Vixen SLVs now available

[AlexB67]

As to their word that they might make an appearance on their site this month, the Vixen SLVs are now available. I enquired about them a few weeks ago and was pretty close to considering buying one, but a Radian arrived before that so I grabbed it instead, so in the end I never ended up ordering one.  

To my surprise a little cheaper compared to the NLVs. I believe they are all 50 degrees across the range, compared to 45 on some of the NLVs from what I recall.

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/japanese-made-eyepieces/vixen-slv-eyepieces.html

I wonder who will be the first to make the plunge  . I'll be very interested in hearing about them. Perhaps I hope John will get a sample to review at some point ?, not that he hasn't enough of them already to review with the weather holding everything up.

edit: Actually says they are unavailable right now,  but I assume they will be soon since they are on the site.

[NGC 1502]

Yes a bit odd the 'old'  NLVs at a higher price !    Maybe there will be a sale on those ?   They were £79 each at Astrofest from Astronomia......

Strange selection of focal lengths 4,5,6,  a jump to 9 then a 10.......

I'm still a fan of the original LVs, nice compact design, work well with fast scopes.

Thanks for the heads up, Ed.

[FLO]

Thank-you for noticing AlexB67

Unfortunately we are having to play catch-up so whilst the Vixen SLV eyepieces are in stock I haven't had an opportunity to assess or photograph them. But I will. 

Yes a bit odd the 'old'  NLVs at a higher price !    Maybe there will be a sale on those ?   They were £79 each at Astrofest from Astronomia......

I agree, it doesn't make sense. I don't know what the situation is regarding Vixen NLV eyepieces but I am guessing the £79 price was an Astrofest special (Astronomia were there with Vixen's UK importer) but I'll make enquiries in the morning. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[LukeSkywatcher]

Much as i love Vixen EP's.................i think i'll stick with my NPL's  and my Hyperion zoom.

[John]

Are the SLV's Japanese made then ?. On another forum they seem to think they are of Chinese manufacture. Not that it would make much difference these days.

[FLO]

We have just discussed the new Vixen SLV eyepieces with Vixen UK

The key points are: 

• Vixen SLV eyepieces are a replacement for the Vixen NLV eyepieces. 
• They are made in China (the outgoing NLV series were Japanese-made) though we are assured the optical quality is the same as the NLVs. 
• The eye-cup is inside the main body rather than a part of the main body. It has three click stops rather than one. 
• All the SLV eyepiece achieve 50 degrees AFOV (only the 9-25mm NLV eyepieces offer 50 degrees). 
• Eye-relief is 20mm across the full range and they are parfocal. 
• Price is lower but, had they continued, the NLVs price would have been reduced to the same level (around £109) due to the recent shift in exchange rate. 
• There is no 40mm SLV. 
• The SLV series have metal bodies with a shape designed to prevent them rolling off the table. 

Regarding the outgoing Vixen NLV eyepieces we have reduced our price to £89.90 for the 5-15mm and £99.90 for the 20 & 25mm (unfortunately we cannot achieve the £79 retail offered at Astrofest). 

Speaking personally, I have no doubt the Chinese-made SLV are made to a high optical and mechanical standard but I am disappointed they are no longer made in Japan. My advice to anyone considering the NLV or SLV is to buy Japanese-made Vixen NLV eyepieces while they are available at discounted prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[Tyr]

Thanks very much for the info and for working out a discount on the outgoing range

It was just the little persuading I seemed to need to put in an order for one of the 10mm NLVs .... I'm glad I didn't waste any time it looks like they're now unavailable eek.

[AlexB67]

Thanks for the very honest overview Steve. Kind of glad I did not order one too soon when I was thinking about it, had I gone that route It portably would have bough the NLV anyway by now.  I went with the assumption they would still be made in Japan. Not that a shift to China is a bad thing, as John says, but from all the reading up I did on them Vixen always had, and hopefully will retain that high level of standards, it is something I took into consideration. I never really heard bad things about NLVs except the slightly iffy cup perhaps. 

I also recall  that the SLVs conform to the exact same specification as the NLV in terms of number of elements. Don't know about coatings and so on and other internal build details though. 

[FLO]

Thanks very much for the info and for working out a discount on the outgoing range

It was just the little persuading I seemed to need to put in an order for one of the 10mm NLVs .... I'm glad I didn't waste any time it looks like they're now unavailable eek.

You are welcome

We don't have many Vixen NLV remaining and cannot source more so, to anyone wanting one, please don't place an order if the product page is displaying "Currently unavailable..." 

HTH, 

Steve 

[NGC 1502]

We have just discussed the new Vixen SLV eyepieces with Vixen UK

The key points are: 

• Vixen SLV eyepieces are a replacement for the Vixen NLV eyepieces. 
• They are made in China (the outgoing NLV series were Japanese-made) though we are assured the optical quality is the same as the NLVs. 
• The eye-cup is inside the main body rather than a part of the main body. It has three click stops rather than one. 
• All the SLV eyepiece achieve 50 degrees AFOV (only the 9-25mm NLV eyepieces offer 50 degrees). 
• Eye-relief is 20mm across the full range and they are parfocal. 
• Price is lower but, had they continued, the NLVs price would have been reduced to the same level (around £109) due to the recent shift in exchange rate. 
• There is no 40mm SLV. 
• The SLV series have metal bodies with a shape designed to prevent them rolling off the table. 

Regarding the outgoing Vixen NLV eyepieces we have reduced our price to £89.90 for the 5-15mm and £99.90 for the 20 & 25mm (unfortunately we cannot achieve the £79 retail offered at Astrofest). 

Speaking personally, I have no doubt the Chinese-made SLV are made to a high optical and mechanical standard but I am disappointed they are no longer made in Japan. My advice to anyone considering the NLV or SLV is to buy Japanese-made Vixen NLV eyepieces while they are available at discounted prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

Hi Steve, well I feel embarassed now, having mentioned the heavily discounted price at Astrofest.  My apologies.

Regards, Ed.

[FLO]

Thank-you Ed but no need to feel embarrassed, it isn't your fault we weren't invited to the party

Steve 

[Tyr]

We have just discussed the new Vixen SLV eyepieces with Vixen UK

The key points are: 

• Vixen SLV eyepieces are a replacement for the Vixen NLV eyepieces. 
• They are made in China (the outgoing NLV series were Japanese-made) though we are assured the optical quality is the same as the NLVs. 
• The eye-cup is inside the main body rather than a part of the main body. It has three click stops rather than one. 
• All the SLV eyepiece achieve 50 degrees AFOV (only the 9-25mm NLV eyepieces offer 50 degrees). 
• Eye-relief is 20mm across the full range and they are parfocal. 
• Price is lower but, had they continued, the NLVs price would have been reduced to the same level (around £109) due to the recent shift in exchange rate. 
• There is no 40mm SLV. 
• The SLV series have metal bodies with a shape designed to prevent them rolling off the table. 

Regarding the outgoing Vixen NLV eyepieces we have reduced our price to £89.90 for the 5-15mm and £99.90 for the 20 & 25mm (unfortunately we cannot achieve the £79 retail offered at Astrofest). 

Speaking personally, I have no doubt the Chinese-made SLV are made to a high optical and mechanical standard but I am disappointed they are no longer made in Japan. My advice to anyone considering the NLV or SLV is to buy Japanese-made Vixen NLV eyepieces while they are available at discounted prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

Just an FYI,

I was browsing around the website and I noticed you've got the new SLVs listed on your' made in Japan page

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/japanese-made-eyepieces.html

sorry I'm not setting out to make work for you really

[FLO]

Oops. Sorry about that. We copied our NLV product page then edited it into a new SLV page, but forgot to unclick the 'Made in Japan' category. 

It now appears only in the Vixen eyepieces section

[Mr Spock]

As a NLV user I can recommend them. High quality images

[Mark in Macc]

Yes, NLVs are quality eyepieces. I bought a pair of 15 mm NLVs from the US and they were pristine when they arrived. I don't think I have ever purchased anything as spotlessly clean. The twist up eyecups are not to everyone's taste and the boxes they come in are flimsy, but optically they are superb.

[Laurie61]

Hi, would anybody know how the NVL's compare to a TV plossl or a good ortho regarding their on axis sharpness, contrast ect.   

[Mr Spock]

I made a brief comparison here http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/207919-radian-v-nlv-again/

[Laurie61]

I made a brief comparison here http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/207919-radian-v-nlv-again/

Thanks for the link,  most useful  I am looking for  5,6,7 mm ep's with the performance of a TV plossl or BG ortho but with a nice amount of eye relief. As I'm using a tracking scope I don't really need wide field eyepieces.   

[faulksy]

We have just discussed the new Vixen SLV eyepieces with Vixen UK

The key points are: 

• Vixen SLV eyepieces are a replacement for the Vixen NLV eyepieces. 
• They are made in China (the outgoing NLV series were Japanese-made) though we are assured the optical quality is the same as the NLVs. 
• The eye-cup is inside the main body rather than a part of the main body. It has three click stops rather than one. 
• All the SLV eyepiece achieve 50 degrees AFOV (only the 9-25mm NLV eyepieces offer 50 degrees). 
• Eye-relief is 20mm across the full range and they are parfocal. 
• Price is lower but, had they continued, the NLVs price would have been reduced to the same level (around £109) due to the recent shift in exchange rate. 
• There is no 40mm SLV. 
• The SLV series have metal bodies with a shape designed to prevent them rolling off the table. 

Regarding the outgoing Vixen NLV eyepieces we have reduced our price to £89.90 for the 5-15mm and £99.90 for the 20 & 25mm (unfortunately we cannot achieve the £79 retail offered at Astrofest). 

Speaking personally, I have no doubt the Chinese-made SLV are made to a high optical and mechanical standard but I am disappointed they are no longer made in Japan. My advice to anyone considering the NLV or SLV is to buy Japanese-made Vixen NLV eyepieces while they are available at discounted prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

but for the extra £10 i would prefer the customer service you provide and wouldnt go any were else now after the way martin has been, your no 1 in my book

[John]

Just a quick "bump" on this thread to say that First Light Optics have kindly agreed to lend me the 6mm, 12mm and 20mm Vixen SLV eyepieces to try out and report back on.

Thanks FLO 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I liked everything about the LVs I had, except the rather stiff rubber eye cup. The Radians really only beat them in terms of FOV and edge performance. I might well look at a 15mm to plug a gap in my solar line-up (and a 12 would be nice as well, although I might get an XF12 instead.

[YKSE]

I liked everything about the LVs I had, except the rather stiff rubber eye cup. The Radians really only beat them in terms of FOV and edge performance. I might well look at a 15mm to plug a gap in my solar line-up (and a 12 would be nice as well, although I might get an XF12 instead.

Sorry to OP for off the topic, Have you thought about getting the Mark III zoom as solar EP instead? the ER is definitely longer than often-quoted 12-15mm, more like 16+ ish. 24mm is not as good, but 8-20mm should be good range for solar viewing.

[John]

Sorry to OP for off the topic, Have you thought about getting the Mark III zoom as solar EP instead? the ER is definitely longer than often-quoted 12-15mm, more like 16+ ish. 24mm is not as good, but 8-20mm should be good range for solar viewing.

Thats a good suggestion. I used a mk II Hyperion zoom with a PST for a while and it was an excellent and versatile combination. I've recently acquired a mk III Hyperion zoom and found it far from shabby even with my 12" F/5.3 dob for nighttime use. It's showed the SN in M82 and the dark rifts in that galaxy rather beautifully at the 12mm setting a couple of nights ago 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Sorry to OP for off the topic, Have you thought about getting the Mark III zoom as solar EP instead? the ER is definitely longer than often-quoted 12-15mm, more like 16+ ish. 24mm is not as good, but 8-20mm should be good range for solar viewing.

I am thinking of a zoom, but I was put off by the ER of the Hyperion Zoom. I am eyeing the Meopta 7.3-14.6mm zoom instead. This has a longer eye relief, and complements the 20 and 24mm MV EPs (but overlaps with the XF8.5). It has 66 deg AFOV throughout, and is better in fast scopes than the famous Leica Aspheric, according to some. This would also be an excellent core of a light-weight travel set (together with both MVs and perhaps a 6mm Delos for the 80mm F/6).

The 15mm SLV (to get back on topic) is however rather cheaper, and neatly plugs the gap in the solar line-up.

[John]

Quick bit of feedback on the 6mm Vixen SLV .......

Wow !!!!!! 

Back to back with the 6mm Baader GO and the 3-6mm Nagler Zoom on the Moon and Jupiter tonight. The Vixen was just outstanding on these targets. Light scatter control, contrast and sharpness are really excellent. Subtle details on Jupiter really stood out and remained sharply defined virtually all the way across the field of view. Basically the Vixen SLV tied with the Baader GO leaving the Nagler zoom just a little behind. So orthoscopic levels of performance with 20mm of eye relief, a 50 degree field of view, a large and welcoming eye lens and great build quality.

I don't normally give knee jerk feedback on eyepieces I'm trying out but on this occasion I felt the Vixen 6mm SLV warranted a special mention 

I also have the 20mm and 12mm to try and quick glimpses though those seem very promising too. 

For £109 each I have a feeling that Vixen might have a real winner here 

PS: I ought to mention that the scope used tonight was my 12" F/5.3 dobsonian.