Celestron nextstar slt mount used for dslr

[riggers69]

Hi

sorry if this is the wrong chat. 
I have a celestron nexstar slt mount and was wondering if anyone has used this mount to directly mount a dslr camera without the scope? 
I have managed to get the camera connected to the mount but as of yet not tried it outside to image. 
do any of you think that aligning with Polaris to get startrails the mount will be to jolty?

any hints or tips will be greatly received thanks

[riggers69]

Oh I forgot to add the only problem I have connecting at the moment to the mount is the fact the camera is 90 degrees off lol

[Bagginsies]

I have used this mount to attached my Canon 60D directly (tilted 90 degrees like you say). I didn't do any long exposure stuff with it due to field rotation with an Alt Az, but you can do short exposures with tracking (some good info online and here about Alt Az tracking). To get the most exposure time with a camera on Alt Az, East and West targets are best (gives the longest time without field rotation).

I carried out the normal Skyalign (point at 3 bright stars) with the camera attached and it aligned well enough.

As for star trails. If you are going to point the camera at Polaris for star trails you don't need any tracking (unless I am missing your idea here?). A tripod would suffice. If you are using the slt mount, you will need to turn tracking 'Off' in the hand controller anyway for star trails.

My first video timelapse, tracking with the SLT mount. (I tracked Alderbarran)

 

[riggers69]

Hi thanks for commenting. Yeah I am going to try this in a hour or 2 time by pointing at Polaris. 
being new to all this a forgot Polaris will not need to be tracked but I will still use the mount to move around and line up as my cheap camera tripod is awful when it comes to small adjustments. 
but if I decide to track something else in the future was the mount juddery when you made that video bagginsies?

thanks again

3 hours ago, Bagginsies said:

I have used this mount to attached my Canon 60D directly (tilted 90 degrees like you say). I didn't do any long exposure stuff with it due to field rotation with an Alt Az, but you can do short exposures with tracking (some good info online and here about Alt Az tracking). To get the most exposure time with a camera on Alt Az, East and West targets are best (gives the longest time without field rotation).

I carried out the normal Skyalign (point at 3 bright stars) with the camera attached and it aligned well enough.

As for star trails. If you are going to point the camera at Polaris for star trails you don't need any tracking (unless I am missing your idea here?). A tripod would suffice. If you are using the slt mount, you will need to turn tracking 'Off' in the hand controller anyway for star trails.

My first video timelapse, tracking with the SLT mount. (I tracked Alderbarran)

 

 

[Bagginsies]

No, I found it very smooth. The video was a lot of tracked photos and each was tracked for 30 seconds.

Whe using the slt mount I always had the legs all the way in for extra stability ( I am very short, hence Baggins, a hobbit LOL) and you can hang a weight to the bottom of the tripod if needed.

Your biggest problem will be wind. If it is windy a weight will come in handy.

Hope this helps.

 

[happy-kat]

There is a very long thread on imaging with this type of mount, the No "EQ" DSO Challenge thread using tracking altaz mounts.