Good scope and mount for imaging for a beginner

[Nukes1810]

Fairly new to the hobby but I really enjoy it currently have a 8" collapsable dob which I love but imaging on it and dragging it around is a bit too much fore so looking for a decent scope that and a go-to mount that won't break my bank what would you recoment for a beginner 

[PeterCPC]

I suggest an APO refractor such as Skywatcher Evostar ED80 on a mount such as Celestron AVX or equivalent. Imaging is a money pit.

Peter

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Have you considered the Samyang 135mm f2? I tend to recommend it over a scope for people looking to get into deep sky imaging. Everything is more forgiving at short focal lengths, reducing the mount requirements, and at f2 it's very fast.

[happy-kat]

^ and there's the skywatcher star adventurer as a mount idea and is light and portable, then you're not going from dragging one large bit of kit to another.

[ollypenrice]

6 hours ago, Nukes1810 said:

Fairly new to the hobby but I really enjoy it currently have a 8" collapsable dob which I love but imaging on it and dragging it around is a bit too much fore so looking for a decent scope that and a go-to mount that won't break my bank what would you recoment for a beginner 

For imaging your mount needs to be more than 'go to,' it needs to be equatorial go-to. Alt-Az go-to is not what you're looking for.

Olly

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I guess another question is: are you interested in deep sky or planetary/lunar imaging? the scope and mount requirements are quite different.

[cletrac1922]

7 hours ago, Nukes1810 said:

Fairly new to the hobby but I really enjoy it currently have a 8" collapsable dob which I love but imaging on it and dragging it around is a bit too much fore so looking for a decent scope that and a go-to mount that won't break my bank what would you recoment for a beginner 

 

My first scope was a 10" flex Dob, which is still my first weapon of choice

For imaging I have an ED80 on a  EQ5pro mount

At time of purchase, my retailer was not able to supply a HEQ5 which was actually after, and several months back order

My SolarMax 11 also goes on the EQ5pro mount 

Recently purchased the WiFi adapter, and downloaded the SynScan App

John

 

[jambouk]

HEQ5 and a Skywatcher ED80. What camera are you going to use? If no camera, I’d get a second hand Canon 600D or the similar. How are you going to power the mount? 

It is a money pit. 

[Dr Strange]

A Explore Scientific 80mm FCD100 APO with a Skywatcher EQ5 mount will do well for you. 

[Nukes1810]

I'd prefer something that can get DSO also I have been looking at the med lx85, would that mount work 

[bomberbaz]

5 hours ago, happy-kat said:

^ and there's the skywatcher star adventurer as a mount idea and is light and portable, then you're not going from dragging one large bit of kit to another.

As happy kat says, you could try this to dip your toes into it and see how things go. https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-star-adventurer-pro-pack-bundle-with-tripod.html  RVO do it as a bundle that's why I linked them in for this. 

Get a DSLR and away you go. Or try a small refractor with  zwo 120 camera.

[Skinnypuppy71]

I've just pulled the trigger on the skywatcher eqm-35 goto mount along with the Williams optics z73 and it's field flattener...(along with it's bits n bobs for some visual)I believe this will be a fine entry level setup for imaging. The eqm-35 is a modular mount that has a decent 10kg payload for visual and 7kg for imaging...the declanation part of the mount can be removed to make it more light weight for easier portability...in this configuration it performs akin to the skywatcher star-adventurer but with extra payload capacity...it is a money pit like a previous poster mentioned....I already own a full frame mirrorless camera...if I had to start from zero kit and hadn't just sold my motorcycle...I couldn't have afforded that gear.I might have just bought a newt and mount for observing.