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Lunt 35 or PST?


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I'm thinking of adding a Ha scope to my white light setup. Just a bottom rung scope such as the Lunt 35 or Coronado PST. I've read one excellent review here on SGL which puts them neck and neck. Just wondered if anyone else has a view on these little scopes.

In terms of price the Lunt has a headstart with Ian King doing the LS35 basic for £435 delivered. Cheapest PST i can find is Telescope House for £479 but they do have a 10% off weekend coming up which would level things again.

But the Lunt seems to have another leg up with the way it looks.

I did consider one of the PST80 mods and actually bought the scope (Nexstar 80mm f11) to do it. But it relies on a lot things falling into place (finding a broken PST for a good price), getting bits made and still buying some expensive bits. Well beyond the £300 price tag for a secondhand PST or £435 for a brand new LS35. Perhaps i'm wrong about this?

Any thoughts?

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Tough one ... Not sure about stock situation though.

The LS35 is always going to be a handy grab'n'go & I wouldn't mind having one for that reason. Only thing to watch out for is that the base model has a minimally sized blocking filter, the "de luxe" model has a bigger filter (better for imaging) as well as coming with the useful solar finder & clamshell, plus an eyepiece which may or may not be useful depending on what you already have.

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Can't help you with the decision.....they appear to be both capable Ha scopes....

The PST has the advantage of being able to be converted, as you say; will cost a minimum extra of 400gbp ( 90mm ERF, 80mm donor OTA, and nosepiece adaptor) to upgrade to a fully functional 80mm Ha solar telescope. More than twice the resolution of the PST - no comparison. ( Haven't seen any Lunt conversions, so can't comment)

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Many thanks Brian/Ken,

It would be so nice to do the PST80 mod but that would be my other plan (upgrading the 200P to 300P dob) in the toilet.

I can't find any prices for the Deluxe LS35, just 'Price on Application' which is highly annoying. One retailer wouldn't even give the price in an email.....what's there to be so secretive about? I just want the price for a scope. Which is pushing me towards the PST. Plus i have more chance of finding a good secondhand PST.

Although i won't be imaging, so the smaller blocking filter on the basic LS35 won't be such an issue and i can add a TV Solsearcher for £25. Or the AE version for £17.

So in short, i'm still undecided :)

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Hi Russ

Ask Jamie? I was pondering the same question recently and came down on the side of the PST. I did seek other opinions and I kept hearing that you get better images with the PST compared to the Lunt. Still to find the funds, but that's the direction I'm going to go in.

HTH, Martin

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John, many thanks. No chance of raising £600. At least i can rule out the Deluxe now. So that one less option.

Martin, many thanks, that does help. With Deluxe LS35 out of the running, that just leaves the basic LS35 vs PST. I doubt there any secondhand LS35's about yet, so will place a wanted ad for a good PST.

Thanks all

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Whilst I like Stephen Ramsden, take that review with a massive pinch of salt... he's so in with Lunt (under his own admission) it's just not unbiased at all

PST80 will match a Coronado SM90 single stack pretty much (quote Ken at SGL imaging day), that's around £6000 saved...look at it that way

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Not sure what you mean by " profesionallly" - I've done or been involved in over 15 PST mods (successfully!) so far;)

It really depends on the ERF and donor OTA......

Can I help????

Ken

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With this mod, you have to return the PST to them, they replace the gold tube and upgrade the BF filter and then ship the re-built scope back to you. OK if you're in the US but NBG from the UK.

And it's only an upgrade to 60mm aperture.

Ken

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Here's a side by side review of the Lunt and the PST.

http://www.solarscopereviews.com/

Hope it's of some help.

Andy.

I did have a read of that review but did wonder if he was a bit of a Lunt fan......not sure what made me think that :)

My latest plan is to just take the first one that appears secondhand at the right price. Not worried whether its the Lunt or the Coronado. Just need a little Ha scope again.

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