Rainbow RST-300 for astrophotography?

[Silent Running]

Hi Everyone,

I wonder if anyone could share their experience of using  Rainbow Astro's larger RST-300 for astrophotography? I have been a very happy user of the original RST-135 for several years on my camping trips to the desert. I found the RST-135 performed very well for guided AP even on a carbon fibre tripod and wasn't significantly affected by the periodic error inherent in harmonic drive mounts.

What setup do you use with the RST-300?

How well does it perform with long exposures?

Typical guiding accuracy?

Any comments gratefully received

[900SL]

Jo? 

Some user feedback here:

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/697501-rainbow-astro-rst-300-mount/page-3

Regards, Rich

[Silent Running]

Hi Rich,

Yes it's me! That's useful, thanks. I'm hoping to get some recent impressions on the 135's big brother.

Jo

[Davey-T]

I have the 135, it performs ok I just wasn’t very impressed with the engineering side of it, no idea how the larger version compares engineering wise, I’ve been considering getting the larger ZWO harmonic mount

[fireballxl5]

I have the 135E and love it. The only issue I've found is the lack of a power-off brake, which has caught me out a couple of times in the 2.5 years that I've owned it.  

I thinking that I'll replace my heavy duty GEM with an harmonic mount at some point.  Needs to have 40kg load capacity though!

 

[Davey-T]

I found the unnecessarily fine thread on the Az adjustment was too easily stripped if adjusting with a scope on it, modified mine to fine thread metric bolts and nuts, the ST4 port on the top surface  has no  protection from dew running into it, found a plastic blanking plug for it and likewise the on off switch has the same problem when there’s no reason it couldn’t have a rubber hood

Dave

[fireballxl5]

@Davey-TNo serious problems with the AZ adjustment here in my 135E though mine's carrying only a 9-10kg load usually. Maybe this helps?

Good point about the lack of dew protection. This would have been useful.  Again, no problems here in wet Lancashire🤞

Andy

[Silent Running]

Any more RST-300 users?

[Davey-T]

Just been reading the latest spec of the 135 which says "improved Alt' Az adjustment which looks to be coarser thread, presumably this applies to the 300 also so perhaps I wasn't the only one to complain to them, never received a reply 🙂 

Dave