Budget Tracking EQ Mount?

[Ahgii]

Hi, i am thinking of getting a tracking  eq mount in the future that can keep my current telescope, and that i will be able to keep even if i upgrade to lets say a 10 inch or smth like that so i dont have to pay for those expensive mounts again.  The problem is am am mostly inexperienced with mounts and i need some help, so....please help! Clear skies!

[xtreemchaos]

your going to at least need a eq6 for a 10inch newt . charl.

[tooth_dr]

I have a 10" on my EQ6, and with the guidescope and a few accessories it soon becomes heavy.  But having said that I've imaged successfully (and continue to do so) with the 10" so it's more than capable of it.  Keep your eyes peeled for a S/H EQ6, as that would make a great investment imho.

[Ahgii]

6 minutes ago, xtreemchaos said:

your going to at least need a eq6 for a 10inch newt . charl.

well i was thinking of a mount which i can use on many scopes, even if i upgrade ill be fine with it.

[Ahgii]

2 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

I have a 10" on my EQ6, and with the guidescope and a few accessories it soon becomes heavy.  But having said that I've imaged successfully (and continue to do so) with the 10" so it's more than capable of it.  Keep your eyes peeled for a S/H EQ6, as that would make a great investment imho.

At the current moment i have a 5 inch but in the future when i upgrade i prefer not to have to change the mount, because i noticed they are expensive. Do you recommend any budget models in particular. 

[tooth_dr]

Just now, Ahgii said:

At the current moment i have a 5 inch but in the future when i upgrade i prefer not to have to change the mount, because i noticed they are expensive. Do you recommend any budget models in particular. 

The only two motorised GoTo mounts I have used are the Meade LXD-75 mount, and the Skywatcher EQ6.  I would recommended the latter wholeheartedly.  It is not cheap, but I bought mine new in 2007, and so far it's still performing as it should.

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-neq6-pro-synscan.html

[Ahgii]

Just now, tooth_dr said:

The only two motorised GoTo mounts I have used are the Meade LXD-75 mount, and the Skywatcher EQ6.  I would recommended the latter wholeheartedly.  It is not cheap, but I bought mine new in 2007, and so far it's still performing as it should.

 

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-neq6-pro-synscan.html

Seems like a reasonable price for the skywatcher, and since you say it has lasted you long maybe giving  a shot at a second hand wouldnt be so bad.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

"Cheap" and "EQ mount for 10" Newtonian" are really mutually exclusive terms. The EQ-6 is probably the cheapest you can go, especially second-hand. It would be overkill for a 130mm Newtonian, of course, but over-mounting is not really a problem, except for the bank account.

[MarsG76]

Cheap and EQ do not mix.. Water and oil... you get what you Pay for...  Get the best you can afford is all I can say... 

 

[Red Dwarfer]

On 7/14/2017 at 14:18, Ahgii said:

Hi, i am thinking of getting a tracking  eq mount in the future that can keep my current telescope, and that i will be able to keep even if i upgrade to lets say a 10 inch or smth like that so i dont have to pay for those expensive mounts again.  The problem is am am mostly inexperienced with mounts and i need some help, so....please help! Clear skies!

If and when you want to get a bigger scope , I would highly recommend the Dobsonian mount because it is very easy to use and you don`t need to worry about buying a new mount for it .

 

[Ahgii]

1 minute ago, Red Dwarfer said:

If and when you want to get a bigger scope , I would highly recommend the Dobsonian mount option because it is very easy to use and you don`t need to worry about buying a new mount for it . Here is a shot of my new 200P beside my biggest Canon lens on the left for scale ...

Yeah but i don THINK that the dobsonian provides accurate enough tracking for long exposures.

[Red Dwarfer]

Okay , maybe something along the lines of a HEQ5 then https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-heq5-pro-synscan.html 

I think most of the guys on here use smaller ED refractors for imaging and keep the bigger scopes for visual ... Can`t be sure though , only been on SGL since May like yourself .

 

[ollypenrice]

3 hours ago, Red Dwarfer said:

If and when you want to get a bigger scope , I would highly recommend the Dobsonian mount because it is very easy to use and you don`t need to worry about buying a new mount for it .

 

 

3 hours ago, Ahgii said:

Yeah but i don THINK that the dobsonian provides accurate enough tracking for long exposures.

The OP doesn't actually tell us why an EQ mount is wanted but we will tend to assume that this will be for long exposure imaging, in which case a Dob mount will be entirely unsuitable. A Dobsonian mount doesn't track at all. It can be made to track by being driven and becoming a driven Dobsonian but, even so, it will not compensate for field rotation.

This is an expensive game in which the EQ6 is at the very inexpensive end, and does very well. Your next steps are to £4000, £6000, and well beyond even that. Seen in this context the EQ6 is a bargain - and I do think it is.

Olly

[TareqPhoto]

Get AZ-EQ5 or if you can EQ6-R [or NEQ6], better slightly than those in same brands is AZ-EQ6 because it have slightly little more capacity load which can handle 10" in the future, so it is like the minimum i should get and i did, i won't think about larger than 10" for long time until i have a big budget for another mount first.