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120 Equinox with Vixen eps

Last of the LVWs, & set completed!

How do & easily do Skyliner dobs attatch & detatch the OTA/rocker box to their stands? When I bought my Bresser Messier dob it sold me because of its big rockers on each side, easy to grab & just lift on or off (as my Dark Star is)

Many thanks. I take out a Planisphere as they can be dialled to date & time. Redshift (on Google & Apple) has a red night vision setting & a Telrad setting. Best used on a touch screen device. For warmth comfort I use Zippo hand warmers. They can also be used as a make-do dew zapper.

My Mk 3 Fullerscope mount was on a pier - very stable made from steam pipe. I have my Vixen focuser still, identical to yours.

You could almost design a chess set around all the different, brands, shapes & colours of eps these days!

I have semi-permanent adaptors for some eps, mainly longer fl ones 1.25 barrel. Especially useful for switching eps with & without filters of similar fl.

My LVW collection was started as I liked the original LVs & first was the big 42, it is good & cheaper than a Panoptic with more FOV than the TV Plossl. No kidney beans. There is a CN thread saying not all XW eps are good for all scopes - they failed in longer FL scopes i.e. SCTs, but were good in shorter. In my photo the Nikon 17mm is, of all my collection, the odd one out. I bought it for its advertised high eye relief & mainly satisfied user reviews. Also Japanese eps seem to offer more comfortable viewing than others. Orion 20mm going against LVW 22mm will be a big session - both Lanthanum, 20 is 2 inch 80 deg, 22 is 1.25 65 deg. The Orion if good could be a Nagler T4 beater. My 30mm NLVW has for now taken my swapped 35 Panoptic's place - big shoes to fill. Different shapes make picking the correct ep out of a bag first time easier.

Had I not been lucky on a good buy for an 8mm LVW on ebay, I would have bought the 7mm XW I think. XW eye cups unscrew completely giving a little extra eye relief if needed. Pentax are like the Vixens good for spotting scopes too, so can be used for nature watching.

Those are just my single figure eps. Have 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 25, 30 & 42 S/LV/Ws also.

Some

5mm & 8mm Vixen LVWS. The shorter FL need slightly more careful eye positioning. All LVWs owned except the 3.5 now (will swap a 25 SLV for one).

My first two eye pieces were Erfles, a 32mm & 20mm. I had two Barlows 2x & 2.5x which gave me 6 different magnifications. Thirtysomething & Twentysomething are still my main two favourite ep focal lengths, though I have upgraded brand and type, also Barlows, over the years, those 4 optics are core to viewing. Wide field eps are useful with equatorial mounts for polar alignment and re-centering from time to time. For undriven, unguided scopes I find they are essential. Barlows reduce FOV proportionately to, & at the same time as the FL of an ep, which is why Barlows are always a compromise. I find viewing with a smaller FL but large FOV eye piece is more important than a longer FL with smaller FOV.

Can't beat a Planisphere for an introduction. I still use my Philips when outside, it's especially useful for its time-date function as to what's rising, at zenith, & setting.

It did, the 35mm which I swapped is fine for eye relief. Might get another if I miss it too much! LVW 22 being 1.25 is more versatile & that line are good for barlowing.

Swapped a Panoptic for it with another forum member.

Amen! A-Team EP.

The "L" word (but not last as an 8mm in the post). Lanthanum <3 Shorter, lighter, slightly slimmer than Orion's 20mm 2 inch 80 degree Lanthanum. Like the other LVWs, whole FOV wearing glasses,with the eye cup rolled back. This 22 & my TV 32 Plossl with a good 2x Barlow will make a good travel ep kit. I can retire my little 20mm Erfle now. Need some good testing weather now.

Hello @FLO. Would it be possible to offer the ESR check on doublets too, as a paid option? The test on Esprit triplets is cool for those who want, but doublets are not that cheap, especially quality ones, & it would be reassuring to have, say an ED Pro Eclipse doublet OK'd too!

I am surprised that TV has not made LER 20 - 30mm De/los/lite eps as Pentax XW 20 reputation has a less steady reputation, Vixen were rarer, so there is a mid-price gap for those focal lengths. (Panoptic 27 & 24 are not LER, neither are TV plossls until 32).

Not in my photos is "Taiwan" in small white letters on the red band. So not a Japanese ep. It will be the first I try out next starry night.

Budding?! Over-indulgent!

Compared to LVW 42mm (still on A US) in its Michelin-man rubber, the Maxview has marginally less eye relief. Its eye lens is larger however. As far as balancing, C8 or Genesis will be easiest, the LVW 42 for my dob. Apart from ever getting that elusive Vixen LVW 22mm, and a nice 2 inch barlow, my eps need is sated. For now. First lights next - clear skies!

Bigger things... ES MaxVision 40mm 68 degrees. I have lighter dumbell weights! Nicknamed "Hulk"!

Not a LVW, but hopefully as good. Eye cup does screw up but is loose. It comes off completely leaving a bare metal red rim. Screwed down or removed made no difference to eye relief. I could see almost the FOV, less than on my LVWs. The eye lens is slightly concave but near top so not very recessed. This 2 incher is heavy, more than my 30mm NVLW, not much difference between this Orion & a 42mm LVW. Good feel to the construction and broad rubber grip ring. This 20 does not replace the LVW 22mm I want, but hopefully will dampen my yearning. Onto bigger things!