Flexitube 300 Auto Vs Sky-Watcher EXPLORER-300P (NEQ6) Pro Newtonian Reflect

[Bigwings]

As Time goes on I seem to be finding my direction.

I like the photons on the eyeball but would like to take the odd images.

Two lightbuckets in my potential christmas stocking and I am impressed with the Skywatcher 300 flexitube Auto reports but for a bit more the Explorer 300 (NEQ6) is tempting.

Are these the same optics?

How big is the Explorere & mount?

Which way would you go and why?

What images can be got from each (Unguided). I realise the Equatorial mount is going to be better in this respect but setup.......

Thanks for your opinions. One of these will be bought.

Mike

[MikeP]

Anything that big on an equatorial mount will be a beast to handle. The advantage will be the goto and probably better tracking making imaging possible - but I would not recommend imaging with such a large scope.

The dob version is easier to handle and quicker to set up. Also, you will not need to do contortions to look through the eyepiece. Although it is driven, I doubt is is good enough for long exposures - at the very least you will get field rotation.

If it is for observing - get the dob. If you want to do imaging get a cheaper mount and a small refractor as well.

Mike

[Doc]

I would not like to mount a 300mm newt onto my EQ6 everytime I wanted to view the stars.

It's big and cumbersome.

IMO the dob is the way to go at that size.

[arad85]

If it is for observing - get the dob. If you want to do imaging get a cheaper mount and a small refractor as well.

Seconded, having just bought the revelation dob in my sig (links to a partial review). Have a browse of the imaging section and see what kit people are using to get their pics. Most planetary is done using SCTs, most deep sky is some form of refractor... Not hard and fast rules, but....

[NickH]

If you want to do imaging the flextuve auto will be limited by the tracking...that's my only statement on this

For my money, lightbucket on a mount, stick a C9.25 on an EQ6 with a decent rerfactors guidescope/wide field imaging scope for imaging if that's what you want to do

Visual, the flextube is excellent...and for imaging the Moon...very good indeed

[Jarndyce]

If it is for observing - get the dob. If you want to do imaging get a cheaper mount and a small refractor as well.

Spot-on advice from Mike, I think.

Some of the guys here do some astounding imaging work with remarkably small refractors. However, for the really good DSO stuff, I think it needs to be guided. Either way, with imaging, I believe the mount is very important.

I would think you could get some pretty good planetary and lunar images with the dob, but bear in mind that dobs aren't designed for imaging. They're designed for quick and simple visual work.

In this respect, I think the Flextube auto is a superb package. And because it's simple to set up, you'll use it more.

[rikyuu]

I agree with the comments here, I had a 250px on an EQ6 and both mount and scope were beasts, so I down sized. For imaging I would go for a smaller, easier to handle setup (eg. SCT or APO refractor), perhaps still on the EQ6 if you don't mind the weight and to allow for upgradability and then look into guiding. The EQ6 is heavy, I think the head of mine was 15kg.

For mainly observing and occasional imaging, go for the Dobs auto. If it tracks as good as other decent ALT/AZ mounts, you should still be able to take 30s-60s exposures which can be stacked of course. It will be much easier to manage, set up and use than a large EQ mounted scope.

hope that helps.

[MikeP]

I had a 250px on an EQ6 and both mount and scope were beasts

That is what I started with. Getting the 10" scope onto the mount was seriously scary. My 12" Flextube is easy to manhandle onto its base but lifting the solid tube equivalent onto an EQ6? No thank you.

Mike

[Jarndyce]

The Flextube Auto just gets more and more attractive...

Anyone taking one to Salisbury?

[Bigwings]

Dob its is then. Thanks for the wise words guys & dolls

[M110]

I'd second the dob option - I have the solid tube non tracking version and find I'm suddenly not tempted to do much imaging anymore!

regards,

Alex