Pentax SMC-XL 7mm

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Brand and Model:Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
Price ($USD):$237.50
Type:Misc Wide Angle
Focal Length:7 mm
Barrel Size:1.25 in
Apparent FOV:65.0 degrees
Field Stop Dia.:0.0 mm
Eye Relief:20 mm
Elements:7
Weight (lbs):0.9
Description:

Vote Highlights Vote
Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
Similar to the 5.2mm in the series this eyepiece has everything, eye-relief, wide field of view, sharp image, contrast, there is little more to ask. If you have the means try one. You will not be disappointed.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=577309

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
This is an amazing eyepiece. Its loaded with glass and lenses yet it is the brightest, sharpest, highest contrast eyepiece I have ever looked thru near this focal length. To boot, it also has a 65 degree field of view. One time I counted 13 craterlets in Plato with this eyepiece in a 6" f/8 Celestron Achromatic refractor. I had a number of other eyepieces on hand that nite that could not see what the 7mm Pentax XL saw including: 8mm Edmund RKE, 8mm Brandon (close but no cigar), an old 6.8mm UO ortho and a host of other eyepieces above and below these in focal length. All of the Pentax XL's are amazing eyepieces IMO; this may well be the best one in the series however. Unfortunately, I do most of my observing with slow SCT's and this eyepiece frequently produces an exit pupil that is smaller than the atmosphere will support (i.e. too much power). Clear skies!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=204313

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
One of the very best telescope oculars you can buy at any price. It is almost flawless, and a joy to use on planets, and other objects as well. Expensive!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=424700

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
I have owned all sorts of eyepieces. From the very cheap Meade Plossls to the Apogee Easy View, to the Takahashi LE and the TeleVue Naglers. I must say that "this" is it. I sold all the rest and now I use only Pentax XL. I have the set from 7mm to 40mm. They are a joy to use in my custom made 14.5 Dob. To my eyes they are flat out the best view, most comfortable to use and just right on field and eye relief. In addition they are less expensive than almost all the TeleVues. What more could you want? As things stand today, I would not have another ep but one of these. The new XW set looks too expensive and too heavy for me. I have just what I want right here. I wish you could look through my scope to see what I am talking about.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=357640

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
As far as I am concerned, pay the extra money and buy the Pentax line of eyepieces. Expecially for use in a high quality fast refractor. When the older version XL's were selling for $230, I don't know how Televue sold any eyepieces at all. Now that the new XW's are $350, the $250 Radians may be a relative value to most. But I would still put out the extra $100 and get the XW. You will not be disapointed. The field of view is just unbelievable, even at 7mm.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:10 Value:6
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=338306

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
Crisp and contrasty to the edge. It has the ability to pull out very subtle details in my TMB 105 APO that my other high-end eyepices can't quite muster. The 105 and this eyepiece have produced wonderful views of various nebulae that are brimming with detail.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=160253

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
An excellent series of eyepieces, all parfocal, all with wide field of view, and very high optical throughput. Eye guards are easily adjustable to give a deep well for viewing through, or flat against the glass for specatcle wearers.

Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=68668

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
I like Radians and I like Pentax SMC orthos and I like Meade UWA's but I LOVE this eyepiece! It is the most comfortable one I have ever used, its sharp as a tack, has great contrast, and delivers the best images of Jupiter of anything I have ever tried in my MN-61. Its expensive but it is great eye candy!

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=42900

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
This is definitely my new favorite planetary eyepiece. All I can say is comfort, comfort, comfort. I've teased out details which I thought just weren't possible with my scope, a 6" F/7.5 Newt. Dark barges and white ovals on Jupiter are easy.

For comparison sake: Much more comfortable than any Nagler I've looked through. True, the field is "only" 65 degrees, but to me that's more than enough FOV. Eye relief is fantastic for this focal length, whether I choose to use glasses or not.

As far as image quality: after a close comparison with my 6mm UO ortho, sharpness of details is just as good, though just a touch less contrasty. Not suprising, though, with 4 more lenses. Still, it's light-years ahead of the ortho for comfort.

The eyecup is really innovative. I'm a big fan of wide field lenses - something you don't normally see in this focal range. The cup, when extended, not only guides your eye to avoid any kidney-beaning, but also prevents your eyelashes from touching the field lens. That, combined with the comfort and ease of use, makes it great for public observing, as there's no eye goop nor mascara to clean up afterwards. :) With this eyepiece, my wife (an unexperienced observer) managed to see the Great Red Spot for the first time, and exclaimed, "Wow, it really does make a difference!"

Overall, if fractional ratings were allowed, I'd give it a 9.75 (I guess I have to round up). It loses that quarter of a point for having just a tad less contrast than my ortho, though I don't think a "perfect 10" exists. Still, a joy to observe through. Make sure your scope is well-cooled down, as this eyepiece won't really shine until you're very close to ambient temperature.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=42899

Pentax SMC-XL 7mm
A very comfortable to use eyepiece with very good brightness, color purity, sharpness across it's wide FOV, and 20mm of eye relief. No ghosting. However, I have a Vixen (Orion) 7.5mm LV that is (surprisingly to me) better in terms of both sharpness and contrast in the center of the FOV.

I've compared quite a few eyepieces in f/5.4 and f/5.3 refractors, and am basing my ratings on image quality, not FOV.

Overall Rating: 7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=42898

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