Vixen SLV or Pentax XW 10mm

[Trikeflyer]

I know eyepieces are personal things as is the amount we are all prepared to spend on them but does anyone have an opinion if the Pentax XW10mm is worth 2.5x the price of the Vixen SLV 10mm for lunar and planetary viewing. 

Thanks 

Steve 

[Fozzie]

I've not tried the Pentax so can't compare the two.. but I do have a 10mm Delos and 10mm SLV..  if you can live with smaller FoV then I would say the Delos is not 2.5x better than the SLV.. In fact I prefer the SLV for ease of use and I find the 50deg field just right... the Delos although very very good gives me too much to look at, son I forget to concentrate on the feature in trying to tease out..

Just my OP.

Hth

Ta

fozzie 

[John]

I've used a few SLV's and I currently own Pentax XW's in the 10, 7, 5 and 3.5mm focal lengths. The image quality the SLV's put up is very similar to the XW's as is the viewing comfort in terms of eye relief so I guess the question is whether the 40% wider field of view that the Pentax delivers is of high value to you. My scopes are all undriven and on alt azimuth mounts so the wide field is very nice to have and I like wide fields of view generally. I'm sure that I could manage well with SLV's instead though, if needed. The Vixens are pretty high performers.

[Ricochet]

I would suggest binoviewing for lunar and planetary, which might rule out the xw unless you have a wide ipd. 

[25585]

48 minutes ago, Trikeflyer said:

I know eyepieces are personal things as is the amount we are all prepared to spend on them but does anyone have an opinion if the Pentax XW10mm is worth 2.5x the price of the Vixen SLV 10mm for lunar and planetary viewing. 

Thanks 

Steve 

You can buy 2 to 3 SLVs for the price of a XW. For lunar snd planetary, SLVs are better value. Deep space, XW better in my experience.

[pipnina]

I have a 10mm SLV and find it to be very good quality optically, as well as comfortable (as much as you can be) with glasses while also having a comfortable field of view.

I haven't used a XW so I can't comment, but personally I can't see the extra afov being worth the price difference unless that's the reason you are buying the eyepiece

[laudropb]

I have both and use both frequently. In my opinion the view through the XW is slightly crisper and I enjoy the wider FOV, but the SLV is not that far behind. Is it worth the price difference on this basis? Probably not, but where the XW definitely wins out is in the build quality. In particular the eye cup of the SLV lets  it down in my opinion.