Japanese-Built Vixen A80M Refractor + Porta II Mount + Accessories For Sale
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Japanese-Built Vixen A80M Refractor + Porta II Mount + Accessories:
$800.00
Classy, premium achromatic refractor for discerning buyers who demand Japanese build quality
From the heavy-duty 2-inch R&P focuser to the precision-figured optical glass and all-metal objective cell, this beautiful optical tube assembly (OTA) exudes quality and is entirelynihon sei(made in Japan); estimated date of manufacture, circa 2010-2014.
- Specifications: objective diameter, 80 mm; focal length, 910 mm
- Light-gathering power, 131X; resolving power, 1.45 arc sec
- OTA length, 35 in / 889 mm; weight, 5.5 lb / 2.49 kg
Unlike fast (i.e., short focal ratio) 80 mm scopes, the medium focal ratio (f/11.4)A80M curves incoming light more gently and thus canprovide sharp, high-contrast views at high magnification without the need for $600 eyepieces (although it works great with those too!). With regard to the potential for chromatic aberration inherent in all achromats, many users have reported that except when viewing the very brightest night-sky objects (eg, full moon, Venus) the Vixen A80M can hold its own, with minimal CA, against most Apo/ED scopes of the same aperture, many costing $800 to $1,500 (for the scope and mounting rings/dovetail alone). Because they provide the best balance of performance and affordability, well-crafted achromats remain quite popular in Vixen\'s home market among both novice and seasoned amateur astronomers. Please don\'t confuse the Japanese-made A80M with the Chinese-built A80Mf, which has a 1.25-inch focuser, plastic lens cell, and objective figured in China. By all accounts (search the forums at cloudynights.com) the A80M is a markedly superior scope— optically, mechanically, and in terms of overall fit and finish.
In addition to the OTA with original front and rear caps, the listing includes everything needed to get started viewing right away:
- Brand-new (not \"like new\" but brand-new and never used) Vixen Porta II altazimuth mount head (made in China), with 2 standard Allen wrenches stored under rubber cap
- Vixen AL-130 2-section aluminum tripod (made in China) with original stabilizing accessory tray (small scratch on bottom of tray is not visible when tray attached);legs extend from about 28 in (71 cm) to about 51 in (130 cm); tripod platform height ranges from 27.75 in (70 cm) to about 48 in (122 cm);uniform slight yellowing of paint on head and a few minor signs of use/age (see photos), but in very good condition overall
- Brand-new AstroStreet (made by GSO Taiwan, I think) 2-inch enhanced dielectric mirror astro diagonal with 1.25-inch eyepiece adapter (>95% reflectivity)
- Vixen 1.25-inch LV-Zoom lanthanum eyepiece (made in Japan, with fully multicoated optics); on A80M, provides magnification ranging from 38X to 113X; field of view ranges from 40 to 60 degrees depending on magnification; eye relief, 19 mm
- Brand-new Vixen Red Dot Finder; this is the original, all-metal version with round sighting window; very rare
- Two 11.5-inch Vixen flexible Porta slow-motion control handles for improved viewing ergonomics, especially when seated
OTA with attached Vixen SX tube rings and SX dovetail, original instruction sheet (in Japanese), and Vixen PlaniSphere will be packed in original box shown in photo and shipped inside a larger box along with bubble-wrapped mount, tripod, and accessories. **Signature required on delivery.**Thanks for visiting Nippon Rare Optics!Premium optics sourced from Japan▪Fast, free shipping from U.S.-based seller
