Which scope?

[Cheychi]

What's your preference?
Reflector or refractor scopes, and why?

[johninderby]

Both 🙂

I have refractors and reflectors as no one type is better at everything. Depends on what I’m looking at and portability.

Edited April 3, 2020 by johninderby

[Skipper Billy]

Refractor for me - no messing about collimating and no diffraction spikes. Petzval design - no messing about with spacing between scope and sensor.

[Timebandit]

 

 

I thought it had been a while since we had the Refractor V Reflector debate. O well here we go again😀

Personally for a quick answer , Refractor has a slightly sharper clearer viewing experience in my opinion.

And the Reflector you get some much more bang for your buck ,when it come to Aperture, light gathering ability.

I try to say a  bit lke having HD television with Refractor, compared to standard TV picture with Reflector

Personally I have both, 

 

 

 

[Cheychi]

Now this doesn't help me decide which to get for my first scope haha 

[John]

I have both types and love both types.

When I want aperture however its a reflector - I can't afford or house a 12 inch refractor !!!!!

[garryblueboy]

Both for Me too 😀

[DavidJM]

This isn't helping me, I have reflectors and a MAK, keep thinking of a 72 or 80 refractor but not sure what it will give me that what I've already got doesn't

[newbie alert]

What do you want to do with it, solar system? Deep sky?

Imaging or purely visual?

There's no scope that does it all as we would have that one

For me, both reflectors and refractors

Edited April 3, 2020 by newbie alert
Added info

[RT65CB-SWL]

Hi @Cheychi

No 'scope does all in this hobby. Each have their pros & cons; and the reason some of us have more than one.

This is my 'scope collection...

<---TeleVue Ranger and 're-modded' Meade ETX105

<--- Celestron C6/SCT and 're-modded' Meade ETX105

The mount is a Tele-Optic Giro Mkll. I also have a AOK-AYO, (not shown), which is a similar design to the Giro.

[Cheychi]

34 minutes ago, newbie alert said:

What do you want to do with it, solar system? Deep sky?

Imaging or purely visual?

There's no scope that does it all as we would have that one

For me, both reflectors and refractors

Imaging hopefully.

[happy-kat]

Then the focus is not the telescope but the mount.

Budget and storage and use location all play a part in that decision.

[Timebandit]

2 hours ago, Cheychi said:

Now this doesn't help me decide which to get for my first scope haha 

 

 

45 minutes ago, Cheychi said:

Imaging hopefully.

 

In that case go for a refractor like the SW 80ED sensible money ,especially second hand. And well respected in the astro community for imagery.

Hope this is more helpful😉

And to go the extra mile, the book every Photon counts 

 

 

[Cheychi]

Thank you 

[johninderby]

And if getting into AP you will need to consider a more expensive heavier duty mount so that is something to factor into the total cost. 

[John]

I would get the book first

 

[heliumstar]

31 minutes ago, John said:

I would get the book first

 

Exactly. After I read it I decided I will wait with imaging for awhile. Very, very good book (Making every photon count) for anyone interested in imaging. I do quick EAA sessions now though.

[newbie alert]

2 hours ago, Cheychi said:

Imaging hopefully.

Imaging what planets or deep sky?

Reason I say is because for deep sky as theyre si dim you want something that will have long exposure that covers a wide area ( for nebulae) , for planets as they're brighter you take a  high frame rate video which is broken down into individual frames and the best say 20% stacked but with a long focal length..

So taking images of planets or deepsky are totally different

Edited April 3, 2020 by newbie alert
Added info