Beginners Scope/Tracking

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MTM310
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Beginners Scope/Tracking

#1

Post by MTM310 »


Hi all,

My Jedi Master (he know's who he is) suggest that I reach out to this group to get more perspective on what I should go with. I have a couple of bucks ($500) and I really want to get a tracker and start fumbling around AP. I have two choices: 1- the iOptron Sky guide or 2- the this kit listed here: https://explorescientificusa.com/collec ... o-to-combo

I'm sure I'll have buyers remorse, but I really want to start shooting and learning more.

Any help is appreciated

MTM
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#2

Post by russmax »


Hi, MTM,
Will this be your first foray into astronomy? If you just want to put your DSLR on a tracker, I'd get the iOptron unit. You could add a small scope later. I do not think you will have buyers remorse.
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MTM310
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#3

Post by MTM310 »


It is. I'm a visual learner :) and I've been chatting with the rep at Explore Scientific for an hour now- he hates me :)
they have a kit with scope and I want to know whatelse I'll need to support the camerawomen - he said I need this dovetail, which is the plate for your camera + tripod and it's very long. but he was showing it with the camera + lens set-up not Scope and Camera body set-up
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#4

Post by MTM310 »


Yes it is.

I guess I'm a visual person and need to see what , if I go with the second option, how and what other pieces of equipment I need for my camera
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#5

Post by russmax »


MTM,
I'm looking again at both of those options for sticking your camera onto and tracking. The ES option actually looks very attractive. If you don't want the telescope bundled, you can save $150 by just getting the mount. The camera dovetail plate looks like the only other item you need. This video is pretty clear.
https://explorescientificusa.com/collec ... ts/dslrcda

I'm so attracted to the ES dovetail camera plate that I think I'll buy one to put my Canon DSLR on my Celestron mount.

If you go the iOptron route, you still have to buy a tripod, so you'd go way over $500 on price. The advantage of the mount+telescope bundle is, if you decide you don't like it, you can more easily sell it. You'll also have a capable, entry-level goto telescope to impress your family and friends.

So, in retrospect, I completely changed my mind. I'd get the ES mount because it's more versatile and seems quite capable. Caveat: it is a goto mount, but unlike most gotos, it doesn't have its own computer. You have to supply a PC or tablet to run the goto app. That shouldn't be a deal-breaker, I think. Even without that, tracking should still work, if you polar-align the mount.

--Russmax
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#6

Post by OzEclipse »


I generally agree with Russmax's post.

I would just comment that you should be realistic in your expectations. In this price range, the tracking almost certainly won't be accurate enough to do long time exposure images through the refracting telescope with your camera. You can use that scope for visual observing and then purchase the dovetail plate and put your camera on with short focal length lenses. You may be able to shoot with a short telephoto, possibly up to 135mm however you'll have to determine this limiting focal length by trial and error. It is related to the precision of the drive in the unit you receive.

Best of luck

Joe
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Amateur astronomer since 1978...................Web site : http://joe-cali.com/
Scopes: ATM 18" Dob, Vixen VC200L, ATM 6"f7, Stellarvue 102ED, Saxon ED80, WO M70 ED, Orion 102 Maksutov, ST80.
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#7

Post by MTM310 »


Thanks Russ and Joe.

So, this would be my set-up at first:
Bogen tripod with a bullhead mount (I use this today). will support up tp 11lbs
Canon Camera's 7D (crop sensor) and 5Dmarkiii (total weight with all is 6.2 lbs
1.4 extender with a 70-200 lens @ f4 with he extender
Tracking:
iOptron - payload is 11 lbs
iEXOS-100 PMC payload is 9.5 lbs
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#8

Post by TCampbell »


Do you already own a BEEFY photo tripod?

You can get just the tracker head to add to a photo tripod. Both the SkyWatcher 'Star Adventurer' and iOptron 'Sky Guider Pro' are available this way.

If you don't already have a photo tripod, then there are packages that either include the tripod or have a tripod that fits (but this raises the price).

I'm not familiar with the Explore Scientific option but what I don't like about it is that you're buying an 80mm telescope (money that is better spent elsewhere). The 80mm scope would be an achromat ... which isn't great for imaging because you'll get color fringing (chromatic aberration). Apochromatic refractors control this nicely but they cost a LOT more. So basically this is a waste (and they throw in a smart-phone mount). This looks like a junk-grade package.

Normally it's between the SkyWatcher vs. the iOptron. Both companies make two versions... they have a lightweight version that claims to handle 5.5lbs of camera gear payload and a beefier version that claims to handle 11 lbs of payload.

Since I already have telescopes and mounts suitable for astrophotography, my own reason for wanting a tracker was for travel... I wanted to be able to at least bring a camera/lens and tracker when traveling to places via airline where I can't realistically bring a telescope on the trip. I use a Losmandy StarLapse tracker. Unfortunately Losmandy no longer offers this system ... but when they did it was around $600. What it *really* is... is the RA assembly from Losmandy's GM8 equatorial mount but it has been modified to mount to a photo tripod instead of the base they use to mount to their tripods & piers. BUT... it does handle a 30lb payload (and it *seriously* handles a 30lb payload -- that's not an exaggeration). So *if* you were to find a used one at a price that is within your budget... that would be a great option. Losmandy products are extremely well-built (the only thing on their tracker that isn't solid machined metal is the hand-box).

There's been a bit of a race between iOptron and SkyWatcher on these things. Early trackers were a bit pricey... then iOptron came out with their original 'Sky Tracker'. It was a little clunky but it was CHEAP and ended up capturing the market because you could get it for around half the cost (or less) than everything else. But since it didn't have a particularly high quality build... SkyWatcher introduced a system that was priced a little higher but with a significantly better build quality ... and people stopped buying iOptron and started buying SkyWatcher instead. So iOptron came out with a new system that had a better build quality ... and that became the SkyGuider Pro, but they remade a new version of their SkyTracker (the lightweight model) to address build issues. So SkyWatcher countered with the Star Adventurer Mini (their lightweight version) ... basically to get a product in at the price point of the iOptron Sky Tracker.

I would skip the lightweight versions (the iOptron Sky Tracker and the SkyWatcher Sky Guider Mini) and go for one of their 11lb payload versions (SkyWatcher Star Adventurer or iOptron Sky Guider Pro) ... both are roughly equivalent.

I would suggest you get the adjustable equatorial wedge to attach to the tripod (most quality tripods let you remove the 'head' and it's always a 3/8"-16 TPI threaded hold on the top plate). Trackers require that you have a fairly accurate polar alignment (the lower the focal length of the lens, the more forgiving it is w.r.t. the accuracy of your polar alignment). I've done this with a video head and ... it requires a lot of patience to get an accurate alignment. Then I bought the wedge ... it's MUCH easier to dial in accurate altitude/azimuth adjustments so I can start imaging sooner. Both companies sell the optional wedge for $65 ... both also have a "kit" that includes the wedge. If it's not in the budget you can skip the wedge and get it later.

Clear Skies,
Tim
Scopes: PlaneWave 12.5 CDK - Meade 14" LX200-ACF - TeleVue NP101is - Lunt LS80Ha
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#9

Post by ARock »


My opinion about the Explore Scientific package is that the mount is reasonable (for its price), but not the scope. So you could get the mount and look for a better scope. You could search in astrobin to see what setups people are using with this mount and what pictures they get.
https://www.astrobin.com/search/?q=iEXOS

The iEXOS-100 does not have a polar scope or fine tuning of azimuth movement. This can make it diffcult (not impossible) to polar align accurately. But then again it costs only $350.
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Scopes: Zhumell Z8, Meade Adventure 80mm, Bushnell 1300x100 Goto Mak.
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#10

Post by MTM310 »


Thank guys ! I was able to get an ioptron guider pro for $329
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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#11

Post by JayTee »


Hi,

Go to the bottom of this post to see the pictures you can get with just your camera and its lens on an EQ mount with tracking. You can do this!
viewtopic.php?f=24&t=3129

Cheers,
JT
∞ Primary Scopes: #1: Celestron CPC1100 #2: 8" f/7.5 Dob #3: CR150HD f/8 6" frac
∞ AP Scopes: #1: TPO 6" f/9 RC #2: ES 102 f/7 APO #3: ES 80mm f/6 APO
∞ G&G Scopes: #1: Meade 102mm f/7.8 #2: Bresser 102mm f/4.5
∞ Guide Scopes: 70 & 80mm fracs -- The El Cheapo Bros.
∞ Mounts: iOptron CEM70AG, SW EQ6, Celestron AVX, SLT & GT (Alt-Az), Meade DS2000
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∞ Binos: 10X50,11X70,15X70, 25X100
∞ EPs: ES 2": 21mm 100° & 30mm 82° Pentax XW: 7, 10, 14, & 20mm 70°

Searching the skies since 1966. "I never met a scope I didn't want to keep."

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Re: Beginners Scope/Tracking

#12

Post by maceemiller »


Old thread i know but I've just purchased the Skywatcher mini
(SAM) and i love it.

Its only being used for dslr work but so far I've managed to get 2 minute exposures at 135mm with no star trailing.

Alas, as legend goes, since I've bought this the weather has been terrible so I havnt given it a full run out yet.
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