[Review&QnA] Pentax 70516 SMC-XW 20 1.25-Inch Eyepiece for Telescopes and Pentax Spotting Scopes

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	[Review&QnA] Pentax 70516 SMC-XW 20 1.25-Inch Eyepiece for Telescopes and Pentax Spotting Scopes GotoProduct About this item Improved 70 degree field of view for easier viewing XW 7, 10, 14 , 20 will give a wider field of view than our previous eyepieces when used on Pentax Spotting Scopes or with telescopes XW 14, 20, 30, and 40 are designed specifically provide ideal viewing conditions when used with a telescope Fully multi-coated lenses increase light transmission and color quality High-refraction, low-dispersion lanthanum glass elements deliver bright, high-resolution images with minimal aberrations and distortions
Review
★★★★★ Best eyepieces I've ever used. Style: XW-3.5 | Verified Purchase I have all 6 of the 1.25 in Pentax XW's. They're my favorite eyepieces. This one is not so good for any telescope with more than 600 mm focal length, the magnification is too high for anything other than perfect sky conditions. I like to use it in my 80 mm stellarvue with a 560 mm focal length and it works great for planets under perfect conditions. If you were only going to buy one eyepiece you should go with the 5 mm, it is best for average conditions.   ★★★★★ It looks and feels like a 2"eyepiece Style: XW-5 | Verified Purchase Absolutely stunning eyepiece. It is the most high powered eyepiece one can use with Celestron EdgeHD 8 scope. Even at that extreme usable magnification, the Pentax 5mm produces absolutely clear and crisp edge to edge image! The eyepiece is really very big and heavy, the photograph is deceiving. It looks and feels like a 2"eyepiece. Without any hesitation, I can say this is my best eyepiece compared to my other eyepieces from Explore Scientific and Televue. Get one till you get it. I have heard Ricoh has stopped manufacturing them.   ★★★★★ Crisp, Comfortable Views Style: XW-7 | Verified Purchase This eyepiece yields about 170 power in my refractors and it is always one of my go-tos to produce brilliant, crisp and flat planetary views. Comfortable with the twist-up eyecup. Takes me about a dozen quick turns to extend all the way out. An eyepiece of this quality is truly better than the rest. You can see the difference. If you are on the fence about buying it, do not be. Buy it to be a great lifetime addition to your eyepiece collection.   ★★★★★ Wow what a view! Style: XW-7 | Verified Purchase Huge improvement from standard lenses that come with SCT telescope and very sharp image to the edge. Jupiter never looked this good and when I tested it the seeing conditions were average or below average.   ★★★★★ Worked great Style: XW-20 | Verified Purchase I bought them as a present to myself. The eyepiece does work very well with the eye relief I was expecting. Have tried the eyepiece for a little bit but hope to use the eyepiece more in the summer.   ★★★★★ Just as good as TeleVue Style: XW-10 | Verified Purchase This eyepiece just feels so damn good in the palm of my hand. So well made! Looks incredible. Not as bulky as a delos even though I do love my 6mm Delos I didn't want to just be a "Televue Guy". I wanted a diverse roster and I'm glad I'm opted to get this. Just wonderful.   ★★★★★ High quality, fully multi-coated, waterproof eyepiece Style: XW-14 | Verified Purchase I gave it 5* for it's overall quality and construction. This is much better than a zoom, which comes standard on most scopes. It is fully multi-coated, (the best), has a sharp image with good brightness and light transmission. I do not see any aberration's. It also has good eye relief- 20mm. It is waterproof and fog proof- some other telescopic eyepieces by third parties are not waterproof- read the fine print.This is a perfect match for the Pentax scope 65EDA or 80EDA- buy the body only and then buy a quality eyepiece like this. It is easy to install on a spotting scope or telescope. The XW series is the top line Pentax eyepieces. The XF series is a step down, but also good quality. It was shipped in a very sturdy protective case that you can use to store or transport it in. It weighs approx 12.8 oz, so on a Pentax PF-65EDA scope, the total weight is over 3 pounds. Combined with a Pentax PF-80 EDA, the unit weighs over 4 pounds. I use it for birding and it is great.   ★★★★★ Best eyepiece ever Style: XW-14 | Verified Purchase These are great eyepieces. One of the best I've ever bought.   ★★★★★ Best eye piece ever Style: XW-7 | Verified Purchase These were one if the best eyepieces I've ever bought.   ★★★★★ Great Eyepiece. Style: XW-20 | Verified Purchase Very nice eyepiece. Perfect for my 5” SCT. I really like the TeleVue Ethos I got, but it’s huge. This eyepiece is just right and great quality.   See more reviews
Custom Questions & answers
Question: Is it possible to use a good quality Barlow (I've read that Televue ones are great), with this type of wide field eyepiece? Answer: Don't really have experience here. I would imagine you could do it. And I would imagine it would substantially reduce your wide field of view. I'm sure it would be better just to get a shorter focal length eyepiece. - stp   Question: what do the xw numbers signify? Answer: The XW version gives a nominal 5 degrees of additional FOV for each model. In reality the prior model was the same thing with the extra FOV forced to compete with Tele Vue Radian versions. The AFOV is 70 degrees on the latest model compared to 65 degrees on previous. If you can find the older models used....it is just as good the change was just a marketing ploy. Having owned both the TeleVue and Pentax....I sold all my TeleVue and now only own Pentax and a BAADER eyepiece. The Pentax are really excellent and have the same eye relief on the 1 1/4" models which makes it a lot more convenient in swapping out eyepieces. For long hours of observing the Pentax won't make you work as hard since they have no artifacts and avoid the kidney bean shadows of many brands/models that drive you crazy.   Question: Do these fixed eyepieces come with a lens cap? How well does it stay on? Answer: Yes they do (tho' I don't use it!): it's a push/pull cap without any sort of thread so it's not absolutely secure, but it's a good fit and and wouldn't readily work loose. And the lens is excellent!   Question: which non slr camera adapters will fit the Pentax PF 80 scope with the Pentax SMC XW 14 lens, excluding the Pentax adapter? Answer: Are you going to try astrophotography? If the Pentax adapter doesn't fit or a longer or shorter focal length is needed which the Pentax adapter doesn't provide, possibly "Orion Telescopes" or "Scope City" or "Woodland Hill Camera & Telescopes" can help, these dealers have experienced consultants who can best advise according to your requirements, doesn't the PF 80 scope adapter fit your Pentax SMC 14 eyepiece? "Astronomics" in Oklahoma is another helpful dealer, just measure your PF Scope's eyepiece holder's diameter to be sure. Orion Telescopes has a camera holder called "Steady Pix" which mounts on the focusing tube supporting the camera behind the eyepiece. I wish I could help you, but I just use my telescope for visual observation and have not yet had to make adaptations. I'm sure an adapter can be located for you, at one of the mentioned dealers, but you will have to consult with someone there and have measurements and have a good idea what you will be doing.   Question: Is it safe to assume that the "14" in the model no. refers to the focal length in mm? Answer: Yes. The number 14 refers to the focal length of the eyepiece in millimeters. The number 1.25 refers to the diameter of the eyepiece barrel in inches.   Question: Which pentax fixed eyepiece will give me a 30x magnification? Answer: The answer to that question depends on the focal length of your telescope. If you know the focal length directly in millimeters, then divide that number by 30 to get the correct number for the eyepiece. For example, if your telescope's focal length is 600mm, then you would need a 20mm eyepiece to get a 30x magnification (600/30 = 20). If you don't know the telescope's focal length, but you do know the diameter of the primary objective and the f-value, then you can still get the focal length. For example, if the telescope has a 100mm primary objective (approximately 4 inches in diameter) and if it is an f6.0 , then the focal length is 600mm (100 x 6.0 = 600).   See more questions