My Old Vixen 7mm gets promoted.

[StarryEyed]

I bought a Vixen 7mm LV a long time ago more than fifteenth years I believe mostly to use with a 127mm Mak. It produced some of my favorite views on planets and the moon. I changed scope a couple of times for smaller WO80FD refractor then a bigger 100mm Tak. I have picked up some delites which are all round better eyepieces and was somewhat disappointed with the brownish dim views the 7mm Vixen gave in the 80mm and 100mm certainly compared to the 9mm Delite. But I never had the heart to sell the 7mm Vixen for the views it had produced those years back. It was always sharp and comfortable to use but kind of sat in the corner of the eyepiece case getting cleaned and  looked through occasionally. 

I recently got a herchel wedge which has a polarising filter built in. I have been using the 9mm Delite and coupled it with another old 2.5 powermate. This seemed a bit to much power on the sun so I tried the 7mm LV which predictably gave a sharp brownish dim view then remembering the polarising filter gave it a tweak and the image brightened right up and the brownish hue turned paper white which as a whole seemed to given the perfect mag for observing spots. I kept it in the scope all morning and Im thrilled my oldest eyepiece has a new found niche because of the Herschel wedge. 

Often we are quick to upgrade of swap out but sometimes if something is just inherently good it might be worth hanging onto you never know when you might find it excels again in different circumstances. 

[Franklin]

LV 7mm is a fine optic. Crystal clear, orthoscopic style view with great eye relief. Small FOV by todays standards but you can't have everything I guess. For WL with the Lunt wedge I use an LV8-24mm zoom with polariser and SC filter which works well in my 3" achro.

[Alan White]

LV are / were  nice EP, well made, small and very good optically.
I would love an decent LV zoom for solar, when one comes up I might get lucky.

 

[Louis D]

I get the same dim brownish view in my 9mm LV, and I've always wondered why.  Do you think it's due to the Lanthanum glass element?

[StarryEyed]

No idea to be honest might even be the coatings or some scattered red or any combination of things. I only notice it when comparing it to other eyepieces. 

[Mr Spock]

Interesting. I've always found the NLV and SLV to have a pure, colourless tonal quality, like orthos. I did test a 10mm NLV against a 10mm Radian once. The Radian had a distinct yellowish tint on the moon whereas the NLV was clean. I sold the Radian...

The LV is supposed to be the same optics - different coating perhaps?

[Roy Challen]

1 minute ago, Mr Spock said:

Interesting. I've always found the NLV and SLV to have a pure, colourless tonal quality, like orthos. I did test a 10mm NLV against a 10mm Radian once. The Radian had a distinct yellowish tint on the moon whereas the NLV was clean. I sold the Radian...

The LV is supposed to be the same optics - different coating perhaps?

I agree, I've only owned one LV, a 20mm, but also had an NLV15mm. Both were very neutral in colour, I would say only my Meade RGOs were 'colder' - one reason I'd like to build another set.

[mikeDnight]

The Vixen LV's are great eyepieces but are likely out of fashion because they are relatively narrow field and cheap. A 15mm LV pair in my binoviewer and Tak FC100DC, gave me my best ever and most memorable view of the Alpine Valley's central rille. And my 2.5mm LV was a superb high power eyepiece for observing tiny Mars while it was below 5" of arc. I've had nearly all the Nagler line as well as the XW's, but in my view, the LV's were their equal on axis, and superb for lunar, planetary, and double stars. And it seems solar as well.

[fozzybear]

I love mine in the C5  25mm 7mm and 4mm 

Edited May 16, 2022 by fozzybear

[Mr Spock]

I'm liking my 4mm in the 12" for x380. When the seeing is good small lunar features are so finely etched I can't imagine a better view.

[Stephenstargazer]

I use a pair of 20mm LV in my bino  viewer and have always liked them for comfort and good resolution. The size works well with a Denk power switch. Shame I sold my 7 and 9 but at least I kept the 5 and 13 LVW which I rate highly for the same reason. Can't say I have noticed a brown cast and often use them mixed with Delites. The latter do have a bright sharpness but are less forgiving of eye position, which is why they have adjustable eye cups ??