vixen slv

[faulksy]

has any one tried these yet, and how to they compare to the bgo,s or similar, or do i hold out for a delos. was thinking around 4mm

[Daniel-K]

Buy a 8-10mm nagler or delos

[jetstream]

The 3-6 Nagler zoom is very handy,it has really performed on Jupiter for me with the 10".Mind you another Delos would also be great-4.5mm?

[John]

I have the 20mm, 12mm and 6mm Vixen SLV's on loan from First Light Optics. I've not had many chances to use them but so far they are very impressive. The 6mm SLV equaled the Baader 6mm Genuine Ortho on Jupiter but had 20mm of eye relief and a 50 degree field of view. 

Better than the Nagler 3-6mm zoom I felt - less light scatter and darker background sky.

Very impressed with these 

The Delos would add more FoV of course but cost more than twice as much. 

[Stu]

I have 4.5mm Delos and 4mm Radian in this area, both lovely eps but John's impression of the SLV was very positive - just re-read the initial reaction post!

Stu

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[AndyWB]

I've a 6mm SLV - but haven't had the conditions to actually really test it. Seemed good to me so far. Hopefully will know more after SGL.

[Pig]

Mike I have the 9,12 & 25mm SLV and they are excellent to say the least. However, I do not have any at higher power.

I find the 3-6mm Nagler zoom is very hard to better and have stuck with it. ( 4 eyepieces in 1)

[AndyWB]

So, at SGL I had (briefly) a chance to actually use my 6mm Vixen SLV, and I've just been out and had a chance to do a little testing with it. I thought some feedback might be useful. To be clear, I have little to compare it with - either in my eyepiece case, or in experience; I know John is working on a more comprehensive review.

I got the 6mm to fill what I felt was a gap in my options with my 250px; 6mm gives x200. Well, I used it on Jupiter at SGL 9 - and it was the best view of Jupiter I've had. The Great Red Spot was clear, with a nice distinct gap around it, and a band of white cloud visible within the southern equatorial belt (you can see it in this image - http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/213143-jupiter-from-4414/ - just to the north of the GRS). The Northern temperate belt was visible too. That was a pretty impressive view, I was very pleased.

I've also been out this evening at just looked at the Jupiter, the Moon, and Mars with the 6mm SLV, and the closest thing I have to it, the 5mm BST. This was in my Heritage 130p. I was out for about an hour, so the scope wasn't cooled when I started.

Jupiter - the SLV showed a smaller Jupiter (obviously - x108 vs x130 for the BST), but the immediate impression was that it was much sharper and contrastier. The SLV showed the Northern Temperate belt, where the BST did not.

Moon - Swapping between the SLV and BST, I felt again that the SLV seemed sharper and has more contrast, but the BST was able to show some detail that the SLV couldn't, like hints of the Triesnecker Rille, or crater Ptolemaeus B. The image still seemed watery; whether this was scope cooling or seeing was unclear. Despite the lower magnification, I definitely preferred the view with the SLV.

Mars - To be honest, the SLV didn't really give enough magnification for this object. It did show some mottling on the surface of a very small disc, but it was tiny. The BST showed a mottled surface, with the Acidalia Planitia being quite prominent. At x130, though, this was still very small.

Then a huge wall of cloud rolled in, so I ran for cover.

My thoughts? Well, it's hardly a like for like comparison, so some of the differences could be due to the difference in the eyepiece focal lengths. Broadly, though, the SLV seemed sharper and to offer more contrast than I'd have perhaps expected. The view is narrower at 50 degrees - but in the 250px this didn't result in the nudging becoming to onerous. The image seemed sharp across the whole field of view. Eye relief was, well, fine with both.

All in all, I was impressed and am pleased, though this is my first eyepiece of this price and type - and it is more than twice the cost of the BST. 

I shall look forward to John's opinion.

[John]

Interesting report Andy. We also tried the 6mm SLV at SGL9 but did not have very long with it before switching targets to dodge the clouds !.

It seemed to do a pretty nice job on Jupiter but I've got to give more scope time and some more competition before reaching any firm conclusions. Seems a promising design though.

[AlexB67]

Very nice report Andy. Sounds like you are a happy customer with that SLV

[Paul73]

Nice review Andy. I've been keeping an eye out for reviews of this one.

Still weighing up getting this one new or spending the extra £100 ish for a second hand Delos. I'm thinking that the gain for the extra spend would be minimal, especially as you suggest that the reduced FOV isn't too much of an issue.

Paul

[AndyWB]

 I'm thinking that the gain for the extra spend would be minimal, especially as you suggest that the reduced FOV isn't too much of an issue.

Well, I didn't find the FOV an issue, but I was mainly worried about having to nudge too often. I also think that I'm not too demanding about FoV - to me, 50 degrees seems 'adequate', though I know others prefer a lot more. Can't comment on the Delos though, other than I suspect they're popular for a reason. It might be worth waiting to see what John's thoughts are - he'll have more experience with a variety of eyepieces to compare with.

[Paul73]

Well, I didn't find the FOV an issue, but I was mainly worried about having to nudge too often. I also think that I'm not too demanding about FoV - to me, 50 degrees seems 'adequate', though I know others prefer a lot more. Can't comment on the Delos though, other than I suspect they're popular for a reason. It might be worth waiting to see what John's thoughts are - he'll have more experience with a variety of eyepieces to compare with.

Thanks. It was the excessive nudging that was worrying me as well. Wide FOV starts to get very expensive. If I can get a broadly similar quality of image for circa £100 less and maintain a workable, if reduced, FOV.....

Paul

[AlexB67]

Thanks. It was the excessive nudging that was worrying me as well. Wide FOV starts to get very expensive. If I can get a broadly similar quality of image for circa £100 less and maintain a workable, if reduced, FOV.....

Paul

The how often to nudge is a very personal thing. With the 5mm BGO and only 42 degree apparent FOV if the scope is well balanced in the sweet spot, I find it is very workable, and that is with just a SW mount which some will say is not the best for smooth action, just getting that tension on the handles in the sweet spot I had little issue not to get frustrated with long sessions and not overshoot unless the scope is on a really low angle, that can be sorted with counter weights and mods to improve it. If I had a bit more FOV though I would not be lying in saying I wouldn't welcome it when you get to 240x and got to use such a tight FOV for long sessions.

That said, the 6mm Radian I have with 60 degrees, when I use that, the differences in going to 240x with 42 degree eyepiece to 200x with a 60 degrees seems like bathing in absolute luxury. I could happily live with 50 degrees though for a 6mm. but each to their own  The radians are a good second hand buy if you want 60 degrees for that kind of money around a 100 second hand, and if not prepared to spend 200 or so for a Delos second hand.

Is the Radian better/worse in some ways compared to the SLV ? I have no idea. What I would say in the same Dob you and I have I can say that the full 60 degrees retains excellent planetary detail across the FOV, so that FOV is really useable. 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

The SLVs evolved from the LVs, and I have used two of those: the 7mm and the 9mm. Both held their own well against the 8 and 10mm Radians I got later. In the centre their was no real difference, although the Radians were (a bit) better towards the edge of the FOV. The SLVs (like their immediate predecessor the NLVs) have solved the only thing that really annoyed me about the LV: the rubber eye-cup that was a regular pain to fold back, combined with caps that would only fit with the eye cup in the "up" position (which given my glasses I did not use). I do not doubt the SLVs will perform well.

[Paul73]

Thanks Alex. Some good thoughts. I'll keep an eye on the classifieds.

Paul

[Paul73]

Thanks Alex. Some good thoughts. I'll keep an eye on the classifieds.

Paul

Pentax XW 5mm £160 SOLD

Pentax XW 7mm £160 SOLD

Televue Delos 8mm £200

Televue Delos 10mm £200

Televue Radian 4mm £120 SOLD

**** Televue Radian 6mm £120 SOLD *****

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! X(&£@!!

Timing is everything..........

[Stu]

Sorry Paul! :-) 8mm Delos maybe? ;-)

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[John]

Can we keep it in the classifieds section please folks 

[Stu]

Sorry John. Wrist duly slapped :-)

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[John]

Sorry John. Wrist duly slapped :-)

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No probs Stu. Just lend me the Vixen 150 F/9 for a few weeks and we will say no more about it   

[Pig]

I'm not too sure how many of you have tried the Delos, the 12mm SLV is not to far off the 12mm Delos for sharpness but that's as far as it goes. If you want perfection and one of the best views you can get to compliment your equipment then in my opinion an extra £90 is well worth it. In fact an extra £250 for the Ethos is worth it

For comfort and eye positioning the Delos win hands down and these are very important factors to consider if you spend any decent amount of time at the eyepiece, you can do a handstand using the Delos and still see everything like your there with it, this wont happen with a 50 degree FOV eyepiece as you will need a set square and head brace to stay in position       

FOV is important for everything over than planets the sun or the Moon in my opinion, so once again it depends on what you want to use your eyepiece for.

Having said all that affordability is key for any purchase and is probably the most important consideration, spending what you don't have is stupid

[AndyWB]

I was out using it again last night, and I did find myself thinking about how comfortable it was to use! I sit to observe, could that be a factor? I'm not saying the Delos isn't much better on that front - I've never used one - but I didn't find it bad at all.

And I got much the same results as before - the 5mm showed a bit more detail, but I think that was just magnification, the 6mm seemed much better, crisper and cleaner and I don't think that was just focal length. I'd love to have the 5mm to do a direct comparison.

And you're right about it being about what you're using it for - for me, this was a purchase for a x200 planetary eyepiece. Still, maybe one day, when I win the lottery - Delos.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I'm not too sure how many of you have tried the Delos, the 12mm SLV is not to far off the 12mm Delos for sharpness but that's as far as it goes. If you want perfection and one of the best views you can get to compliment your equipment then in my opinion an extra £90 is well worth it. In fact an extra £250 for the Ethos is worth it

For comfort and eye positioning the Delos win hands down and these are very important factors to consider if you spend any decent amount of time at the eyepiece, you can do a handstand using the Delos and still see everything like your there with it, this wont happen with a 50 degree FOV eyepiece as you will need a set square and head brace to stay in position       

FOV is important for everything over than planets the sun or the Moon in my opinion, so once again it depends on what you want to use your eyepiece for.

Having said all that affordability is key for any purchase and is probably the most important consideration, spending what you don't have is stupid

I have looked through Delos, Radian, XW, XF, and LV(W) EPs. I cannot say the Delos (8) is miles ahead in comfort (if anything, the XF8.5 and XW7 and 10 are a tad more comfortable). In fact I find the Delos 8 slightly more prone to black-outs than the other long eye relief EPs I have tried. The LVs I had were always very comfortable. The LVW is a bit trickier, and is less comfortable than the TMB Paragon 40mm I regret having sold. 

Note that EP comfort is very personal, and an EP liked by some for comfort may be hated by others.

[John]

......Note that EP comfort is very personal, and an EP liked by some for comfort may be hated by others.

Very much so.

Personally I feel the SLV's are very comfortable to use and their light weight, compact size and rubber coverings do bring some other advantages in being able to carry a few in your pockets and not worry about scope balance.

For me the SLV's are as nice to use (in confort terms) as the Pentax XW's which is quite a compliment

A good test is to let some folks who don't use a scope have a look through some eyepieces and give you feedback on which they find the easiest to look through. My wife said could see the GRS and detail on Jupiter much easier using the SLV than she could with my Ethos for example. She looks though a scope about once a year