This topic is locked
I haven't read every comment in this particular topic, but for my own part here is why I bought my Questar 3.5.
I wanted one from the first time I saw one in Sky and Telescope magazine. That was when I was 13 years old. The image I saw was of a jewel-like example of uncompromising perfection that was (at the time) close to state-of-the-art. In a way it reminded me of the tiny model of The Time Machine in the George Pal classic movie!
Even in 1973, you could tell that no expense had been spared to make the Questar as good as it could be for the size of the optics. It promised fluid-like slow motions on both axes and it delivered! It had an accurate motor drive included in that tiny base that would let you track the stars as you observed. Here was a telescope that you could take anywhere, use for photography, star gazing or simply spying on the exotic dancer in her window a half mile away
That last bit was from Body Double
I didn't buy mine till I was 54 when I could finally afford to splurge a bit.. It was purchased used but I doubt it was every really used much by the former owner. It was a 98 model that was equipped with Power-Guide II and came with three well chosen eyepieces in a Questar presentation box chock full of filters. I later added a Tri-Stand pier mount and some photo adapters.
The thing I marvel at the most is when I take the little Q from its case and set it up is how easy it all is to be ready for a night of observing. A quick and dirty polar align is all you need for visual. The built in finder feature works very well. The setting circles are accurate enough that I can locate dim objects from their celestial coordinates. High power star images show nice Airy disk patterns. Planetary detail is what I would expect from a 3.5" telescope. With the Astro-Pier those views are rock steady. If you do bump the mount the vibrations damp away almost instantly.
The best thing I like about the Questar is that in this day and age of 3D printed-polymer-everything, it is constructed out of near solid metal. What little there isn't, is glass and perhaps a little phenolic on the tube rotation clamps. Somebody mentioned Rolex...I have one of those too. I don't own a Bugatti and I drive an F150. But I do smoke expensive cigars and do enjoy single malt
