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Eye Pioece For Pentax PF-65ED (1 Viewer)

J

JGB

Well-known member
I recently purchased a Pentax PF-65ED scope from Ebay. It is a great piece of equipment although the zoom EP is a bit of a let down. I am looking at purchasing a fixed focal EP and have narrowed it down to the XW 10 (39x zoom) and the XW 14 (28x zoom).

Any advice which would be the better option?

Cheers,
Justin
 
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I have the stratus & the XW,s Although i prefer the XW,s They are certainly not that much better .
The stratus are an exellent value EP .Especially as i got mine on sale at Orion for i believe $94 each .
The pentax screw up eye cups are better than the fold downs on stratus .
In case you wonder why i have both , I do a lot of travelling & i,m afraid of losing my $300 + XW,s . $94 I could manage .
You wont be dissapointed with either .
I also have the 8.5 xf .another good one for the Pentax.
We Pentax users are a lucky bunch with hundreds of 1.5 EPs to choose from.
 
I finally sprung for the Vixen 8-24 zoom. It's Lanthanum so theroretically a kind of ED. Eye relief excellent. FOV a bit narrow. Overall, it's great throughout zoom range. But I will have to check out the other suggestions as well!

I avoided the Pentax zooms like the plague. Should fetch a decent price "at auction".
 
The Nikon zoom can be a good alternative if you don't use eyeglasses and if it can be used on the PF65 model - on the PF100 it works very well.
David
 
Matt_RTH said:
I finally sprung for the Vixen 8-24 zoom. It's Lanthanum so theroretically a kind of ED. Eye relief excellent. FOV a bit narrow. Overall, it's great throughout zoom range.
Click to expand...
I also have had good luck with the Vixen 8-24 and the Pentax Pf-65. I'm wondering about their fixed focal eyepieces. Like the zoom, they are all Lanthanum glass and have eye relief of 20. For example:

http://www.adorama.com/VXLA15.html

Maybe this would be a good option for Justin.
 
How can you use the Nikon zoom on the Pentax?

medinabrit said:
How can you use the Nikon zoom on the Pentax ?
Click to expand...
Brian,
The zoom can be used directly - just open the Pentax eyepiece holder to the maximum and put the Nikon eyepiece to the maximum you can. If your scope holder doesn’t accept that you have to purchase an astro adapter for the Nikon eyepieces (available at astro-optics stores), that is needed also for the fixed Nikons. The PF100 can be a good upgrade for the Nikon users – more info at Test of 100mm telescopes on cr-telescopes at http://pt-ducks.naturlink.pt/
Let me know if it works with your telescope – tell also which Pentax model you have.
David
 
Tahnsk for all the info, I will digest it.

Any opinions as to waht would be the better maginification for a fixed eye piece for a 65mm scope? ±30x or ± 40x?

Cheers,
Justin
 
JGB said:
Any opinions as to waht would be the better maginification for a fixed eye piece for a 65mm scope? ±30x or ± 40x?
Click to expand...

I like 25x personally if fixed but 30 would be very similar. I'd look for a wide ep. 40x would be a bit harder to get on subject and also impractical at certains closer distances.
 
I might have the funds for a PF 65 ED, does it make sense at all to go for a cheap XF 8.5mm eye piece, 46x? And will 46x be bright enough on a cloudy day? Other brand eye pieces about 30-40x?

Primary use is birding in winter etc, digiscoping possible later, but not necessarily with this eye piece.

http://www.adorama.com/PXSS65ED2.html
eye pieces listed there
 
Tero:I really recommend the vixen zoom with that scope...i used to have the Pentax PF65ED,with the swarovski astronomi zoom,then sold it and got the vixen LV zoom..and it was great..great eyerelief,comfortable and a big deal sharp ..it really works ,passes infinity by miles,so no problem when looking with or without glasses on...i have a vixen geoma ED now,and the zoom on it ,the GHL48,is the same as the LV,but made to fit the thread in the scope....i am happy with it...mainly because at the low end of the zoom image is BRIGHT...i rarely use the fixed wide angle 31X..because is not as bright....Field of view???....not that that wide of a deal..by the way ..i use one of those red dot finders..and is fun and useful...i find ducks at flight!!!!!!!with the zoom!!!!!!!yes!!!!!!!!Goldeneye today..flying over the willamette riverand yesterday Eurasian Widgeon!!!!!! i love them...All!!!!Have you considered the NikonED50...?people loves them...im thinking about...
Regards
 
Indeed. I have the 65ed with the Vixen and it is great. I'd prefer wider angle and I really only use 25x. Rarely above that. So to answer the question, the 14mm is really a great ocular but I am very happy with the Vixen and I can zoom if I need to!
 
Tero,

I have the XW14 and the XF8.5 and now the WO Zoom II. (See the thread about that one) The Pentax eyepieces are fantastic. The XF8.5 (and XF 12mm) are not a "cheap" eyepieces as in substandard. They are high quality ep's that give excellent views in the PF65. The 8.5 at 46x is a little darker than a lower powered ep, that's to be expected but it is sharp and clear, 60 degree FOV and excellent ER at 18mm, plus it's waterproof and has the Pentax lifetime warranty. For an all around eyepiece if you don't want or need higher mag that 30x the XW14 is primo. I see the XF8.5 for those times when conditions allow a higher magnification, not as a one eyepiece solution. Having only a 46x eyepiece will limit what you can do. For what I am doing with my scope I am selling my XF8.5 and going with the WO Zoom II. It's listed in the Classifieds if you are interested.

If you can only afford one eyepiece and cannot afford an XW14 and if you don't want a zoom then buy the XF 12mm. It will be a great all around eyepiece at 32X. Then, you can add eyepieces as you go.

My .02

Perry
 
Thanks, the 32mm may be the way to go. I have a cheaper scope that will get me to zoomed 45x, and I can keep that till I get a collection of eye pieces.

How easy are the eye pieces to change out in the field or on a trip?
 
Tero said:
Thanks, the 32mm may be the way to go. I have a cheaper scope that will get me to zoomed 45x, and I can keep that till I get a collection of eye pieces.

How easy are the eye pieces to change out in the field or on a trip?
Click to expand...

It takes about 2 seconds. Quick and easy.
 
If you are going to only have one eyepiece it should either be a zoom or a fixed ep in the neighborhood of 30x power or a little less. Anything more powerful than 30x is too much for most conditions.

The 65ED has a focal length of 390mm, so just divide by the focal length of the ep to get effective magnification. You are correct that a zoom at 8mm will give (390/8) = 48.75, or about 49X magnification.
 
Thanks. Hard to tell with zooms how they are before you see one. Some are awful, the one I use is OK to 45x, and I have got used to scoping birds on rivers at 45x.
 
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