Yesterday I discovered that my old Kendrick solar filter had quite a few small holes in it, so I've just ordered the 1.25" Lunt solar wedge.
Interestingly, Luke at Andrews tells me that the ND3 filter is separate from the wedge and has to be screwed into the eyepiece, whereas all information on the Lunt website states that it is pre-installed in the wedge (which sounds a lot safer).
Can any owners of the 1.25" model confirm? Perhaps it's different in the 2" model?
Morton , don't worry I have a 1/14 inch Lunt wedge and they do indeed have the ND3 filter built in , Luke must have bad brain freeze because you NEED a polarizing filter that you screw into any given eyepiece .
Without it the image is bright , viewable but un-comfortable after no time you need a polarizing filter ! .
With the polarizing filter you can tone the image up and down by rotating the eyepiece in the diagonal , at the brightest with the PF its nice for granulation and at its darkest great for sunspots .
Views are way sharper than my old 1000 oaks and Kendrik full aperture filters .
Here is mine being used yesterday and the photos dont do what is seen with the eye justice .
Brian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MortonH
Yesterday I discovered that my old Kendrick solar filter had quite a few small holes in it, so I've just ordered the 1.25" Lunt solar wedge.
Interestingly, Luke at Andrews tells me that the ND3 filter is separate from the wedge and has to be screwed into the eyepiece, whereas all information on the Lunt website states that it is pre-installed in the wedge (which sounds a lot safer).
Can any owners of the 1.25" model confirm? Perhaps it's different in the 2" model?
Luke was pretty adamant that the ND filter is separate (and it says this on the Andrews website). He also confirmed that a polarising filter is part of the package as received from Lunt, something that isn't mentioned on any other websites. Perhaps the package has changed. I know Lunt aren't the best at updating their site.
What I'm hoping is that the ND filter can be installed into the eyepiece holder so that it never needs to be removed. But we will see.
That's strange because the ND3 filter has to be built in , if you screw it into the eyepiece where do you put the palarizing filter ??
I recon Luke is wrong , because Lunt say their wedges have the ND3 filter built in 'Unlike the competitors' , their words .
Strange indeed Morton .
Try a google of the Solar observers 'Yahoo groups' website , that might clear it up because if Lunt suddenly decided to remove that filter and make it an extra at extra cost I guarantee there was a tide of complaints and moans there , I have not heard they made these an extra anywhere and I love my Lunt and have followed any mention of them on the web.
Morton I just Googled 'Lunt 1,1/4 Hershell wedge' and the top of the first page is 'Lunt Solar Systems' .
On the left side , top is our Wedges and it states , quote ; ' The Lunt white light wedge comes with a built in ND3 filter which allows perfectly safe imaging or , if you wish to do visual observing of the sun we recommend dimming the image for your eyes with a polarizing filter'
Yes, but it's pretty much a repeat of Lunt's own website, and they are known for not keeping specs up to date. Most other vendors' sites say the same thing, but the Andrews site goes into great detail on which order everything should be attached, so it seems the ND filter is not pre-installed, although it is included in the package with a polarising filter.
If the ND filter can't be installed 'permanently' into the eyepiece holder of the wedge, I might need to buy a 1.25" extension tube and attach the filters to that. I've read of others doing this with the polarising filter. The extension can be left in the wedge so that you don't need to switch filters around every time you change eyepiece.
A cautionary tale here. When I ordered a 1.25" solar wedge from Lunt it came without the ND3 installed. Fortunately I wasn't blinded as the glare from the eyepiece was so strong I barely caught a glimpse before pulling my eye away. When Lunt sent me a 'replacement' filter, it soon became obvious the design had changed, and there was no way to retrofit one and still be able to seat en eyepiece. I ended up changing over to a 2" unit. Don't take any risks here - if there is not a very dark piece of glass in the wedge, do not look through it!
Cheers,
Andrew.
If this is true , why would Lunt remove the ND3 filter from the 1 1/4 unit and keep it in the 2 inch model ? .
They aint gonna sell many of the 1 1/4 units if that's the case ,, bad move on their part , utter stupidity ?.
Morton if the unit from Andrews does not have the ND3 filter installed , which I personally don't believe , send it back and ask for a refund as it does not perform as advertised and grab one from Bintel , they state theirs has the filter built in .
Hi Morton,
I also read the Andrews Comms spiel a few days ago as I have been considering the Lunt with a view to a shorter lightpath for solar binoviewing. I found it hard to believe they would design a solar wedge in such a way that the likelihood of an accident is far greater than their earlier model. If that is what they have done I would steer well clear of that particular item.
I have emailed Lunt to find out where the truth lies. I am still waiting for their reply.
It would seem that the Andrews spiel is correct: http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthrea...Number/4821370
Markus Ludes discussed the proposed change in 2011 to include the ND 3.0 in the wedge but the Pol or SC would be on the eyepiece.
Not sure if the design was changed. I think I will stick with the Baader Cool Ceramic.
Morton , don't worry I have a 1/14 inch Lunt wedge and they do indeed have the ND3 filter built in , Luke must have bad brain freeze because you NEED a polarizing filter that you screw into any given eyepiece .
That's strange because the ND3 filter has to be built in , if you screw it into the eyepiece where do you put the palarizing filter ?? 
I did the same thing , they will be impressed .
