WO Swan 40mm vs GSO SV 42mm vs Meade 56mm Plossl vs Baader Aspheric 36mm

[Refractordude]

If you owned or do own a 1200mm f8 achromatic refractor, which of these eyepieces would you buy for widest angle views? I am thinking the Meade plossl, but can not find an accurate weight for the Meade. Some vendors have it a low as 18 ounces. The Baader 36mm has the highest price, but not the widest view. I really like my GSO Superview 30mm. Is the GSO Superview 42mm just as good. There is some controversy around the GSO 42mm field of view numbers. Reviews for the Swan 40mm at Agenaastro are good. Thanks to you all.

[Ruud]

I have a 34mm of the discontinued Meade 5K SWA 68° line which produces a 5.1° field in my 72mm f/5.9 refractor and 4.4° in my 4" f/5. Beautiful, crisp views with pinpoint stars.

The Meade 5K SWA 40mm still regularly appears second hand. Last month I saw one for €125.

If I wanted new and very good I might consider the excellent though expensive optical twin of the Meade: the 40mm ES 68°. The views in both the Meade SWA and the ES 68° are nearly indistinguishable in quality from that in a TeleVue's Panoptic.

The eyepieces you mention are OK, but that's about it. I might consider them too, but only second hand, while I was waiting for a used Meade 40mm to show up in the classifieds.

[Bigzmey]

My first choice would be Baader 36mm aspheric followed by WO Swan and then GSO.

Baader has the best coatings for DSO and will give you quite manageable 4.5mm exit pupil. Swan and GSO will give similar AFV with slightly wider 5mm exit pupil.

Meade 56mm will produce 7mm exit pupil with bright background, low contrast and washed out details. Don't recommend for F8 scope.