1757 replies to this topic

[Gregory Gross]

If anyone is trying to build a collection of Questar literature, there are two available copies of the "Questar in Kenya: On Safari with the 700" brochure that appeared in the mid-1970s or so:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115260264109 ($14.99)

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402361146470 ($24.95)

 

Both listings offer free shipping.

[Toddeo]

The Questar filter set in "custom" wooden box is back, listed on Ebay-same seller

[98105dude]

The first winning bidder on the filters changed his mind before they were shipped.

[Optics Patent]

I was astounded by the bid on those filters. And then I surprised it wasn’t real. Smells like fraud.

[Toddeo]

Those filters are at $145+  -second time around.

[98105dude]

I know the seller. There's no fraud or deception here.

Edited by 98105dude, 27 February 2022 - 12:27 PM.

[Optics Patent]

Is my memory wrong?  I thought a set of filters was like a $40 item, and a box might be another $50 or more.

[Toddeo]

Is my memory wrong?  I thought a set of filters was like a $40 item, and a box might be another $50 or more.

Oh, but these are "QUESTAR FILTERS"  made with very rare astronomical fairy dust from the beginning of time!

[Hunziker-1]

Can you show me any for sale for 40/50 dollars or where on the current price list where they are that cheap? I have a current price list and they are well over that. As is basically the price for everything in the country these days. Also I see alot of negativity in here for people selling these and other Questar things and it surprises me. These are valuable scopes and cost over 5k new, is one thats older supposed to go for 1000 bucks just bc people want them too? Seems counterintuitive for a super hardcore collector crowd which sorry to say this is.

Edited by Hunziker-1, 03 March 2022 - 10:24 PM.

[Hunziker-1]

I have two of them with a 3rd on the way and paid well for all of them. I would similarly sell them for a good amount without shame

[Toddeo]

They are colored filters. I've been in the astronomy hobby a very long time. A cheap set of Celestron colored filters will work just as good as the Questar filters. Too many people in this hobby are looking with their pocket book rather than their eyes. These are not fancy expensive astrophotography filters.  If you also think the Questar scope objectives are 10-15 times better than most of the cheap Meade ETX 90's your wrong there-too. I've had quite a few ETX 90's and own a couple of Q 3.5's and just Today- sold my very expensive Q-7 package, I will set them up-side by side and using them both-visually and for astrophotography-you will not be able to tell the difference. I will put money on that!  People pay very good money for anything related to Questar-most of the time it's because the telescopes/mounts are very well made, not crazy mass produced with proper care might last a lifetime, but there is nothing super special about the glass, mirrors /coatings they use.

[Hunziker-1]

I honestly dont disagree with you, but you’re basically trying to shame somebody in a Questar forum for buying Questar branded parts. I get that they were maybe overpriced and for that matter maybe all 3 of my scopes are. This forum to me is also about collecting most things Questar and Questar branded stuff is kind of rare. Maybe that super rare eyepiece or accessory was “crazy priced” at one point but good luck getting it now. The truth is that in May of last year there were 10 scopes in front of mine is what I was told, 2 weeks ago there were 11 in front of mine. I dont know about you, but I think anything new Questar branded might be tough to impossible to get hands on soon enough let alone used stuff.

[Wisconsin Steve]

Let’s get back to the ads, folks.

[Gregory Gross]

There's an interesting Questar-modified Nikon F Photomic camera body on eBay for an eye-watering starting bid of $2295. It's worth a look, if nothing else, as an interesting, well-preserved example.

[Spikey131]

There's an interesting Questar-modified Nikon F Photomic camera body on eBay for an eye-watering starting bid of $2295. It's worth a look, if nothing else, as an interesting, well-preserved example.

Are collectors paying that much?  I know astrophotographers are not.

[dnrmilspec]

They could darned sure have my F for a lot less than that.  No little button but for $2K I will stand there and operate the mirror for them.

[Spikey131]

For collectors, it is all about the little button.

[Optics Patent]

Are collectors paying that much? I know astrophotographers are not.

“Askin’ ain’t gettin’”

[Gregory Gross]

Just out of curiosity, I checked Questar's 1973 price catalog, which listed the Questar-modified Nikon F with FTN meter for $457.50. According to usinflationcalculator.com, that amount is the equivalent of $2923.43 today.

 

If that Nikon F is indeed in "new" condition -- insofar as something almost 50 years old can be "new" (and I would have my doubts about how well a light meter from the early 1970s functions a half-century later) -- that starting bid of $2295, while still more than a bit optimistic, did compel me to check what the cost of those cameras were when they were being sold new.

 

If anything, a comparison of what $3000 in today's dollars got you in 1973 vs what it gets you right now is an exercise in seeing how far camera technology has advanced since then.

[Spikey131]

But in 2022 you can buy a Nikon F body in excellent condition for 1/10th that price.

[Optics Patent]

With apologies for the brag, I grabbed this in the early minutes as a buy it now.  This is a Questar 7, with a rotating turret of reducers and Barlows.  Possibly filters.

My price was equivalent to the sales tax back when it originally sold.  About the same as I paid for a new six-cylinder BMW about the same year.

 

This was for distant surveillance (the manual graphs the field of view at 1-5km), maybe mounted on a roof or a tower structure, with a video camera transmitting images to a viewer indoors nearby. 

 

It would be interesting to get it up and running with turret and focus inputs mapped and controlled.  The paddle (I have a dormant one from a similar 90mm model microscope) would also have controls for aiming motors.

 

Alternatively, I could pull the optics, swap them with a cracked corrector set from an old Q7 barrel with control box, use the cracked set for this for display, and mount the classic barrel to the spare Q7 mount packed for shipping in my closet to create a complete Q7.

 

I believe this has the large baffle for contrast in daytime conditions with more-off-angle stray light, at the expense of light-gathering, and that would be a sensible change for night use.

[RMay]

I saw it, but was completely flummoxed by what I (or anyone) might be able do with it….

Good grab.

Ron

[Toddeo]

That Q7 has quite a central obstruction!  Sure is built like a tank!!!

[Gregory Gross]

On Questar's website, there's more info about the Questar Motorized StepZoom 180, which, if I'm not mistaken, is the same thing as what Ben snatched up off eBay yesterday. The image of the instrument on the PDF spec sheet linked to on that page looks identical to the instrument in the eBay posting.

[98105dude]

I hope this post is within the rules - but there's a very nice, reasonably priced Linhof Pro currently for sale on AM.