4 replies to this topic

[MrsM75]

Hi, I want to ask those who own both, or have look under both, can you tell me which one is better? Celestron XCell series vs Vixen SLV Lathanium series.

 

I actually have the Vixen SLV Lanthanium 25mm 20mm 15mm 12mm 9mm 6mm use for my Mak. Yes, they are 50 deg but it very sharp and great contrast.

 

The XCell Celestron is 60 deg, but I don't know if the sharpness and contrast is like the Vixen SLV Lanthanium. I kindda want to get a 7mm Celestron XCell.

 

 

[CrazyPanda]

I own the 7 X-Cel LX. It's actually more like 6.5mm. Assuming your 6 SLV is really 6mm, that's a magnification difference of 25x with the 7 X-Cel LX in your 1900mm FL Mak.

 

I like the 7 X-Cel LX. It earned a place in my planetary case amongst DeLites, Delos, and XWs. Very comfortable and very sharp. Some glare/contrast issues on the Moon though (there's a shiny internal spacer that will reflect out-of-field light from the focal plane).

[eblanken]

Hello again MrsM75,

 

I have a suggestion:

 

First, buy a 9mm XCell Celestron and

 

perform your own comparison between the 9mm SLV Vixen and 9mm XCell Celestron

 

in your 127mm x 1,900mm MAK, with your own eyes on targets of your preferences.

 

Then you will know which eyepiece you actually prefer. This comparison would be at just more than 200x, so that is (in my opinion) a good and well-designed experiment that compares "apples-to-apples" where your scope and the same night can teach you what you want to know. Sell the one you like least here on the classifieds.

 

You could also repeat this comparison at 12mm and/or 25mm (and/or even 5mm). One down-side of this direct comparison is that you might find that a tie would confirm that both the Vixen and the Celestron are equally good for you ? (You can possibly) gain some AFoV at 25mm with the XCell Celestron 60 Deg. as compared to the Vixen SLV 50 Deg. you now own.

 

Carefully compare (with your own eyes) several targets (that the sky supports) under identical conditions. Report back to us your findings, please.

 

Best Regards,

 

Ed

 

P.S. My opinion is that a 7mm, 6.5mm, 6mm or 5mm is most likely

        too high a power for your 127mm (probably only 117mm) x 1,900mm focal length MAK on many or most nights.

 

P.P.S. I "interleave" the Televue 62 Deg. Delites . . .  with  . . .  the   . . .  57 Deg. Radians as follows:

           3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 7mm, 9mm, 11mm, 13mm, 15mm, 18,2mm with 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm

             Question: Would Celestron XCell "interleave" well with the Vixen SLV ???

Edited by eblanken, 02 October 2024 - 01:23 AM.

[SeattleScott]

The performance is probably more consistent with the SLVs. With the Xcel LX, the top performers are supposed to be 25, 9 and 6.5/7. The 18 and 2.3 are reportedly subpar and the others are I guess ok, solid performers but not standouts. I get the impression most prefer the Paradigm 5 and 12 to the Xcel LX versions.

[luxo II]

The Celestron XCell series were clones of Vixen LV's.

 

The equivalent Vixen SLV should be slightly better - having had both LVs and SLV's Vixen made a few small improvements, though I would say the differences were quite subtle.

 

That said, while the SLV are quite nice, there are better eyepieces depending on your scope, and your priorities (widest field vs image quality etc).

Edited by luxo II, 02 October 2024 - 10:02 PM.