101 replies to this topic

[Lentini]

I don’t even know if there is a line of other focal lengths of these, but I have the only two Carton 20mm eyepieces I have been able to find. They’re erfles, I think. They’re fabulous. I’d be interested in trying other focal lengths, if they exist. I got one early on, and then searched hard to get a second for a horrendously high price from Europe. 

[skyops]

*

 

Made in Japan Celestron Plössl in .965" for my classic scopes. I have the 7.5, 10, 12.5 & 17 only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[PKDfan]

Like you i have gone to a 20mm 100 deg too, but i can't bring myself to sell on the 20mm T2 as its such an old favourite of mine. I'm convinced it's just a hair sharper than the APM 20mm i use now, but I'm in the position of having 2 20mm 2" eyepieces in the case, which is a bit daft.

The type 2s were very good, but we do have better now. As you say, it's nostalgia.

I have to disagree with you at the end there Rich.

We don't have better now and nostaglia is highly underrated.

In my Experiences the pinnacle of the optical world was the Legendary 20mm & 12mm Type2's.

16.5XW does a very great job almost at the T2 level but not quite.

Could you Rich then give me some idea of an eyepiece thats better than the T2 20mm Nagler (or 12mm) ?

I'd honestly like to know as i could be never be convinced that what i see is anything but optical perfection, admittedly a very heavy 20mm perfection it is.

Is it the cost of entering that state of excellence ? Maybe.

The 21Ethos or the new 19 T7 Nagler are the only ones that come to mind and the T7 isn't even in the wild yet.

So i'm forced to inquire about what you see as better and just maybe i'll have a look see as i'm always looking for Very High achieving optics.

THANKS very muchly Rich as i always enjoy your posts and rarely(never) have an issue with them but that was a real doozy and begged for a response from me.

Enquiring minds thus want to know Whats the Best ??!!


Lance
CSS

[RichD]

Lance, firstly no one loves the 20mmT2 more than me (ok, maybe you!).

I thought the 21mm Ethos maybe even better, but it's slight. Also it's 100 deg, which I do prefer, so a different class of eyepiece really. Add to that the improved coatings and that's what I was referring to by better. I'd expect the T7s to be at least as good as the ethos.

That's without going into the nikon nav and Docter eyeieces, which most say are in a league of their own (i haven't tried them). If you're really after the best...

The type 2s are still excellent eyepieces today, 40 years after being introduced. That's pretty incredible. And the 20mm is such a special eyepiece to me, it's like an old friend. Al really did pull out all the stops with that design.

[Renard]

Not a series, but I wish the 2.5mm type 6 Nagler was still around. It's quite challenging to find a used one in good condition and it would be perfect for my short tubes.

[PKDfan]

Lance, firstly no one loves the 20mmT2 more than me (ok, maybe you!).

I thought the 21mm Ethos maybe even better, but it's slight. Also it's 100 deg, which I do prefer, so a different class of eyepiece really. Add to that the improved coatings and that's what I was referring to by better. I'd expect the T7s to be at least as good as the ethos.

That's without going into the nikon nav and Docter eyeieces, which most say are in a league of their own (i haven't tried them). If you're really after the best...

The type 2s are still excellent eyepieces today, 40 years after being introduced. That's pretty incredible. And the 20mm is such a special eyepiece to me, it's like an old friend. Al really did pull out all the stops with that design.

Thanks Rich !

I can rest easy now and blushing i really am in love with it as you kinda noticed. I try not to fondle its smooth sleeve and try not to gasp when it slides so smoothly in...my clicklock.


I tried 100° and it didn't fit me.
I'll still have to seriously test drive a 21Ethos and sigh 6Ethos...i don't expect to be swayed by 21E but i admit to being intrigued by your assertion.

I used 20T2 in B1/2 and Sagitarious Scorpios treasures were simply jaw dropping. I could see where an extra 20 degrees an addictive thrill.

I hope you get some clear and steady skies ! I've been skunked for months.

Lance

Edited by PKDfan, 18 May 2025 - 12:11 PM.

[jrmacl]

Nothing exotic, but I wish the following were still offered new (as I’d probably buy them ):

 

Meade 5000 UWA 5.5mm

Edmund RKE 15mm

Meade 5000 UWA 20mm (maybe; could just go for a current long Perng 80° 20mm instead…)

AstroTech UWA 21mm

TMB Paragon 40mm

 

 

Meanwhile, Explore Scientific should either improve the [reported — I haven’t looked through them myself] glare situation in their new LER 4.5, 6.5 and 8.5mm 82s, or go back to their 4.7, 6.7 and 8.8mm eyepieces for their 82 degree series

yeah, I bet a lot of people wish that the AstroTech 21mm UWA was still offered new ha-ha

[Procyon]

I tried 100° and it didn't fit me.

Lance

Which ones have you tried?

[Starman1]

I recently somewhat filled out my eyepiece set back to what I had before I sold all my 1.25" but as some of the eyepieces I sold are no longer available I replaced with newer ones and in some cases I am happy, but a few I have been looking and actually haven't been available to find even in the classifieds for over a year.

 

So are there any older eyepieces you miss and would like to see available again?

 

For me, at one point I had a set of Zhummel Planetaries, Meades, Celestrons, Hyperions, Brandons, Plossls, Orthos and a few others.

 

I sold them to get 100* or to get Televue or to buy cameras/filters/etc.

 

Most I was fine with as they were good, but the replacement was better, a few I wasn't impressed with (Radians and Brandons just never attracted me). But a few I would buy again if I could.

 

Of the series I owned, I always liked the Meade 5000 series UWA but not the later series, the series made by JOC, I believe the dates were from 2012 to 2019. They were really good eyepieces and a bargain compared to the Naglers. While I no longer have the 4.7 and 6.7 , I can always get a 4 and 6MM De Lite, the Meade UWAs were great and while a few new eyepieces have taken their place, they currently don't yet meet "almost a Nagler at 50% of the cost".

 

So what old series would you like to come back?

The Meade UWAs were made by Kowa in Japan (Series 4000), JOC in China (till 2011), and KUO (2012-2019)

Delite eyepieces don't come in 6mm.

 

To answer your question, though, NONE.

I owned a LOT or eyepieces from 1963-2007, and only a couple dozen more since then.

I don't miss any eyepieces not currently available because the ones currently available are, in many many cases, better eyepieces.

 

Don't get me wrong--there were nice eyepieces made that are discontinued, but I don't miss them and would not like any of them to come back.

I am excited about some new ones coming out, though.

Edited by Starman1, 23 May 2025 - 01:15 PM.

[saemark30]

Which new ones excite you Don?

[Starman1]

Which new ones excite you Don?

Nagler T7s, especially if they fill in with a 7mm.

Houdini coma-corrected eyepieces.

Great Houdini 7-18mm Zoom (assuming the crowd funding goes as planned)

More focal lengths in the Pentax XW 85° series (rumored to be coming).

Edited by Starman1, 23 May 2025 - 01:36 PM.

[rdjamieson]

For sentimental reasons, I wish I hadn’t given away my Meade 5000 UWA 14” that came with my first scope, a Meade RCX400 14”.  It was a good little EP, but I had Nagler fever at the time and never really gave it a chance.  

[25585]

Alongside Vixen LVWs, I miss Pentax XL eyepieces, the predecessors of XWs.

 

I have all the XLs; 5.2, 7, 10.5, 14, 21, 28 & 40. They are easier eye placement for the shorter FLs i.e. 5.2-10.5. That, like the LVWs, might be due to being 65 AFOV rather than 70 AFOV, which the XWs are. 
 

Japan itself is a good source for buying their older ranges from, and most have been well cared for.  #turningjapanese

[PKDfan]

Which ones have you tried?

Sorry Tom i totally missed this notification; an Ethos the 17mm iirc & one look was all it took and my 31.5Speers waler series2 90° even turns me off so i haven't tried the one i'm interested in, 6Ethos, as i suspect i'd like 6Delos better but its that everyone raves about it and i'm afraid that i'd like and i just can't spend 900$.

Delos $500 was hard enough and whew what a magical eyepiece it is.

I thought i'd like a superwide AFOV but no not at all.


Cheers !

Lance
CSS

[Procyon]

Sorry Tom i totally missed this notification; an Ethos the 17mm iirc & one look was all it took and my 31.5Speers waler series2 90° even turns me off so i haven't tried the one i'm interested in, 6Ethos, as i suspect i'd like 6Delos better but its that everyone raves about it and i'm afraid that i'd like and i just can't spend 900$.

Delos $500 was hard enough and whew what a magical eyepiece it is.

I thought i'd like a superwide AFOV but no not at all.


Cheers !

Lance
CSS

I'm surprised you haven't tried an AT 20mm 100. It could work for you.

[BRCoz]

I miss the University Optics Orthos I didn't get all of the ones I wanted and the same with TMB Supermonos.

 

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[Procyon]

Looking for a 34mm Orion Megavista : )

How were the Celestron Axioms? Am surprised they were selling for about 250. Are they good?

The Orion Optiluxe also.

Edited by Procyon, 05 June 2025 - 05:20 AM.

[Scott99]

The whole A. Jaegers catalog and the mystery and intrigue within!  Dozens of eyepieces listed in a table with no hype other than a "K" or "O" or "PL" indicating what type of eyepiece it was and whether it had coatings

[Starman1]

Looking for a 34mm Orion Megavista : )

How were the Celestron Axioms? Am surprised they were selling for about 250. Are they good?

The Orion Optiluxe also.

Axioms were good eyepieces but didn't work great in today's f/4-f/5 scopes.  They did fine in SCTs and MCTs and CCs.

The next series, the Axiom LX, were better in fast scopes.

The Orion Optiluxe was a 4 element (5 in the 50mm) König.  It was good at f/8+, mediocre at f/6, but not good at f/4-f/5.

I'm not sure of the optical configuration of the Megavista/Megaview 82° eyepieces or who made them.

[PKDfan]

I'm surprised you haven't tried an AT 20mm 100. It could work for you.

I've had issues with buying without trying Tom so i usually bring my little apo and test eyepieces and then buy if it works for me. The AT series has not been available for me to test and besides i've got the best 20mm in existence IMHO and being limited in means means a doubling of focal lengths is in a strict no fly zone.

I think i'll be brave and test out a 6Ethos soon and see if the extra observing experience has changed my perceptions of 100° fields.

It may seem counterintuitive but for me the spacewalking experience doesn't 'expand' with the largest AFOV's and 85° is about as wide as my comfort level goes.

As well as the 600dollars that one cost me has the miser in me saying i can do so much with what the 6Ethos costs.

Any drive to improve the image-field stops prematurely then as 80degrees is plenty enough to induce the feeling of spaciousness so i've absolutely no desire to enlarge the frame even further.

I'm just going to see outerfield aberrations with my scopes anyways so no the 100° stuff has never caught my fancy.

Cheers from a cool cloudy Edmonton !


Lance
CSS

[Procyon]

I think i'll be brave and test out a 6Ethos soon and see if the extra observing experience has changed my perceptions of 100° fields.


Lance
CSS

I thought the exact same thing once, let's just say it didn't work out, hope it does for you. It's good that there are comfier 92º-85º-82º eyepieces also available now. There are also quite a few 100º comfy ones too.

 

I wonder if anyone misses the Zhumell 16mm 100's. 

Edited by Procyon, 05 June 2025 - 12:10 PM.

[russell23]

Looking for a 34mm Orion Megavista : )

How were the Celestron Axioms? Am surprised they were selling for about 250. Are they good?

The Orion Optiluxe also.

The Orion Optiluxe was a rebranded version of the of the last version of the University Optics 70 deg Konig. Or at least by all appearances that is what it was.   So if you are looking for a 40mm or 32mm Optiluxe that is another option that is the same eyepiece with different labeling.   I had both 32mm and 40mm Optiluxe eyepieces about 10 years ago and they both performed identical to the University Konigs.

[Procyon]

The Orion Optiluxe was a rebranded version of the of the last version of the University Optics 70 deg Konig. Or at least by all appearances that is what it was.   So if you are looking for a 40mm or 32mm Optiluxe that is another option that is the same eyepiece with different labeling.   I had both 32mm and 40mm Optiluxe eyepieces about 10 years ago and they both performed identical to the University Konigs.

You've had University Optics 2" 32 & 40mm in the past as well? If yes, which lenses did you find like wider, nicer to look through if you can remember. I've been looking for all these, but gave up to be honest, they sparingly even appear anymore, unlike 5-10 years ago if I remember. Those UO's came in so many shapes and sizes lol, some were 62º, others 70º, others 80º, all with the same name, hard to keep up. Too bad these guys shut it all down. 

 

I wonder how they compare to TV 32 and 40mm Widefields.

 

There's also that intriguing 50mm Orion Optiluxe, albeit only 52º. The ultimate find for me though, would be 32 and 40mm 2" Brandons.

I used to hate eyepieces without eyeguards, now I love them. Not for everyone for sure.

 

There's no modern eyepieces with flat tops like these right? In production I mean.

Edited by Procyon, 05 June 2025 - 04:12 PM.

[25585]

I have a 50mm Optiluxe, its such easy viewing with it! 

[Starman1]

You've had University Optics 2" 32 & 40mm in the past as well? If yes, which lenses did you find like wider, nicer to look through if you can remember. I've been looking for all these, but gave up to be honest, they sparingly even appear anymore, unlike 5-10 years ago if I remember. Those UO's came in so many shapes and sizes lol, some were 62º, others 70º, others 80º, all with the same name, hard to keep up. Too bad these guys shut it all down. 

 

I wonder how they compare to TV 32 and 40mm Widefields.

 

There's also that intriguing 52mm Orion Optiluxe, albeit only 52º. The ultimate find for me though, would be 32 and 40mm 2" Brandons.

I used to hate eyepieces without eyeguards, now I love them. Not for everyone for sure.

 

There's no modern eyepieces with flat tops like these right? In production I mean.

Only Brandons, and KSON conical top Orthoscopics, I think.