In turmoil...

[Mansnake]

Ive decided on what scope im getting but i dont know whether to just got for dual axis motors or full GoTo.

Ive decided on an Skywatcher 150P but should i go with an EQ3-2 GoTo mount or an EQ5 with dual axis motors.

Im going to be imaging with a DSLR so i know the EQ5 would be the better choice due to weight issues but does it take longer to find objects without GoTo ?

Any recommendations are welcome

[kniclander]

I think without goto your difficulty will be that you won't even be able to see the really faint stuff so if you want to image that I would think goto is a must. stuff that's actually visible in the eyepiece is probably quicker to find without goto once you've had a bit of practice at it

[CowFish]

Having just changed from an alt/az autotrak to an EQ5 pro synscan i would advise the goto.

First night with the new mount i was able to find 3 messier objects i had never managed to find before.

[Shibby]

...Ive decided on an Skywatcher 150P... Im going to be imaging with a DSLR...

Warning: you won't be imaging with a DSLR unless you get the PDS version.

[Mansnake]

Warning: you won't be imaging with a DSLR unless you get the PDS version.

Enlighten me shibby!

I know there are different versions of the SW150 but im not sure of the differences.

Im pretty sure the 150PL is a longer focal length...

But whats PDS ?

[Shibby]

PDS has the mirror moved further up the tube, moving the focal plane further out from the focuser. This alleviates the issue that DSLRs cannot come to focus on a lot of Newtonians (Skywatchers, at least).

I must get around to rewriting a pitfalls thread I started a while back...

[Mansnake]

I see, Thanks shibby.

im glad i found that out before parting with my hard earned money!.

Ive emailed FLO to see if they can supply the 150PDS OTA as a package similar to the normal 150P

Hopefully we can sort something out

[cathalferris]

The slo-mo drives on the EQ3-2 are slow, 8x maximum. To guide with it involves a little bit of electronic tinkering, and may not be as effective as one would like, as the declination motor/gearbox combination has maybe 5-15 seconds of backlash play in it, and this makes guiding hard without a remounting and rejigging of that motor. EQ5 would be pretty much plug and play.

Go for the GoTo, you'll not regret it.

[JamesF]

My gut feeling is that attempting DSO imaging with anything the size of a 150P on an EQ3-2 is going to be fraught with problems. You'll quite likely be fighting the mount all the way. I'd suggest a much smaller scope, or a more heavy duty mount. I believe stan26 is using an ST102 for DSO imaging on his EQ3-2 and that's probably pretty close to the limit. I think the 150P is about twice the weight of the ST102.

James

[Mansnake]

Thanks guys.

You've pretty much confirmed what i knew. i was just hoping to keep the initial cost down.

[Nathan_Pembs]

PDS has the mirror moved further up the tube, moving the focal plane further out from the focuser. This alleviates the issue that DSLRs cannot come to focus on a lot of Newtonians (Skywatchers, at least).

I must get around to rewriting a pitfalls thread I started a while back...

I've got the 150P and my DSLR focuses fine?

[sanmatt]

Warning: you won't be imaging with a DSLR unless you get the PDS version.

Really? I image fine with my 150pl

[Shibby]

I've got the 150P and my DSLR focuses fine?

Oh, does it? Then apologies, I stand corrected... It's odd, because I only have around 10mm of backfocus left with my PDS, have they really only moved the focal plane < 10mm out? It certainly wouldn't reach focus on my 130P.

[Shibby]

Looks like it's only the older (blue tube) version that wouldn't reach focus. Sorry for the misinformation... The 150PDS does have other advantages, though, like an excellent dual speed focuser.

[Mansnake]

Looks like it's only the older (blue tube) version that wouldn't reach focus. Sorry for the misinformation... The 150PDS does have other advantages, though, like an excellent dual speed focuser.

No problem shibby.

Well ive got a lot of saving to yet so i can have a look into pro's and con's etc of each OTA. Also would a Max DSLR adaptor help ?

thanks for all your replies!