Re: Can a good quark replace blocking filters?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:00 am
Others are more expert, but for me, I just turned the question around. The Quark is a self-contained H-alpha filter as long as you don't fry it. So if you have a scope with an ERF it should work fine with a Quark. The fact that you have another etalon in series in there too should be fine without the blocking filter. It might be dark with a small sweet spot, but should be high contrast as long as they are both centered on band.
I think the combo Quark comes without the collimating assembly, so getting that one avoids removing anything. I suspect it will be superior because the original Quark has only a 12mm blocking filter (don't need any bigger because a magnifier follows it) and when you remove the internal magnifier, it means you have just constricted your 21mm Quark etalon to 12mm instead of 21mm. I don't have one to measure, but I am guessing that the combo Quark comes with a 21mm blocking filter. (I.e., the original and combo Quark cost the same because one comes with a bigger blocking filter and the other comes with a magnifier.)
George
I think the combo Quark comes without the collimating assembly, so getting that one avoids removing anything. I suspect it will be superior because the original Quark has only a 12mm blocking filter (don't need any bigger because a magnifier follows it) and when you remove the internal magnifier, it means you have just constricted your 21mm Quark etalon to 12mm instead of 21mm. I don't have one to measure, but I am guessing that the combo Quark comes with a 21mm blocking filter. (I.e., the original and combo Quark cost the same because one comes with a bigger blocking filter and the other comes with a magnifier.)
George