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Agena 2" Super Wide Angle (SWA) Eyepiece - 38mm

4.6 (37 Reviews) Read Reviews Write Review
Brand Agena AstroProducts
Part Number E-AG-SWA38
Availability available

Product Info

Manufacturer Description

Looking for $400 performance in an under-$100 eyepiece? Then you can look no further.

With features like a wide 70 degree apparent FOV, five elements of fully multi-coated high-index glass, beautiful black anodized body and barrel, the Agena Super Wide Angle (SWA) eyepieces are as close as you can get. These eyepieces will give you crisp and wide views of the Moon, planets, galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters, rivaling the performance of much higher priced eyepieces.

Features:

  • 70 degree apparent field of view, for that immersed in space feeling
  • Available in 1.25" (10, 15 and 20mm focal lengths) and 2" (26, 32 and 38mm) formats to cover a wide range of magnifications and true fields of view
  • Super sharp, with excellent aberration correction and extremely high resolution rivaling higher-priced eyepieces
  • Blackened lens edges, anti-reflection threads for maximum image contrast
  • Fold-down rubber eyecups, rubber grip rings for comfort and safety
  • Sleek black barrel with safety undercut to reduce the possibility of the eyepiece slipping out of the focuser or diagonal
  • Light in weight for their size, thus minimizing or eliminating the need to rebalance your telescope

See why Erik Wilcox, reviewing the Agena SWA 2-inch eyepieces for Astronomy Technology Today magazine [Oct. 2007, pp. 36-38], said:
All these three eyepieces offer a great value, with a lot of "bang for the buck." Agena AstroProducts has really raised the bar with this line, and in the under $100 category, I feel that it would be difficult to find another line of 2-inch eyepieces that offer better performance for the price.

Reviewing our 20mm 1.25-inch SWA eyepiece on Cloudy Nights [Jun. 2007], Nathan Melendez concluded:
"Excellent performance in an inexpensive package. Highly recommended whether you wear glasses or not. These are great all purpose eyepieces...an incredible buy!!"

Reviews

4.6 (Based on 37 Reviews) 95% of reviewers recommended this product.
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    1. Guest

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      Review by Jean C.
      1564564425
      Jul 31, 2019

      4.0 Good eyepiece

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      It is a good eyepiece for the price. Suitable for large star clusters, large nebulae like the laces of the Swan, but also for a global view of the Moon.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    2. Guest

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      Review by Ken W.
      1562967605
      Jul 12, 2019

      5.0 Superb value for the price

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Superb value for the price

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    3. Guest

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      Review by Francois P.
      1554815125
      Apr 9, 2019

      5.0 First impression

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Very impressive craftsmanship!
      Having no access to my Celestron 11 now, I can only share my first impressions. Craftsmanship is very impressive. Overall construction, precision and finish are top notch. Field of view is truly wide and edges are razor sharp. Lenses are very clear and coating seems superb. I’ll soon check field performance and complete my review. So far so good! For the money, this one is a clear winner. Grab one!

      Francois Pelletier, Canada

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    4. Guest

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      Review by Bob C.
      1548289683
      Jan 23, 2019

      5.0 GREAT SWA 2" EYEPIECE!

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is one of those eyepieces that is reasonably priced and yet gives very good images with an apparent 70 degree field of view. Fully multi-coated optics free of internal dust, generous eye relief and fold down rubber eye cups are just some of the attributes that make this better than good! This is GREAT for extracting low powered views from SCTs, MAKs, Cassegrains and reflectors and refractors with focal lengths of around f:8 or higher, to ensure an exit pupil no larger than your dark adapted eye. People with those scopes and with 2" focusers may have a difficult time finding low powered eyepieces yet this and its 26mm and 32mm peers deliver very nice views. With my Cass f:12 It offers a 2 degree FOV, great for extended nebulae and open star clusters. Highly recommended especially if you like wide expanse eyepieces without the cost associated with the price of a scope itself!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    5. Guest

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      Review by Joshua H.
      1541695915
      Nov 8, 2018

      5.0 I love this eyepiece! In

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I love this eyepiece! In my Orion XT8 Dobsonian, it yields beautiful, immersive wide-field views, with crisp focus across most of the view; only subtle distortion near the edges.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    6. Guest

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      Review by Daniel P.
      1521824012
      Mar 23, 2018

      4.0 Excellent Value

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Purchased this eyepiece to provide maximum field of view using a 4" f/10 refractor and 8" f/6 Newtonian. Performance in the refractor was very good, showing slight astigmatism and chromatic aberration at the edge of the field stop. In the Newtonian, moderate coma was apparent at the edge of the field stop. Build quality and fit are above average. I am very pleased with this eyepiece and consider it an excellent value.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    7. Guest

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      Review by Roger H.
      1515554479
      Jan 9, 2018

      5.0 Pretty darn good

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      So, yes I have premium eyepiece dreams, but this is an expensive hobby to get started in. I bought this eyepiece to compliment my new ES 102 I bought for wide field views and it does that job nicely.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    8. Guest

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      Review by Tim H.
      1515334735
      Jan 7, 2018

      5.0 Agena 2" Super Wide Angle (SWA) Eyepiece - 38mm

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I bought this eyepiece especially to use with my Celestar 8, and it works very well! I use it also with a 10" f/6 dob, and while not as good at the edges, it is still quite good. Bottom line, I like it!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    9. Guest

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      Review by Frank L.
      1512178597
      Dec 1, 2017

      5.0 Glad I bought this eyepiece

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Using this in my 8 inch Dob. Comparison. I used a 1.25 in, 25 mm Plossl at 48x power and 1.08 degree field of view to find M13, a 6 magnitude globular cluster. I was worried that it would not appear as bright or even at all with this eyepiece at 31.5x power but there it was, shining just just as glorious. The 2.22 degree field of view makes it much easier to find and focus is crystal clear. Can't wait for another clear sky. So much more to see.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
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      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    10. Guest

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      Review by Igor M.
      1512027649
      Nov 29, 2017

      4.0 Good lens

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Good for the purpose I expected.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by Mike F.
      1509033971
      Oct 26, 2017

      5.0 Nice

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      A nice addition for low-mag observation.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

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      Review by Mark M.
      1507657407
      Oct 10, 2017

      5.0 Impressive!

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I wanted an eyepiece with the lowest power I could use on my f4.9 12” Dobsonian that would not break the bank. Initially it was to be a finder eyepiece but the view is so sharp and beautiful it has become one of my favorite. The price is fantastic for this quality of eyepiece. Though the eyecup rubber is a bit stiff, the eye relief is very comfortable. Impressive eyepiece!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    13. Guest

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      Review by Roger B.
      1503540587
      Aug 23, 2017

      4.0 38 MM Eyepiece review

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Using this on a C-8 telescope it was a very good eyepiece with a good wide field that stays in focus to near the edge of the field with slight curvature & focus issues at the extreme edge. With my 10" F5.6 these problems are much more noticeable of course. I rate it a very good eyepiece for it's price. The latest Eclipse of the Sun looked fantastic in it with the Corona & Corona Loops easily visible!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
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      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    14. Guest

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      Review by Travis Tilton
      1500126206
      Jul 15, 2017

      4.0 SWA 2" 38mm Review

      Pros:

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I bought this for use in my f/6 72mm ED refractor, for the purpose as a "finder" eyepiece. The nice wide field views through this eyepiece allow me to find an object quite easily. In my refractor, the inside 2/3 seems to be razor sharp when viewing images, and the optics are very good. The outside 1/3 of the view through this eyepiece gets blurry in my scope (probably because my scope is a bit fast at f/6?). Overall, for the affordable price and that I'm using this primarily as a finder eyepiece (11x power in my scope), I'm happy with the results for the price paid for the eyepiece.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    15. aeajr

      aeajr Well-Known Member

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      Review by AEAJR of NY, USA.
      1463184000
      May 13, 2016

      5.0 Love those low power wide views

      Pros:

      Accurate,Easy to Use,Quality Lenses

      Cons:

      Heavy

      Comments:

      This is used in my Orion XT8i for low power wide field views. Gives me 2.2 degrees and 31.5 power. Especially nice when I want to survey the sky or when I want to see the moon in a wider context.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    16. Guest

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      Review by SlideRule of Madison WI.
      1459382400
      Mar 30, 2016

      5.0 Very Good Optics, Excellent Value

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Accurate,Quality Lenses

      Cons:

      Comments:

      See the set for longer review. These eyepieces work well in F6 telescopes, and very well in F6.5 and above. Very good engineering and manufacture. I have and use TV and UO with similar AFOV. But for star parties, Astronomy Merit Badge, Grab and Go, other "many hands, eager hands" uses these just can't be beat. The set of three costs less than one of "the best". Peace of mind combines with the Agena SWA very good optics to create comparable views in the central 2/3s of the field, with the surround enhancing the experience. Include Agena's case, excellent customer service, and prompt free shipping and you are at 5 stars.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    17. Guest

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      Review by Mike of New Jersey.
      1454630400
      Feb 4, 2016

      4.0 Excellent Bang for the Buck

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Lightweight,Quality Lenses,Sharp Close To Edge

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This was my first 2" eyepiece for my recently completed 12 1/2" F/5.2 Dob. Stars are crystal clear pinpoints practically to the edge of the field of view. No detectable coma either. While it may not have that "window in space" feel to it like some premium eyepieces, for the price it's an excellent value.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    18. Guest

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      Review by Laurent of QC, Canada.
      1437868800
      Jul 25, 2015

      5.0 Great eyepiece

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Quality Lenses,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is a high-quality eyepiece that I use to observe the deep sky with my LX90 10 inch. What I really like about this 38mm eyepiece from Agenas is its wide field of view. At this price I don't believe that you can find anything better in terms of optical quality and construction. This is often the only eyepiece I use in a single observation session. I would have purchased the 26mm and 32mm if I had not owned at the time of the order two other eyepieces of almost similar focal length (24mm and 31mm). A fantastic eyepiece. Great customer service.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    19. Guest

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      Review by spiral of Bristol TN.
      1436918400
      Jul 14, 2015

      4.0 Great for the money!

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Strong Construction,Easy to Use

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Great eyepiece for the money..Great for lunar, DSO..Stars are pinpoint almost all the way to the edge in my Meade ACF 10"..The only thing I don't like is this and the 26mm have developed some spots between the lenses..Doesn't seem to effect the performance though..

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    20. StarMike

      StarMike New Member

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      Review by Starmike of Jacksonville, FL.
      1395014400
      Mar 16, 2014

      5.0 Agena eyepieces great for my SC T

      Pros:

      Easy to Use,Quality Lenses,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I have had this 38mm eyepiece (as well as the 26mm version) for about a month now. I have an 8" SCT f10 scope and this eyepiece could not be better, Clear pinpoint stars to the edge and a great wide field. The pleiades was spectacular. I am totally happy with the Agena quality and the price can't be beat. I can't speak for faster scopes, but for my needs, a more expensive eyepiece would not have provided any better views. Go with Agena and save some cash!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    21. Guest

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      Review by Aleksandr of Novosibirsk.
      1391817600
      Feb 7, 2014

      5.0 High quality for low price

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Accurate

      Cons:

      Heavy

      Comments:

      I was need the eyepiece with maximal physical view field. The Agena SWA 38mm provides 47mm of field with really good image quality, despite of its low price. In the middle region (~70%) of the field there are no visible aberrations or parasite reflections. The coatings quality is comparable to more expensive models. If you are looking for the wide-angle eyepiece I would definetely recommend SWA38mm.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    22. Guest

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      Review by LDW1 of North Bay, Ontario, Canada.
      1385769600
      Nov 29, 2013

      5.0 Another great performer

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Easy to Use,Strong Construction,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Another excellent low cost EP that performs like a high cost EP!! With the FMC lenses you get great "being there views" on those great nights! 2" is the way to go when you want to eliminate field stop restrictions and have wide field views!!

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    23. Guest

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      Review by AZDaveC of Tucson, AZ.
      1380412800
      Sep 28, 2013

      5.0 Fantastic eyepiece!

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Excellent build quality,Wide Field of View,Quality Lenses,Good contrast

      Cons:

      None

      Comments:

      Fantastic eyepiece, especially for the money. Performs very well in my f/10 8" SCT. With the 38mm eyepiece I can fit the entire Double Cluster in my field of view! It's great to know that even though I can't spend hundreds of $ on a TeleVue or Explore Scientific eyepiece, I can still get such amazing quality and performance at a price that's affordable. Don't even hesitate to get any of the Agena SWA's.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    24. Guest

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      Review by Neil M of Alberta, Canada.
      1364342400
      Mar 26, 2013

      4.0 Great for the price

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Easy to Use,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I was very surprised how bright the objects were in the lens (comparing to orion Sirius 25mm) the contrast and color are great. Well worth the price for a cost effective alternative. One does require a bit of a counter weight for this piece, I just used a rice bag on the end of my Dob 8" until I get proper weights. I highly recommend this for the beginner or cost conscious person starting out. It's a good way to compare lenses as to the quality of view.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    25. Guest

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      Review by Bankm of Atlanta, GA.
      1343088000
      Jul 23, 2012

      5.0 Best Bang For The Buck...

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Heavy

      Comments:

      Very nice EP for the price. A bit heavy but then again it is a 2" 38mm eyepiece.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    26. Guest

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      Review by Atom B of Phoenix, AZ.
      1335744000
      Apr 29, 2012

      5.0 Excellent value!

      Pros:

      Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Heavy

      Comments:

      I use this eyepiece with my 4" f/9 refractor for a 3

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    27. rmscott59

      rmscott59 New Member

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      Review by Mark of San Francisco, CA.
      1332028800
      Mar 17, 2012

      5.0 FANTASTIC EYEPIECE !!

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      A great low power eyepiece to scan wide sections of sky or observe entire constellations. Easy to focus, great glass, stays sharp edge to edge (for the most part!) Is slightly heavy, but what do you expect from a 2" eyepiece at this focal length ? AN EXCELLENT VALUE that you will consistently use !

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? No
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    28. Guest

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      Review by Jon of Las Vegas, NV.
      1330300800
      Feb 26, 2012

      5.0 Good product, quick shipping

      Pros:

      Compact,Strong Construction,Easy to Use,Accurate,Lightweight,Quality Lenses

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Good quality eyepiece at a reasonable price

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? No
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    29. Guest

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      Review by JohnDaniel of Santa Fe, NM.
      1307404800
      Jun 6, 2011

      5.0 Great eyepiece

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Quality Lenses,Accurate

      Cons:

      Comments:

      The Agena eyepiece was a quality product and produced great images.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    30. Guest

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      Review by Flatfish of Boston MA.
      1306713600
      May 29, 2011

      4.0 Perfect finder eyepiece

      Pros:

      Accurate,Strong Construction,Quality Lenses,Reasonable price,Sharp images

      Cons:

      Comments:

      This is my low-power finder eyepiece. In my 80mm f/6 refractor I get 12.5X, a field of view in excess of five degrees, and an exit pupil of about 6.4 mm, making a telescopic finder superfluous. Everyone should have an eyepiece that, like this, gives as much light as their eye can hold. In my 102mm f/10 it yields 26X, a 2.7 degree field of view, and a 4mm exit pupil. This is perfect for framing extended objects like the Pleiades and M31. With either scope just cruising the Milky Way is a joy. No doubt there are better eyepieces available--for 3 to 5 times as much money--but the incremental improvement is slight, and they wouldn't serve my purposes any better.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
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      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    31. Guest

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      Review by iam1ru12 of Raleigh/Durham, NC.
      1268006400
      Mar 7, 2010

      4.0 Great Quality Views at a Bargain Price

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Excellent value,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Heavy

      Comments:

      Back in March (2009) I purchased the 38mm SWA from AgenaAstro Products (great site)! After almost 12 months of use, I have to say I am so very impressed with the SWA 38mm in my f10 SCT.

      Several mpnths ago I had the chance to compare my 38mm with an Ethos 17mm. Granted it's not a fair comparison, the Ethos wins hands down (more contrast, super flat field, razor sharp focus to the edge and no noticable distortion to the edge of the FOV...plus it's 100

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
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      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    32. zanti-misfit

      zanti-misfit New Member

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      1257809280
      Nov 9, 2009

      5.0 A great view indeed!

      Pros:

      Quality construction, Clear clean views, Tons of fun to use

      Cons:

      none

      Comments:

      I love this line of lenses and have had many nights of great viewing with them. This lens is my super low power wide view lens, the big daddy. It gives me such a complete view of the night sky it's almost overwhelming. It's a big sky out there and with this size of lens you can truly take a large chunk in all at once.

      I use this lens with my XT8 Dobsonian and it's a nice match. The stars focus down to sharp points while the image is nice and dark. A whole lot of fun to use.

      The quality of construction is very nice. The glass was flawless, the barrel threading was nice and smooth, the rubber eyeguard soft and comfortable. Also the eye relief is perfect. I suffered no blackouts of any kind either.

      If you're looking for a good 2" low mag wide field lens look no further. This lens delivers great views and a lower price tag, two great things to keep in mind.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No
    33. zanti-misfit

      zanti-misfit New Member

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      Review by zanti-misfit of Enterprise, AL.
      1257724800
      Nov 8, 2009

      5.0 Great lens, I love using it!

      Pros:

      Accurate,Compact,Strong Construction,Quality Lenses

      Cons:

      None

      Comments:

      I love this line of lenses and have had many nights of great viewing with them. This lens is my super low power wide view lens, the big daddy. It gives me a such a complete view of the night sky its almost overwhelming. Its a big sky out there and with this size of lens you can truly take a large chunk in all at once.

      I use this lens with my XT8 Dobsonian and its a nice match. The stars focus down to sharp bright points with a nice dark background. And its a whole lot of fun to use. :) The quality of construction is very nice. The glass was flawless, the barrel threading was nice and smooth, the rubber eyeguard soft and comfortable. Also the eye relief is perfect. I suffered no blackouts of any kind either.

      If you're looking for a good 2" low mag, wide 70 degree FOV then look no futher. This lens delivers with both great views and a lower price tag, two great things to keep in mind.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    34. Guest

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      Review by geokolb of Phoenix, AZ.
      1243814400
      May 31, 2009

      4.0 Good Performer for the Price

      Pros:

      Quality Lenses,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Soft focus at edge

      Comments:

      Very good price for a good eyepiece. Bear in mind this is no Nagler or Panoptic but at a fraction of the price, you'll get your money's worth.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    35. Guest

      Skill Level
      Unknown
      Time with Product
      Unknown
      User Notes:
      Review by Frank of Ocean City, NJ.
      1243468800
      May 27, 2009

      5.0 Very nice quality at a good price

      Pros:

      Strong Construction,Quality Lenses

      Cons:

      Comments:

      Use this as a wide field low power eyepiece with my 11" SCT and 6" F6 Mak Newt. Performs very well in both scopes. As close to a premium eyepiece as you can get.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    36. jdm1946

      jdm1946 New Member

      Skill Level
      Unknown
      Time with Product
      Unknown
      User Notes:
      Review by Star Geezer of Tucson, AZ.
      1243382400
      May 26, 2009

      4.0 Excellent Price-Performer

      Pros:

      Economical,Strong Construction

      Cons:

      Comments:

      I bought the 38mm SWA thinking I would use it exclusively as a public star party eyepiece. After using it in my f10 SCT, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of construction and excellent views, and decided to use it myself for low-power wide-angle observing. The eyepiece is a great bargain, and I recommend it highly when used in a slow scope.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No

      This review was provided courtesy of AgenaAstro.com

    37. WmOtten

      WmOtten New Member

      Skill Level
      Unknown
      Time with Product
      Unknown
      User Notes:
      1171479300
      Feb 14, 2007

      4.0 First impressions

      Pros:

      Pros Solid construction. Even coatings, very clean, no dust. Low $, high quality images.

      Cons:

      Lacks retaining ring on barrel that goes into focuser, some minor edge sea-gulling or coma

      Comments:

      I just received today 3 Agena SWA eyepieces, the 26mm, 32mm, and the 38mm...all 2". I finally had the opportunity to view with them, just a bit a few nights ago but much more thoroughly tonight.

      Tonight the viewing was pretty good for Florida, with low humidity and temperatures in the upper 50's as I was working with the eyepieces. My telescope is a 12.5" f5.0, but is well corrected with a good edge. This is my second self made mirror, the first being a 6" f4.5 of excellent optics ( I didn't figure that one). Only the 12.5" was used in these reviews. Prior to use, the telescope was allowed to thermally equilibrate, and was laser collimated prior to use.

      Here's my first impressions of the 38mm eyepiece, the others will be posted separately:

      The glass looks flawless, no bubbles (yes, I've had an eyepiece that arrived once with a bubble in the glass about 40% off center from another company, it was returned no questions asked), and the coatings are nicely uniform across the glass, no blemishes, blank spots or variance in the coatings is visible on any of the 3 eyepieces. And absolutely no dust....not a speck on them, and I looked hard. Construction looks and feels solid, that 38mm is a hefty chunk of eyepiece and they all have nice lens opening (is the proper term aperture?) at the eye end. Supple soft fold down rubber eye cups, not too stiff or not too soft. And they all have a nice nubbly rubber grip surrounding the eyepiece. Chrome on the insert end looks substantial but one drawback on these eyepieces is that they do not have that detent retaining ring or depression on the barrel end to secure the eyepiece in the focusers. A minor point to be sure, but those retaining ring depressions have become somewhat of a standard and they're missing on these.

      This time of year (mid Feb) Auriga is directly overhead in the early evening hours, offering up a few nicely placed open clusters as test objects for the eyepieces. My first stop was M37. Through the 38mm the cluster was a pretty site, the stars well resolved pinpoints, the center orange star of the cluster nicely colored. The stars in the FOV were pinpoint sharp across most (I'd call it about 85%) of the field, then a bit of coma like seagulling of the stars beyond that. This I don't attribute entirely to the eyepiece, it's just the eyepiece doesn't 'correct' for it, a Paracorr did when used with this eyepiece. Surprisingly, there was no evident field curvature, where I would have to either rack in or rack out focus in order to bring stars at the edge to focus. They were still focused, just exhibiting that sea-gull look common to most fast 'scopes. Still, it didn't detract from the image which I thought very sharp. Contrast: this is probably a difficult term to quantify since so many variables affect what we describe as 'contrast'....sky brightness, transparency, element coatings, internal reflections, etc. My impression (since this is so subjective) was that the 38mm had a fairly bright view, it wasn't the type of 'brilliant little diamonds scattered upon black velvet" look. To be fair, the 38mm was the first of the eyepieces tested, and whether my eyes had fully dark adapted might impact this impression. I also tested the eyepiece on M25, M36, and finally on M42 with nice views of each. The Trapezium in M42 was easily resolved with the 38mm, although the E and F components were not seen. Eye relief was excellent, I wear glasses at the scope and no blackout or kidney beaning was evident. I typically roll down the eye cup routinely, not a real necessity here as the FOV was easy to see without having to get right up to the glass.

      Finally, I placed the eyepiece in my TeleVue Paracorr. The stars now resolved into pinpoints across the entire FOV. The take away on this eyepiece is that it gives excellent images although in a fast scope like mine, some edge coma will be evident, but I wasn't bothered by it ( I might have been if a large percentage of the field showed this but this wasn't the case). Personally, the amount of sea-gulling was minimal, and I probably wouldn't drag the Paracorr out routinely with this eyepiece. This is a great eyepiece for sweeping the sky and using as a 'finder' eyepiece. Nice wide FOV with (dare I say it) that 'spacewalk' effect of pulling you into the image.

      Bottom Line: Would you recommend this item? Yes
      Was this review helpful? Yes / No
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      Specifications

      Apparent Field of View 70°
      Barrel Size 2" (50.8mm)
      Bolt Case Included Yes - Free Agena Eyepiece Container
      Bolt Case Size Agena 65x120mm
      Coatings Fully Broadband Multi-Coated
      Height (with Eye Guard) 5.5" (140mm)
      End Caps 2
      Eye Relief by Design 28mm
      Filter Threads Standard 2" Filter Thread (M48 x 0.75)
      Focal Length 38mm
      Lens Elements 5
      Lens Groups 4
      Rubber Eye Guard Yes
      Blackened Lens Edges Yes
      Manufacturer Agena AstroProducts
      Eyepiece Focal Length 30.1mm - 40mm
      Eyepiece Field of View 61 - 70 degrees
      Eyepiece Series Agena SWA
      Barrel Type With safety undercut
      Parfocal No
      Eyepiece Weight 21.30oz (603.84g)