Vixen Plossls

[Jimmy Stix]

I know there are lots of threads on here about Plossls but I am seriously considering going for an 8mm Vixen for my Mak.

At the moment I cannot really afford much so the Vixen prices look like a good choice. I have seen one or two recommendations for them here.

I was thinking that the 8mm would be a much better choice than my Skywatcher supplied 10mm for planetary work. This would give me a mag of x187.5 but would it be pushing it to try a 6mm and hope for x250. The spec implies x254 is the highest practical so that's getting quite close.

Any help and experience with Vixen and the Skywatcher Maks would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

[cs1cjc]

I have the 20mm and 30mm NPLs which I think are good value. However Vixen says the 8mm has only 4.5mm eye relief and you need to ensure you will be happy with this.

[Jimmy Stix]

Sorry to dig my own post up again folks but I now have another question about the higher mag Vixen plossls.

I was thinking that I would be able to cope with the small eye relief on these EP's but I am now wondering. I do not use spectacles and sometimes use my binos with the eyecups rolled down. I know that (as far as birdwatching optics are concerned) rubber fold down eyecups are often promoted as being "for spectacle wearers".

Does it depend whether you can cope with having your eye so close to the glass or is it a genuine handicap that is not worth considering? Anybody out there with experience of short eye relief eyepieces?

Ta!

[AWR]

(Responding more to your earlier post)

I like my 15mm Vixen plossl very much. It was a definite step up from the plossls that came with the scope.

I think however, that you may find that 6mm will be pushing it with the 127. I have (very occassionaly) barlowed the 15mm to give 7.5mm in the Mak but it has yet to give me any detail not seen in the 9mm TS.

Andrew