portaball/lightbridge?

Tough question?
Is it better to get a 8" Portaball or a 12" Lightbridge?
Money/size differences vs. quality optics/design.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Hope to order something soon.

Thanks Scott

Buy the 12" Lightbridge and enjoy it while you are saving your money for the 12.5" Portaball (for however long that takes), then sell the Lightbridge!

A British astro magazine just did a review of the 12" Lightbridge and found the optics tested quite well and performed excellently. There was a quote about how such an inexpensive scope would embarass many high end instruments in visual performance so it sounds like at least the test scope was a winner optically. I own a 12.5" Portaball and had a 10" PB before. The Portaball is my absolute favorite all-around telescope of all the scopes I have owned or tried. The PB and a dedicated planetary scope - a 10" Mak at the moment - are all I need. So why are there six other scopes crowding me out???

The Portaball is one great, albeit expensive, telescope.

Dave Mitsky