RangerZeus

I think, I will go with the 150!  
It seems more stable and so many positive reviews online.

Thanks for all your inputs! 

Thanks for all your responses, I highly appreciate it!

So, the generel advice is to get 150PDS (or even 130PDS) for the better stability. How is the visibility of the planets through these telescopes compared to the 200PDS - minimal, moderate or big?

3 hours ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Thinking about it.. would you be better off buying an HEQ5 130PDS then getting a 150 in the future? That way you are mount future proofed.

I like the idea of my mount being future proofed, but same concern as above. How well is the visability of these scopes? I don't only want to be able to see images on my pc when going stargazing. How well can you see and photograph planets through yours?

Just now, banjaxed said:

Yes, you need good stability for AP.

That make sense. It is also 8kg heavier than the 150PDS.
What would be the pros and cons of the two? Will planets still be clearly visible through the 150PDS?

4 minutes ago, Dave Lloyd said:

I think the eq5 is on the limit with the 200, especially if adding photo gear. The 150 will handle better I expect.

Is that in terms of stability when tracking objects?

Hello, first post here  

I've been looking through the forums, trying to get a feeling for what suits me best, but there's so much information it's confusing.

I want to get into astrophotography in a beginners manner, budget-wise. I am looking for something that I can use like 65% for AP and 35% visual - a good mix, as it is my first telescope.
I have narrowed it down to the SkyWatcher Explorer 150PDS with EQ5 Pro with Synscan and GoTo motor or SkyWatcher Explorer 200PDS with EQ5 Synscan with motor and computercontrol. 
Now, I've read that a lot of people dislike the idea of the 200PDS with a EQ5, why I don't know.
Also, it seems like the 150PDS is better for deep sky objects, where the 200PDS is better for "closer" objects. 

My goal is to photograph the planets and some deep sky objects, but also be able to see objects visually. Basically a want a bit of everything, as it is my first telescope, but mainly for AP.
Which one would you recommend and why?

Cheers!