Takahashi LE 30mm

Ratings:Top:Astronomy:Equipment Reviews:Eyepiece Reviews:Takahashi LE 30mm

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Brand and Model:Takahashi LE 30mm
Price ($USD):$189.50
Type:Plossl
Focal Length:30 mm
Barrel Size:1.25
Apparent FOV:52.0 degrees
Field Stop Dia.:0.0 mm
Eye Relief:18 mm
Elements:5
Weight (lbs):0.38
Description:

Vote Highlights Vote
Takahashi LE 30mm
A very good eyepiece. Compared to Plossls of other makes (the Tak LEs are not Plossls, strictly speaking), it stands out. The superior optics provide clear, sharp images across the entire field and it offers a comfortable amount of eye relief, making this a very satisfying EP to use. As for kidney beaning, I have not noticed any...certainly not like the Radians I have in my box. Its FOV is slightly smaller than the Televue 30mm Plossl, but it's not a lot smaller. The bottom line is that the Tak LE 30mm is an outstanding EP. I recommend it.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:9
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=340757

Takahashi LE 30mm
First, the good.
The sharpness of the optics is simply amazing. My plan was to compare this eyepiece to my Televue 32mm plossl to see if there was much difference in the true field of view. As a point of reference I used my Tak FS102 at F/8. I found a nice, loose open cluster with the 32mm plossl so I could have marker stars throughout the field of view. Then I slipped in the 30mm LE and found every star that the plossl showed. Hmm, this was going to be harder than I thought. Next I purposely put a star right at the edge of the FOV of the plossl. When I dropped in the LE my jaw hit my chest. That same star was now cut in half at the field stop! So the plossl beat the LE in true FOV by half a star's width! Incredible. You wouldn't be out of line to call that comparison even.

But the thing that really jumped out at me during this test was the optical quality of the LE. I was surprised that I could detect a darker background with the LE. Did the 2mm focal length make that much of a difference or were the optics and coatings that much superior? Maybe both. While there wasn't a star found in one ocular that couldn't be found in the other, the LE was clearly the cleaner, sharper eyepiece... and it held this clarity all the way to the edge.

Now for the not-so-good.
For me, half the purpose of these low-power, widest field eyepieces is to assist in the star-hopping activity. I wear glasses and only take them off once I have my target in the eyepiece. So the rough pointing of the tube, centering it in the finder and finding it in the low power ocular is all done with my glasses on. Depending on the size, brightness and detail required I then move on to shorter focal length eyepieces to enjoy. But I need the 32mm/30mm to allow me to keep my glasses on and in this regard, the LE fails. It has a rather small opening in the rubber eyeguard that is suppose to help prevent stray fingers and dust from reaching the lens, but it also restricts seeing the entire FOV if you have glasses on. I estimate you loose about 30% or more of the FOV due to the eyeguard. Sure, you can remove the eyeguard but then you have a hard metal edge to scratch your eyeglass lens and have lost the shield for stray light. I checked around to see if perhaps I was given the wrong eyeguard but I wasn't.

In the end, despite the superior optics, I returned the eyepiece and now have a Celestron Ultima 30mm. It's edge performance is more in line with the plossl but it still gives that nice, slightly darker background of the LE.

So if star-hopping is one use you will have of this ocular and you wear glasses, you might get frustrated with the FOV. Otherwise, it's a wonderful eyepiece that is as sharp as you can ask for.

The rating of "8" is entirely for the FOV issue. Otherwise it's a "10"

Hope this is useful for some,
Mike

Overall Rating: 8
Optics:8 Value:8
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=496762

Takahashi LE 30mm
As wide an actual field as you can get with a 1-1/4 eyepiece. Sharp, edge to edge. Great contrast and accurate color in both my Newtonian and my Refractor. Solidly made (BTW LE's are NOT physically identical to Ultimas as has been mistakenly stated on the web).

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:9
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=148764

Takahashi LE 30mm
Someone has the kidney beans effect as i have with this eyepiece (on a AP traveler) ?
Like the taka LE 5mm this LE eyepiece is providing a light yellowish vision. Not a bad eyepiece but over-estimated.

volcan63@astrosurf.com

Overall Rating: 7
Optics:7 Value:7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=225518

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