Vixen ends HR production

[mikeDnight]

5 hours ago, Deadlake said:

In the time taken to post above Vixen EU are out of 3.4 mm HR and will not be getting any more in (source: FLO)

Back to original question, which of the below:

1. Tele Vue Delite 62º Eyepieces
2. Takahashi TOE Eyepieces

Or any others I should look at?

The Pentax 3.5mm XW is a pretty awesome eyepiece worthy of consideration.

[John]

Just now, mikeDnight said:

The Pentax 3.5mm XW is a pretty awesome eyepiece worthy of consideration.

Agreed. I really like mine

[markse68]

25 minutes ago, mikeDnight said:

The Pentax 3.5mm XW is a pretty awesome eyepiece worthy of consideration.

Interesting that in this test chart posted on another thread the 5 and 7 XWs got an (!)  for “centre sharpness”. Not as good as others at the edge but exceptional in the centre where you’re actually looking- or that’s how I interpreted it anyway  None of the HRs or TOEs in there though but i’m sure they’d have an exclamation mark too. Also interesting that the only ortho in there didn’t. That was in longer fl scopes though- not so great in faster scopes

http://astro-talks.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1483#p41976

[jetstream]

2 hours ago, JTEC said:

In the TEC 140 I’m fortunate to use,

Great scope!

I tried to get one but my messages were not replied to so I went for the Tak. I still want the TEC however.

[F15Rules]

18 hours ago, Deadlake said:

I've gone for the 3.4 mm HR planetary, hopefully I'll be able to get hold of one. Thanks for the advice.

It's a wonderful eyepiece. I hope you can get one. If you do, be sure to let us know what you think, but make sure you keep it at least until you've viewed Mars a few times..this year's opposition should be the best for some years, and it will be a great test for your new HR😊👍.

Dave

[Deadlake]

8 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

It's a wonderful eyepiece. I hope you can get one. If you do, be sure to let us know what you think, but make sure you keep it at least until you've viewed Mars a few times..this year's opposition should be the best for some years, and it will be a great test for your new HR😊👍.

Dave

Unfortunately Vixen Europe is out of 3.4 mm HR EP's, not sure about the others in the range yet. I've gone for the Tak 4 mm TOE EP. I suspect I'll also end up with either the 4mm Delite or 3.5 mm Pentax in the future, larger FOV, eye relief and seeing everyone else's EP collection's. 😀

[Piero]

Sad news.

I have three of them and they are outstanding on both planets and double stars. They are also terrific for white light solar observing, although I do not remember the last time I observed a spot due to the low solar activity in these years.

It is also a shame that they did not make a 5mm model. As far as I read, the design cannot be scaled to that focal length. In a desperate need for a 5mm, some time ago I bought a Fujiyama 5mm HD ortho. Clearly not as comfortable as the Vixen HR, but to my surprise I do not have any issue with its rather tight eye relief (I observe without spectacles). I might have been very lucky with its optics because the eyepiece looks like on par with the HR trio I have, in terms of sharpness, snap focus, and neutral colour tone. It has been delivering some great views of Jupiter, despite the low altitude of this planet in these years. 

[John]

1 hour ago, Piero said:

Sad news.

I have three of them and they are outstanding on both planets and double stars. They are also terrific for white light solar observing, although I do not remember the last time I observed a spot due to the low solar activity in these years.

It is also a shame that they did not make a 5mm model. As far as I read, the design cannot be scaled to that focal length. In a desperate need for a 5mm, some time ago I bought a Fujiyama 5mm HD ortho. Clearly not as comfortable as the Vixen HR, but to my surprise I do not have any issue with its rather tight eye relief (I observe without spectacles). I might have been very lucky with its optics because the eyepiece looks like on par with the HR trio I have, in terms of sharpness, snap focus, and neutral colour tone. It has been delivering some great views of Jupiter, despite the low altitude of this planet in these years. 

Those HD orthos are pretty good if you are OK with the eye relief, FoV etc !

I had the University Optics version for a while and it was excellent;

 

[Highburymark]

1 hour ago, Deadlake said:

Unfortunately Vixen Europe is out of 3.4 mm HR EP's, not sure about the others in the range yet. I've gone for the Tak 4 mm TOE EP. I suspect I'll also end up with either the 4mm Delite or 3.5 mm Pentax in the future, larger FOV, eye relief and seeing everyone else's EP collection's. 😀

Congratulations! You’ve got a world class planetary EP.  Would make a perfect high power pair with a wider 3.5mm or 3mm EP.

[JTEC]

19 hours ago, jetstream said:

Great scope!

I tried to get one but my messages were not replied to so I went for the Tak. I still want the TEC however.

It would be interesting to have them set up alongside each other to compare.  I expect it’s a choice you couldn’t go wrong with either way.  Odd that your messages were not replied to!  

[Deadlake]

In e-mail from Rothervalley, apparently there will be another shipment of HR planetary’s mid September. Guess it’s wait and see....

[Roger_Laureys]

On 12/08/2020 at 21:58, John said:

From what I've read, the Vixen HR's are very close to the best planetary eyepieces that you can get and in the same league as the Zeiss ZAO's, TMB Supermonocentric's, Pentax XO's.

The Takahashi TOE's and Tele Vue Delite's are excellent but just a step down in terms of outright planetary performance. The Vixen SLV's (which I have used and reported on) a small step down again. Still very competent though.

The very best mentioned above are out of production and practically impossible to acquire now at any price. The Vixen HR could well be in a similar situation soon so picking one or two up while they can be got and at a reasonable cost makes sense if you are looking for that type of eyepiece.

 

 

Sorry to disagree but the Tak TOE 's are a little bit  sharper for planetary observing then the Vixen HR's. The Delite is indeed a small down. I prefer the Delos instead.

[jetstream]

3 hours ago, JTEC said:

It would be interesting to have them set up alongside each other to compare.  I expect it’s a choice you couldn’t go wrong with either way.  Odd that your messages were not replied to!  

Yes I found it odd too- I called and got a vague answer on things, no msg replies so I walked. Its too bad as I want one of these scopes.Very happy with the TSA120 however.

[John]

40 minutes ago, Roger_Laureys said:

Sorry to disagree ....

No problem - opinions on eyepiece performance are often very personal

 

[mikeDnight]

I suppose there's such a wide variation in instrumentation and optical quality of scopes and diagonals, that a truly top end eyepiece such as the HR, could be revealing a weakness in the optical train that is no fault of the eyepiece, yet the eyepiece gets the blame. For me the HR's are as sharp as it gets and not just on axis. They are pin sharp right across the field, even at 1000X. 

[Deadlake]

8 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I suppose there's such a wide variation in instrumentation and optical quality of scopes and diagonals, that a truly top end eyepiece such as the HR, could be revealing a weakness in the optical train that is no fault of the eyepiece, yet the eyepiece gets the blame. For me the HR's are as sharp as it gets and not just on axis. They are pin sharp right across the field, even at 1000X. 

The HR range where built for the AX100S. Vixen claims on access Strehl close to  centre 1 and off axis of 0.97. So I can see it’s total system. I should send my SD103S back and get the matching AX103S or save up get a TSA-120???😁  This is the refractor game...

[mikeDnight]

No, you don't want to be considering any of that TSA triplet nonsense,  they're old hat these days. What you need is a DZ! 

[jetstream]

12 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

No, you don't want to be considering any of that TSA triplet nonsense,  they're old hat these days. What you need is a DZ! 

lol Mike!

Better watch the reports coming now, I just poured a concrete observing pad with indexed and levelled holes for the AZEQ6 spikes- so a very fast set up time.

Can't wait to get the old obsolete TSA120 out! I love this thing... I don't want to pump it up too much though as its not really appropriate IMHO. Theres lots of good scopes out there.

[Alan White]

This news makes me sad that Vixen are dropping a fine product again, a great shame.

It does however justify my chanting 'My Precious' each time I get the HR 3.4 mm out.

Edited August 16, 2020 by Alan White

[John]

10 hours ago, Alan White said:

This news makes me sad that Vixen are dropping a fine product again, a great shame.

 

A few months after these first came out I had a chat with FLO about doing a review of them. Steve said that he would be happy to send me some but pointed out they had hardly any interest in them and could not recall selling one so we decided that they were probably too "niche" to be worth a review on the forum.

Funny how things change

 

[Deadlake]

17 hours ago, jetstream said:

lol Mike!

Better watch the reports coming now, I just poured a concrete observing pad with indexed and levelled holes for the AZEQ6 spikes- so a very fast set up time.

Can't wait to get the old obsolete TSA120 out! I love this thing... I don't want to pump it up too much though as its not really appropriate IMHO. Theres lots of good scopes out there.

Interested to see how you antique TSA120 holds up, have you for a Tak 100 to compare with??? 😀 

[iPeace]

18 minutes ago, John said:

could not recall selling one so we decided that they were probably too "niche" to be worth a review on the forum

Herschel forbid that a review from you would actually generate new interest in a premium product. Can't risk that.

[F15Rules]

On 15/08/2020 at 09:00, Deadlake said:

The HR range where built for the AX100S

Says who??

I was always under the impression that the AX series were primarily imaging scopes? If so, I cant see that Vixen ever designed them primarily for such scopes ..

I think it far more likely that Vixen built the HR range for all high end optic users, Tak, Vixen, Tec, Lzos etc, a much bigger market collectively than the comparatively few AX owners.

Sadly, I think their global marketing is what let's down their excellent products. Perhaps they are just too focused on the Japanese market, where I believe they are clear market leaders?

On 15/08/2020 at 09:00, Deadlake said:

I should send my SD103S back and get the matching AX103S

The AX is a good deal more expensive and also weighs around 15% more than the SD/ED103s.

Like the Tak100 fluorite doublets, these scopes will show little to no CA at all in visual use. Period.

Plenty of user testimonial to be found on the US site confirming these facts. If I couldn't own a Tak I would take an SD or ED103s as a substitute in a heartbeat.

Dave

[Deadlake]

10 hours ago, F15Rules said:

Says who??

I was always under the impression that the AX series were primarily imaging scopes? If so, I cant see that Vixen ever designed them primarily for such scopes ..

I think it far more likely that Vixen built the HR range for all high end optic users, Tak, Vixen, Tec, Lzos etc, a much bigger market collectively than the comparatively few AX owners.

Sadly, I think their global marketing is what let's down their excellent products. Perhaps they are just too focused on the Japanese market, where I believe they are clear market leaders?

The AX is a good deal more expensive and also weighs around 15% more than the SD/ED103s.

Like the Tak100 fluorite doublets, these scopes will show little to no CA at all in visual use. Period.

Plenty of user testimonial to be found on the US site confirming these facts. If I couldn't own a Tak I would take an SD or ED103s as a substitute in a heartbeat.

Dave

https://www.vixenoptics.co.uk/Pages/hr_eyepieces.htm
 

Above link mentions AX103S for use with HR, but yes any premium telescope would do, also mentioned on other Vixen dealer sites.

Plus I can link to this site

I think the main reason Vixen notes the AX103S is that it has a field flaterner, hence can maintain the Strehl ratio towards the edge when using the HR, but yes subjective.

Certain people on this site rate the optics of the Tak above the SD103S,  my interest in the AX103S was due to future use for astro, also hard to justify having more then one 100 mm scope, make it a premium one. 😀

 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by Deadlake

[jetstream]

3 hours ago, Deadlake said:

Interested to see how you antique TSA120 holds up, have you for a Tak 100 to compare with??? 😀 

No Tak 100 but I'm pretty sure the TSA triplet APO will hold its own