Exploring the Meade Series 5000 Wide Field Eyepieces: User's Perspective

Freshened Perspective on Meade Series 5000 Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Eyepieces

Get ready to skywatch like never before! If you're onto something bigger, the Meade 5000 UWA range of eyepieces is worth a gander. What makes 'em shine? Let's dive in!

I gotta be honest, where these bad boys truly excel is in value for the buck. When we talk performance and cost, they knock it outta the park. I own the 20 mm and 5.5 mm UWA, but my friends and I have played around with the 14 and 8.8 too. We use 'em in scopes with a focal ratio from f/5 to f/15. In the dot, their performance is often 40-100% more costly eyepieces. Yep, you heard that right!

Case in point, my Explore Scientific 82-degree eyepieces, which are well-regarded. They usually cost a pretty penny more, but their optical performance is pretty darn similar to the Meade UWA. I mainly use 'em as low-power, wide-angle eyepieces, and I wholeheartedly recommend 'em. Now, let me tell ya why!

What's to Love in Meade UWA Family

The Meade UWA lineup consists of four bad boys: a 2" barrel for the 20 mm, and 1.25" for the 14 mm, 8.8 mm, and 5.5 mm. Unfortunately, the 30mm, 24mm, 18mm, and 6.7mm models are a thing of the past.

The UWA design centers around a 7-lens element design, similar to the Tele-Vue Nagler bunk. While the number of lenses ain't no magic bullet, it does indicate an effort to handle light better, especially from lower focal ratio scopes. The design tackles edge distortion from scopes with low focal ratio better, which can become a annoying for scopes lower than f/7. Things get tough below f/5. The Meade UWA performs well for f/5 and up.
Fully multicoated lenses are part of the package, which boosts light transmission and lowers internal reflections. Competing designs often settle for either multicoated, coated, or even no coating at all! Meade sure goes the extra mile here.
Blackened lens edges help control stray light within the eyepiece and improve contrast. You'd be surprised how often cheap eyepieces skip this step.
Adjustable eye guard sets the Meade UWA apart. Rather than having a simple vinyl or rubber cup, you can slide the eye guard up and down to get a comfy position. A unique feature that makes 'em stand out in the crowd!
Parfocal design squeezes in your favorite feature on the list - you don't gotta refocus when you switch eyepieces! This is a fantastic perk, especially for manually tracked scopes. In the time it takes to change 'em, the target can drift outta view. With a parfocal eyepiece set, you minimize or eliminate this refocusing hassle. Winning!
Meade states the eyepieces include “exotic” optical glasses, though they don't give specifics. In higher-end eyepieces, it's no surprise to see special types of glass to enhance the view.
Waterproof and purged with an unknown gas keeps dirt and dew away from the lenses, making 'em easy to clean.
One-year warranty covers 'em in case anything goes haywire.

Breaking Down Specifications: Focal Length & 82° AFOV

Here's the 411 on key eyepiece specs: focal length and apparent field of view (AFOV). Know 'em, and predict how your eyepiece'll behave in your scope!

Focal length scope / Focal length eyepiece = magnification
Apparent field of view / Magnification = approximate true field of view

With the Meade Ultra Wide Angle eyepieces, the AFOV is a whopping 82 degrees. AFOVs usually range from about 40 degrees up to 100 or more. So, 82 degrees is quite a wide view.

As the AFOV goes up, edge distortion becomes more of a challenge. Cheap eyepiece designs claiming AFOVs over 50 degrees may do so while delivering a considerable amount of edge distortion. Trust me, I've witnessed the Meade UWA eyepieces control the edge like a pro, making for a quality image all around.

Let's take a practical look:

Suppose your scope's got a 1200 mm focal length. Using the Meade UWA 20 mm, you'd get 60X magnification (1200/20) and a 1.3-degree true field of view (82 / 60x).
In the same scope, the Meade UWA 8.8 mm offers up 136X and a 0.6-degree field of view. As magnification increases, expect the field of view to decrease - that's normal.
For comparison, a 20 mm Plossl eyepiece of mine with a 50-degree AFOV delivers the same 60X magnification, but only a 0.8-degree field of view. The reduced field of view gives me the feel of peepin' through a tube, while the Meade UWA offers a broader, window-like view of the night sky.

With a larger field of view comes more drift when adjusting a manual telescope. This means you won't need to be as precise when nudgin' the scope to keep the target within view. Plus, it'll allow ya to use more magnification without them pesky vignettin' ya off right at the edges.

While the Meade UWA delivers outstanding value, the series is limited to only 4 eyepieces. I'd love to see a larger 2" eyepiece in the 35-40mm range, and I believe the series would benefit from a 1.25" barrel diameter eyepiece around 11mm. But hey, they still deliver!
The series is considered fairly large and heavy. This extra heft comes from the adjustable eyecup - consider it when makin' your purchase choice, particularly if you're workin' with a smaller scope. They work fine for me in my 8" and 12" Dobsonians, but they can be a bit much for smaller scopes like my 100mm Newtonian.

How I Plan My Eyepiece Set

Many stargazers find a set of 3-4 eyepieces ideal. The Meade UWA focal lengths are nicely spaced to meet that demand.

If you've got a 2" focuser, the 2" 20 mm is awesome as a low-power, wide-view eyepiece. This is how I use 'em.

The 14 mm, 8.8 mm, and 5.5 mm make a great 1.25" eyepiece set on their own. But their spacing makes 'em perfect with a 2X Barlow lens. Add in a 2X, and you've got a broad range of wide-field-of-view eyepieces that'll deliver a fantastic view!

"Meade Instruments - Telescopes and Accessories since 1972," accessed July 19, 2022. https://www.meade.com/about.php
"Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Eyepieces," accessed July 19, 2022. https://www.meade.com/uwa.php
"Meade Series 5000 UWA Eyepieces: The Lowdown on These Stargazing Powerhouses," by Thom Azcouy, accessed July 19, 2022. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomaszacopoulos/2017/03/17/meade-series-5000-uwa-eyepieces-the-lowdown-on-these-stargazing-powerhouses/?sh=7e20aa2b65ed
"Meade Series 5000 UWA Eyepieces," accessed July 19, 2022. https://www.ioptica.com/meade-series-5000-uwa-eyepieces/
"Ultra Wide Angle (UWA) Eyepieces: An In-depth Review," accessed July 19, 2022. https://astronomerswithoutborders.org/awb-news/ultra-wide-angle-uwa-eyepieces-an-in-depth-review/

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After a long day of cooking up food-and-drink masterpieces, unwind under the night sky using the wide field of view provided by the Meade UWA Eyepieces, allowing you to enjoy a breathtaking view without the hassle of refocusing, even when manual tracking.
As you embark on your travel adventures, pack the Meade UWA Eyepieces in your gadget bag for a telescope experience that's as cost-effective as it is impressive, with its fully multicoated lenses and adjustable eye guard ensuring crystal-clear views in a broad range of focal ratios.
For those who appreciate the finer things in life, the Meade Series 5000 UWA Eyepieces, with their waterproof and purged design, offer a lasting investment in your lifestyle, perfect for both beginners and seasoned observers.
Next time you're shopping for your refractor telescope, don't forget to consider the Meade UWA Eyepieces, which don't just offer a wide field of view, but also an unbeatable performance-to-price ratio that sets them apart from other eyepieces on the market.
Embrace the convenience and hassle-free usage of the Meade UWA Eyepieces, as they eliminate the need for intricate eyepiece combinations, making them a practical choice for anyone who's looking to simplify their telescope setups and enjoy the night sky in style.