368 replies to this topic

[Hesiod]

I have a 4mm LV, and praise its excellent comfort even if to my eye looks a bit too warm (and I like a sightly warm tone...).
I use it less and less often since purchased the SSW 3.5, but for now think I'll keep the LV as well

[Benach]

We had a full set at my club, nowadays only a few. We use them in our club's C14 mostly. I regularly use my own Ethoi in our club's 12" Jones-Bird.

[Oculon]

As well as FLO for the Vixen SLV eyepieces, I've sometimes found the NLV range on eBay (UK).

 

EDIT: There are currently 12mm, 25mm, 50mm focal lengths available.

Edited by Oculon, 31 January 2020 - 04:15 PM.

[Uranotopia]

I have a 4mm LV, and praise its excellent comfort even if to my eye looks a bit too warm (and I like a sightly warm tone...).
I use it less and less often since purchased the SSW 3.5, but for now think I'll keep the LV as well

Interesting fact!

Do you only have this impression of little too warm tone with the LV 4mm, or also with other LV's?
Next time when I am going to use my LV's 4mm (I own two) I will have to pay more attention to the colour tone!
 

[Hesiod]

I have only the 4mm

[Uranotopia]

I have only the 4mm

What is your opinion about the LV4?
 

[Hesiod]

I am quite pleased.

While easy to overlook, its excellent comfort is a very strong asset when I observe at high power.

As I said earlier, it is rather warm, but it is not so dramatic with some of my telescopes (e.g. the TAL 100).

[Uranotopia]

I've just seen, that a German vendor has some Vixen LV zoom 8-24mm in his shop, not so cheap (189 Euros). This one of the LV series, I haven't used yet.

Can anyone give me an advice, if this eyepiece is worth its price too (like the other LV's)?

Edited by Uranotopia, 03 February 2020 - 03:04 PM.

[SeattleScott]

The LV zoom is really nothing like the rest of the series, other than it uses Lanthanum. It doesn’t have 20mm ER for glasses, and it won’t be as sharp or well corrected being a Zoom eyepiece. That price seems about right compared to what we see in the States. Is it worth it? Well some people must buy it. But it doesn’t seem like a special clearance sale or anything.

Scott

Edited by SeattleScott, 03 February 2020 - 05:44 PM.

[25585]

The LV zoom is really nothing like the rest of the series, other than it uses Lanthanum. It doesn’t have 20mm ER for glasses, and it won’t be as sharp or well corrected being a Zoom eyepiece. That price seems about right compared to what we see in the States. Is it worth it? Well some people must buy it. But it doesn’t seem like a special clearance sale or anything.

Scott

I have a couple for bino viewing. Eye relief is a little less than prime LVs but I find them just OK wearing glasses. 

 

Look on ebay, buying from a Japanese seller can be cheaper than an import seller. Ditto for Amazon Japan. 

[Uranotopia]

Scott and "25585",

thank you very much for your advices!

[CarlDD]

I wish I’d discovered these eyepieces years ago, they look like they have all the qualities I now realize are needed in my binoviewing pairs. 
 

Best Regards 

Carl

[Uranotopia]

I wish I’d discovered these eyepieces years ago, they look like they have all the qualities I now realize are needed in my binoviewing pairs. 
 

Best Regards 

Carl

I think, they are good for binoviewers.

In one German astronomy site some years ago, there were different people who searched for pairs of the LV's, cause they wanted these eyepieces for their binoviewers.

Perhaps you can get a pair of used ones?!

Edited by Uranotopia, 05 February 2020 - 05:41 PM.

[25585]

I have pairs of 18, 20 & 25 as well as the zoom. Looking for a 5mm....

[Paul Sweeney]

I started with these some 25 years ago, then tried various other brands. Now, I am actively buying them. You can get them used for about $40 here, so when one come that I don't have, I grab it. I have the 20, 15, 12, 9, 7 , and 5. Looking to get the 4 and 2.5 at the least. Great all around eyepieces. I love 'em!

[25585]

I missed an ebay auction for a 5mm LV   but have posted a wanted ad on UK ABS.

[John Fitzgerald]

I bought the 6mm and 12mm new, many years ago.  Still have them, and the 6 is in use occassionally. 

[Uranotopia]

The LV's 5mm seem to be rare ones, I only have one, that I got by chance.

[csrlice12]

I got a 5, but its theNLV  version.  Really prefer the LV body, the NLV is cheap plastic

[25585]

I would swap a NLV or SLV for a plain LV.

[John Fitzgerald]

Of the Vixen eyepieces, I like the LVW best, followed by the LV.

[Uranotopia]

The LVW-series is great, but these eyepieces are more expensive and heavier. I have only one LVW , with 3,5mm. I use it with my "fast" refractors with shorter focal lengths, what works really good!

But for my own I can say, that like light weight eyepieces (like the Vixen LV's) very much, when in equal optical quality.

[25585]

I use a pair of 22mm LVWs for binoviewing, & it is a heavy weight. I prefer Nikon NAV SWs as they are lighter.

 

For cyclops, the LVWs, along with Baader Morpheus, are the best 2 complete ranges, short to long FL, I have used.

[JoshUrban]

I just got the 5mm used here on CN, and so far, it seems great!  I've been using it in an 8" f/8 dob, and a 4" f/7 ED refractor.  So far, so good!  I remember seeing this line in the Orion catalog twenty years ago, and always thinking "wow, they look nice."  But, I was a kid then, and the allowance didn't go so far....Ha!  

[SeattleScott]

Assuming you mean 8” F6 Dob. At F6 and up, most 1.25” eyepieces over $50 will work pretty well.

Scott