Mount Upgrade - Stock 127 Mak Alt-azimuth in use

[Loki Calavera]

Hello again guys,

I'm looking to replace the stock mount which is supplied with the 127 Mak to an EQ mount.

I'm not going to be able to afford another OTA (and doubt whether I'd get to use a bigger telescope much anyway), so what EQ mount would you suggest?

Would the HEQ5 Pro be overkill in comparison to the EQ3?

Thanks again everyone

[nmoushon]

Depends on what you are planning on doing with your scope. If its just observing an no need to get Pro. Something a bit smaller would be fine. No need to spend the extra money. But if your planning on using it to image than I would get the Pro. You can never go overkill with a mount when imaging. The weight will add up once you start adding cameras and extra equipment for imaging.

[Loki Calavera]

I am planning on imaging in the future, yeah. It's the main reason for wanting an upgrade.

Although it would be with a webcam (I hear a lot of mentions for the SPC900). There's no way I can afford a DSLR too

[nmoushon]

You can get a second hand 1000D or 1100D for a pretty decent price. Worth at least looking into. Just fyi if you use a web cam your pretty much limited to planetary imaging. Didn't know if you knew that or not. If thats all you want to do then you can probably step the mount down a bit. But if you want to do DSO then you will need a DSLR. If you plan that to be an upgrade sometime in the future then I would still go with the Pro.

[RikM]

For webcam use, the EQ3 would be plenty stable enough but a driven EQ5 would be even better. Due to its slow focal ratio, the Mak127 is no good for deep sky AP or use with a DSLR on anything other than the moon.

If you wanted to futureproof your mount to take a different OTA (to alow deep sky imaging) in the future then the HEQ5 would be the one to go for.

[Loki Calavera]

You can get a second hand 1000D or 1100D for a pretty decent price. Worth at least looking into. Just fyi if you use a web cam your pretty much limited to planetary imaging. Didn't know if you knew that or not. If thats all you want to do then you can probably step the mount down a bit. But if you want to do DSO then you will need a DSLR. If you plan that to be an upgrade sometime in the future then I would still go with the Pro.

Ideally I would like buy for the future. But I've only had my telescope for 3 months (joint birthday present) and there's no way I'd be able to buy another OTA for some time.

For webcam use, the EQ3 would be plenty stable enough but a driven EQ5 would be even better. Due to its slow focal ratio, the Mak127 is no good for deep sky AP or use with a DSLR on anything other than the moon.

If you wanted to futureproof your mount to take a different OTA (to alow deep sky imaging) in the future then the HEQ5 would be the one to go for.

I didn't know that my 127 was no good for DSO AP or use with a DSLR, is that because of the high focal ratio?

I'm not even sure what the next step up for me would be from the 127 Mak without hitting astronomical sums for an OTA.

Seems like I can buy a mount to future proof (EQ5 Pro maybe), but be stuck with having my 127 Mak and a webcam.

Thanks anyway guys, appreciate the help.

[mdhardy01]

I would say a step up for dso imaging would be a 200p

Not a huge sum of money either for the OTA !

And even better I think than the 127 on lunar and planetary

That why I upgraded after 2 months!!!

And a lot can be archived on the eq5 just have a read of quatermass's blog

Matt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Loki Calavera]

Thanks mdhardy.

The cost of the 200p OTA isn't that bad actually. I'd feel kinda bad replacing my birthday present so soon though!

I guess I'll need to upgrade my mount (to the EQ 5 Pro) and then think about getting a DSLR / new OTA in the future.

This is definitely the most expensive birthday present ever

How much bigger is the 200p OTA than the 127 Mak by the way? I can never gauge the size of telescopes in images.

[RikM]

Yes, the 127Mak is not a deep sky AP scope because of the long focal ratio. It would make the exposure times very long indeed.

If you want to 'future proof' your mount, don't even think about putting a 200P on an EQ5. It is on the absoloute upper limit already and you would very quickly become frustrated with it. QM's images are very good, given this equipment, but he has put a huge amount of effort in to achieve it. You would be better off getting an HEQ5 Pro and something like an ED80 + DSLR if you want to be able to progress long term with deep sky AP. If that is out of budget, then how about an EQ5 Pro and the new 130PDS? Should be a killer combination with a DSLR but it is quite new so no reviews yet that I am aware of.

[Loki Calavera]

Unfortunately, that'd be well outside my budget RikM. Around £750 for the mount alone before I upgrade the OTA and manage to grab a DSLR >_<

Looks like I'm sticking with the alt-az mount and my 127 Mak with a webcam

Thanks everyone.

[JamesF]

It depends a good deal on what you're prepared to put into it.

An EQ3-2, even the basic version with motors added, with a 127 Mak and webcam, is more than suitable for planetary imaging. If you're prepared to bide your time and pick up, for example, something along the lines of an ED80 and LX-modded SPC900 or Canon 350D second-hand as you can afford them and are happy wielding a soldering iron and doing whatever tweaking of the mount is required to get it working nicely then you can do DSO imaging on the EQ3-2 on a budget. It's not "the recommended way" and certainly not straightforward, but it can be done if you're determined enough. Have a look at some of stan26's threads for examples of what he's done on a small budget.

You've also made the 50 post limit for the classifieds section now, so you'll be able to keep an eye on things there for suitable kit should you decide to give it a go.

James

[nmoushon]

The HEQ5 Pro would be the best option to future proof yourself with but that is pretty much the second best before you start entering into the semi professional mounts. If you get an EQ5 or HEQ5 with an ED80 and a DSLR I think you would do just fine. Especially if you get everything second hand. You can save a lot of money that way. Even with a HEQ5 Pro you wont be able to take more than a 2min sub without some type of guiding and that would throw you completely out of budget so no use wasting the money. Plus if you really get into AP you will eventually want an EQ6 and the price jump from an HEQ5 Pro to EQ6 is a lot but the load capacity only improves by like 5kg (could be more or less I dont remember exactly, sorry) but a jump from a EQ5 to a EQ6 make the price jump more worth the cost. In my opinion anyways.

[Loki Calavera]

It depends a good deal on what you're prepared to put into it.

An EQ3-2, even the basic version with motors added, with a 127 Mak and webcam, is more than suitable for planetary imaging. If you're prepared to bide your time and pick up, for example, something along the lines of an ED80 and LX-modded SPC900 or Canon 350D second-hand as you can afford them and are happy wielding a soldering iron and doing whatever tweaking of the mount is required to get it working nicely then you can do DSO imaging on the EQ3-2 on a budget. It's not "the recommended way" and certainly not straightforward, but it can be done if you're determined enough. Have a look at some of stan26's threads for examples of what he's done on a small budget.

You've also made the 50 post limit for the classifieds section now, so you'll be able to keep an eye on things there for suitable kit should you decide to give it a go.

James

Thanks James. It sounds perfect in principal, but considering I bought a motorised focuser for 127 Mak (Dave Trewren's homemade product, the SharpSky) and about all I had to do was solder a DC power lead together and I managed to mess that up, I don't think soldering is my forte

I have been keeping an eye on the classifieds too thank you. I noticed a webcam flashed to an SPC900 was up the other day but it soon went.

The HEQ5 Pro would be the best option to future proof yourself with but that is pretty much the second best before you start entering into the semi professional mounts. If you get an EQ5 or HEQ5 with an ED80 and a DSLR I think you would do just fine. Especially if you get everything second hand. You can save a lot of money that way. Even with a HEQ5 Pro you wont be able to take more than a 2min sub without some type of guiding and that would throw you completely out of budget so no use wasting the money. Plus if you really get into AP you will eventually want an EQ6 and the price jump from an HEQ5 Pro to EQ6 is a lot but the load capacity only improves by like 5kg (could be more or less I dont remember exactly, sorry) but a jump from a EQ5 to a EQ6 make the price jump more worth the cost. In my opinion anyways.

Does the HEQ5 Pro Synscan come with guiding for longer exposures nmoushon?

I'd be able to grab a Canon EOS 350D for sure. There's seems to be quite a few around the £150 or so mark before even shopping around. Which isn't bad, considering I spent £98 on one eyepiece

The HEQ5 PRO Synscan with a SW 200p and DSLR seems like an awesome combo. Shame it would equate to about £1,100. Although I could get some of that back from the 127 I have and some of the upgrades (1.25" dielectric diagonal and GSO 32 Plossl etc).

I think I'm going to try grab a webcam for now and work on my planetary skills (I'd get a DSLR, but there's no way my mount will support the extra weight). Then I can think about upgrading the mount and OTA to the above once I'm more experienced.

Fun times!

[Rwetherell]

You could of course do what I've done and get a Celestron CG-5 GT goto and mount the MAK on that. It's incredibly stable and great for imaging planets and the moon.

I'm going to get an ED80 in the not too distant future with a CCD to quell my DSO desires, but I'm going to see how I get on with it on the CG-5 first before I think about changing the mount. From everything I've read I think it'll be up to the job.

[nmoushon]

Does the HEQ5 Pro Synscan come with guiding for longer exposures nmoushon?

I'd be able to grab a Canon EOS 350D for sure. There's seems to be quite a few around the £150 or so mark before even shopping around. Which isn't bad, considering I spent £98 on one eyepiece

The HEQ5 PRO Synscan with a SW 200p and DSLR seems like an awesome combo. Shame it would equate to about £1,100. Although I could get some of that back from the 127 I have and some of the upgrades (1.25" dielectric diagonal and GSO 32 Plossl etc).

I think I'm going to try grab a webcam for now and work on my planetary skills (I'd get a DSLR, but there's no way my mount will support the extra weight). Then I can think about upgrading the mount and OTA to the above once I'm more experienced.

Fun times!

I think your mistaking guiding for goto. Goto is what lets you pick something from a data base of objects and then slews to exactly where it is in the sky. The HEQ5 Pro SynScan has goto. Guiding is where you have a separate scope with a webcam or a ccd hooked up to it and it follows the movement of a star instead of just relying on the automated movements of the mount. This allows for long exposures.

When looking for a camera you can buy just the body instead of a kit which can save you some money. Unless you are going to use it for daily use then you might want a lens. Also don't need to sell all your extras. The 200p is still good for visual use as well as AP. Some stuff you wont need if you get the 200p like the diagonal but if you get a refractor telescope then you'll need the diagonal for visual use. And I'll have to disagree with Richard on getting a CG-5 GT. I might hold and work good with your 200p for visual use but not so well for AP. It would work for visual and webcam work with your MAK but you couldn't put much else on it. So to future proof your mount I would stick with the HEQ5 Pro.

[Loki Calavera]

I think your mistaking guiding for goto. Goto is what lets you pick something from a data base of objects and then slews to exactly where it is in the sky. The HEQ5 Pro SynScan has goto. Guiding is where you have a separate scope with a webcam or a ccd hooked up to it and it follows the movement of a star instead of just relying on the automated movements of the mount. This allows for long exposures.

When looking for a camera you can buy just the body instead of a kit which can save you some money. Unless you are going to use it for daily use then you might want a lens. Also don't need to sell all your extras. The 200p is still good for visual use as well as AP. Some stuff you wont need if you get the 200p like the diagonal but if you get a refractor telescope then you'll need the diagonal for visual use. And I'll have to disagree with Richard on getting a CG-5 GT. I might hold and work good with your 200p for visual use but not so well for AP. It would work for visual and webcam work with your MAK but you couldn't put much else on it. So to future proof your mount I would stick with the HEQ5 Pro.

Haha, yep. That's exactly where I was going wrong

I would only use the DSLR for AP too. I have a Lumix TZ7 which I would continue to use for any other needs, so thanks for the heads up.