due to the fact that English is not my first language.
I much prefer to use the more direct and less polite expression "getting out of the way" between person's eye and the universe..

Even so, I don't have a preference. Maybe the docter is at the top of this list, but in general I find that many eyepieces with large lenses, 15-20mm eye relief and aFOV of at least 70 Deg tend to get out of the way, based on my Neanderthal face.

[RichD]

20mm T2 Nagler, has a real "fall into it" quality. My most immersive eyepiece for a long time until I went 100*

17mm T4 Nagler, similar in feel to the T2 but exit pupil not quite as stable, slightly black out prone.

Morpheus line are immersive, narrower field but extremely comfortable with excellent exit pupil behaviour

APM 20mm 100*, very immersive. Maybe best i have found.

The factors that i have noticed help make an eyepiece immersive;

Wide AFOV, for me needs to be 82* plus

Wide body, larger 2" eyepieces block peripheral vision so I can't see my surroundings

Comfortable ER. I only need 12mm, like the T2 Nagler above. I actually prefer to get in closer to an eyepiece, make light contact with the top part

Excellent correction, ragged field quality distracts me.

Stable exit pupil behaviour, free from blackouts which can also distract.

Seems to be a correlation between immersion and size of top lens. Large eye lenses really help for some reason.

[Highburymark]

For single eyepieces, I’d say Nagler 22. But the best single eyepiece ever produced can’t compete with binoviewing for immersion. So perhaps I’d choose Delite 18.2s, or Nagler 13s.

[Bill Barlow]

Mine are the 40XW and 30XW in my SCT’s and the 24 Panoptic in my refractors.  
 

Bill

[Refractor6]

  For detail on objects at high power with a wide immersive field of view nothing beats my 23 year old Speers-Waler 7.4 eyepiece.

 

Views of M76 "the little dumbbell" in my 6" refractor last summer with this ep was a highlight observation under my dark skies.

Edited by Refractor6, 26 January 2025 - 12:52 PM.

[Arnau_BCN]

At the moment for sure the Masuyama 32mm and 26mm 85º. They are superb for walking among the stars. 

[bulletdodger]

As others have found the ES 92 series gives the impression of looking out a spaceship window. You don't really need a wide field to be immersive, like the ES 28 RKE, but it helps. My 22 panoptic is unusually immersive as is my 12mm Radian at 68 and 60 degrees, but the rest I like are 82° to 100°. My 7mm Axiom LX is my most immersive in a higher power range for some reason.