NickH

I sent the mum of a friend over to Steve yesterday at FLO, and she emailed me this morning, utterly delighted with the help/support etc she got. It's that level of trust, when you recommend someone that matters, and along with about 3-4 other UK dealers, Steve and James absolutely fall in to that category

Thanks guys!

Ordered stuff with them, which all arrived very quickly as per usual..

Superb to deal with every time

Lunt is 0.75A (in theory anyway) which is about what a DS PST delivers... (in theory as the reflectivity/coatings and etalon seem to deliver a very very bright and contrast limited image). The bigger picture is that the LS focuser in theory again is better, (though S@N didn't like it...and I trust Pete totally), but you can mod a PST to much bigger aperture easily...

Amen to that...prisms on those things are the weak point for sure..

BF5 vs BF10 is a major factor too...the 5's just don't cut it IMHO when modding

Gaz, are you coming to SSP? If so I will gladly give it a once over? (and that applies to any other PST mods at SSP)...

Gaz

Get the Vixen A80... trust me.. for £100 there aint much to touch it, with the Baader D-ERF

For the record I have now used 7 Lunt LS50's and 60's and only 1 of them has even remotely impressed me in any way shape or form, most of them falling apart at high mag...Stephen Green's is the one which so far held up...and held up very well, and all have been tried with exactly the same kit...Lumenera Skynyx cams and Televue powermates

To be fair as well, I have just had an SV50 sent back for a tweak on the objective, as it wasn't as good as the other three on hand (60s and 50s), Ken's sorting it out though..

Side by side comparison of a PST80 and the SV50 which is a measured 0.7A instrument, and the views are identical..(in terms of surface detail visible though caveat for the sweet spot on full disc) At F25-F40, the PST80 absolutely nails it for resolution, and combined with the surface detail, I could not be happier...though to get that level of detail full disc would be nicer, an SF70 is not in budget right now.

I guess my images also show this, so it's not just idle speculation, I post up images with it all the time, and let anyone and everyone have a look through it at events.

Etalons on the PST are variable, whilst this may be coatings etc, I can only vouch for using 4 different PST's in a side by side, and keeping just the one, which was clearly head and shoulders better than the others.. The Vixen A80/C-ERF/PST/BF10 combination images like a dream (evidence online!) and visually, well just ask anyone who has looked through it... at SGL5/SSP or SGL imaging workshop day (brief sadly due to clouds)

I for one am NOT surprised by the LS35/PST shootout results... if it's a good PST that is...

£300 etalon it is, but you get the odd "perfect" one (Brian's data on that 0.65A giving 0.75A at F10 would seem about right)

Interesting roundup anyway...

What I also found interesting is the comparison between Pete's 0.5A DS SF70 and the SV50 I have which is single stack. Spoke at length to Ken at Solarscope yesterday and his words were "the figure on your SV50 and etalon were exceptionally good... I knew that at the time".

Nice to know..

.... unless you are in the field with no laptop (or equiv.)

Netbook costs less than the synscan handbox (laptops direct), and will run for up to 10 hours on the larger battery packs, but yes, I agree the point

What's an alignment list? (:-))

EQMOD is the way to go...

First Light Optics/Modern Astronomy/Ian King and Telescope House

I just wanted to say that in the years I have been purchasing equipment from UK suppliers, and this is a personal opinion based on my own private purchases...that all of the above, along with a few more such as Venturescope and SCS, but regularly those listed above, have delivered excellent help/support/advice and prices. They are a credit to the industry, and should be heartily supported where possible

I just wanted to say that in the years I have been purchasing equipment from UK suppliers, and this is a personal opinion based on my own private purchases...that all of the above, along with a few more such as Venturescope and SCS, but regularly those listed above, have delivered excellent help/support/advice and prices. They are a credit to the industry, and should be heartily supported where possible

I just wanted to say that in the years I have been purchasing equipment from UK suppliers, and this is a personal opinion based on my own private purchases...that all of the above, along with a few more such as Venturescope and SCS, but regularly those listed above, have delivered excellent help/support/advice and prices. They are a credit to the industry, and should be heartily supported where possible

I have nothing but admiration for Steve and James. helpful beyond the call of duty, great prices, great support, flawless... between them, Arthur, Bern at Modern Astro, Lee at Greenwitch, Ian King, and the guys at TH...we're very lucky to have such a good collection of astro dealers in the UK... (and apologies to a few I have not mentioned, but who, I know also do great work)..

Shame a couple always seem to let the whole country down...and they know exactly who they are