Meade 2inch 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece

by Meade

Product Details

• Item Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• ASIN: B00077D41S
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 17, 2003

Product Description

Meade's Series 4000 QX Wide Angles represent the latest in five-element eyepiece design and are precision engineered for high-performance observation. Each yields a super wide, 70° apparent field of view with extreme resolution. With consistent edge-of-field sharpness and a long eye relief, the QX series is unmatched in performance and reliability.26mm focal length70° apparent field of view18mm eye relief2" ocular diameter, barrel threaded for filtersFive-element designMulti-coated opticsEdge-blackened lens for minimum internal reflection and optimum image contrastRubber gripsAll QX Wide Angle Eyepieces feature multi-layered optical coatings to maximize light transmission and edge-blackened optics for superior image contrast. Each eyepiece includes a soft rubber eyeguard – custom fitted to each eyepiece with a bayonet mount – that folds down for eyeglass wearers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Value, February 28, 2008

By 

Fred Rayworth (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meade 2inch 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece (Electronics)

I borrowed the 26mm model from a friend and tried it out in my scope and loved it. Sure, it has a fishbowl effect at the edges, but I don't use the edge of the field anyway.

I have a 16" f/6.4 and the coma produced is not as bad as it might be in a shorter focal length scope, but for me, it didn't affect my observations of over a dozen faint galaxies that night. The center correction makes up for the edge.

Since then, I've obtained a set of the Orion Q-70 series, which are almost identical, and I'd give them a five star over the four stars I'm giving the Meade version because their edges are a little less distorted.

I'd go for these over a Nagler any day, as there are fewer elements the light has to go through and I don't really care if the field is flat all the way to the edge. And don't get me started on price! But that's just me. Highly recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good eyepiece for the price, December 29, 2010

By 

Corbet - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meade 2inch 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece (Electronics)

This eyepiece is good for wide field, initial looks at messier objects and star parties. Views are decent in my 8" f7 Discovery dobsonian but in my Stellarvue nighthawk7, the design flaws really come out. That being said, I paid 40 for this eyepiece, so I am not expecting it to hang with my Pentaxes, but it does help keep them out of my scope at star parties.

4.0 out of 5 stars Performance at a Bargain Price - Why Discontinued?, November 1, 2010

By 

TinCan Frank (Sunny SoCal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meade 2inch 26mm QX Wide Angle Eyepiece (Electronics)

I purchased this eyepiece a few months ago from a Meade dealer, not knowing that it was a closeout item. Had I known, I would have purchased two, I believe that this will be my most used 2 inch eyepiece as time goes on.

I have been in this hobby 2 years, the one all-around eyepiece I have used in 30 different types of telescopes has been the 1.25 inch Meade 4000 Super Plossl. Although not a wide angle design, it has been a reliable "first look" item in scopes of all focal ratios. Not designed for eyeglass wearers due to the recessed eye lens, it never exhibits the kidney bean effect and is especially good when the moon is bright or if one must contend with nearby lighting.

When I began buying telescopes with 2 inch focusers, I began buying inexpensive 2 inch eyepieces, finding them OK but not even very good until this one. The large rubber eyecup serves nearly as well as the recess in the 1.25 SP, but the wider angle and larger field stop combined with the good coatings and decent build make this the best 2" EP under $100 I have come across yet. Clean crisp views and only a bit of distortion at the perimeter on faster scopes (much less than the advertised "superwides") - on SCTs and f/8 up refractors it is excellent.

Sorry to see it closed out. It may have become too expensive for Meade to continue carrying it under their banner. Perhaps it will turn up under another name, I have seen this design offered by a Chinese broker. Highly recommended.