Rings or Dovetail for 10" F/4 Newtonian OTA

[thomehm]

I am planning to order a custom build 10" F/4 Newtonian from teleskop-express.de (ONTC1010).  I have a Losmandy G11G mount.  I intend to use this setup for Astrophotography.  My current question is about mounting the OTA to the Losmandy mount.  It seems that I have 2 options.  I can have Teleskop Express mount a Losmandy Dovetail on the carbon fiber tube (they say they will add carbon fiber reinforcement to make this very solid), and then mount to the Losmandy mount using the Dovetail attachment.  OR I can use rings purchased from Teleskop Express (TSCR300) to mount the OTA to the Losmandy mount.  I would like some opinions as to which way would be the more solid setup?

Please Advise,

Dana

 

[Robindonne]

I would go for the rings.  It gives you much more room to rotate the tube to a good position (your focuser!). Plus the holes and bolts through the tube are not really the best solution in my opinion.  Are both options at the same costs?   If the rings are more expensive you could look around here in some threads.  Ive read a couple of times about rolled steel rings.  Not as good looking as the aluminium ones, but who cares?  They are quite affordable for large diameters, dont hurt your tube and give that option to rotate the tube to a good position. 
But you really need to get confirmation about the amount of flex in these rings.  Maybe they are not the best option for astrophotography

Edited June 12, 2021 by Robindonne

[thomehm]

At cloudynights people also say to go for the rings.  I am seeing a consensus. Both options are not at the same cost.  But Teleskope-Express has a good set of rings available.  I can afford their rings.  I don't want to choose an inferior solution to save that amount of money.  I think I will buy the rings.  Thank You.

[iapa]

Rings and a Losmandy dovetail.

You can achieve better balance over all with the rings, and noted above, get the focuser where you want it

[thomehm]

"Rings and a Losmandy dovetail."

Actually I will buy (2) Losmandy Dovetails for both top and bottom of the rings.  Then I will mount my William Optics SpaceCat on the top as my Finder/Guider.  I think if I then have the SpaceCat positioned exactly above the Dec axis and all is well balanced this should all be very stable.

 

[iapa]

My 10” Quattro is mounted with rings and a pair of Losmandy dovetails.

Guiding is with a StarTravel 80.