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New Eyepiece - SDL4 (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Bill Atwood
- Start date
Thanks for the heads-up!
Sharper, brighter, no mention of field width, so I assume it’ll be the same. So bit narrow at the short end, opening up to. very useful width and then getting a little dim at the highest power. Be good to have a more detailed comparison of specs published?! If I was designing a new zoom I’d have asked for more field width, even if it meant a slight reduction in zoom range (I’d probably trim the low power end a little)
Peter
Sharper, brighter, no mention of field width, so I assume it’ll be the same. So bit narrow at the short end, opening up to. very useful width and then getting a little dim at the highest power. Be good to have a more detailed comparison of specs published?! If I was designing a new zoom I’d have asked for more field width, even if it meant a slight reduction in zoom range (I’d probably trim the low power end a little)
Peter
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
In a very short comparison between my SDLv2 and a SDLv4 today, I could see no difference. At times I thought the v4 may have a touch more contrast but when I looked again it didn't 🤷🏼♀️
Boogieshrew,
I sent two MM4 with v3 zooms back because of chromatic aberration. I assumed it was the bodies, but with hindsight it could have been the v3 zoom eyepiece, so I am interested to see Opticron has replaced "one of the eyelens elements with ED glass to help reduce chromatic aberration". Did you ever see chromatic aberration with your v2 ? Did you see any with the v4 ?
V3 has a wider fov so I expect the v4 to have that too. Optically, I agree, no perceivable difference.
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
Hi 4john,
I've not seen any with my V2. Last year I tried my V2 against a V3 (both on my scope so no variables that way). My V2 was sharper than the V3. I put it down to sample variation. I'd rather have my sharp V2 with a touch less fov that a poorer view V3 with more fov.
I didn't see any on the V3 or v4 but I'm not prone to it and I don't induce it. I don't go looking for to avoid "training" my eyes to see it, if you see what I mean.
All the best
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
V4 is wider than V2 👍
That is very interesting, as I have read some reports of CA with the sdl-v3 while I don't have CA with my fixed HDF-eyepiece.
Boogieshrew,
Thanks for the reply. Like you I don't go looking for CA and I don't want to learn how to induce it. That was why it was such a shock to see it so badly with the both of the two MM4 bodies and the same SDLv3 I tried. With hindsight I should have tried a few SDLv3 - that might have fixed the problem, allthough as
Opticron is now saying that the v4 has an ED element "to help reduce chromatic aberration", it might not.
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
I think sample variation plays a big part, possibly outweighing differences between versions. My V2 was distinctly better than the V3 I compared it with last year. Sample variation is the only reason I can think of to account for that.
Having said that a new ED element is surely an improvement for the V4 and one that I could not see in my very brief comparison last week. It will probably only show over time and use in certain conditions.
Having said that a new ED element is surely an improvement for the V4 and one that I could not see in my very brief comparison last week. It will probably only show over time and use in certain conditions.
Nick Leech
Well-known member
Just to chip in with my experience. I upgraded from a SDLv2 eyepiece to a SDLv3 eyeiece on my MM4 ED50 some time ago. I had both eyepieces in the house at the same time so was able to compare back-to-back. The v3 definitely has slightly greater FoV, as advertised. On my scope, I thought the v3 was also very slightly sharper than the v2, but not much in it. Overall I was happy with the upgrade and sold on my v2 eyepiece.
I have not tried a v4. It sounds like it is going to be very similar to the v3 optically.
I have not tried a v4. It sounds like it is going to be very similar to the v3 optically.
Rule of thumb....whichever one I have is always the previous, un-improved model!
Peregrine Took
Well-known member
The HDF T is superior to the SDLv2 and has an almost identical field of view to the SDLv3, but isn't monsoon-proof. With such minimal differences, it'll be interesting to see how many switch from an HDF T or an SDLv3 to the v4 and what their conclusions are after several months of ownership. You go first.
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Boogieshrew
Well-known member
I think my SDL2 is better than my HDF zoom. It's a long time since I compared them but I haven't used the HDF since.
Certainly better contrast.
Peregrine Took
Well-known member
In case anyone doesn't realise it, the HDF and the HDF T are two different things. Or rather, three different things, as there was an 'original' HDF with a folding eyecup.
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c.50% users find the SDLv2/3 slightly better optically than the HDF and the other c.50% find no difference.
I have both the SDLv2 and v3. I find the v3 marginally sharper but sometimes a very slight ghosting effect that the v2 does not have.
FOV of the v3 is wider but still quite narrow for current standards. This does not bother me too much in my MM360, but a bit more in my HRGAED80.
I have both the SDLv2 and v3. I find the v3 marginally sharper but sometimes a very slight ghosting effect that the v2 does not have.
FOV of the v3 is wider but still quite narrow for current standards. This does not bother me too much in my MM360, but a bit more in my HRGAED80.
Boogieshrew
Well-known member
I have the HDF T I believe.In case anyone doesn't realise it, the HDF and the HDF T are two different things. Or rather, three different things, as there was an 'original' HDF with a folding eyecup.
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What are the differences between HDF and HDF T?
Peregrine Took
Well-known member
Not sure, optically, but the 'original' HDF has a folding eyecup and looks more primitive. The next iteration looks almost identical to the most recent 'T', but I've no idea what the 'T' added.
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