I just ordered a Pentax PF-65EDII from BuyDig.com. They've got them for $400 with a 20-60X zoom eyepiece.
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PKPF65EDII
I assume the eyepiece is the XF which doesn't have enough eye relief for me. So, my plan is to resell the zoom and buy some fixed focal length astronomical eyepieces. I ordered a Meade 5000 20mm SWA which has a 68 deg AFOV. They are on sale half off until the end of the month, so it only cost me $70 delivered. Not a big gamble.
In searching on the web, I was surprised to find that you can now get 82 deg and even 100 deg eyepieces. The 100 deg are pretty much out of the question. They are expensive and huge. The 82 deg eyepieces intrigue me though. I'm a binocular nut but fairly new to spotting scopes. An 82 deg AFOV is unheard of in binoculars. However, I've read that not all astronomical eyepieces will work on the Pentax and I'm not sure how to tell which ones are compatible.
I read a glowing review of the Williams Optics 16mm UWAN ehich has an 82 deg AFOV and costs $200. Has anyone tired the WO UWAN or any other 82 deg eyepiece on a PF-65EDII? The review was written in 2006. Are there any more recently released ultrawide eyepieces that are a better deal?
Thanks,
Mark
http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PKPF65EDII
I assume the eyepiece is the XF which doesn't have enough eye relief for me. So, my plan is to resell the zoom and buy some fixed focal length astronomical eyepieces. I ordered a Meade 5000 20mm SWA which has a 68 deg AFOV. They are on sale half off until the end of the month, so it only cost me $70 delivered. Not a big gamble.
In searching on the web, I was surprised to find that you can now get 82 deg and even 100 deg eyepieces. The 100 deg are pretty much out of the question. They are expensive and huge. The 82 deg eyepieces intrigue me though. I'm a binocular nut but fairly new to spotting scopes. An 82 deg AFOV is unheard of in binoculars. However, I've read that not all astronomical eyepieces will work on the Pentax and I'm not sure how to tell which ones are compatible.
I read a glowing review of the Williams Optics 16mm UWAN ehich has an 82 deg AFOV and costs $200. Has anyone tired the WO UWAN or any other 82 deg eyepiece on a PF-65EDII? The review was written in 2006. Are there any more recently released ultrawide eyepieces that are a better deal?
Thanks,
Mark