Pentax are stopping production of their EPs due to the rising cost of lanthanum and I imagine it will only be a matter of time before things start creeping over onto Vixen as well
Pentax are stopping production of their EPs due to the rising cost of lanthanum and I imagine it will only be a matter of time before things start creeping over onto Vixen as well
Thanks, I noted that they are getting harder to find, even Optcorp have the 22mm on backorder and then Steve at myastroshop, being the gentleman that he is, made me an offer I could not refuse, so now I have 5 brand new LVWs and one immaculate previously loved one. Just one more to get when my bank balance recovers. I just love these LVW eyepieces in the Takahashi, just perfect with lots of eyerelief. Sometimes I forget and then have to move my head back away from the lens a bit.
No arguments from me - I am an unashamed Vixen fan and my feeling is their products are unjustifiably under-rated - their eyepieces being a classic example.
If I had to critique something unfavourable about the LVWs it would be their general size and weight (in some fls eg 3.5 is pretty big). However, in this day and age of Ethos sized coke-can EPs being the apparent norm this seems like a non issue now and if anything they are quite modest in comparison. I suppose the strategy from Vixen was for portable grab-n-go EPs you got their LV's and for a really good look through the EP you get the LVWs
My little vixens all together, rather than gathering an eclectic mix of brand names and types I decided on one set of parfocal eyepieces,
With the Takahashi TSA120 these give me 41x, 53x, 69x, 112x, 180x & 257x
Any thoughts on the 30mm NLV to round out the collection at the top end?
When my wife cools down I will get the 42mm LVW, but I doubt I will get the NLV30. I just bought a new T-Rex Alt Az mount from Claude so I will need to behave myself for quite some time.
My range of ortho's. Like the 12.5 the most as it is versatile. Sadly these are no longer but you may be able to find some under different names. The glass in these is very clear and they are easy to use.
Sadly these are no longer but you may be able to find some under different names.
Yup, they're just about gone. After Tani-san (the 'T' in Circle-T) retired at the end of last year (he was 84, apparently), the factory shut and stocks have dwindled. These "volcano top" orthoscopics are also sold under the University Optics and Edmund Optical brands. UO are all out of stock. Circle-T are almost gone - only some focal lengths available in small numbers, but Edmund Optical still has some (they charge the most, though).
Quote:
The glass in these is very clear and they are easy to use.
Good planetary views compared to other eyepieces I've used, but the shorter focal lengths (I also have the 4mm and 5mm in addition to others) have very short eye relief, which makes it a bit hard. Nevertheless, the raw view is better than any barlowed combination I've tried, so far at least.
Last edited by Astro_Bot; 26-03-2013 at 01:18 AM.
Reason: Also KK sold these - thanks, Wavytone, Plus corrected Tani-san spelling
Probably the same as the volcano-top orthos which kokusai kohki used to sell (also gone)...
Ah ha! I knew I'd forgotten one. Yes, they are the same, AFAIK.
Edit: Just for completeness, Lyra Optical (UK) still has one 4mm left, then they're out, too. Tan14 (HK) has some 9, 18 and 25mm orthos left, but I don't know how many - Peter's prices are pretty decent.
Last edited by Astro_Bot; 26-03-2013 at 03:10 PM.
Reason: Remembered something