Actually the apo I have in mind would be a around a fast 80. Grab n go and very lightly dabble in AP. I love my dobs and achros. They compliment each other.

 

Also, I've not done ANY AP (other than digi-scoping) I do have a nice Canon Eos and would like to try it, but for time I've been in the hobby, it's been 100% visual.

 

My penny's worth: -

The best scope is the one that you use. Frac, Mak, Newt, Dob - all good.

 

Hi Clint, just same old stuff, been doing nothing but imaging of late. Thanks, good to have another nice place to go.
Floyd

 

I love all telescopes but use the ones I can afford and move around easily. I cannot afford the telescope in my avatar and it doesn't move around easily.

 

My main scopes are 8" dob, 6" SCT, and two refractors: 4" F/10 and 4.7" F/5. I find them all quite different and I'm plenty fond of each. I tend to use one for a couple weeks then switch to another, so that each time I come back around to a given scope there's a subtle "newness" feeling that I find a touch exciting. In line with what NerdThing says, my favorite is whichever one I'm using.

 

I love achromats too! I tried to buy an Istar a few months ago, but the Istar people didn't followed up, so I bought other stuff. Now I am using an ES AR152. SCTs have their advantages for sure (my NexStar 8SE works like a charm) but refractors just look "telescopier"

 

I love any scope that's paid for.
Les

 

Sometimes astronomy forums are a little like academia - the fights are so fierce because the stakes are so small . I like whatever scope is in front of me, though I admit I'm partial to Mak's and long f/ratio refractors (they look so pretty, and I am that shallow). Besides, it'd be so boring if there was a perfect scope for all situations - that'd mean we wouldn't get to spend countless hours and dollars buying/researching accessories and what not!

And I think its disheartening when a newcomer picks up a beginner scope, has some questions about it, and is told its garbage and they should have bought a Tak/Obsession/Questar. Honestly, a lot of the new beginner scopes are optically quite good.

 

I like all of my scopes. I am fortunate to have several to choose from. Sometimes my hardest decision is to figure out which one to use for the evening. I wish that there was a perfect jack of all trades telescope, but there isn't. Each design has its advantages and disadvantages.

 

I have had several scopes, but have settled on a 5" apochromatic triplet. I find that the images are more pleasing to my eye than with any other scope.

 

I've been collecting scopes since I was a kid in the sixties. I've settled on what I think is a well rounded assortment of newts, schmidts, maks and fracts. Its fun using them all. My quest is over though after my recent acquisition of my first love - the RV 6. If there's one thing I've learned is you have to have enough scopes so the wife doesn't notice a new one. (It's OK because they do that to us with shoes and dresses)

And it is very frustrating when you read the flame wars when fanatics of one particular type argue with fanatics of another type. Totally senseless.

 

Apo refractors for DSO imaging and pristine views, a big SCT for planetary imaging and hauling in faint fuzzy photons.

Clear Skies,
Brian

 

If you can point it at the sky and see stuff with it; it's all good in my book. I own a large SCT, a small achromatic refractor, a Newtonian and a couple of Mak's.

The only preference at the moment is for the Newtonian, as it rarely dews over in this weather.