368 replies to this topic

[JoshUrban]

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

Scott

Hey Scott, was that my dob you were asking about?  Too many dobs around here...

 

  It's actually an f/8!  It's an old Criterion a buddy converted from the EQ mount...and then got it signed by Dobson himself.  It's such a cool scope, and man, the lunar views are awesome.  

[Uranotopia]

I think, the question, whether other eyepieces for about 50 USD would work as well as the LV eyepieces or not, is not so important to discuss.

More interesting IMO is the experience of us (as amateur astronomers) with these eyepieces and why one likes them (or even likes them not so much at all).

So thanks a lot for all posts and comments here so far. Perhaps there will be some more interesting opinions or facts to be told...

Edited by Uranotopia, 12 February 2020 - 05:05 PM.

[luxo II]

why one likes them (or even likes them not so much at all).

I still have a few, and I like them because:

 

a) optically 8/10, they were as good as the RKE set I had (long ago) and matched my orthos, but with much better eye relief than the orthos;

b) consistent field of view and eye relief across the whole set;

c) mechanically compact and consistent barrel size which suits eyepiece projection;

d) more-or-less the same size and weight which doesn't unbalance a rig that is weight-sensitive.

Edited by luxo II, 17 October 2020 - 06:41 PM.

[25585]

Photo of my LV & NLVW 30mm together. The LV is heavier, has less AFOV & effective eye relief. Their optical design is different.

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[25585]

Vixen LVs had 3 lettering changes, before the NLV form factor. There was small gold lettering and a different coloured band for different FLs, then larger amber lettering & finally the same but in white. Sometimes FL colour bands changed.

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Edited by 25585, 18 October 2020 - 08:22 AM.

[25585]

There were 2 releases of Vixen LVWs. The first had skinnier FL font and a slightly longer nose than the second, which had a broader font.

 

If you are looking for a LVW to use with filters, the first version's nose gives a little more space between field lens and top inside filter thread.

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[Uranotopia]

Vixen LVs had 3 lettering changes, before the NLV form factor. There was small gold lettering and a different coloured band for different FLs, then larger amber lettering & finally the same but in white. Sometimes FL colour bands changed.

Thx for the informations about little different labels!

I haven't known this before, and haven't seen different in Germany - could be explained easily, cause there are not so much offers of older Vixen LV's in Germany.

With this informations I am going to keep attention on the next offers and perhaps I will find one of the others!

[25585]

Bought a 5mm LV late type today, & my original goes into the nostalgia cupboard. When the 5 arrives, I'll post photos of my LV family.

[25585]

Need a white 15mm LV now, mine is a yellow one.

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[jjack's]

 

I like them. they are lightweights, slim and rubber armored ( important when you drop one once ! ).

long eye relief.

the 30mm need a lot of in focus travel.

Edited by jjack's, 06 November 2020 - 04:33 AM.

[25585]

I will compare my LV30 & NLVW 30. The latter is different optically.  

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[Miranda2525]

I bought a used 9mm once. Ghosting was a big deal breaker for me, so I sold it.

I still own a 22mm Vixen LVW, which I think is the best 22mm anybody can find. I also owned a 22mm Nagler, but field edges were really soft, so I sold that too.

The rubber eye guards from the Explore Scientifics fit onto the 22mm LVW nicely and are better than the ones Vixen supplies with their LVW's.

Edited by Miranda2525, 06 November 2020 - 08:32 AM.

[25585]

LVs were the first LER short FL eyepieces made. They, then LVWs, were my main ranges until Baader Morpheus. 

 

LVWs 3.5, 5 & 8mm are easier viewing than Pentax XWs (7 instead of 8), and were less expensive than Pentax XLs, which were also 65° AFOV.  

 

22mm LVWs have yet to be beaten in 1.25". Low 20s 2" are another game, but the Olivon etc 22mm 70° is very acceptable, with effective long eye relief varying depending on form factor.

[csrlice12]

The LVs are excellent Ha solar scope eyepieces.

[Miranda2525]

LVWs 3.5, 5 & 8mm are easier viewing than Pentax XWs (7 instead of 8), and were less expensive than Pentax XLs, which were also 65° AFOV.  

 

 

I don't find the LVW's any easier to look through than the XW's.

[25585]

I don't find the LVW's any easier to look through than the XW's.

Eye relief was OK using XW 3.5, 5 & 7mm, but I found eye placement easier wearing glasses, with the sub 10mm LVWs & XLs. 

Edited by 25585, 07 November 2020 - 04:48 AM.

[25585]

Found this post from an archived thread showing the difference between the early Vixen LVW, Orion version (made by Vixen), and later/last LVW.

  https://www.cloudyni...eces/?p=6093565

[CHASLX200]

I used a 2.5MM LV back in 2001 with a Zmabuto Starmater 14.5" one a nite the seeing went away. It was like viewing in space as nothing moved not even a mouse at 1150x. Jupiter and Saturn were unreal and never had a nite that good since. I ran out of power as i maxed out my eyepiece barlow combo. If i just had a 2mm eyepiece that nite.

[25585]

I have a LV 2.5 but only used it a couple of times on the Moon. Normally now I 4x (TAL) or 5x (Bresser) Barlow a 10mm for high magnifications.

[Rutilus]

I have a 20mm LV which I bought back in the mid 1990s, and a 2.5mm LV bought about 15 years ago.

I use the 2.5mm quite regularly for double star observing. With my 6 inch f/15 refractor I often go to 900x 

with the eyepiece. 

[Uranotopia]

Found this post from an archived thread showing the difference between the early Vixen LVW, Orion version (made by Vixen), and later/last LVW.

  https://www.cloudyni...eces/?p=6093565

Thx a lot for these additional informations!
I haven't known about different models of the Vixen LVW's before!

[eros312]

What's everyone's thoughts on the LVW 42mm? I see it's on sale at Vixen Optics. 

[25585]

What's everyone's thoughts on the LVW 42mm? I see it's on sale at Vixen Optics. 

Its got 20mm eye relief and 65° AFOV. Much lighter weight than an ES68 40mm and TV 41mm Panoptic.

 

It was my first 40mm eyepiece, only retired it by buying a Pentax 40mm XW last year. I found the Vixen less good at the edges in my F5 scopes (a Paracorr helps), but OK for F9 (refractors).

[jjack's]

I own one and sold it. Not very good except on axis, even on long focus scopes. Aero ed is better.

[luxo II]

What's everyone's thoughts on the LVW 42mm? I see it's on sale at Vixen Optics.

Had a set of LVWs but sold the set (including the 42) some years ago.

The 42 was ok but not critically sharp; replaced with a cheap Prostar SWA 38mm which I still quite like, and APM 30mm UFF.

Two other oldies deserve an honourable mention too - the Vixen LV50 and TMB Paragon 40mm, I had both and imho better than the LVW42.

Edited by luxo II, 14 December 2020 - 04:22 PM.