Vixen Orthoscopic 6mm

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Brand and Model:Vixen Orthoscopic 6mm
Price ($USD):Discontinued
Type:Orthoscopic
Focal Length:6 mm
Barrel Size:0.965 in
Apparent FOV:40.0 degrees
Field Stop Dia.:0.0 mm
Eye Relief:4 mm
Elements:4
Weight (lbs):
Description:

Vote Highlights Vote
Vixen Orthoscopic 6mm
I had originally purchased this as a "star party" alternative to my 6.4mm Super Plossl. That plan fell apart when I actually looked through the thing. This delivers truly superb sharp and contrasty views. And it's not troubled by eyeball reflections the way some other short f.l. oculars are. Its field is none too wide, just south of 40 degrees, but for planet and binary viewing that's not a problem.

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=44305

Vixen Orthoscopic 6mm
I bought my 6mm Vixen ortho brand new in Norway last year for a measly $ 25.
Why so cheap?
The answer is: All 0.96" sizes are discontinued in this country due to lack of demand.
With modern greenish multicoating this tiny eyepiece is a small marwel in optical quality. Razor sharp and contrasty. Ridiculus short eye relief limits the use to planets moon & sun and doubles.
My verdict is: Nothing really beats an Ortho on this objcets, and even a cheap ortho will do.
If you ever come across one buy without hesitation

Overall Rating: 9
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=44304

Vixen Orthoscopic 6mm
I also have the 9mm (see there) - the 6mm has even more ridiculous (absence of!)
eye relief, but, to my own surprise, I can use it without touching it (whereas
I keep bumping into the eyecup of my 4.7mm UWA and thus jostling the tube of my
8" f/5 Dob). It also sports an even smaller TFOV of about 14' in this scope -
targets drift from edge to edge at an alarming rate, requiring considerable
effort to keep them in view.

Nonetheless, for tight doubles and for planets, it is well worth putting up
with these inconveniences. With an orange filter mated to the 1.25" adapter
(convenient for swapping back and forth with the 9mm Or while filter and
adapter stay put), Mars is gorgeous; the filter neatly kills atmospheric
differential refraction and leaves a crisp disk with easily discernible
markings. Over in Lyr, the field is still wide enough to show the double-double,
neatly resolved, in its entire glory. There are no aberrations of any kind,
no ghost reflections, the image is bright and contrasty.

Due to the length of my adapter, I need to refocus when I switch from my
1.25" e/p's to the Orthos, but focusing is a snap even in the absence of
brighter stars.

Got this at an astro fair from the grab box at one third of the list price
and I must say it is easily worth every penny of the regular price. It may
not be as legendary as the Pentax SMC 6mm Ortho (alas, no longer being made)
but it certainly isn't far from perfection.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 3 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=44303

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