Vixen ED/SD115S

[Franklin]

Merry Xmas to all and I hope Santa brings clear skies for everyone!😀

If there are any owners of the Vixen ED/SD115S out there in SGL land, I have a question.

What do you mount it on for visual? Vixen supply the scope as a package on the SXD2 mount which is very nice of course, but I only have a GP2.

I've been umming and ahing over the purchase of a Vixen SD103S for some time now, a very long time. Since I have a 3" ED, I am actually thinking of saving a little longer and getting the SD115S. The mount it would be used on is a Vixen GP2 with a payload of 7kg and the listed weight of the SD115S with equipment is around 6.5kg. I know some use the SW120ED on GP/SP/EQ5 grade mounts, I had an Evostar120 a while back and it seemed fine on the GP for visual, but as soon as I went to 5" (127mm fl1200) it was too much imo.

What do you guys think, has anyone got one? 

Thanks.

[mikeDnight]

A GP2 should handle the 115 well. I've used my Tak FS128 and a Meade 127 Triplet very effectively on a standard GP.  The weak point, if any, will be in the tripod. If you use a Vixen tripod you should be fine as they are all metal. The Chinese aluminium tripods use plastic in their construction which severely cripples their stability. A tubular steel tripod would be another alternative. Another German equatorial that I truly love is the Losmandy GM8.

 

[Franklin]

Thanks Mike. That is good to hear coming from someone with experience of the GP mounts. My doubts were coming from Vixen's 7kg rating, but I'm thinking that may be quite conservative, my GP2 was supplied by Vixen with a 7.5kg counterweight and the low wooden tripod (GP150 Reflector?). Also, the specs state the weight of the 115 as 6.2kg and I think that includes all the accessories as well. So I could probably get the weight down below 6kg, keeping to 1.25" accessories and a 6x30 RACI, and this is about the same weight as my current 102ED which works well on the GP. I have the HAL130 tripod and an ADM saddle so I think my doubts have been tempered for now. Best start saving some more pennies.😀

[dweller25]

I used a 6.5kg, 102mm F/8 refractor on my Vixen GP with a Vixen AL110 tripod for visual and it was fine, so your 6.5 kg, 115mm F/7.7 should be fine too 🙂

Nice scope 👍

Edited December 22, 2021 by dweller25

[Alan White]

I really enjoy my Vixen ED103, but I always wonder about the Vixen ED/SD115S,
A grass is greener thing for me in all honesty.
Your wait until you can save enough for the extra size makes sense to me.

On the mount a GP2 I am sure would handle it, My GP handled the ED103 and also an C8 which I tried for a while.

Clearly Mike talks from experience of larger scopes and GP use, he is the font of GP's in Visual use.

[John]

This review dates back a few years but I think is of the same scope, or at least the 2007 version of it:

https://astromart.com/reviews-and-articles/reviews/telescopes/refractors/show/vixen-ed115s-refractor