Televue Panoptic 27mm

Eyepiece specifications
Manufacturer	Televue
Model	Panoptic
Focal length	27mm
FOV	68˚
Diameter	2.00"
Review date	2005-12-02
Reviewer age	N/A
Reviewer experience	N/A

Review location
Seeing conditions
Telescope used

This is my favorite eyepiece out of the Panoptic line. I bought it for my Meade
LDX75-SN-10, this is 10" Schmidt Newtonian with wonderful optics.

This is what I recall from a few trips with some friends to a dark site.
Here are the telescope specs:
- 254mm aperture
- 1016mm focal length
- F/4

This is a low power eyepiece that provides about 38x magnification (1016/27 rounded) and
a field of view of 1.81 degrees, the exit pupil is 6.75. What this eyepiece along with
this telescope bring you is a wide field of view with ample aperture for DSOs, a perfect
combination.

Although this is mainly a DSO eyepiece, I couldn't help but point my telescope to the
moon. Craters emerge with great detail even though the moon only occupies a small
portion of the field of view, if you stare long enough you feel like it is floating in
space and you realize that the moon is actually an object in space not etched in the
night sky.

Star clusters are a good test for eyepiece optical performance, the 27mm Panoptic is
sharp sharp sharp to the edge, all stars in the field of view are no optical distortion
whatsoever, its clarity and contrast will make you drool. There is no kidney bean
effect, the eye relief is just right for me (I do not wear glasses).

Compared to other eyepieces, this one gave more contrast and brightness, for example
when looking at M33 (the Triangulum Galaxy), the spirals are more defined than in a
Meade series 5000 SWA 28mm, these are both very similar eyepieces.

What I didn't like about this eyepiece is the pincushion distortion when star hopping,
is it somewhat noticeable, but again, this is a low power eyepiece made for wide field
of view of stars, nebulae and galaxies, M42 and M43 fit comfortably in the field of view
and are brighter than in the Meade (please keep in mind that I own three Meade eyepieces
, they are all great, but this Panoptic gives stunning views unmatched y any other eyepiece out there including other Panoptics).

The other thing I didn't like about it is that it is heavy, this isn't really an optical issue and doesn't really affect view pleasure but I had to mention it.

Thanks Al!

Pros

Stunning views
Sharp edge to edge
Very clear and contrasty
State of the art workmanship

Cons

On the heavy side

Rating

9/10

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Reader Comments

This eyepiece is heavy alright, however it gives incredible views. I can't find a single flaw in this eyepiece. I bought it new a few months ago and have babied it ever since. I use it on an old C8 (they don't make them like they used to), the optics aver very sharp. I wouldn't mind owning a TeleVue refractor in combination with the 27mm Panoptic. I give it a perfect 10!

Rating: 10 out of 10

I was not happy with it on a fast refractor (f/6), stars around the edges get pretty bad. I have heard that it does very well on longer scopes (f/12 etc)

Rating: 7 out of 10

I have used this ep on a F4 10" Schmidt Newtonian and a F8.6 4" APO TV102 with equal views, excellent. There were pinpoint stars edge to edge and no scatter or reflections. I have viewed it through a F5.2 5" APO NP127 as well with incredable views. I give it a perfect 10 as well!

Rating: 10 out of 10