Vixen SG 6,5×32 WP ED: under the sky with… nine degrees.

The Japanese company Vixen has always made binoculars of various levels and for the most diverse uses. In this case, we are talking about an instrument designed for amateur astronomers, one of the classic target audiences for this brand.

The Vixen SG 6.5×32 WP ED is framed as an “evolution” of the small SG 2.1×42 25° real field (approximately 50° apparent), that is, a compact instrument capable of enhancing the eyesight of the astronomy enthusiast by allowing him, with a not very high magnification, a greater collection of light than it would have simply by observing with the naked eye, while maintaining a wide field of view.

Technical characteristics declared by the manufacturer.

Lens diameter	32 mm
Prism glass	BK 7
Real field of view	9th
Apparent field	58.5° (54.2°*) *when calculated with JIS B7157:2003
Exit pupil diameter	4.9 mm
Field of view at 1000m	157 m
Pupillary extraction	20 mm
Weight	610 g
Waterproof	Yes
Price (October 2017)	449

 

This 6.5x has a format more like a classic roof binocular than its “little brother”, more similar to a slightly oversized opera binocular, despite a decidedly higher magnification of three times even with objective lenses reduced to 32mm; the constant that unites them is the large field of view, in this case 9° real (about 54° apparent).

The strong point of these binoculars, on which Vixen bases its specific proposal for amateur astronomers, is the high quality of the glass and treatments used, aimed at obtaining the minimum chromatic aberration with the best possible rendering of the colors of the stars framed, also favoring the maximum transmission of light. The optical surfaces are all multi-coated for anti-reflection, and the prisms (in BK7) are phase-corrected. The objective lenses are equipped with ED elements.

The binoculars appear well built: The optical tubes are joined by a relatively short central monobridge; a good rubber coating ensures a solid and comfortable grip, and the rubber coating at the junction between the two tubes features a raised ridge that, according to the manufacturer, can act as a sighting line for aiming at the subject, probably provided the binoculars are mounted on a stand; for this purpose, there is the classic threaded connection for tripod adapters. The eyepieces are protected by retractable rubberized twist-up hoods with two stops; when fully lowered, they allow eyeglass wearers to easily access the entire field of view, thanks also to the instrument's considerable 20 mm eye relief. These eyepieces may not be immediately familiar; it sometimes takes a moment to figure out how to position them correctly in front of your eyes, otherwise you risk a bit of a "kidney bean" effect, i.e., the appearance of black circles on portions of the frame. but in a short time you learn to overcome the problem by approaching the binoculars correctly and easily (adjusting your interpupillary distance well and keeping it at the correct pupil extraction distance). As a good instrument with an astronomical vocation, the focusing is individual, controlled on the individual eyepieces by comfortable knurled rings that allow for smooth and precise focusing. but without the risk of accidental movement, the compensable diopters are over 5. As befits an instrument of this category, the binoculars are waterproof and filled with nitrogen.

The practical test of the Vixen SG 6,5×32 WP ED  I have to say it was overall positive, but it left me with some mixed feelings. The period in which I had the instrument at my disposal was perhaps not the best to best show off its StarGazer features.: dark skies were followed by a full moon, and if we add to this the fact that my usual observing site is affected by “good” light pollution, you will understand that the test results must be interpreted appropriately.

Coming to the point, I have to say that The pinpoint sharpness of the stars proved to be good beyond the 70% of the field, then moving towards the edge spherical aberration and then astigmatism began to make themselves noticeable even if, given the type of instrument, in a still acceptable way. When I talk about pinpoint sharpness, keep in mind that we're not dealing with a long-focal length refractor, but with binoculars, so everything is relative. The presence of the classic spikes due to the use of roof prisms seemed perceptible but limited even on the brightest stars. The color rendition of the stars was good, as expected, with no aberrations even on the brightest subjects; even the Moon (keeping it in the center of the field) showed no colored halos of any kind.

The contrast, despite the negative observational context, allowed me to observe at least the Andromeda Galaxy, also giving me the perception of its nucleus without resorting to distracted observation; on the other side of the celestial vault, the Wild Duck cluster (M11) was also found without great difficulty. The containment of stray lights is well done and I did not notice large light halos due to light sources close to the observed area., unless you wanted to frame areas of sky near streetlights at a very short distance from the observation point, but in that case it would be difficult to expect otherwise. Observing the Moon only generated a very faint ghost image.

Naturally, I also wanted to try this instrument during the day, and I must say I was very satisfied with it, even more so than with evening and nighttime use. The image presented to me through the binoculars was very beautiful: saturated and faithful colors, excellent contrast, excellent sharpness across about three-quarters of the field (as the astronomical test had already demonstrated), almost no chromatic aberration, and very little image distortion; in short, a great sense of transparency and immersion in the scene, something that the astronomical test had struggled to convey. This shows that the attention to detail and excellent optics Vixen has put into these binoculars have not been wasted: there is quality in this instrument, and it shows. If a version with central focusing existed, I would be tempted to add it to my collection for birdwatching as well; for that purpose, the IF makes it a bit awkward. But even in this configuration, if I still frequented mountain trails as I used to, I'm sure I would appreciate it as an excellent panoramic binocular, because even though it doesn't have a large apparent field, the 9° FOV would give excellent results.

 

But under dark skies?
by Piergiovanni Salimbeni.

Confirming that we had the same impressions as Paolo during the daytime observation, we were still hesitant to publish the review immediately, since we were convinced that we had not completed the puzzle, a very important part was missing: the observation under dark skies through these small binoculars.
Due to rapidly changing weather conditions, which brought – finally – clear skies, on the night of October 23rd, I was able to admire the autumnal sky from a fairly dark site, at an altitude of nearly 1100 metres.

The small diameter and the mediocre apparent field have faded into the background, outclassed by the wide 9-degree true field and excellent color correction. For comparison, I brought along a timeless Nikon 8×30 E II, which has a nearly similar field of view (8.8°) but exhibited significantly lower color rendition and edge-to-edge aberration control. I can say that the Vixen's positive aspects were greater star sharpness, less edge degradation, and better color correction. The Nikon's strengths were its larger apparent field of view and its magnification, which was able to darken the sky better.

While Vixen does not exhibit a totally flat field, the star images degrade slightly starting from about 75% – 80% of the field, but astigmatism and coma are minimal, this feature allows for a decent visual accommodation that provides pleasant observations of star fields.
There are various areas of the sky that have fascinated me, I can confirm, for example, that The Pleaides are a small jewel box with very pinpoint stars, immersed in a dense field of stars, even the Hyades seem to be made on purpose to be observed with the small Vixen 6.5X3.
The area that fascinated me the most was the one near the Constellation of Perseus, The Double Cluster was visible together with the open cluster NGC 957 which is located about 1.5° to the east.Stargazing in the constellation Cygnus was also very beautiful and relaxing, full of stars, asterisms, dark areas, and double stars. As for observing faint objects, I can confirm that I was able to observe M81, M82, M31, and especially M33. Being an extended galaxy, it stood out very well from the background sky, not so much because of the aperture of these binoculars but because of its high contrast, which was highlighted by Paolo during the naturalistic observation.

In summary: The Vixen SG 6,5×32 WP ED They are not giant binoculars for astronomy, however they could represent a good complement for the amateur astronomer who wishes to observe celestial objects from a slightly different perspective than that provided by the classic 20×80, by binoculars with interchangeable eyepieces or by a large diameter telescope.

 

In summary:
Positive aspects: ED optics, sharpness on axis, contrast and faithful color rendition, single focus on each eyepiece (excellent for astronomical use)
Cons: Small diameter, poor apparent field.

 

• Thanks.
  We would like to take this opportunity once again to thank Mauro Narduzzi of Skypoint for providing the products for this review, as well as for always allowing us to share our real impressions without restriction.
• 
  Did you like this article?   

  Binomania allows all enthusiasts to read dozens and dozens of reviews of optical and sports products for free. However, if you appreciate our work, you could support Binomania by buying us a cappuccino via PayPal. Thank you in advance!

  Buy us a cappuccino! 

   

  Disclaimer.
  This review was published in October 2017. Please note that the impressions are entirely personal and provided by Binomania testers in complete freedom, without any commercial obligation or relationship, and based on proven experience using these optical instruments. For any information, updates, and/or changes to prices, instrument features, authorized sales outlets, or other information in general, please contact Binomania directly. SkyPoint, the official distributor of Vixen products in Italy.