What's needed for a complete setup to shoot tracked long exposures with an EQ3?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I use an EQ3-2 for camera lens imaging and find it perfectly fine for a few minutes. The longer the focal length, the shorter the exposure before stars become trailed. When starting out start with the shorter faster lenses and then work up to the longer stuff. I love using a 50mm f1.8 stopped down to f4.

https://rmastrophoto.smugmug.com/Galleries/Nightscapes-and-widefield/i-bzkrXcn/0/L/c2014q2_20150116_2310_rmcrae_web-L.jpg

Nice shot of Lovejoy and the Pleiades there. I was hoping to do the same but the clouds rolled in on me, but at least I got a few subs at 135mm first.

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I found that a strip down and polar scope calibration using astro baby's site helped lots but the biggest step I took was using eqmod for the polar align it's such a great bit of kit.

I've followed your posts and pictures for a while now knight it's one of the main reasons I chose the eq3, I'm yet to produce anything half as good as you (you set that bar too high haha) but I'm enjoying the ease of the mount.

Thanks, glad you like the images. I really should look at the that guide again and give my mount some attention. Despite the superb value it's given me I'm always a little reluctant to recommend the EQ3 as even at 135mm focal length I end up throwing away a number of subs due to bad tracking, but from the sound of it I should be able to get it running more smoothly.