TMB Super Monocentric 10mm


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Brand and Model:TMB Super Monocentric 10mm
Price ($USD):$200.00
Type:Monocentric
Focal Length:10 mm
Barrel Size:1.25
Apparent FOV:30.0 degrees
Field Stop Dia.:0.0 mm
Eye Relief:7 mm
Elements:3
Weight (lbs):
Description:If you’re serious about lunar, planetary, and binary star observing, this 1.25" Super Monocentric TMB eyepiece will reward you with the best images that your telescope and skies are capable of producing. Naturally, the highest quality optics and best seeing conditions will benefit the most from its performance. The unobstructed optics of a good refractor, particularly the color-free performance of an apochromat or that of a nearly color-free high quality f/15 achromat, will show off its high contrast performance to the best advantage. Premium optical quality, well baffled, and accurately collimated equatorial reflectors with focal ratios of f/6 and above are also quite suitable. Schmidt- and Maksutov-Cassegrains 7” in aperture and larger will also perform well, although their fields will be narrow (on a 2000mm focal length SCT the field is only 9 arc minutes across at 200x, less than half the diameter of a globular cluster such as M13 or M22). With its relatively narrow 30° field of view, this eyepiece is not designed to encompass open clusters or large scale faint objects. Even on a very short 540mm focal length refractor its field of view is still little more than half a degree across. The buyer should recognize that this eyepiece is optimized for the highest possible contrast and highest definition lunar, planetary, and binary star images, not faint object deep space observing. The highest quality and best maintained optics will benefit most from this eyepiece.

Vote Highlights Vote
TMB Super Monocentric 10mm
This is an excellent eyepiece in this f.l. for use in an APO. Combined with the excellent Takahashi 1.6 extender in my TOA 130 yields 160X with very good eye relied. One of my favorite e.p.'s at 100X without the extender , especially for double star use and on Jupiter. A little pricey in comparison to UO orthos, but probably worth it.

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=334073


TMB Super Monocentric 10mm
The TMB Monocentric eyepieces (and the 10mm I am reporting on here) are simply the best planetary eyepieces I have ever used.

Positives:

The TMB is critically sharp across the field, and the optical design coupled with the best possible polish and coatings yield the darkest backgrounds I have ever seen in an eyepiece.

Cautions:

The Monocentrics have a relatively narrow field. For their intended purpose, this factor doesn't bother me. When viewing the planets (these ARE planetary eyepieces) I don't use the edges of the field anyway, so I simply position my eye at a comfortable distance from the eyepiece. The background is so dark it is not troubling to me that the field is narrow; I can hardly notice WHERE the field boundary is.

I do not use my 8mm and 10mm TMB Monocentrics as often as the shorter focal lengths because they do not offer "planetary" powers for my Tak FS-152 when seeing is good. I bought the 8mm and 10mm (as well as the shorter eyepieces and the TMB 1.8 Barlow) so I would have eyepices to match other telescopes I might own or use. The 8mm and 10mm eyepieces are good high-power eyepieces in slower (f-15 or so) systems. I also find them nice for general medium power viewing. Perhaps because I grew up with relatively narrow-field eyepieces (I started out in astronomy in the early '60's) the 30 degree field does not bother me as much as it does some viewers.

Cons:

I seen NO downside to this eyepiece optically or mechanically when it is used for its intended purpose.

Cosmetically I found it difficult to read the focal length (on a band around the top of the barrel) at night.

Overall impression:

I know of no better planetary eyepieces. Period. Thus my optical rating of 10. When you look at the cost of other premium eyepieces (Televue, Pentax, Takahashi etc.) or the used price of a Zeiss Monocentric or Abbe Orthoscopic, I believe the TMB's are a true bargain. Thus my value rating of 10.

Please see additional comments in my 4mm review that generally also apply to the 10mm eyepiece.

Richard Chalfan

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=405817


TMB Super Monocentric 10mm
I use this eyepiece in a C9.25 f10 sct and a Stellarvue 80mm f6 achromat. Compared to my UO orthos, the TMB has a darker background, with more contrast. FOV is notably smaller than the orthos, but allows one to "focus" on details. I do not find that eye relief is a problem, but nor do I wear glasses. I will be adding more of the TMBs to my collection.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=332444

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