16 replies to this topic

[Tom L]

Has anyone had a chance to use the UO Super Erfles? They are currently available in 16mm, 20mm and 25mm with 65 degree FOV (60 for the 25mm), 5-element designs and eyerelief of 14-17mm. These are being touted as the poor-mans 24mm panoptic, etc. (Whatever.... :rolling:)

These marketing/sales guys just need to let them stand on their own like the orthos do...either they will or they won't. For the price, they seem interesting ($80 for the 16,20 and $90 for the 25).

Tom T, is their a potential review for these in the works? Would be nice to do that TV Panoptic/UO SE shootout!

[asaint]

Hey Tom,

I've owned the set of Super Erfles for several years. All the SE's have a 58-degree FOV. They really don't have any advantages over a standard plossel other then a slightly wider FOV. Personally I think the 20mm SE is the best of the bunch while the 25mm SE is the worst.

I use mine with Maksutov-Cassegrains as they make a real sweet combination. Most of that is probably due to the long focal lengths of the Maks I use.

Allister

[Tom L]

Hey there, Allister!

Wow, 58 degrees when they are advertised as 65...bummer...I was hoping that these lived up to their hype. I guess not. Over on the Yahoo UO group, Mark at Clearvue Optics was portraying these as a new design. Have they been out for a long time then?

[jmoore]

Hi Tom...
I'll basically second Allister's comments, but will add a little extra info.

First, I agree that the 20mm is the best. I've owned the 16, 20, and 25. I've kept the 20...and got rid of the others.

In terms of view quality, all are very good, but the problem is mis-stated FOV. As Allister said, the 16mm and 20mm are about 60 degs...not 65 degs as specified. I thus prefer a 16mm Konig (because it IS 65+ degs), but since there's no 20mm Konig, I found the Erfle worth keeping so far (58-60 degs being preferrable to me over 50-52 degs in a Plossl).

For the 25mm, the error is even worse. This piece is supposed to be 60 degs (not 65 like the others), but I only found it to be 50-52...so effectively nothing more than a Plossl.

In short, I CAN recommend the 20mm because the 60 degs is nice, and the view is sharp, and well corrected.

For 16mm, get a Konig if you want an affordable 65 degs (or a 14mm or 18mm SW if you want an affordable 80*)

For 25m, you're just as well off with a Plossl (or if you want an affordable 60+ degs, I'll recommend a 24mm Konig, or 25mm Antares W70).

As for them being a "new design", well, I think they are different from the traditional Erfles, so they're new than those. I know UO has had them for at least as long as I've been buying EPs (which isn't that long...but more than 6 mos).

jeff

[Tom L]

Thanks Jeff...so much for that! Maybe one day I'll look through them and not worry about it until then.

[John Jarosz]

The UO page on eyepieces does not list Super Erfles.

Since they must exist, what am I doing wrong?

Thanks

John

[Tom L]

You can find them about 2/3rd of the way down this page...

http://www.clearvueo....com/prod03.htm

[jmoore]

Or go to Helix's website:
http://www.helix-mfg.com/eyepieces.htm

[John Jarosz]

Well, I did find them at those links. But howcum they're not on the UO website?

Thanks guys,

John

[SpongeBob]

UO hasn't updated their site in years.
Jason

[LivingNDixie]

UO hasn't updated their site in years.
Jason

I think its closer to a decade

[Rusty]

UO hasn't updated their site in years.
Jason

I think its closer to a decade

Try calling them - I've always gotten through, and they've always been very accommodating...

[rboe]

Adam Back even showed up at his door. The fellow was very surprised!

[half meter]

UO in Ann Arbor is 45 minutes away. But I always suspected they just had a P.O box.

[rboe]

Somehow Adam found out where his garage was and with his mom in tow off he went. Being the young whipper snapper it did not occur to him that the guy was NOT set up for shoppers at the door! His mom justed begged off saying she was just the driver!

[half meter]

It might have worked Ann Arbor generates more than its share of strange entities, though, and UO is no exception. Berkeley of the east, as it's known...

[Mark]

Somehow Adam found out where his garage was and with his mom in tow off he went. Being the young whipper snapper it did not occur to him that the guy was NOT set up for shoppers at the door! His mom justed begged off saying she was just the driver!

From their web site and from talking to the man who always answers the phone when you call to order, I had come to the conclusion that this was a very small outfit. That the owner runs it out of his garage does not surprise me at all. That's one good way to keep overhead down.

MC^2