Vixen SLVs in Binoviewers?

[Moonshane]

I am thinking about buying two 12mm SLVs in the sale as everyone is going on about them. Possibly also a single 9mm too if I like them. My only concern is their useability in my Maxbright BVs as I know they are quite wide at the top end. Anyone use them with BVs? I have a reasonably large IPD so I hope that my nose (of more average size) won't get in the way.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I just measured the widest point of my SLV 15mm. It is 46mm, so I do not see how that could possibly cause problems in a binoviewer, unless your IPD is very, very small.

[Moonshane]

Cheers Michael - I think that's solved it in my head then. Hopefully FLO will have some left!

[Chris]

Shane, you'll like these in bino mode, I had a pair of 15mm and 25mm SLV's in my Vixen BT81 binocular telescope few years back. No problem whatsoever with nose room and they are top glass for the money  

[Peter Drew]

Should be OK, I recently tried a pair of Baader Mk111 zooms in my binoviewer that are 55mm diameter, I couldn't quite get to the focal point comfortably with my 64mm IPD but others could. 

[Moonshane]

Cheers! I am going to take a risk and get a pair of 12mm for my Anniversary prezzie.

 

[Moonshane]

I received the pair of 12mm and with the usual excellent FLO service. Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed with them and am returning them to FLO. The general build quality was good and had I purchased just a single unit, I am sure that I'd have been much happier. However, there were some slight differences between the pair I had including different coloured coatings (albeit very nice coatings - see pics - I felt this created a subtle difference in the eyepieces) and differences in the stiffness of the eyeguard adjuster - one was a little loose and did seem to press back in slightly with use. These were minor issues thought really. The biggest issue was that I did not find them very comfortable at all for binoviewers in my Maxbrights anyway - possibly other higher quality units have a slightly wider build?

The eyecups were very close together and allowed little room for slight movement which I sometimes find necessary to maintain merged images. By comparison when I put my plossls back in they felt much more comfortable and 'natural'. Optically they were very good to be fair and I am certain that for cyclops use, I'd have been more than happy so don't let me put you off!  I have obviously not had them long enough for any meaningful comment on performance but I'd personally not recommend these for binoviewers of the type I have.

[Chris]

Strange how the coatings are different with one being purple and one being green? I wonder if they changed the coatings on these at some point in time and you received one from each batch? 

It's a shame things didn't work out for you, Shane.

[Moonshane]

Yeah weird. Although striking any difference was subtle and maybe even imaginary!  it was the lack of wiggle room for my ipd that meant I couldn't use them. Also I usually have to bring them in for other folk.

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

That is very strange. I can well imagine this difference leading to problems in binoviewers. You really would need a matched pair.

[Piero]

Shame that you had this inconvenient with your BV. Also very strange the coating issue. I just double checked the coatings of my two SLVs and both are green like in your second photo.

[nightfisher]

how very strange, but manufacturers do seem to change things from time to time, you got caught in the middle, i bet a pair of 12.5 BGO would be just nice

[Moonshane]

I've actually just made made a final decision.  I tested my 7mm and my 11mm DeLite in in my bvs and they were very comfy and easily merged to a single full field.  Therefore I am going to try to get a second 11mm rather than two 11mm TV Plossls.

Hopefully this will be the right decision!

[Timebandit]

 

Sorry to hear that the SLV did not work for binoviewers. Considering the eyecup adjustment method and the bulkness around the eyepiece then I thought this may be an issue with binoviewers. I have the predecessor the NLV in a single eyepiece and never tried double it up for the reason you have found. So kept to the good old TV plossl and Orthos. The coating issue seems to be from a change in coatings on different batches. Your plan to double up an existing 11mm delite may be a canny decision.

For Cyclops though the NLV is very sharp and the later SLV are I understand the same. Great quality glass in these eyepieces, and nice fov ,and around 20mm eye relief. Great quality eyepieces IMO. Therefore if anyone is reading and want to use the SLV for Cyclops then they are great eyepieces for this purpose and FLO have them on offer presently. Great bang for buck for a quality eyepieces IMO   

[Moonshane]

Completely agree. That's what I hoped to get across whilst advising against bvs for these eyepieces :0)

[Chris]

I had no issues with sets of SLV's in my Vixen binocular telescope a couple of years ago, but I do have quite a slender nose come to think of it, so probably got away with it for that reason?

They are great great glass for the money no doubt!

[Louis D]

You might try adapted high end microscope eyepieces from Zeiss, Leitz, Olympus, or Nikon as alternatives.  They are purpose made for binoviewing with long eye relief.  Denis on CN raves about these Zeiss eyepieces, among others.

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Louis D said:

You might try adapted high end microscope eyepieces from Zeiss, Leitz, Olympus, or Nikon as alternatives.  They are purpose made for binoviewing with long eye relief.  Denis on CN raves about these Zeiss eyepieces, among others.

Very true. I have a pair of 25mm Zeiss and they are wonderful in my binoviewers.