[spymaster (Matt)]

Hi,

I've read some great reviews and discussion here on the 8, 10, and 12 inch GSO Ritchie Chretien scopes. Some seriously impressive images captured by y'all!

I'm looking at getting an RC8, but it appears that the only models in the country at the moment are the aluminium tube models. CFs won't be available until perhaps June/July.

So, while I've read much discussion on the theory behind the focus shift difference between CF and aluminium, the only real comparisons I've seen are between a CF RC8 and a aluminium RC12.

Does anyone have hands-on experience with the aluminium RC8? I'm interested in knowing whether focus shift really is a big deal. I can handle focusing after an initial cool down (the mirror has to cool down anyway before using it), but frequent adjustments throughout the night could be a hassle with longer exposures.

Thanks!

Matt.