Which mount?

[patohalmo]

Hi, I'm new to all this but I did my research and read some books in the past year or so.

To the point:

My current setup consists of some own and some borrowed parts that I am/was trying out:

HEQ5 Pro mount & tripod (on loan)

SE6 OTA only (mine)

WO Megretz 72 APO (mine)

Canon 5D MkII (mine)

bits 'n bobs like star diagonals, filters, eye pieces, guide cam (Synguide stand alone), etc...

I'm biased towards deep sky imaging.

I do have an access to Takahashi FSQ 106 ED, C11 EDGE HD, WO FLT 110 APO as well as few other gadgets. I may actually end up with one of those scopes as my own, therefore I need a little help.

Now here's the question: I want to buy my own mount with tripod. Nothing wrong with HEQ5, but obviously I can't mount any of the 3 scopes above onto this side by side with the WO 72 as a guide.

So, which one of these mounts? iOptron 45, CGEM maybe EQ6? Any other options? Budget is limited to £1400 max (£1500 on a massive push, having beens on toast for a next 3 months as my whole day meal LOL)

I'm aware of the quality of those scopes and I know I need a good mount as that's the most important thing.

I have read a lot about all of them. I know the weights, the load capacity, etc...

Just wanted an opinion from you guys that have similar setups, had a chance to try these mounts and seen first hand how good/bad they are. Anything from ease of use, noise, ...

Thanks.

[ollypenrice]

I'd just go for the most obvious choice of them all, the NEQ6. 

Olly

[patohalmo]

Thanks Olly.

I was thinking the same, just for the sake of the price. But I do like the iOptron due to it's weight and weight/load ratio. I'm not sure I will be setting permanent setup anytime soon, so the back garden / occasional travel is more likely.

However, I'm familiar with SW alignment and can do it pretty fast now.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks

[dazza1639]

What about the AZEQ6 even if you don't want to use it in az mode it seems to address some of the NEQ6 issues

Darren

------------------------------------------------

Twitter: @SalAstroSoc @Astronut1639 www.salfordastro.org.uk

Nexstar 8 GPS ADM MDS Rings & Counter Weights, Skywatcher ST80 & Synguider, Canon EOS 1000d,

Dew Heaters & 4 Channel Controller, Orbit Wedge, Observatory and not enough clear nights

[patohalmo]

Hi Darren, that may work too, as with the guide cam it's not such a big deal.

Thanks

Patrik

[dazza1639]

I've got the same dilemma myself I am thinking save a little longer and break my budget with an EQ8 or CEM60 but again which one

Darren

------------------------------------------------

Twitter: @SalAstroSoc @Astronut1639 www.salfordastro.org.uk

Nexstar 8 GPS ADM MDS Rings & Counter Weights, Skywatcher ST80 & Synguider, Canon EOS 1000d,

Dew Heaters & 4 Channel Controller, Orbit Wedge, Observatory and not enough clear nights

[patohalmo]

I have read a lot of reviews, seen comparisons... I like the iOptron. It has GPS, good database on goto, light compare to the others...

I don't want to go higher as I won't be updating the gear. I'll be moving back to Slovakia soon, with house hunting and wedding preparation...

The scopes are all good (preffer the refractors more due to the size) and the stands in questions will be fine even with all the gear.

There's one more thing. The reason I'm using stand alone autoguide is my laptop. As I'm using Mac, I'm limited to number of programs / cameras I can use. PHD work fine, but capturing software is a pain in the back side.

[johnrt]

AZEQ6 or NEQ6. Simples.

[patohalmo]

another one for SW then. I know it's a popular mount. Anyone tried any 2 of the 3 at some point for comparison?

[johnrt]

I've owned all 3 SW mounts. If you can afford it get the AZEQ6.

[patohalmo]

Cool. Thanks.

[Carina Lass]

I'd say NEQ6pro as well - I believe it's only about 900 pounds in UK and I hate beans on toast as a regular meal.

Not only that, I'd buy one without the handset saving about 150 quid and go straight to EQMOD as it is free and easy to get weighed off.

[patohalmo]

I've had a look at this before.

The problem is most of the EQMODs work via ASCOM drivers not compatible with Mac... That's why I can't even use most of the guiding/ imaging cameras on the market. Currently only using Canon software for capture in Raw, DSS for stacking.  

[ollypenrice]

On a MAC PHD works comfortably with Nebulosity which is not a bad capture programme. It isn't my favourite but I can and do live with it on one of our rigs.

Olly

[patohalmo]

I have the PHD and that worked fine. Haven't tried Nebulosity yet, I'll give that a go. Thanks.

[patohalmo]

I've read an article from USA about some clashes on Mac's with PHD and some capture programs. Also given the Mac is a few years old, despite the upgrades, it's a bit sluggish at times

[Zakalwe]

Given the budget, then you'll be doing well to beat an EQ6. If you can stretch far enough, then the AZ EQ6 looks like a tremendous buy and it addresses a lot of the EQ6 failings.

Don't forget that the budget will be eaten by all the bits'n'bobs that you have to get: Power supplies, EQDIR lead, dew heaters, various cable management bits, mounting equipment, the compulsory box full of T-Thread adapters (half of which are permanently welded together!), a box to store it all in. It sounds daft, but it's dead easy to disappear a couple of £hundred in little bits and pieces.

[dazza1639]

+1 for nebulosity I have on both Mac & PC it works great with PhD as it can link to it. However it is not very easy to sequence with so if you have a filter wheel there are better solutions available for windows, not sure about Mac though

Darren

------------------------------------------------

Twitter: @SalAstroSoc @Astronut1639 www.salfordastro.org.uk

Nexstar 8 GPS ADM MDS Rings & Counter Weights, Skywatcher ST80 & Synguider, Canon EOS 1000d,

Dew Heaters & 4 Channel Controller, Orbit Wedge, Observatory and not enough clear nights

[patohalmo]

+1 for nebulosity I have on both Mac & PC it works great with PhD as it can link to it. However it is not very easy to sequence with so if you have a filter wheel there are better solutions available for windows, not sure about Mac though

Darren

------------------------------------------------

Twitter: @SalAstroSoc @Astronut1639 www.salfordastro.org.uk

Nexstar 8 GPS ADM MDS Rings & Counter Weights, Skywatcher ST80 & Synguider, Canon EOS 1000d,

Dew Heaters & 4 Channel Controller, Orbit Wedge, Observatory and not enough clear nights

No filter wheel for now. I don't want to mod the Canon - it's a decent full frame camera, so only using Astronomic CLS filter for now. And no planned upgrade to CCD cam yet.

Will give the Nebulosity a go

Given the budget, then you'll be doing well to beat an EQ6. If you can stretch far enough, then the AZ EQ6 looks like a tremendous buy and it addresses a lot of the EQ6 failings.

Don't forget that the budget will be eaten by all the bits'n'bobs that you have to get: Power supplies, EQDIR lead, dew heaters, various cable management bits, mounting equipment, the compulsory box full of T-Thread adapters (half of which are permanently welded together!), a box to store it all in. It sounds daft, but it's dead easy to disappear a couple of £hundred in little bits and pieces.

I already have quite a few accessories - was actually thinking to get rid of some, including the 6SE tube and all the bobs for it... The only problem will be PSU as the small Baader won't be enough. But then again, you got Maplin for some good, cheap stable current bench PSUs. 

[dazza1639]

I used nebulosity with my canon 1000d for a few years it just works on both Mac & PC

Darren

------------------------------------------------

Twitter: @SalAstroSoc @Astronut1639 www.salfordastro.org.uk

Nexstar 8 GPS ADM MDS Rings & Counter Weights, Skywatcher ST80 & Synguider, Canon EOS 1000d,

Dew Heaters & 4 Channel Controller, Orbit Wedge, Observatory and not enough clear nights

[xs2man]

As your budget will accommodate it, why not get the AZEQ6 AND a cheap windows laptop purely for the astronomy stuff.  You can still do all your processing on your Mac, but you can do all the controlling and data gathering with the more widely supported windows machine.  Would seem like a more appropriate solution to me, rather than the constant inevitability of figuring out "workarounds" (which is a big part of the reason I don't have a Mac personally).

[patohalmo]

Good point, but I also have PC that is quite powerful (own build for CAD) so only using Mac for capture. All stacking and post process is done on desktop. I can't connect it to the gear yet, but it may be possible in the future. So for now it's fine this way.

I think AZEQ6 is winning it, so I will probably go for it. I can see it as a good, lasting investment.

Patrik

[Zakalwe]

Good point, but I also have PC that is quite powerful (own build for CAD) so only using Mac for capture. All stacking and post process is done on desktop. I can't connect it to the gear yet, but it may be possible in the future. So for now it's fine this way.

I think AZEQ6 is winning it, so I will probably go for it. I can see it as a good, lasting investment.

Patrik

Factor in some money for a guiding system...its one of the best upgrades that you can take on. A finderguider can use a standard finderscope, a set of rings and something like a QHY5l guidecamera (will also double up as a planetary cam). The sooner you get into guiding the better as far as I am concerned.

[johnrt]

As your budget will accommodate it, why not get the AZEQ6 AND a cheap windows laptop purely for the astronomy stuff.  You can still do all your processing on your Mac, but you can do all the controlling and data gathering with the more widely supported windows machine.  Would seem like a more appropriate solution to me, rather than the constant inevitability of figuring out "workarounds" (which is a big part of the reason I don't have a Mac personally).

Exactly what I did - iMac for all processing and a £50 Dell running XP from Ebay to sit out in the garden capturing and guiding. Just pair the iMac to the Dell via Team Viewer and I never need to set foot outside all night

[xs2man]

Good point, but I also have PC that is quite powerful (own build for CAD) so only using Mac for capture. All stacking and post process is done on desktop. I can't connect it to the gear yet, but it may be possible in the future. So for now it's fine this way.

I think AZEQ6 is winning it, so I will probably go for it. I can see it as a good, lasting investment.

Patrik

Presumably you use the mac for other stuff than just capture?  I also have quite a powerful home build PC for processing (it was actually built for video transcoding but I'm sure it will do fine for AP work too), and use an old i5 laptop for the AP stuff (well, still setting it all up just now).  I can't imagine using a Mac is a good idea for this if it has other uses anyway, as said above, a £50 XP machine for the capture, set up with teamviewer or the like, would probably be one of the best solutions.  Mine will be set-up on the home network so I can automatically transfer all the files over the network to the desktop as they are collected.