used EQ6 or a new heq5?

[Spookylight]

Ok well flogged off my celestron cg5gt mount so looking to edge into an AP mount. Seen the a few eq6 pop up and wondered if a second hand fully functional EQ6 with goto handset (the older black version) was worth a punt? aiming to use on EQMOD.

other option is just zoom in for a new HEQ5 syntrek instead straight to EQMOD.

so is an older black version EQ6 still better than the 5, or does it have any foibles I should know about?

cheers chaps

neil

[swag72]

what are you using with the mount? Do you have any future upgrade plans?

Just a couple of things to think about, although its very easy to say 'No I'll never upgrade' and a month down the line you change your mind!!

[RikM]

I agree with Sara. It really does depend on what you plan to put on it. There is no difference in quality or accuracy, especially when autoguiding. It is simply that the (N)EQ6 can carry a bigger payload than the HEQ5.

[ronin]

Have you seen either?

The HEQ5 is a fair size, the EQ6 is big.

[LouisJB]

depends, what tubes you plan to put on it. As long as it's a pro, they should be about the same in tracking accuracy etc. The EQ6 can carry more, that's it, but trade off is it's a lot heavier and therefore harder to move around... I went for the HEQ5 in the end as I want something I can grab and set up relatively easily. However, if you have a more permanent setup like an observatory then an eq6 on a pillar would be great. I think the eq6 is still semi-portable, it's just less so. So it depends, if you're imaging with a 150pds or an ed80 you'll probably not need the eq6 at all. I'm going to try the 8" newt on the HEQ5 pro with guiding, I think it's close to limits but with it well balanced and avoiding winds, I expect it will be fine. I've seen some great images achieved with this setup. Possibly if you get really serious and want to collect many many hours of data on the same target you'd end up getting the 6 (or better) because you'd want to avoid any chances some of your subs are bad.

So I'd just say, think about what you want to put on it now and in future and how the tradeoff between portably and carry capacity are important to you. Both are available second hand and the price difference isn't huge. So if you start with one, so long as it's in decent condition it should be no problem to sell and by the other at a later date.

[Spookylight]

Sorry, idiot I am, forgot to advise what OTA.

I currently have just a new ED100 Pro with the focal reducer with a few other bits & pieces and hopefully pickup a 1100D dslr.

Due to the OTA scope's length (albeit not heavy) I was wondering if it would help stability on the EQ6 mount for AP. The focal reducer helps speed it up but thought maybe the weight of the EQ6 could help?

[swag72]

If you can afford and manage the EQ6 then that is what I would go for over the HEQ5. Saying that though, the ED100 will be fine with the HEQ5, I used to use an ED120 on mine and it was fine.

EQ6 if you can manage it weight wise and want to be a little bit future proofed and HEQ5 if you want something a little more portable perhaps.

[LeeB]

Lots of good advice , on the portability front , I can pick up the eq6 as a unit with a 120 fract on it and do.but with a large newt its way to bulky,heavy and dangerous, and is a split carry. The HEQ5 however is a one unit lift with up to an 8 inch newt. Of course others may have differing limits. but my point is the heq5 is a far easier lift ,as the eq6 tripod is also far heavier than the heq5 one. 

[Spookylight]

I have to go to my parents house to view (live in apartment) so I can leave the EQ6 there, no biggy. Then just assemble in the garden when I'm there.

Might go for an EQ6 then.

Thanks for the pointers all 

neil

[Spookylight]

thinking on that at parents garden...

Did anyone come up with a decent looking pillar so that day to day it had a bird bath or feeder on top with a quick release lift off plate and then an adaptor plate with an accurate location notch, and the EQ6 base could go straight on. Then I could do swap in 5 mins and be aligned in one fell swoop.

Anybody come up with something like this here??

I work at our engineering firm so can easily get thick wall tube etc no problem, prolly some out the back.

I'm not so sure my mother wants to look out the kitchen window and see a plain steel pillar staring back at her lol