Yes visual observing is without colour for the most part.
As for tedious ? .. Not sure on that one theres plenty who never feel the need to move on to photography.. The experiance of finding and catching those photons as they left there source all those millions of years back with your own eye is not to shabby Imo.
Whatever mount your scope sits on won't effect what you see
apperture( size of the scope) and conditions will .
To divert the conversation a little back to earlier suggestions , I think its important as mentioned to spend some time with others and there scopes to get an idea what appealls to
YOU.
Its not unusal for some new to astronomy to tip a lot of cash into visual gear to find pretty quickly they wan't to move on photography.
Whatever you choose its all good
