EQ5 - DSLR Connection

[Mache]

Hi All,

Im tempted to pick up and a EQ5 200P telescope at some point, 2nd hand for a good price, under £340. I was hoping someone could shed some light on what the EQ5 mount would be like holding the 200P scope and a 1100d camera?

I was originally going to go with the EQ3-2 with 150P for £290 but for the extra £50 or so i get a bigger scope and better mount.

Thanks

Mache

[Velvet]

Hi there

EQ5 plus 200P plus dslr will give you weight issues, The 200p with the eq5 is on the edge of its capacity. You really need a minimum HEQ5 or better would be NEQ6, but both are much more expensive.

I have seen this combination achieve results but issues will arise. In astrophotography the most important thing is the mount. I would not recommend this combination for AP as the mount is not

sufficient.

If the cost is prohibitive i would suggest waiting until you can get the mount and then adding as you go. If you really want to try with this configuration then the combined weight will need very careful

balance and the sub length will be much shorter. Read the book Making Every Photon Count and learn all you can before making a decision

Regards

Velvet

[Oily]

Take a look at QM's blog,he uses a EQ5 + 200P,well,I'll let you judge how good the images are from this setup

http://astrocasto.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm about to embark on the same journey too

[Velvet]

he does say in his write up he uses HEQ5??? Or did i misread

Velvet

[Oily]

he does say in his write up he uses HEQ5??? Or did i misread

Velvet

I think that's a 'typo' Velvet as I've been messaging him about his setup etc

[Black Knight]

he does say in his write up he uses HEQ5??? Or did i misread

Velvet

He certainly started out with an EQ5. Not sure if he moved onto an HEQ5.

I've used a DSLR with a 200P on an EQ5 Synscan. It's very challenging, but you can get stuff as long as you set your expectations before hand. As has been already mentioned, the mount is already at its carrying capacity. The OTA acts a bit like a sail in the wind and you'll lose main subs to vibration caused by even a little wind. You'll need excellent polar alignment, (probably using drift alignment techniques), and scope balancing. And if you can keep the scope sheltered from the wind, so much the better.

In the main, I managed to get subs between 30-60 seconds and really enjoyed it. Once I even managed 2 minute subs, though only once mind!

[Mache]

Hi there

EQ5 plus 200P plus dslr will give you weight issues, The 200p with the eq5 is on the edge of its capacity. You really need a minimum HEQ5 or better would be NEQ6, but both are much more expensive.

I have seen this combination achieve results but issues will arise. In astrophotography the most important thing is the mount. I would not recommend this combination for AP as the mount is not

sufficient.

If the cost is prohibitive i would suggest waiting until you can get the mount and then adding as you go. If you really want to try with this configuration then the combined weight will need very careful

balance and the sub length will be much shorter. Read the book Making Every Photon Count and learn all you can before making a decision

Regards

Velvet

I have the book its an amzing insight and informative book, just havent had the time to read it all yet!

What would your thoughts be on the EQ5 with a 150PDS + DSLR? Its such a good deal (I think) im tempted to sell on the 200P and buy something smaller so the 150PDS is lighter meaning the DSLR will make the difference if you get me

Cheers

[Mache]

Take a look at QM's blog,he uses a EQ5 + 200P,well,I'll let you judge how good the images are from this setup

http://astrocasto.blogspot.co.uk/

I'm about to embark on the same journey too

Thats Interesting! I may have to give him a PM, cheers

[Velvet]

I have the book its an amzing insight and informative book, just havent had the time to read it all yet!

What would your thoughts be on the EQ5 with a 150PDS + DSLR? Its such a good deal (I think) im tempted to sell on the 200P and buy something smaller so the 150PDS is lighter meaning the DSLR will make the difference if you get me

Cheers

Without being too pedantic, the mount is THE MOST important thing with imaging. Personally I would use nothing less than the HEQ5 and even better the NEQ6, they are an order of mag better than the EQ5. I have used both the EQ5 and the NEQ6.

The stability of the mount is far better on the 6 especially with large OTA tubes. I cannot recommend the EQ5 for imaging although there are lots that use it. If its a must because of price, the lighter the scoope the better and the shorter so you dont get the sail effect in the wind.

Velvet

[Mache]

Ok i appreciate what your saying, i really cant afford a really good mount even at second hand they come in quite expensive. Thanks again.

Mache

[atmenterprises]

Ok i appreciate what your saying, i really cant afford a really good mount even at second hand they come in quite expensive. Thanks again.

Mache

Have you ever thought about just attaching your camera to an EQ5 and taking wide field shots? Andromeda, for instance, would be a great shot at 300mm. Might be an inexpensive way to start your imaging hobby. I started on a fixed tripod and camera.

[Mache]

Have you ever thought about just attaching your camera to an EQ5 and taking wide field shots? Andromeda, for instance, would be a great shot at 300mm. Might be an inexpensive way to start your imaging hobby. I started on a fixed tripod and camera.

I did think about this actually, i just don't know what lens to go for, what's your set up?

[atmenterprises]

Well I just had a Canon 550D and the cheapest eBay 75-300mm zoom lens I could find! . You already have a camera?

[Mache]

Yea got my 1100d just before xmas with the lens kit deal. Have been reading loads on ISO, Aperture and different lenses (Macro, wide etc) It's the Aperture that i cant quite understand yet. Wide view with f/6 about right?

[Andymac79]

Do you have the 18-55mm kit lens? If so its not that bad for a cheapo zoom, you maybe surprised by the results. That lens is f5.6 at 55mm I think, which means its a little 'slower' than more expensive lenses, it takes a longer exposure time to gather an amount of light than a faster lens would gather in a shorter time. And of course the optics are well behind better lenses but for the money its a cracker.

Primes are prefered to zooms, less fuss going on in the tube too mess with the light

All I use is a camera and lenses on my old faithfull, If I was to consider imaging with a newt then I would need a major leap up in mounts

[Mache]

Yea its the 18-55 kit lense, maybe i just need to read some more get to know the lenses a bit more too. Landscape shots and Astrophotography is really what i want to do, its just having the know-how to do it

[atmenterprises]

Yea its the 18-55 kit lense, maybe i just need to read some more get to know the lenses a bit more too. Landscape shots and Astrophotography is really what i want to do, its just having the know-how to do it

Well you can always just put the camera on a tripod and just shoot 20-30 second shots then stack them in DSS. Quick and easy plus it'll help give you a head start on processing the stacked image to tease out the detail.

[Mache]

I'll give that a go with the software I got with the camera. Could you recommend a tripod? Thanks

[Scotty27]

I have the 200p on EQ5 and am at a point where i am either going to buy the dual axis motors for £92 or sell up on buy a HEQ5 pro. I am just not sure if i can justify the extra money at the minute.

I was going to suggest as above that you look at the results achieved by QM, some of his shots are amazing.

look forward to hearing which way you decide to go.

all the best.

Scott.

[Mache]

Hi Scott, because of monies etc and equipment is so expensive especially for AP, and the reason I just can't make up my mind I'm probably going to settle for a semi decent wide angle camera lens and tripod. Even though I won't have the motor drives, I can use the on screen view on camera and move the camera manually at half zoom or so. Then... If I really get the bug I'll just have to make up some excuse for the misses not to kill me.

[Aenima]

Hi Scott, because of monies etc and equipment is so expensive especially for AP, and the reason I just can't make up my mind I'm probably going to settle for a semi decent wide angle camera lens and tripod. Even though I won't have the motor drives, I can use the on screen view on camera and move the camera manually at half zoom or so. Then... If I really get the bug I'll just have to make up some excuse for the misses not to kill me.

Hi Mache,

I totally understand the troubles getting the initial money together for the more high-end kit, and have the set-up you described above.

The second I looked through my first scope a year ago I was instantly hooked and wanted to capture the images I saw. The 200p is a big scope and the EQ5 does struggle with it - its very true that for imaging deep sky the mount is the most important, I cant fault the logic there at all. If I could i'd get the NEQ6 in a heartbeat, no question. Though the EQ5 itself is a chunky thing and its pretty close to MY weight limit to carry it outside each session, my back couldn't manage a bigger mount anyway which is partly the reason I tried to stick with it even with the numerous complications it brings.

I have really only just begun to try serious AP and so far have used only a rough polar alignment - polaris in the middle of polarscope, not like drift alignment or anything too involved - and a cheap canon body, this gives me 30sec exposures ok and unmodded it can pick up bright galaxies some planetary nebula like dumbell (M27) ring (57) and most open or globular clusters, the orion nebula is a good target that is in easy reach.

You mentioned a smaller scope, and with the EQ5 that might not be a bad plan, it would solve some of the issues anyway.

You'd likely have trouble trying to track the sky by hand - using a tripod + lens - as the smallest vibration will ruin your shots. It might be easier to shorten the exposure times and leave it standing and stack more subs. Widefield dslr pics are really very nice and I'm always surprised how much a few seconds of exposure can do.

One thing you'd be able to do with a telescope regardless of the mount is webcam planetary imaging, the tracking is not as important and nor is vibration - the software can deal with it quite happily. I think Jupiter makes a great target.

Anyway, as a relative noob I can only pass on the little I've picked up from knowledgable members here and my general experience, I hope this is in some way helpful.

Best of luck with your mission

Regards

Aenima

[Catweazel]

This is a picture taken by me (a genuine amateur to AP) last spring with a 200P (f5) on a EQ5 mount with R.A & Dec motors fitted, and a Canon 1000D.

This was a single 40 second sub, with no post processing, and you can see that the stars are starting to trail. You can just keep them round at 30 seconds, if there is no wind etc.

The main problem I had was the actual focusing, and then accurate polar aligning. The alignment on this was a straight polar align using the 'Polar Finder' program; not the more complicated drift alignment.

The whole AP thing is a massive learning curve, and in the end I decided to put it on the back burner, as the small gaps of clear sky between clouds were not leaving me time to do any visual, after spending hours on setting up for AP.

I now have a small APO refractor (weighs 2.2 KG) which I am hoping to do some AP with at some stage, as this will sit nicely on the EQ5, but there is no way that I could afford a guiding set up to get long exposures, so it will always be somewhat limited.

Personally, I found it all very complicated, and retreated to the relative simplicity of visual observing, as I am not particularly technically minded. I know that others have had some fantastic results with this set up, but they must have the patience of a saint IMO

[Aenima]

Thats a great example, Catweazel.

I have also found a drop in time spent doing visual observing, which is a shame especially when the images show so much more than with the eyes alone, taking some of the allure from the original views.

But there is the extra challenge and rewards of catching the amazing cellestial sights in a picture, with hopefully something to show for your troubles. It can also cause stress and frustration when all the time is spent fiddling and adjusting only to realise you need another bit of expensive equipment before you can actually start the picture taking.

There are several ways to save the grief - mods, diy guiding, careful balancing, taking extra shots to account for the ones you'll throw away, etc. but you need some commitment and stubborn determination to remain sane while getting all this to work properly.

All in good fun, really.

Regards

Aenima

[Catweazel]

Thanks Aenima, and I agree with what you say; I would in no way want to put anyone off of attempting AP. I understand that there are many ways that one can carry out DIY mods etc, and am sure I'll get around to trying them one day. I decided to have a year of just visual, and then maybe return to AP with my Megrez 72 on EQ5 at a later date. I just picked the wrong year

One thing worth mentioning, is that I got some nice Moon shots with the 200P/EQ5, and will probably carry on with those, as this is a good way to gain some knowledge of the stacking and post processing software that I have a slight techno-phobia with. The Moon is a good way to start with AP!

[Andyfx]

I found the 200P a bit wibbley wobbley on the EQ5 for visual use let alone imaging. Can be done but will require patients.