Televue Panoptic 41mm

I prefer low-power eyepieces that deliver sharp, great views; this eyepiece is one of many eyepieces that I've purchased, tried and kept.

It is very heavy, weighing in at 2.1lbs, it can be a pain when used on a EQ mount, but the views are simply gorgeous and well worth the trouble.

The 41mm panoptic is simply in a class of its own. I owned a Pentax XW 40mm which is a pretty good eyepiece, after comparing both I decided to sell it and keep the panoptic. Sharpness is seen all across the glass, I can't make out any blurness anywhere. When looking through this eyepiece, one gets the sense of floating in space. First off, it has a great eye relief, just perfect, it's as if you're looking through a window, not too close, not too far.

I use this eyepiece strictly with my TV-NP127, I also own a 16" Meade SCT, this eyepiece gives much better views with short focal length scopes.

I would recommend this eyepiece to anyone who can afford it, the 41mm panoptic costs as much as some telescopes. Expect to see some great views; also expect to get addicted.

Pros

1) Incredible field of view (68 degrees)
2) Long eye relief (27mm)
3) Great contrast

Cons

1) Very expensive
2) Heavy (2.1 lbs) for EQ mounts

Rating

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