Questar 3.5

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Questar 3.5
It's easily 20x the value of an ETX.
Divide the cost by the number of years you will enjoy it.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:7
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=365433

Questar 3.5
I've just been reading some of the other comments on the Questar 3.5. All the positive things are true. Optical quality, ease of use, portability, etc. I believe it to be the best it can be. If you want 10" performance, go buy a 10". Otherwise remember it's size and appreciate what it can do. I am a more occasional observer than some, but each time I use it, it delivers. I will curse the bugs, the light pollution, the clouds, my observing abilities, but never - ever - my telescope. I can't imagine giving it up.
Am I rich? No. As a mater of fact I'm looking for work right now. Was I rich when I bought it? No. I was just out of college at the time and spent about 1/3 of my salary to get the telescope. Crazy? Probably, but I have never regretted it for a moment. And I got over it financially.
Whenever I mention I have a Questar to other observers or telescope dealers, I get a sort of silence or negative comments. So I don't mention it unless it's needed. Some just don't know what it is. Other start assuming things about me that aren't true. Or they point out flaws in the telescope. If I left it on their doorstep, do you think they would throw it out? Does anyone else get negative reactions when people find out you have a Questar?
By the way, I think a 10" Dob would be a perfect compliment for my Q 3.5", so I'm looking for one now.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=368632

Questar 3.5
I've had my 1961 Questar for a year now. I'm the 3rd owner. I sent it in for a full factory service after buying it. While the small aperture may limit what you can see, in all other respects, this instrument comes as close to perfection as you can get.

It's the little things that make the Questar so special. The integrated finder, the setting circles, the smooth focuser and slow motion controls, the accuracy of the clock drive, the sliding dewcap, not to mention the ease with which it can be carried and set up. And on top of that, it may be the most beautiful telescope made.

All of the my other scopes are larger, mass produced items, ranging from 5" to 11". None can provide the same observing experience the Questar provides - there is a certain subjective magic about this scope I have never felt with any other.

My purchase of a used one was to see if it was worth getting a new one. It is, and I plan to do so within the next year.

Anyway, a perfect '10' for this beauty!

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=415734

Questar 3.5
I previously voted, but forgot to log in, so my vote was recorded as 'unreliable' I'm voting again, the same way, hoping that logging in makes a differencve.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 7 (Veritable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=415735

Questar 3.5
Bought a used Questar it is awesome. I also own a 4" fluorite refractor, C8 Cat.

Overall Rating: 10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=431143

Questar 3.5
I had owned two exceptional scopes prior to this one: an Ultima C8 PEC and an optimized Newtonian which I designed and assembled myself from premium, custom-made parts. I bought the Questar Standard 3.5 because I had been spoiled by these other two instruments and craved quality, but I also wanted a telescope that was easy to use. The C8 and Newt had been a handful, and I was tired of making so much effort to view stars I had seen many times before. Price was no object as long as the value was there.

After owning the Questar for over a year, I can honestly say I am very pleased with it. The optics are about 1/8-wave system-wide and smooth (inch for inch, at least as good as my other scopes). The fork is extremely well-made, the setting circles helpful in finding objects, and the drive accurate and responsive to the controls (however, the Ultima's fork and drive remain unbeaten). The general workmanship (mechanics, aesthetics, etc.) is definitely as good as that of any other telescope on the market.

The truly outstanding feature of this instrument is that the Questar is by far the easiest telescope I could ever use. All the parts--legs, drive, controller, fork, tube, solar filter, and eyepieces--fit in a single, elegant case the size of a breadbox. Many components such as the barlow and finder are integral. And due to its small size and low weight, the whole instrument can be mounted on a good photo tripod.

The Questar has solved my biggest problem. Observing is fun again because it's so easy it's worth it. And pride of ownership: the Questar is without question one of the most beautiful instruments ever made. It's a telescope built to look like a trophy.

My instrument has the Brandon 32mm and 16mm eyepieces. These were good choices. The full-aperture solar filter was also a good choice. I got the enhanced coatings as well. Finally, I chose a Pyrex mirror because the dealer recommended it. For a 3.5" instrument, Zerodur is not going to make an appreciable difference in cool-down time. Finally, I got the Tri-stand. The Tri-stand is necessary for accurate polar alignment.

Overall Rating: 9
Optics:9 Mount:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:8
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=569241

Questar 3.5
The best optics I've ever enjoyed.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:9 Ease of Use:10 Value:9
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=605731

Questar 3.5
Quality, quality, quality.

Overall Rating: 10
Optics:10 Mount:10 Ease of Use:10 Value:10
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=607306

Questar 3.5
My brand new Questar had to be sent back to the factory REPEATEDLY because it had so many things wrong with it and was so poorly constructed. Now, I find out Questar no longer employees anyone with the skills and experience needed to build or repair the equipment they sell. They went from around 30 employees down to just a couple. It gets worse, I was just informed Questar is going out of business and can't provide me with the working telescope I paid for. My Questar purchase turned out to be my biggest mistake ever in amateur astronomy. Good bye Questar.

Overall Rating: 6
Weight: 1 (Unreliable Vote)
Date:
By:
Link to this vote: http://www.excelsis.com/1.0/displayvote.php?voteid=634524

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