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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

smc PENTAX Zoom XL 8-24mm (1 Viewer)

PSBT

Member
Hey!

I'm curious to understand how this zoom eyepiece works. I've seen other ones that have click-stops. This one seems to be continuous, is that correct?

If so, the fact of it being continuous means you have access to all focal lengths in the range, or the only focal lengths available are 8mm, 12mm and 24mm?

Sorry about the newbie question...

Thanks!
Pedro
 
Pedro, I have the Baader Clickstop zoom and recently bought a used Pentax 8-24. They are similar, except the Pentax has longer eye relief and a smaller Afov at each magnification. The Baader (mine is the first version, not the current Mark 3) has click stops, but the in-between magnifications are available by just leaving the barrel rotated "between clicks". The Pentax, as you state, has no click stops. It also has little notches in the bottom that catch on the screw in the bottom of the scope eyepiece well. These prevent the eyepiece from rotating when you turn the zoom ring if the eyepiece collet is not tightened securely. With the Baader, the user just needs to tighten the collet fully and this is no problem. I should mention that my Baader would not come to infinity focus in the PF80EDa, but there is an older thread in this forum that describes how to modify so it will focus at infinity. HTH - Bill
 
Thanks Bill!

So in the Pentax 8-24 in-between magnifications are available? Or you have to rotate the knob until reaching the marks and only those focal lengths / magnifications have an effect on the view?

Sorry again for the newbie question. I'm just trying to picture how zoom eyepieces (without click-stops) work...
 
Pedro, yes, all in-between magnifications are available on both the Pentax 8-24 mm and on the Baader "click stop" zoom. You do not have to stop only at the marks or only at the clicks on either of these two eyepieces. I suspect other zooms are the same but have not tried any others. - Bill
 
Pedro, I have the Baader Clickstop zoom and recently bought a used Pentax 8-24. They are similar, except the Pentax has longer eye relief and a smaller Afov at each magnification. The Baader (mine is the first version, not the current Mark 3) has click stops, but the in-between magnifications are available by just leaving the barrel rotated "between clicks". The Pentax, as you state, has no click stops. It also has little notches in the bottom that catch on the screw in the bottom of the scope eyepiece well. These prevent the eyepiece from rotating when you turn the zoom ring if the eyepiece collet is not tightened securely. With the Baader, the user just needs to tighten the collet fully and this is no problem. I should mention that my Baader would not come to infinity focus in the PF80EDa, but there is an older thread in this forum that describes how to modify so it will focus at infinity. HTH - Bill

At the end of the day which zoom gets more use?
 
Oscar, I slightly prefer the Baader for its smaller size, but most of my spotter use is with fixed focal length eyepieces. Either 26 mm SWA for widefield scanning and nearby viewing or Pentax XL/XW's for more detail viewing. - Bill
 
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