Dob or GEM

[MartinB]

If you had 8-10" reflector for purely visual observing, not bothered about goto would you prefer it to be on a dob base or a GEM?

[GazOC]

For an 8" def. a GEM. 10" is where the eyepiece starts to get in awkward positions but still probably a GEM, anything bigger though and a Dob would be easier.

[GordonCopestake]

8" is a bit small for a dob IMO, but the 10" i'de go dob if i wasn't in to high mag stuff, gem for planets and so forth

my 12" dob gave great views on m42 and it's ilk but parp on saturn

[FLO]

I'm with Gordon, it depends on what I would be observing. High mag' planetary, lunar etc, I'd want it on a GEQ. Otherwise, a Dobsonian is quicker to set-up and easier to use.

[The Warthog]

Dob, in either case, as it is cheaper, and well suited to observation where you don't spend a long time looking at any particular object, but just move on to the next.

[geppetto]

DOB for me as well.

Much more comfortable and simple to use, quick to setup. 8)

[John]

Another vote for DOB here. I need to move my scope around often due to trees and street lights so it's the only way that I can use a scope with any significant aperture. I've found it reasonably easy to track at 250x with my Revelation 8 using the nudge-let drift-nudge-let drift approach.

John

[Astroman]

GEM for me. I figure, if I have the aperture and the seeing, I want to pour on the magnification, so a tracking mount is essential.

[lunator]

I'm for a GEM but accept that at 10" it is a trcky choice.

John point is very valid about being able to move around to see more of the sky, but although most of my observing is visual I couldn't measure doubles using a Dob. (it is possible but the Maths is horrific and there are too many variable to take into account)

Cheers

Ian