F15Rules

At that price it should be stored in a Vault!!🤦‍♂️🤣 Dave

I suspect they may have now sold out of the "old" stock? I'd be surprised if they'd keep more than half a dozen or a dozen models at a time, in the UK premises..and the actual difference on the newer and older models seems to be solely the changing from foil spacers to a single ring spacer, and possibly a slight adjustment to the internal baffling to assist imaging? From a profitability and marketing standpoint, I don't think a 40% price drop would be offered for a day longer than it took to clear out a very limited number of remaining old units.. I do hope someone SGL got one and will share that with us soon! 😊 Dave

A nice 30mm Mint Vixen NPL to make a binoviewing pair with one I already have.. And from FLO a pair of Air Blowers for cleaning dust off my new Vixen objective (Jeremy: The 2nd one is a spare, not for a binoscope!!😜😋).. Ordered yesterday c 3pm from FLO, arrived this morning before noon..great service as ever👍. Dave

Great idea, Jeremy..but I might also look for a 3rd one..to make an amazing Triplet!!🤪😋🤣

Great stuff, Stu! (Innit!!😜🤭😄).. I got out last night with Superfox, my new Vixen SD115S. In between quite a few clouds passing over, I was able to see both E & F stars after about 20 minutes, with direct vision - with my "good" left eye..with my "poor" right eye, no chance of either! Same with binoviewers, I havent so far seen E or F with BVs, even in my old FS128. Seeing last night was poor, but transparency between the clouds was good, and I find that for seeing E and F transparency is more important than seeing. This evening I got out again, but this time both seeing and transparency were poor, and I couldn't see either E or F. I did manage to split Rigel and Alnitak, but not pretty images, and Sirius was a colourful dancing mess!! And now the rest of this week looks end to end cloudy!🤦‍♂️😩..Innit?!!😁 Dave

When I first saw your photos, my first thought was, "Wow, that scope has a superbly corrected objective!".. Maybe yours is an extra special sample of your scope.. If Peter Drew, as an expert Telescope maker of many, many years experience says he would "be very pleased with one like yours", I would take that as a highly credible and reassuring endorsement of your scope..all that remains is for you to go and enjoy it with a big grin on your face!👍😊😁

Sorry Steve, I didnt reply to your above comment... Far be it for me to advise or tempt you my friend.. but, to me, the SD115S does look, feel and perform more like the FS128 than like Foxy... Just sayin'...😋🤭 Dave

Hi Steve, Much appreciated, thanks😊. I was sure the scope wouldn't disappoint, but you know how it is, you just want to USE a new instrument, and the past week of rain and cloud was very frustrating, so to get a somewhat unexpected break in the clouds last night was a joy. I should mention that the seeing wasnt great, although transparency was good, so I didnt bother trying Sirius and the Pup..I just wanted to check out the scope's objective in general terms. I was also pleased with the LVW eyepieces..Ive always liked their form factor..solid, well built, nice coatings etc. I've read a few reports that their light transmission isn't the best? All I can say after last night's quick look is that they are all parfocal (except for the 42mm which does have a different focus sweet spot), and I could see faint stars with the LVWs as much as I could with my excellent Axiom and Pentax eyepieces..so I'm happy! I had a quick look between clouds at the double cluster at low power, and Oh, My!! Just a sea of scintillating stars in a black background..roll on the next clear night!👍😂 Dave

Well, a week to the day after Tim (@Franklin) delivered my new Vixen SD115S, I managed to get about 45 minutes outside, under clear skies, before the clouds rolled in again.. I went straight to M42 in Orion as I'm very familiar with it and have clear memories of how it looked in my recently departed Tak FS128. I used a proven good quality 2"Astro Tech dielectric mirror diagonal first, then a short comparison of the Astro Tech with my Baader Zeiss BBHS prism before the clouds rolled in. Eyepieces used were Vixen LVWs at 42mm, 23mm, 17mm,13mm, 8mm and 5mm, Pentax XL zoom 8-24mm, and Axiom 23mm decloaked 2" UWA. I'm pleased to report that the views through the Vixen were remarkably similar to those put up by the FS128! The quoted faintest magnitude star visible in the Vixen 115mm is magnitude 12.1, and in the FS128 it's mag 12.3, so not a huge difference. I could see the E & F stars in the Trapezium with direct vision at a medium power of c.111x (LVW 8mm and Pentax Zoom at 8mm setting). I could also see both of the fainter stars to the "right" (refractor view with diagonal, with East and West reversed), much the same as with the Tak. I would say that the Tak was very slightly brighter if anything, but not much in it at all. I did feel that the Baader Zeiss BBHS prism was slightly superior to the Mirror Diagonal, but it is early days yet to be more detailed about any visual performance differences. What is definitely the case, and very pleasing, is that the total weight of the setup is very noticeably less than with the Tak, something I was keen to achieve by changing to the Vixen. In addition, the Vixen, being lighter, shorter and slimmer than the Tak, is a good deal more stable on the mount and tripod, with very minor vibrations damping down in under 1 second. Much more to report back on after more use, but after this quick first look, I am delighted with this lovely scope!👍 Dave

With a budget of £2k, I'd get a used Vixen ED103S, used Vixen GP mount with RA drive and used Morpheus 6.5mm 12.5mm and 17.5mm eyepieces, a Baader T2 prism diagonal, a Baader Hyperion zoom barlow 2.25x and finally a decent used 30mm wide angle low power such as the APM UFF. I reckon I could get all that together fairly quickly within £2k 😊 Dave

Thats just brought to mind a somewhat disturbing picture of Jeremy licking a pristine multi coated Tak/Vixen Hybrid refractor objective, lens while while John drools over the elegant smooth and flawless Ota paintwork! I need a darkened room!🤦‍♂️😂.. Dave

Lovely Mike.. That mount looks as if it was made for that Tak!👍 Dave

Bit of a Vixen "Love in" going on here..🤔 Count me in!! 😍🤣 Dave

Just get out the Drastic Plastic!!😁😂

Oh, forgot to mention as well.."Proper" refractors are of course always white!!🙃😂 Dave

Thanks Ian. Yes, I can't speak highly enough of Tim and how he looks after his kit. And, his knowledge of Vixens, past and present, is astounding!!😊👍 Dave

I'm pretty sure that Vixen are now only shipping the latest model..but a quick email to Bresser would give you the latest position, I'm sure..

If you dig around the Bresser website I think there was something about the recent change to the mk II version. No disrespect to the StellaMira 125 ED, but I don't like carbon fibre tubes, but more importantly I've owned a number of Vixen refractors including 2 ED103s examples, so I know how.good they are optically. I will go so far as to say that inch for inch, my ED103s and older ED103SWT matched the FS128 in the views it delivered..of course, the Tak had more resolution and brightness, but I hope and believe that for my own current observing needs and limitations, the SD115S will meet my hopes for it and be literally a good "halfway house" between 4" and 5" aperture. Finally, a used Tak 100mm would have cost as much as the bigger Vixen..

Paul, I never thought I'd "Like" a Ship's Funnel photo, but your description of your ideal scope combination of Wants, Needs, Finances, Health etc at this time nailed the OP's question. Thank you for your post. In the past 10 years I have owned 3 main scopes, each of which met all the above criteria for me at that particular time.. 2014 -Beautiful D&G USA 5" F15 achromat, customised by Moonraker, London, and fitted with a Moonlite 2" focuser and tube optimised for Binoviewers. Completely undermounted as I had no funds left for an upgrade after the scope was done. Still got some amazing views though! 2017 I fulfilled a lifetime ambition to own one of the finest 5" refractors ever built..the Tak FS128. Owned her for 7 years. 2024 February Vixen SD115S Sadly I had to recognise that deteriorating eyesight, especially in my right eye, plus the significant bulk and weight of the Tak setup and awful recent weather was working against my getting out under the stars so often..and I was probably not able to detect the very best images that the Tak could deliver. My new setup is significantly smaller, lighter and less bulky. With the proceeds of the Tak sale I've been able to acquire this lovely and still premium quality and powerful refractor, plus an almost complete set of Vixen LVW eyepieces. So I hope this is now my personal ultimate setup for the observing time I still have to look forward to.. Dave😊

My new to me SD115S (bought 5 days ago in mint condition) was bought new in March 2023 and at that time cost £2835 including shipping. The very latest model launched in summer 2023 is identical to mine, with the sole exception that the 3 foil spacers have been replaced with a spacer ring between the optical elements..said to eliminate any artifacts from the spacers whilst imaging. As I am visual only this change is irrelevant to me..and my previous scope, the Tak FS128 also had foil spacers..which were totally invisible when observing. Dave

I think the last laugh is with you Mike...I hit 68 orbits next Tuesday!🤦‍♂️😱

Can't fool me, Jeremy.. I know that that finder is actually a handle!!😁

Lovely, Mike.. But isn't it hideous how scopes age so much better than we do?😏🤭 Dave

Same with my SD115 Alan..it has the foil spacers, they seem to have introduced the ring spacer for our imaging friend's benefit, but I very much doubt that for visual you would see any difference whatsoever..

It appears that Bresser UK (now the UK Vixen Distributor) is having a sale on these wonderful fracs..you wont get a brand new Tak 4" apo for this price! https://www.bresseruk.com/Astronomy/Vixen-SD103S-apochromatic-Refractor.html?mtm_campaign=Google_Shopping&mtm_kwd=X000062&mtm_source=English&mtm_medium=CPC&mtm_cid=UK&mtm_group=PLA&gclid=CjwKCAiA8YyuBhBSEiwA5R3-E90PW_ZGZNehsC4y9v2xANwIFa_KI_zKg08Aj1ojiK7AXIq2EJ2XQhoC3FgQAvD_BwE (..and the Vixen has a full 3mm extra aperture!!😋😂). Hurry!!😈😈 Dave