Mount Upgrade

[Matt Scunthorpe]

Afternoon all,

I currently have the Skywatcher 200P on EQ5. I use a DSLR for lunar and solar photography at the moment, but looking to move onto planets with a webcam in the near future. Ive read a few times that the EQ5 cannot take the weight of the scope as well as the other items needed, is this the case or am i mistaken.

If it does need upgraded, what suitable mount would i need?

Thanks,

[Tinker1947]

Try it is the best way, if the balance is good, it may well work, and a webcam is lighter than a DSLR i would think....

[Bizibilder]

You can get away with camera and webcam imaging of solar system objects with your set-up on an EQ5. If/when you decide to try DSO's then you will need to upgrade your mount.

[jamespels]

Hi Matt,

Do you currently use the DSLR on the scope or separately? If you already get reasonable results with the DSLR on the scope, you would probably be best off trying to increase the exposure length for DSO work until you find the maximum for you. Sand-bagging the mount will help with stability issues, and keeping the scope properly balanced will help the drive motors. There will always be a limit, and a stronger, heavier mount will always perform better if you are loading the scope up, but don't just blindly follow advice that a certain mount is not good for AP.

Either way, if you are just planning to put a webcam on for planetary work, your current setup should be fine - the webcam will weigh much less than many EPs and you will be using the webcam for multiple short exposure shots (essentially recording an AVI movie).

Beyond this, I am out of experience but the "accepted" upgrade path for your scope & stand seems to be EQ6. I am sure other people on here will have other preferences

[Kevdan]

Hi is your mount the EQ5 pro or syntec/synscan version ? if not then I would reccoemnd upgrading to the NEQ6 which will easily cater for "almost" any domestic scopes up to 10" with cameras etc..., I have just upgraded to the NEQ6, it isnt cheap but will allow me to go upwards with scopes and will hopefully last me for a considerable amount of time.

And dont forget you will always have the eq5 to use as a smaller grab and go mount if you want to take your hobby anywhere, or alternatively sell to help pay for the upgrade.

One thing I can say for certain is my old black EQ3-2 with dual axis drive motors actually coped with 150p explorer with ST80, 9x50 finder, QHY5 and DSLR with battery grip as long as it wasnt too windy, make sure its well balanced,

so I have to say try it first, dont spend money if you dont have to.

Kev.

[JamesF]

For planetary imaging I think you'd be ok. It's DSOs that are the real problem.

James

[Black Knight]

I agree with James. If you are using a webcam to image the moon or planets then a 200P on an EQ5 should be fine.

[Matt Scunthorpe]

The DSLR is attachment to the scope with a t-ring and it handles the weight ok. I was more thinking of it become lopsided as the motors go, but as you said, its trail and error to within a reasonable limit.

[Black Knight]

If using a DSLR, then it is possible, although the scope will need to be well balanced. You may also be limited to shortish exposures. When I had my 200P/EQ5 I used to get 60 seconds on average, sometimes 90 seconds, and once even 120 seconds! All this is without guiding though, and with very good polar alignment.

[ollypenrice]

The thing about webcams is that they use sub second exposures which are then rotated and aligned by software to stack onto each other. So your tracking can be awful! If doing DS you are after five minute exposures, or much longer, and this is a different ball game. Weight comes up far too often and is not the real central issue. I'd try webcamming as you are and then come back to discuss DS imaging with long exposures when that is your main concern. You can even do webcam imaging on an alt az mount because the 'tracking' is done afterwards, so to speak.

Olly

[Tinker1947]

Take a long term look and make a list of what you want to end up with, first go for a better mount, NEQ6 would work well with your present Scope, then look towards guiding so long exposures are easy peasy, Guide scope and CCD for guiding, its all gonna take time but will be well worth the wait...

[JamesM]

I agree with Tinker that a longer term approach is best and that would mean a minimum HEQ5 or at best a NEQ6 which will save you money by avoiding the intermittent upgrading. The autoguiding facility (micro motor adjustment) that comes with these mounts will make a difference to your ability to secure longer exposures, especially if you are having to set up your imaging 'rig' each time because it's not permanently set up inside a observatory. Check out the mounts used that helped produce the DSO images that you like, they will invariably be one of the above two quoted.

James

[Pete Presland]

I agree with Tinker that a longer term approach is best and that would mean a minimum HEQ5 or at best a NEQ6 which will save you money by avoiding the intermittent upgrading. The autoguiding facility (micro motor adjustment) that comes with these mounts will make a difference to your ability to secure longer exposures, especially if you are having to set up your imaging 'rig' each time because it's not permanently set up inside a observatory. Check out the mounts used that helped produce the DSO images that you like, they will invariably be one of the above two quoted.

James

spot on a heq5 minimum, or neq6 if you can afford it