27 replies to this topic

[TayM57]

I've had all the EP OP lists in his comments except for the XWA's as I've had their TV or ES equivalents. I agree with most of Don's comments, however, I've found that I don't like flat field eyepieces like the 30 UFF, where it appears as I'm looking at a port hole some distance down from the eye lens. I had this sensation with the Pentax too, and the Delos solved that for me. 

 

Though, I did like the 110° 3.7/4.7 Ethos. I had no problems with that wide a field, but I did not view objects all the way out to the very edge, as I did with the Ethos, and still do with the Morphii. 

[vrodriguez2324]

I have two main eyepiece sets:

 

Hyperwide: 20 Optimus - 13 Ethos - 9 Optimus - 7 XWA - 4.7 Optimus - 3.6 Optimus

Ultrawide LER: 31NT5 - 22NT4 - 17NT4 - 14M - 9M - 6.5M - 4.5M

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13 Ethos

What I like:

• It's 13mm
• Easy to use
• Excellent control of light scatter
• A nice low - medium power

What I am okay with:

• Hybrid lower barrel. I prefer the screw on adapters of the XWA. 

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17 NT4

What I like:

• A noticeably wider field than the 17.5M (I still have the Morpheus but tend to reach for the NT4)
• Razor sharp field stop (I know it is of little consequence during night time observing but for some reason it is a quality I like)
• Very immersive

What I am okay with:

• Weight. The heaviest of the NT4s and maybe the densest eyepiece produced. In fact I've had people pick up the 31NT5 and the 17NT4 in each hand at the same time most will say the 17NT4 is heavier. 
• A lot of my eyepieces are heavy. It's fine.

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3.6 Optimus

What I like:

• Gets me to right about 200x in my refractor.
• 200x is doable almost every night for the moon and planets in my skies.
• Long drift time
• Good contrast

What I am okay with

• Bench tests (at f/4) show it isn't the best performing hyperwide. I use it at f/7, sometimes at f/5.75. To my eye it is a really nice EP. Someday it may be replaced with an Ethos. 

-Victor

Replying to myself, with additional comments. 

 

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9M - 6.5M - 4.5M

What I like:

• All the optical pros that Don P. mentions
• The wide range of adjustments that make them very comfortable and usable by observers like myself that don't wear glasses. 

What is starting to bother me:

• The light scatter. I knew about this problem but it never really bothered me with the planets. With planets I just place them inside of the center 2/3 or even 3/4 of the field and the light scatter problem is a non issue. Looking at the moon is a different story. A soft and very objectionable glow across the fov makes it almost unusable on the moon. The 4.5 was the worst offender (It is still a great EP on 99.99% of targets). 

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I only get out to a darker site once every two months or so. In my light polluted backyard the planets and the moon are viewed often, maybe 20% of the time. I normally reach for my APM SZ and Barlows to look at the Moon. I should have kept it that way. 

 

The 4.5M was benched and the 5mm Pentax XW took a turn, an excellent EP on the Moon!

 

I don't know. As much as I want to keep a uniform ~80° afov in my LER set, I am leaning towards trying a Delos and very likely a T7 in the future.

 

-Victor

Edited by vrodriguez2324, 24 March 2025 - 03:20 PM.

[SeattleScott]

Replying to myself, with additional comments.

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9M - 6.5M - 4.5M
What I like:

• All the optical pros that Don P. mentions
• The wide range of adjustments that make them very comfortable and usable by observers like myself that don't wear glasses.

What is starting to bother me:

• The light scatter. I knew about this problem but it never really bothered me with the planets. With planets I just place them inside of the center 2/3 or even 3/4 of the field and the light scatter problem is a non issue. Looking at the moon is a different story. A soft and very objectionable glow across the fov makes it almost unusable on the moon. The 4.5 was the worst offender (It is still a great EP on 99.99% of targets).

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I only get out to a darker site once every two months or so. In my light polluted backyard the planets and the moon are viewed often, maybe 20% of the time. I normally reach for my APM SZ and Barlows to look at the Moon. I should have kept it that way.

The 4.5M was benched and the 5mm Pentax XW took a turn, an excellent EP on the Moon!

I don't know. As much as I want to keep a uniform ~80° afov in my LER set, I am leaning towards trying a Delos and very likely a T7 in the future.

-Victor

Field stop sizes:
Morpheus 4.5 (4.8) - 6.5mm
Morpheus 6.5 (6.7) - 8.5mm
Morpheus 9 (8.9) - 11.5mm

Nikon 5SW - 6.3mm (93% as wide as M4.5 when adjusted for focal length)
Nikon 7SW - 8.9mm (100% as wide as M6.5)
Nikon 10SW - 12.5mm (97% as wide as M9)

The Nikons are very sharp planetary eyepieces, right up there with my Tak 5LE and Nagler 7T1. (I don’t have a premium 10mm for comparison, but the 10 did best my 10 Luminos, as expected.) Ernest reviewed the 7SW and gave it high praise, I think ranking it ahead of the 7XW (although it is a little hard to tell with translation issues). They are remarkably easy to view through. And look at the physical size and shape of the 5SW compared to the 5XW or 4.5 Delos.

Just something to consider. Certainly Delos or NT7 would be excellent as well. But much larger eyepieces, if that matters, and more expensive.

Edited by SeattleScott, 24 March 2025 - 06:42 PM.