MARS1960

I can vouch for my CEM26 to be the worst mount I ever owned.

It would track for 60 secs at the most ( I used to get 120 secs from an old, used Celestron GT5) and that was with Ioptrons perfect polar alignment

After one nights use it broke and I found Ioptrons customer service was practically non existent.

In the end I sent it back to the shop I purchased it from and they repaired it for me, It would still only track for 60 secs though.

Now sold and I would not buy one again.

Just now, nephilim said:

It certainly is a never ending bottomless money pit mate 😂

I dread to think what I have spent over the years.

I'm still torn between the L enhance and L extreme, though being under Bortle 4 I think the L enhance will do just fine.

1 minute ago, nephilim said:

@MARS1960 Mines got a nice shiny Optolong L-eXtreme in there so I beat you with that 😂

Drat, I'm getting a shiny new L-enhance but need to sell something else first lol.

Haha, Looks nearly as nice as mine 😂.

Finally, after 6 years with a DSLR I decided it was time to go and get dedicated.

It's bigger and more beautiful than I thought.

I'm as excited for first light as I was my very first time out 6 years ago.

Shame they sent the wrong PSU but heyho, it is obviously cloudy for the next week anyway 🤣.

17 minutes ago, nephilim said:

Can anyone point me in the right direction for a good quality Bahtinov mask that will fit my 135. I bought a 3d printed one which cracked so I dont want to go down that road again (I wouldnt trust anything 3d printed really as my printed mounting system cracked as well a few weeks ago 🙄)

TIA
Steve

You could try this If you want to keep it cheap Steve.

http://www.deepskywatch.com/Articles/make-bahtinov-mask.html

Thanks, It does fit in the HC port, as you said, it's smaller so it would fit, it doesn't mean its connected correctly though.

I think the thread has been over thought somewhat, the simple answer from goldtop57 was all I needed, but thanks for trying.

8 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

Sorry for confusion,  I initally thought the cable was the same for both but as FLO are listing 2 the only indication I saw was in the products code which shows the connectors as rj12 & rj45!!

The manuals say the handest port on the HEQ5 is an rj45 whilst the AZ-GTi says the handset port is an rj12 (and the auto guide on the HEQ5 is an rj12). Are you connecting to the handest port of the HEQ5 or the one the lead fits in?

 

EQDIR goes direct from ASIAIR to the hand controller port on the mount, HC is now redundant.

The AZ GTi cable fits but it doesn't work so from Goldtop57 advice I ordered this.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html

5 minutes ago, StevieDvd said:

They have different connectors based on the product references lynxastro_eqdir_sw_rj45 & lynxastro_eqdir_sw_rj12

Now I'm confused, the LYNX cable I had for my AZ GTi fits perfectly!

15 minutes ago, GoldTop57 said:

FLO sell different EQDIR cables for HEQ5 and AZGTi so presumably they are not compatible?

Thank you very much, I didn't realise this, I'll order one, fingers crossed.

I hope someone can solve this for me as searching here and google hasn't helped.

I used the ASIAIR and EQDIR without issue on my AZGTi previously 

I just took delivery of a HEQ5, It is set up and plugged in.

I attached my ASIAIR V1 to the mount using my LYNX EQDIR cable.

I turned everything on.

Grabbed my phone and connected to the ASIAIR.

I touch the scope symbol to bring up mount connection and enter EQMOD for the mount.

I leave on serial baud 9600 (I have actually tried them all now) and hit the little slider thingy.

Message keeps popping up saying  connect failed.

I have deleted and reinstalled the app.

Help please.

I'm considering buying this little refractor.

Has anyone anyone got one, had one or used one?

Any info is much appreciated.

15 hours ago, YellowHound said:

Thanks Mike.

Having just sold my MSM I won't be buying another.

I have been looking at a lot of the info posted by Peter Zelinkas this afternoon. He doesn't rate the iPolar at all. His reasoning seems sound so I feel comfortable dropping that from my 'buy' list.

I'm heading up to the Lakes at the end of this month so am thinking of having a set up to take with me.

Personally, having always struggled with a manual PA,  I found the iPolar an absolute joy to use, It's so good in fact it's over far too quickly. 

PA (perfect according to the simple software) took less than 2 minutes and after a couple of goes I had "perfect" PA in under a minute.

However, I do find the ASIAIR I'm now using (with my AZ GTi and WO wedge on 3/8" SS tripod) pretty darn simple too and It does everything from controlling my mount to image capture and guiding.

You might say it's a near perfect widefield travel setup, just what you need and it might just be for sale very soon 😉.

4 hours ago, YellowHound said:

Thank you to everyone that has replied - much appreciated.

I have to admit that the more I think about this the more I wonder whether I'm making the right choice.

My first aim is imaging, rather than observing. And I'm more likely to be capturing what I'd call astrophotography landscapes.

Big downside of the HEQ5 Pro is the weight.

So I've been challenging myself to look more at mounts that primarily fulfil my photography objectives.

Which has led me to the iOptron Skyguider Pro with iPolar at £579. But then if I add the Williams Optics wedge which seems to be recommended as an 'essential' upgrade, along with a spare battery and two camera cables I'm up at £817. Very close to the price of the HEQ5 Pro.

My head is tending toward this as a better option. It's not a tracking mount you'd rush to add a telescope to (?) but given I'm going to be driving/trekking to locations, and the types of images I want it may well be much better suited to my needs.

Thoughts/guidance much appreciated.....

If those are your thoughts then have you considered the EQ-M 35 PRO? There are two for sale on ABS.

A very popular mount and a good choice, It will see you in good stead for years to come.

Taken with my Canon 60D and Samyang 135mm

210 x 30secs @ISO 1600 F2.

Thanks for looking.

The Cygnus loop taken with Canon 60D and Samyang 135mm.

342 x 30sec @ ISO 1600, f2.

Processed in PS.

Thanks for looking.

24 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

Filters can be useful even with a colour camera, as well as the various LP filters there are the relatively new dual band filters available too.

Alan

I meant to quote you in the previous Alan, not David twice lol, cheers.

15 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

It should come with the 16.5mm and 11mm female in the box with the camera. 

And ebay for the 10mm.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Set-2-Inch-M42-Extension-Tube-Kit-5-10-15-30mm-M42X0-75-1-Pcs-M42-to-M42-V3-/224453442994?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

15 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

It should come with the 16.5mm and 11mm female in the box with the camera. 

And ebay for the 10mm.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-Set-2-Inch-M42-Extension-Tube-Kit-5-10-15-30mm-M42X0-75-1-Pcs-M42-to-M42-V3-/224453442994?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

Fair point guys. I use a quad band clip in or astronomik LP now so might do the filter one or the non filter one i just found on FLO too.

cheers for the help.

30 minutes ago, Dinglem said:

Or you could use one of these to make changing filters easier https://www.firstlightoptics.com/zwo-accessories/zwo-filter-drawer-for-canon-eos-lenses.html

 

Thanks but I'm buying the 1600MC so won't be using filters, so that seems a rather expensive option.

17 minutes ago, david_taurus83 said:

You need to set up the adapters for 44mm for the Canon version of the lens. So you'd use the 16.5mm M48 to M42 adapter on the plate first, a 10mm M42 spacer you need to source separately, then the female 11mm spacer that comes with the camera plus the 6.5mm depth of the sensor gives you 44mm.

Excellent, thanks David.

So to confirm: https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-samyang-lens-to-m48-adapter.html

these spacers? https://www.firstlightoptics.com/adapters/astro-essentials-t2-m42-extension-tube-set-4mm-5mm-6mm-7mm-8mm-9mm.html

I cannot seem to find a M48 to M42 16.5mm adapter! Found plenty of M42 to M48 16.5mm!

Just now, Alien 13 said:

Thats the one, my Son has the Sammy but is having so much fun with it as a daytime lens that he gave up on the idea of the plate 😀

Alan

Haha.

So does the 1600MC just screw directly onto the plate?

2 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

The adapter choice depends on if you intend to keep the lens as a Canon "fit" or replace the back plate with one from Flo..

Alan

Hi Alan, If that's the M48 bayonet replacement that Uranium suggested to FLO I think that might be my best option.

I'm in, 

Got mine Tuesday and Philippe' gizmo came today.

201 x 30s on AZ GTI with a stock Canon 60D .

Thought I better post here now I've found the thread.

I'm soon to buy a ASI1600MC if anyone knows which adapters I need that would be very helpful.

Thanks.

Well that was quick, so I don't think he came all the way from France 😀.

It was only Tuesday he brought the Samyang 135mm and so very surprised that just now my gizmo came.

Fits a treat, well made, looks great and micro focusing is a doddle, roll on clear skies.