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Pentax 65 eyepiece suggestions (1 Viewer)

Martin,

I consider buying a spare 12 mm. If that were the focal length you were after, you could have bought and tried it, and if not satisfied, I would have bought it from you.
I don't feel the same need for a spare 18 mm, though.

The 18 mm is really nice, but I do notice the curvature of field. But I watch waders and snipes at very long distance, so much of the time I make use of the 12 mm.

If you ever buy the 12mm, please let us know how it stands up against the XW.

Kind regards

L
 
OK, tested my Vortex zoom. LV Zoom, works with my glasses 24mm to 16mm. Pretty useless by 12mm.

Without glasses, my Pentax XF 12mm gives wider field than the zoom above at 12mm.

I can see the main issue is going to be eye relief with the glasses. get the eye relief you need, then the power you are looking for and shop for best wide field last.

I drive with my glasses on, stop to look at the river at 20x with glasses on...window clamp...and if I get out of the car I put the glasses away.
 
Good morning Looksharp 65,

I plan to order the 12mm today. At £36 how can I not?
I may get the 18mm too, I haven't made up my mind. I may get the Hyperion 17mm instead. Or perhaps both and compare them.

Of course, I will let you know what I think of them.

Best wishes
Martin

looksharp65 said:
Martin,

I consider buying a spare 12 mm. If that were the focal length you were after, you could have bought and tried it, and if not satisfied, I would have bought it from you.
I don't feel the same need for a spare 18 mm, though.

The 18 mm is really nice, but I do notice the curvature of field. But I watch waders and snipes at very long distance, so much of the time I make use of the 12 mm.

If you ever buy the 12mm, please let us know how it stands up against the XW.

Kind regards

L
Click to expand...
 
Hi Tero,

Tero said:
LV Zoom, works with my glasses 24mm to 16mm. Pretty useless by 12mm.
Click to expand...

This has 20-15mm e/r right? Sounds quite long but doesn't work for you so I'll assume it wont work for me either. I am always fussy about e/r. I need lots of it.

[/QUOTE]Without glasses, my Pentax XF 12mm gives wider field than the zoom above at 12mm. [/QUOTE]

I tried the XF yesterday and the e/r is way too short for me and I like to keep my glasses on so that one is ruled out.

[/QUOTE]I can see the main issue is going to be eye relief with the glasses. get the eye relief you need, then the power you are looking for and shop for best wide field last.[/QUOTE]

Good advice Tero.

So far the only zoom which looks good is the Pentax XL with 18-22mm. It's over £400 though so no way!

So, back to the original plan. Fixed mag.

I think I'll order the BST Explorers in 18 & 12mm
and
Hyperion 17mm.

Best wishes
Martin
 
Just been on the 'phone to Alan at Sky's the Limit about the BST Explorer Dual ED eyepieces. They only have 13mm eye-relief so I'm sure they will be no good for me.

Back to the drawing board :-C
 
Martin Fagg said:
Just been on the 'phone to Alan at Sky's the Limit about the BST Explorer Dual ED eyepieces. They only have 13mm eye-relief so I'm sure they will be no good for me.

Back to the drawing board :-C
Click to expand...

I wear glasses and my eyes are deeply set.
I have some problems overviewing the Minox's 60 degree AFOV with its 15 mm eye relief, but I see all of the FOV with the Explorer 12 and 18 mm...

And the FOV of a scope cannot be compared to the FOV of binoculars, since the scope is fixed on the tripod and you can easily turn your head to see the very edge. There is no second barrel that loses its image, you know...
 
looksharp65 said:
I wear glasses and my eyes are deeply set.
I have some problems overviewing the Minox's 60 degree AFOV with its 15 mm eye relief, but I see all of the FOV with the Explorer 12 and 18 mm...

And the FOV of a scope cannot be compared to the FOV of binoculars, since the scope is fixed on the tripod and you can easily turn your head to see the very edge. There is no second barrel that loses its image, you know...
Click to expand...


No, I'm pretty certain that these wont wok for me.

My Opticron e/ps are 23x- 59* AFOV & 22mm e/r and 32x- 66* AFOV and 18mm e/r. The 23x is most comfortable and the 32x slightly less so but still extremely useable.

The Pentax XW14 has AFOV 70* and 20mm e/t and I can't see the edges without craning my head which I consider an inconvenience.

What is the point of having a wide view if you can't see it all at once? It's like having a fantastic picture window with an amazing view and being allowed to only stand far back from the window and having to walk from side to side to see the whole o th view.

Also Astro e/ps with 15mm e/r that I tried recently were hopeless.
 
Martin...the XW 14 is pretty fancy ..if you dont want it for your primary eyepiece,I would sell it ,or try ot trade it for the XW20 that you know You want...then You can buy a less expensixe 28x 0r 30X as a back up...or a Zoom..I think you will be VERY happy with the XW20!!!!
best regards
 
Martin Fagg said:
What is the point of having a wide view if you can't see it all at once? It's like having a fantastic picture window with an amazing view and being allowed to only stand far back from the window and having to walk from side to side to see the whole o th view.
Click to expand...

Have you screwed the eyecup down quite a bit? Your glasses may be limiting your view as it might be setting your eye relief too far back. I had/have no problems seeing the field stop through an XW EP. No glasses though.

mayoayo said:
Martin...the XW 14 is pretty fancy ..if you dont want it for your primary eyepiece,I would sell it ,or try ot trade it for the XW20 that you know You want...
Click to expand...

Now there's some good thinking.
 
Originally Posted by Martin Fagg
"What is the point of having a wide view if you can't see it all at once? It's like having a fantastic picture window with an amazing view and being allowed to only stand far back from the window and having to walk from side to side to see the whole o th view."

Kevin,

this was a comment on the 13mm e/r of the BST/Paradigm e/ps rather than the XWs. The XW14 is just slightly too wide with the eyecup screwed right down but it's not a major problem, just slightly wider than I can see without moving my eye side to side a little.


Originally Posted by mayoayo
"Martin...the XW 14 is pretty fancy ..if you dont want it for your primary eyepiece,I would sell it ,or try ot trade it for the XW20 that you know You want..."
Originally Posted by Kevin Conville
"Now there's some good thinking"

Kevin & Manuel,

it is a good idea and I considered it over the last few days but as I have grown accustomed to the XW14 as I've used it more, I have a better plan. Buy the XW20 as a mian e/p and keep the XW14 as a long distance use back up. Hang the expense! They've got to be pretty unbeatable right?

Best wishes
Martin
 
Another argument in favor of XW EPs over most other EPs is their potential ease of use for digiscoping. The eyecup is actually two pieces and the smaller cone shaped part nearest one's eye screws off. If you take this section off then screw down the ring a bit it exposes male 43mm threads of the eyepiece body.

A simple step ring here and your on your way to being able to attach most anything you'd want, rigidly. The Baader Hyperions and their clones have easy to access threads as well.

These previously posted shots may not be the most illustrative photos, but they give an idea of what I'm saying:
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=159503&d=1221154865

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=159504&d=1221154877

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=132504&d=1206995610
 
Last edited:
:eek!:

Oh no!

Don't get me into digiscoping. I've avoided it so far. If I start now it wont be long until I want a scope that's bigger than 65mm and the quest will start all over again

:eek!:
 
By the way, I was out birding again yesterday afternoon and the weather was cool so there was little atmospherics and I really enjoyed the XW14. I think the conditions were just right and it really shone.

It has taken quite a lot of use for me to get used to it but I enjoy using it now. I expect with winter on the way that conditions will be suitable more often and I'll enjoy the e/p more and more.

Still want that XW20 though.

Best wishes
Martin.
 
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