Pentax SMC-XW 10mm

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Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
Outstanding eyepiece. Images are razor sharp across the entire field in my f/5 scope. As with the XL 10.5, the XW shows excellent contrast and light transmission. The excellent contrast provided really makes objects and fine details "pop" with this EP. The only drawback is that this EP is quite expensive. That being said, this EP is better than any other I have used in this focal length.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:8
Weight: 11 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=324006

Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
I owned the 10mm XW and decided to sell it after finding it much more prone to blackout than the XL eyepieces I have owned (10.5, 14 and 21mm). I used the XW for a few months in an F11 Dall-Kirkham and a F6.3 apo refractor. The images produced by the Pentax were very sharp and contrasty and its edge performance was quite good at F6.3 and, of course, at F11. At F11, I could place Saturn half into the FOV (as in the edge of the FOV bisecting Saturn) and it was still razor sharp. At F6.3, the edge was just ever so slightly softer but not enough to detract from the view. The construction was first rate and oozed quality. I'm a big fan of the Pentax eyecup design as, at least in my case, it really helps me find and hold the view well. For use on deep space and planetary stuff, the blackout was not very noticeable. For lunar and solar viewing, however, I found it very distracting and a bit surprising given my experience with the XL line. Also, I use my small refractor for daytime viewing so blackout sensitivity in an eyepiece is a showstopper for me. Hence, my eyepiece collection has migrated to the Pentax XLs in shorter fl's and a couple of Panoptics at longer focal lengths. All have good wide field performance and are easy to use day and night eyepieces.

Overall, the 10 XW is a top-notch optical performer that doesn't quite have the ease of use I'm seeking, especially for the higher price. I replaced the 10 XW with the 10.5 XL and have not had any blackout issues. I haven't read much about blackout problems with the XW eyepieces so maybe it's just me. I recently purchased a 40mm XW for low power use in my 14" LX200 and I'm looking forward to using it. I'll post my impressions after I have some viewing time logged with the 40 XW.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=356345

Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
Altho' this is an expensive eyepiece , the performance derived made me forget the pain! The first object I viewed thru it was M13 , at 100x in my Takahashi TOA 130. The sharpness of all the tiny stars swarming around the bright core was wonderful! The performance on M57 , the ring nebula was also outstanding. Even with only 5" of aperture I could see the "hole in the donut". The coatings and superb optical design really bring contrast to a new level. I highly recommend this eyepiece.

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=357987

Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
A truly superb eyepiece. Great ergonomics, excellent FOV, barlows well... but it's the optics that really make this a 'must have'!

Tack sharp, *excellent* contrast. I use it in both my 11" Schmidt-Cassegrain and 120mm refractor.

'Nuff said... if you don't have it, you need it.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=437540

Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
Excellent eyepiece with superb correction. Very bright with light transmission at 96%. No pincushion. A capable eyepiece for deep sky and planets.

Pentax is rigorous with dealers about listing price discounts. Most XWs will sell for about 10 to 12% less than the price you see on the web site. In other words there's the list price, the dealer price, and the real price if you call. Don't order by "clicking through" because you'll be charged the web site dealer price. Call a few vendors first.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 10 (Trustworthy Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=578409

Pentax SMC-XW 10mm
A must classic eyepiece, one of the best out there, cannot go wrong!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Value:10
Weight: 5 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=607171

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