Skywatcher guidescope mount v rings

[idigitize]

Hi,

Im just about to purchase an ed80, and therefore use my st80 as a guide piggybacked with my synguider, which has worked flawlessly for me, it's just a case of finding a star.

(I've been using this to guide my dslr with lenses mounted on a ballhead so far)

I've been looking a the skywater guidemount as an option, but notice from general browsing that so many people seem happy using guiderings.

I was also thinking that by the time you've got a bar, a plate, then the guidemount, then another bar attached to the rings around the st80, your introducing a fair bit of height and weight, surely increasing chances of flexing?

So was just thinking is it really that much better and worth the significant outlay (I expect £160+ by the time you've added all the bolts and plates).

I'm tempted to buy the ADM 125mm guide rings at £60 which although have the issue of being 'guiderings', would at least allow me to mount virtually directly on top of the ed80 rings.

Any thoughts or advise would be good if the guidescope mount is really just that much better?

Thanks

[carastro]

If you're buying an ED80 with a 9 x 50mm finderscope you can actually use that for guiding, depending on which guide camera you are using.  You just need a small adapter that the camera screws into instead of the eyepiece.

This will be cheaper and save a lot of weight, and much quicker to set up.  It has a big FOV and no worries about finding a guide star.  You can even use it as an "on-screen" finderscope, saves having to bend and squat in awkward positions.  

I used to use an ST80 and swapped to the finderguider system a while ago.  

Carole 

[idigitize]

Thanks Carole, I'm using a syguider which seems a lot happier with the st80. I have tried it with a 9x50 Finder but not as easy to get going. I will probably use the finder when I set up at home and have laptop & pc driven guide camera etc, but for now, the synguider and the whole ease of setting up quick laptop free is useful.

[carastro]

Ah, OK.  

Carole 

[Herbig]

The SW guide scope mount is very good but as you have already noticed it's quite heavy. You should be able to mount the ST on top of the ED with another bar and guide rings, assuming you have tube rings on the main scope. The William Optics CNCrins are great, had these on my Equinox 80, the ADM stuff is really good too. The other alternative is just a side by side plate, you don't need to have any adjustment to acquire a star.

[MattJenko]

I simply have an additional dovetail on the top of the ED80 rings and the ST80 bolted directly to that : no guide rings at all. I am yet to fail to find a star for guiding, albeit only a handful of times so far, but I am using a very small old DSI Pro, so far from the most sensitive of guide cameras. It also happens to be rock solid.

[Geordie mc]

I have the skywatcher mount with the st80 and it seems fine but it is very heavy. Very easy to adjust though and solid. Makes finding guide stars very straightforward.

[idigitize]

Thank for the replies….. decided to purchase a pair of rings that popped up on here with very good timing… will at least give me the option to try it out without breaking the bank,