Vixen · Refractor · Up to 4 inches · Now discontinued
Vixen ED81S II
The ED81S II is an 81 mm apochromatic doublet from Vixen with a 625 mm focal length at f/7.7. Vixen says its SD lens is made from FPL53, the low-dispersion glass used in many premium apos, paired with lead-free eco glass, so false color on bright objects is very well controlled. It came with tube rings, a Vixen dovetail bar, a carry handle, an XY spot finder and a flip mirror at the back, and Vixen sold it alone or on its SX2 and GPD2 mounts. It followed the earlier ED81S, which was in Vixen's catalog by 2005. Vixen has since ended production and sold out, so used ones are the only source now. It's a light, sharp tube that suits a Porta II or a small equatorial.
ED81S II tubeSets on SX2 and GPD2 mountsOlder ED81S
Spec at a glance
The full kit
What should come with it
- XY spot finder
- Tube rings and the Slide Bar M dovetail
- Metal carry handle
- Flip mirror and adapters for a diagonal and eyepieces
Check the listing photos against this list, and ask the seller about anything you can’t see. Plenty of listings are the tube alone or the mount alone, and a missing hand controller, power supply or counterweight should come off the price.
What to check
The lens is the part to check for haze and cleaning marks. The rack-and-pinion focuser should be smooth. Rings, dovetail and the flip mirror go missing, and since Vixen no longer makes the tube, matching parts are harder to find.
- 01Lens: Ask for a photo into the objective with a flashlight from the side. It should be clear, with no haze or fungus.
- 02Model: Check the tube says ED81S II, not the older ED81S. The listing and engraving should match.
- 03Focuser: Ask the seller to rack the focuser in and out with a diagonal fitted. It should move smoothly and not slip.
- 04Rings and bar: Look for the tube rings and the Vixen dovetail bar in the photos. They let it go straight onto a Vixen-style mount.
- 05Accessories: Check for the finder and flip mirror. Both are Vixen parts that are harder to source now.
- 06Packing: Ask how it will ship. The lens should be capped and the tube padded on every side.
New to used telescopes? How to check a used telescope covers optics, mounts, power and shipping, and what a complete kit looks like helps with tube-only and mount-only listings.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this model’s listings yet. Search eBay and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a photo looking into the optics with a flashlight and one of everything included, and pass on any seller who won’t send them.
Search “Vixen ED81S” on eBay ↗eBay searchCompare with
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