YellowHound

Apologies if this is the wrong forum for my request. My wife and I are going up to the Lake District at the end of the month, arriving 26th August for about 10 days. We're dog sitting for a friend in Kendal. Can I ask for location suggestions please? - I am looking to capture some astro landscapes in particular. Ideally I'm looking for location that I can drive to and set up near to my vehicle - i.e. not hiking up a 'hill' once parked. Thanks!

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.

Thanks Mike - good advice! It was the polar alignment that I struggled with when using the MSM. Am I wasting my money on the iPolar? Having struggled with the MSM I'm tempted to go all-in on polar alignment on my next purchase. Oh, and is the Williams Optics mount really a big/essential upgrade?

Do you use at home or take it 'on location'. Interested in just how transportable it is.

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.....

First post, and hopefully not the equivalent of a 'what's the best oil' on a car forum... I'm a full time professional photographer but new to astrophotography. I bought a Move-Shoot-Move rotator to dip my toe in the water but really found it a faff, so didn't use it very much. I'm looking to buy a good tracking mount that I can use initially with a DSLR for imaging, and with a view to adding a telescope in dues course. I don't have oodles of cash to spend and after some keyboard research I've settle on the Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro. From the research I've undertaken this looks like a good compromise for me. A capable mount to start with and something I can progress with. Before I buy one (amazingly it is one of the few/only mounts I can currently find in stock in the UK) I thought I'd ask whether I'm about to make a 'bad' purchase? TIA.