diff --git a/include/array_view.h b/include/array_view.h
index a31efd8..a2ea49f 100644
--- a/include/array_view.h
+++ b/include/array_view.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ namespace details
 	template <typename SizeType>
 	struct SizeTypeTraits
 	{
-		static const SizeType max_value = std::is_signed<SizeType>::value ? static_cast<typename std::make_unsigned<SizeType>::type>(-1) / 2 : static_cast<SizeType>(-1);
+		static const SizeType max_value = std::numeric_limits<SizeType>::max();
 	};
 }
 
@@ -99,12 +99,9 @@ public:
 		std::copy(values, values + Rank, elems);
 	}
 
-	// Preconditions: il.size() == rank
-	constexpr index(std::initializer_list<value_type> il) noexcept
-	{
-		fail_fast_assert(il.size() == Rank, "The size of the initializer list must match the rank of the array");
-		std::copy(begin(il), end(il), elems);
-	}
+	template<typename... Ts, bool Enabled = (sizeof...(Ts) == Rank), typename Dummy = std::enable_if_t<Enabled, bool>>
+	constexpr index(Ts... ds) noexcept : elems{ static_cast<value_type>(ds)... }
+	{}
 
 	constexpr index(const index& other) noexcept = default;
 
diff --git a/tests/array_view_tests.cpp b/tests/array_view_tests.cpp
index cf83fd5..3a8acc2 100644
--- a/tests/array_view_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/array_view_tests.cpp
@@ -16,16 +16,11 @@
 
 #include <UnitTest++/UnitTest++.h> 
 #include <array_view.h>
-#include <numeric>
-#include <limits>
-#include <array>
+
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <list>
 #include <iostream>
-#include <functional>
-#include <algorithm>
-
 
 using namespace std;
 using namespace gsl;
@@ -639,23 +634,14 @@ SUITE(array_view_tests)
 
 			index<1> index{ 0, 1 };
 			strided_array_view<int, 1> sav8{ arr,{ 1,{ 1,1 } } };
-#ifdef _MSC_VER
 			strided_array_view<int, 1> sav9{ arr,{ { 1,1 },{ 1,1 } } };
-#endif
 			strided_array_view<int, 1> sav10{ av,{ 1,{ 1,1 } } };
-#ifdef _MSC_VER
 			strided_array_view<int, 1> sav11{ av,{ { 1,1 },{ 1,1 } } };
-#endif
+			strided_array_view<int, 2> sav12{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()),{ { 1 },{ 1 } } };
+			strided_array_view<int, 2> sav13{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()),{ { 1 },{ 1,1,1 } } };
+			strided_array_view<int, 2> sav14{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()),{ { 1,1,1 },{ 1 } } };
 		}
 #endif
-
-		{
-			CHECK_THROW((strided_array_view<int, 2>{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()), {{1}, {1}} }), fail_fast);
-			CHECK_THROW((strided_array_view<int, 2>{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()), {{1}, {1,1,1}} }), fail_fast);
-#ifdef _MSC_VER
-			CHECK_THROW((strided_array_view<int, 2>{ av.as_array_view(dim<2>(), dim<2>()), {{1,1,1}, {1}} }), fail_fast);
-#endif
-		}
 	}
 
 	TEST(strided_array_view_type_conversion)
@@ -839,6 +825,94 @@ SUITE(array_view_tests)
 		delete[] arr;
 	}
 
+	TEST(index_constructors)
+	{
+		{
+			// components of the same type
+			index<3> i1(0, 1, 2);
+			CHECK(i1[0] == 0);
+
+			// components of different types
+			size_t c0 = 0;
+			size_t c1 = 1;
+			index<3> i2(c0, c1, 2);
+			CHECK(i2[0] == 0);
+
+			// from array
+			index<3> i3 = { 0,1,2 };
+			CHECK(i3[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of the same size type
+			index<3> i4 = i3;
+			CHECK(i4[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of bigger size type
+			index<3, short> i5 = i4;
+			CHECK(i5[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of smaller size type
+			index<3, long long> i6 = i4;
+			CHECK(i6[0] == 0);
+
+			// default
+			index<3, long long> i7;
+			CHECK(i7[0] == 0);
+
+			// default
+			index<3, long long> i9 = {};
+			CHECK(i9[0] == 0);
+		}
+
+		{
+			// components of the same type
+			index<1> i1(0);
+			CHECK(i1[0] == 0);
+
+			// components of different types
+			size_t c0 = 0;
+			index<1> i2(c0);
+			CHECK(i2[0] == 0);
+
+			// from array
+			index<1> i3 = { 0 };
+			CHECK(i3[0] == 0);
+
+			// from int
+			index<1> i4 = 0;
+			CHECK(i4[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of the same size type
+			index<1> i5 = i3;
+			CHECK(i5[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of bigger size type
+			index<1, short> i6 = i5;
+			CHECK(i6[0] == 0);
+
+			// from other index of smaller size type
+			index<1, long long> i7 = i6;
+			CHECK(i7[0] == 0);
+
+			// default
+			index<1, long long> i8;
+			CHECK(i8[0] == 0);
+
+			// default
+			index<1, long long> i9 = {};
+			CHECK(i9[0] == 0);
+		}
+
+#ifdef CONFIRM_COMPILATION_ERRORS
+		{
+			index<3> i1(0, 1);
+			index<3> i2(0, 1, 2, 3);
+			index<3> i3 = { 0 };
+			index<3> i4 = { 0, 1, 2, 3 };
+			index<1> i5 = { 0,1 };
+		}
+#endif
+	}
+
 	TEST(index_operations)
 	{
 		size_t a[3] = { 0, 1, 2 };