I have the complete Pentax XW set so I'm not exactly hurting. The main defect of this series is a big gap from 14mm to 20mm.
I seem to feel this gap "more" than other gaps (between 20 and 30mm, and between 30 and 40mm) probably because this is prime real estate magnification wise on my C14: the 20mm is 196, the 14mm is about 280x. That's almost 100x from the 20 to the 14mm. I often feel the need for a halfway point.
Got no REAL complaints but I have filled the gap with the Nagler NT4 17mm. It's a nice piece of glass but it ain't pentax-y.
On planets, shows a bit too much ghosting to my taste.
I'm just wondering if there are any 16 or 17mm options out there that I might like better. I know there's the Nagler 16 but I'm not sure why I'd prefer that to the 17. Otherwise I'm a bit stumped. I've used a couple of Pans and they're OK but I'm not sure what's out there that would sit "nice and comfortable" beween two Pentaxes in a place currently occupied by a 17mm NT4.
I guess it's not REALLY a problem. But when you get used to the feel and style of the XWs it's rather jarring to switch to the TV. Maybe I should just get a little 1.25" 17mm and use it for planets and keep the 17NT4 for deep sky at that magnification, getting, as it were, two eyepieces to take the place of the 17XW that doesn't exist.
regards
Greg N
I seem to feel this gap "more" than other gaps (between 20 and 30mm, and between 30 and 40mm) probably because this is prime real estate magnification wise on my C14: the 20mm is 196, the 14mm is about 280x. That's almost 100x from the 20 to the 14mm. I often feel the need for a halfway point.
Got no REAL complaints but I have filled the gap with the Nagler NT4 17mm. It's a nice piece of glass but it ain't pentax-y.
On planets, shows a bit too much ghosting to my taste.
I'm just wondering if there are any 16 or 17mm options out there that I might like better. I know there's the Nagler 16 but I'm not sure why I'd prefer that to the 17. Otherwise I'm a bit stumped. I've used a couple of Pans and they're OK but I'm not sure what's out there that would sit "nice and comfortable" beween two Pentaxes in a place currently occupied by a 17mm NT4.
I guess it's not REALLY a problem. But when you get used to the feel and style of the XWs it's rather jarring to switch to the TV. Maybe I should just get a little 1.25" 17mm and use it for planets and keep the 17NT4 for deep sky at that magnification, getting, as it were, two eyepieces to take the place of the 17XW that doesn't exist.
regards
Greg N
"Scope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no scope." --Freewheelin' Franklin
