Telrad Reflex or Rigel Quickfinder?

Plan to put one on a 8" Dob to use with the original finder scope. Telrad has charts for sale, have'nt seen one up close, should I consider?

Thanks in advance

Jay

I have both Quickfinder and Telrads (and the Televue Quickpoint--which I don't like)

I've always been a firm believer in Telrads. They seem to be easier to sight in. It is easier to line your head up, and the collimation (lineup with the main scope) seems to stay better.

On the other hand, They are way too big for what I need. I prefer the Quickfinder for the pulsing light, and for its size.

In short--I've always liked the Telrad, but I think from now on I'll go with Rigel's product.

Either one is great, but the Quickfinder fits in the eyepiece case better.

Alex

I like the Telrad more (I've got dew shields on my three, and on/off switches which I installed myself). But it weighs more than the Quickfinder, so you'd have to add some extra weight to the base.

That said, if you're going to use it in conjunction with the original finder (which hopefully is a 9X50), most of the time you'll just be using it to locate a star that you know, then switching to the finder for hopping to the target. While the Telrad is superior, any of the 1X finders can do the latter job.


Unlike some sharp eyed colleagues, I can't use the Telrad alone for findings DSOs, in the way that they do. My eyesight isn't good enough.
Renato

Jay,

I have both the Telrad (on a 10" Discovery Dob) and Rigel QF (on a Celestron G-5 SCT). Both are excellent and each has its advantages and disadvantages:

Telrad Pros:
* Large bullseye - very good for starhopping.
* Many charts are printed with Telrad circles (Sky Atlas has one pre-printed on the clear plastic overlay). Telrad circles are also included as an aid on many planetarium software programs, like SkyMap Pro.
* Good dimmer control
* Alignment knob location at back (user) side

Telrad Cons:
* Not too heavy, but heavy enough that weight can cause balance problems on some Dobs and alt-az mounts
* Physically too large to mount on many small refractors
* Pulse feature an optional add-on

Rigel QF Pros:
* Comes with two mounting bases for use on different scopes
* Height above OTA makes sighting easier
* Pulse feature
* Light weight -- no as critical for balance
* Small footprint -- OK for small refractors

Rigel QF Cons:
* Upright configuration easy to dislodge
* 2 deg bullseye not as good as Telrad for star hopping (but better than red dot finders)
* Alignment knobs and dimmer control on front side
* Small battery can pop out while mounting or dismounting the QF and easily get lost in the dark.

You really can't go wrong with either choice for your 8" Dob.

Jim