Vixen ED80sf

[russ.will]

I've had a small windfall and need to spend it before the wife does. I fancy a small APO that would serve as a grab 'n' go/holiday scope, as well as something I could bolt my 450D to for widefield/DSO imaging at a later date.

The not-quite-here 2012 Zenithstar ZS70 ED APO looks trouser troublingly nice, but then I've seen the ZS80 ED II for £250 on UKABS....

There's some excellent deals to be had on the Vixen ED80sf with diagonal, finder and ali case at £399 too.

Any thoughts, or better suggestions?

Russell

[E621Keith]

The Vixen is essentially the Skywatcher (Synta) ED80 with Vixen a badge. Telescope Outlet is currently selling the package for £400 which is £50 cheaper than Skywatcher's. I doubt you will find anything better at the price unless you buy used.

[russ.will]

That is the package I was looking at and you've confirmed what I believed to be true - They all come out of the same Chinese factory, although I have read a few posts suggesting the Vixens are fragged back to Japan for QC purposes - I don't know if this is true, or just a few Vixen owners trying to rise above the crowd. Either way, it definitely looks nicer, for what that is worth.

Any idea where the WO ZS70 would sit optically? It certainly 'looks' a nicer build.

Russell

[E621Keith]

If anything, the Vixen badge should increase the resale value of the scope compared to the standard ED80.

I have never tried the WO72, and the WO70 isn't out yet, so I can't comment.

[pete_gamby]

Hi Russell

Your info regarding the QC for the Vixen products is almost correct :-) They do carry out their own QC on the Synta-made products but that happens at the factory rather than in Japan.

Vixen also specifies different components in the optical assembly, typically sourcing those from Japan rather than China.

HTH

Cheers, Pete - Opticron/Vixen UK

[russ.will]

Thanks for that Pete. Could you also confirm whether the ED80 has a dual speed focuser? Detailed pictures seem a little thin on the ground.

Cheers,

Russell

[E621Keith]

I don't think the ED80SF has a 1:10 focuser. Otherwise the dealers would have mentioned it. I think the one with 1:10 focuser is the more expensive Japanese made ED81S model.

The offer on telescope outlet disappeared, but FLO has just listed some clearance ED80SF for £395+5p&p.

[John]

Only the SF's use Chinese manufactured optics. I believe the other Vixen refractors use Japanese made objectives. Nothing wrong with the Chinese ED doublets of course, as many happy Skywatcher and Celestron owners will testify

[russ.will]

Can you square that with post #5?

Russell

[russ.will]

That said, things move fast and I mentioned something that I had spied on UKABS.

I contacted the chap advertising a Williams Optics ZS80II inc CNC rings. After a phone call to discuss, it now comes with a WO 2" dialectric diagonal, all contained within an a WO aluminium case for £350 delivered. I have a short dovetail plate that it WILL fit!

Unless I'm severely mistaken, that's a decent enough deal and certainly one that should ensure cloud cover throughout the festive season...

Russell

[John]

Can you square that with post #5?

Russell

I think it does square with that. Vixen import the optics and some other components from Synta, add some of their own bits, and build and check the scope in Japan.

Still, I see you are interested in another scope now which looks nice

[russ.will]

I think it does square with that. Vixen import the optics and some other components from Synta, add some of their own bits, and build and check the scope in Japan.

Still, I see you are interested in another scope now which looks nice

The way I read that, the optics are from Japan, but assembled in China with QC preformed there also.

No matter, I've bought the WO, so I'll count the above as knowledge imparted and hope the WO is as creamy as it looks!

Thanks for the input as ever,

Russell

[John]

The way I read that, the optics are from Japan, but assembled in China with QC preformed there also.

No matter, I've bought the WO, so I'll count the above as knowledge imparted and hope the WO is as creamy as it looks!

Thanks for the input as ever,

Russell

Congrats on the WO Russell - nice scope

On the Vixen / Synta optics thing I think it's even more complicated as the glass used by Synta in their ED objectives is I believe from Japan. Synta then figure, polish coat and assemble the objective lenses and then send them back to Japan for QC and scope assembly by Vixen. Well travelled glass that

I think the WO scope will also use Japanese glass (including an OHara FPL-51 element for the ZS 80 II I think). The WO scopes are finished mechanically to a higher standard than the Skywatcher ED Pro's and the Vixen SF's though.

It's all a bit mad isn't it ?

Still without the Chinese I doubt we would be able to buy fine ED doublet scopes at anywhere near the price we currently see them at.

[pete_gamby]

Just to try to clarify (I hope) a little further, the following Vixen OTAs are all shipped ex-Shanghai direct to their various distributors:

A70Lf, A80Mf, R130Sf, ED80Sf, ED100Sf, Space Eye 50M, Space Eye 70M, VMC95L, VMC110L

and so do not go "back to Japan" for QC. Instead Vixen has its own QC at the factory and as I mentioned earlier will specify various different components from the 'standard' build.

The NA140SSf is an exception as this does travel back to Japan for QC and onward shipment.

The other OTAs (A80M, A105M, ED81S etc etc) are all sourced, manufactured and QC'd in Japan and then shipped to the various distributors.

It's all as clear as mud isn't it :-)

Cheers, Pete

[Psychobilly]

And if anyone should know the answer it's Pete

Peter....

[John]

Thanks for the clarification Pete

[russ.will]

Indeed. In spite of my plumping for a scope from another manufacturer, it's been a pleasure to see a manufacturer clarifying such detail and in such depth.

The hi-fi/AV world I frequent, could learn much from these parts.

Thanks to all and Pete in particular.

Russell