Upgrading to Improve Solar Images

[pmlogg]

Currently I use Coronado SM40s on a 60mm f/6 refractor with a DMK41 for single and double-stack imaging of the full solar disk. Time already constrains what I should be doing in terms of processing to get best results from the images taken. I would be reluctant to get into tiling multiple images - despite my envy of the great results others are producing by doing so.

The question is what benefit, for full disk imaging, would I get from upgrading aperture to 60mm, either with a dedicated 60mm solar scope or 60mm etalons on my refractor? Alternatively would I be likely to see more (or less) benefit from upgrading cameras, to one with a bigger chip/smaller pixels to get more resolution, and to be able to use 12-bit rather than 8-bit to improve the dynamic range/contrast in the images. Or would the expensive truth be that I really need to do both both to see a significant benefit?

As an aside from the imaging question, for visual I enjoy the views I'm getting but I do find that going to smaller EP focal lengths than 9mm isn't helpful.  How much better could I expect higher magnification views to be with 60mm rather than 40mm of aperture under normal viewing?  Is the answer essentially the same as the benefit of increasing aperture for night viewing or is does the higher daytime turbulence reduce the benefit of greater aperture to a much greater degree?

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I upgraded from Lunt LS35THa to SolarMax-II 60mm, before I got the Solar Spectrum filter, and noticed quite a leap in image quality. I would go for a larger aperture first.

[Pete Presland]

Is doing the PST stage 1 mod an option ? Not sure how much increase in detail you get compared to just upgrading your Solar scope size.

[pmlogg]

Thanks for those replies.  It sounds like aperture is the priority. 

Having already gone down the route of front mounted etalons and having sold my PST I don't think I want to go down the PST mod route - although again I can see that others have very successfully done so.

SM60 units, rather than a dedicated Solarmax 60 would give the flexibility to use on other host OTAs (as I'm doing with the SM40s) but they appear less frequently on the used market - my normal source.  So I may just have to be patient!