Zoom eyepieces for high power - TeleVue?

I have a 12.5-inch scope with good optics equipped with a series of TeleVue eyepieces, including a 4mm Radian giving 375x power. In most cases I don't need to go higher, since atmospheric seeing normally sets the limit of resolution. However, under the rare occasions when seeing is excellent, I'd really like to have the possibility to use even higher magnification. Using a barlow is one option, but with my present series of eyepieces a 2x Barlow would give a magnification gap between 375x and 750x, and 750x is definitely too high for an undriven telescope.
What about the TeleVue zoom eyepieces, for instance the 3-6mm zoom? Does it perform well over the entire magnification range? Is it worth the money?

Inge S

I love my Nagler zoom 3-6mm. I think of it as an 'open cluster opener'. Want to see more stars? Turn the wheel!

Another possibility is Burgess 2.5mm. I have 4 and 6mm and am very happy with both.

Dmitri

Edit: And they will have 3.2mm too.

What about the TeleVue zoom eyepieces, for instance the 3-6mm zoom? Does it perform well over the entire magnification range? Is it worth the money?
Inge S

Yes, the TV 3-6 zoom is a wonderful eyepiece. It performs equally well over
the entire range. Worth every penny. It replaces 4 normal eyepieces!

Inge
I'm with Dmitri and John. I've used the TV3-6 Zoom and now the TV2-4 Zoom and have compaired them with my Naglers and aside from the 50* AFOV I could not see any difference in the view. I've used them in refractors and reflectors without issue.
Buck

Inge,

I do not have the 3-6 zoom, but it's on my list. I've been doing a lot of investigating into it and talking to many people who own it. Not one of anyone I have talked with, both online and in phone conversations, has had anything negative to say about this EP. In fact, for those who have other premium EPs, they put the Nagler 3-6 Zoom on par with the Tak LEs in terms of sharpness and contrast, so good reviews and everyone says it's worth the money. And, in addition to the obvious 1 Ep replaces 4, it evidently has the added benefit of an unusual observing experience since I'm told it maintains focus while zooming -- so this is supposed to be dramatic for Lunar viewing and zooming into details (Globs also). For that reason alone I am considering it. And it is a bit pricey for a 50deg afov EP (IMO), but I think that will get balanced by the potential of the in-focus zooming for observing and of course by any multiple EPs it may replace.

Although I never asked (perhaps someone here can chime in), I assume it barlows well also? While there has always been (and continues to be somewhat) this stigma associated with barlows, I have found they introduce no issues. For instance, last evening I barlowed up my 12mmT4 to 6mm using an Ultima 2x. So that combination has 9 glass elelments. I compared that to my 6mm UO HD Ortho on NGC 869. Both EPs brought in the same faint stars and the same adverted ones. So whether 9 elements or 4, transmission basically unaffected for visual observation. So if the 3-6 barlows well then you also get a 1.5-3.0 with your 2x. That should cover all the high power bases!

-Bill

Thank you, everyone.
I have already put this eyepiece on my purchase plan. Of course, I'm a bit spoiled after having used Naglers, Panoptics and Radians the last year or two. But, after all, I was very happy with the 45 degree field of the orthoscopics before I acquired the TV eyepieces.
With my focal length, the 3-6mm zoom eyepiece will cover the magnification range between 250x and 500x. This may be high for nights with moderate seeing conditions. But I hope that I'll experience many nights when I can fully utilise the potential of this wonderful eyepiece.

Inge S