DSLR or IS DFK21AU04

[SkyExplorer]

Just looked at FLO and there appears to be a new DS version of the Skywatcher reflector that have a different focusor and a shorter tube length to fix the prime focus issue

Reflectors - Skywatcher Explorer 200P DS OTA

[riklaunim]

Not realy. Achromatic refractors of small aperture aren't that good.

I have a newtonian (150/750) and it does focus with CCD camera without a problem.

- no barlow: focus point is low

- barlows: it goes up.

If you add something between scope and the camera/dslr (like filter wheel, spacers) - those things will lower the focus point, but for DSLR you don't need a filter wheel so it should be ok. For planetary cam you have to use barlows so the focus point is moved up and filter wheels won't be a problem.

Try with a small camera on easy targers like moon - target, and focus / set exposure times low (so it's not a white ball but gray that can be focused on).

With DSLR it works the same way but you connect it bit different - DSLR-T2 thread and T2-2" scope thread. Without a lens etc. You connect the DSLR and try to focus on moon or something similar - set exposure and try to focus with the focuser.

In some cases you may need a low profile focuser for newtonians (even SkyWatcher offers such).

[resonator77]

Hmm... not with an 8" newtonian on it wouldn't. Perhaps with a small refractor but I soon realised it would be a wasted effort to get it working well enough for my tastes, so swapped it for an EQ6 (plus EQMOD s/w is so much better than anything for the CG5).

what was the difference between those two you found?

I thought CG-5 GT is an equivalent of EQ6 although the price dictates otherwise....

[arad85]

CG5 is about a EQ5 (not HEQ5).

Biggest physical difference was stability - the EQ6 is much sturdier and handles the C9.25 with ease. It is obvoius that the mount is built better and is designed for purpose. It's a lot heavier too....The CG5 wasn't as sturdy and definitely was wobbly with the C9.25 on it. The biggest advantage of the HEQ5/EQ6 route is EQMOD. It is absolutely brilliant and far, far better than the hand controller...

Oh yes, it's also much quieter!

[resonator77]

Arad85,

what is EQMOD?

[MishMich]

EQMOD is software that lets you drive the mount from a PC or laptop. I find the Skywatcher handset irritating, having used the Nexstar handset. I have EQMOD on my laptop, but not used it 'live' yet, because there's been so little time (3 nights in the past month). At times I find the time it takes setting up when I could be observing or imaging frustrating, and part of me feels adding laptops into the mix simply adds to that. My HEQ5 was much easier to use before I added Synscan, and more interesting because I had to work out where things were. Two nights ago I did a really careful level and polar alignment, then worked through a three-star alignment, only for the alignment to fail. So frustrating. And I bet I must have put the date in using English date format instead of US date format without thinking. Having to remember to do that irritates me, along with the handset not having a small battery so it can maintain those settings.

[beamish]

you've got Eqmod ! Get rid of the handset, so much easier to work with and far more versatile, you won't regret it. Some kind of eqdirect type module ( quite a choice now) plugged directly from the lappy into the mount.

[arad85]

Or just put the handset into PC Direct mode (assuming the handset s/w is higher than 3.25) and use EQMOD.... It's so worth it....

[MishMich]

It all works through the handset, but I haven't tried it out 'live' yet, that's all. It is the first thing on my list for the next clear night.

On paper the CG-5 GT is equivalent to the HEQ5 pro, not the HEQ6, but cheaper. I looked into getting a CG5-T, and while the GoTo is supposed to better than the Synscan, from what people have said, the practical carrying capacity and noise let it down. The CGEM would be a closer comparison to the EQ6, but dearer, and with some advantages (such as having the Celestron GoTo).

The Celestron EQ GoTo system has ASCOM drivers, but I don't know if these would work with EQMOD.

M.

[arad85]

On paper the CG-5 GT is equivalent to the HEQ5 pro, not the HEQ6, but cheaper.

I'm pretty sure the CG5 is the EQ5 equivalent, not HEQ5. HEQ5 is more a scaled down EQ6.

The Celestron EQ GoTo system has ASCOM drivers, but I don't know if these would work with EQMOD.

No, EQMOD is the ASCOM driver for the Skywatcher series of mounts. See here: EQMOD

[MishMich]

I'm pretty sure the CG5 is the EQ5 equivalent, not HEQ5. HEQ5 is more a scaled down EQ6.

No, EQMOD is the ASCOM driver for the Skywatcher series of mounts. See here: EQMOD

Sure, that is the conclusion I came to, except that the load carrying advertised is more than the EQ5.

You can drive the EQ5/6 using EQMOD ASCOM driver - or the Celestron ASCOM driver and selecting Synta Skywatcher. Both work, but the EQMOD is said to be better. But, it looks like there is not a similar arrangement for using the Celestron GEM mounts with EQMOD than there is for driving the Skywatcher mounts using the Celestron driver.

[Cornelius Varley]

Sure, that is the conclusion I came to, except that the load carrying advertised is more than the EQ5.

You can drive the EQ5/6 using EQMOD ASCOM driver - or the Celestron ASCOM driver and selecting Synta Skywatcher. Both work, but the EQMOD is said to be better. But, it looks like there is not a similar arrangement for using the Celestron GEM mounts with EQMOD than there is for driving the Skywatcher mounts using the Celestron driver.

The CG5 and EQ5 are more or less the same mount, the goto protocols are different though. Eqmod doesn't work on Celestron mounts because of this, but Celestron have an equilavent program supplied with their mounts called Nexremote. This program can interface with planetarium software and also allows gamepads to control the mount just like Eqmod.

Peter

[arad85]

Sure, that is the conclusion I came to, except that the load carrying advertised is more than the EQ5.

Just you mentioned that the CG5 was equivalent to the HEQ5 in your original post...

[arad85]

but Celesctron have an equilavent program supplied with their mounts called Nexremote. This program can interface with planetarium software and also allows gamepads to control the mount just like Eqmod.

That's not quite how I understand it. Nexremote just puts your remote control on the PC and provides a virtual serial port. All teh alignment etc is done by the nexremote software and is limited to exactly what the hand controller can do. Additionally, only one thing can be connected to the virtual serial port at a time.

With EQMOD you have far more than that - you have N-point alignment, multiple programs accessing the mount (PHD & stellarium concurrently for example), configurable horizon, PEC...

[MishMich]

The key words you missed were 'On paper'. On paper the CG-5 GT is equivalent to the HEQ5, and closer to that than either the EQ5 or the EQ6. In practice, as I said, people don't seem to think so (which is why I have an HEQ5, and specifically said 'on paper' they are equivalent:

CG5-GT

"With a 40,000 object database and the carrying capacity to hold up to an 11" SCT"

EQ5

Maximum Payload Capacity: Approx 9kg

CG-5

Celestron market the CG-5 GT with an 11" SCT (12.47 kg)

HEQ5

Payload Capacity (OVL): 15kg (HEQ5 PRO)

That is before you start getting into the Celestron's more straightforward alignment routines and larger object database on the GoTo.

[arad85]

Ah, you mean marketing speak then.... The CG5 I had struggled with my C9.25 on it... I think Peter missed it too...

[MishMich]

That's not quite how I understand it.

With EQMOD you have far more than that - you have N-point alignment, multiple programs accessing the mount (PHD & stellarium concurrently for example), configurable horizon, PEC...

We have established that the originator of this thread cannot use EQMOD, so there is not much point discussing its benefits when he has a CG-5 GT. He could use the Celestron ASCOM driver, and there are a number of other things he could use to control the mount from a PC/laptop that way, without having to use EQMOD. He could control it from Stellarium, for example, using StellariumScope, ASCOM, and the Celestron Ascom driver and selecting the appropriate mount, via an RS232 port, or a serial/USB, if he wanted to.

M.

[arad85]

We have established that the originator of this thread cannot use EQMOD, so there is not much point discussing its benefits when he has a CG-5 GT.

Have we If you read the thread carefully, he has an EQ5 which can be controlled by EQMOD (with the appropriate extras). In fact, he also states he's already looking at a HEQ5.

It is the talk of Nexremote and Celestron things which are off topic

[MishMich]

Yes, correct, I was confused when somebody said they thought the CG-5 GT was the same as the EQ6. He has an EQ5. Which would need upgrading to allow it to use EQMOD. Neither the original poster nor the person with the CG-5 GT could use EQMOD at the moment. The person with the EQ5 would need to upgrade it, or get an HEQ5 pro (or an HEQ5 syntrek with an EQDIR box) - but the person with the CG-5 GT could use the Celestron ASCOM drivers to connect with things like PHD if they wanted.

Blame it on getting old and the chest infection.

M.

[SkyExplorer]

Been reading the last posts with interest.

What the diff between the HEQ5 pro and HEQ5 synscan mounts? Does the pro offer computerised goto? And by computerised does that mean that you can control the mount using say a guidescope with webcam attached to a laptop?

Just trying to justify upgrade to wife

(Sorry for the low tech question after the rather higher level debate that has been taking place.)

[arad85]

There are a number of versions of HEQ5/EQ6

HEQ5 mount - unmotorised, uncomputerised.

HEQ5 syntrek - motorised with simple hand paddle for up/down/left/right

HEQ5 PRO syntrek - full goto

Same for the EQ6. You can upgrade from standard mount or syntrek to full PRO syntrek with additional packs (not sure if you can go from standard mount to syntrek).

If you are going EQMOD (and I thoroughly recommend you do if you have a spare laptop and can power it at all your observing sessions) I'd get the syntrek version with an EQDIR module. I haven't used the handset once on mine and have built a big enough power supply that I can power my laptop off all night if I ever wanted to...

[Cornelius Varley]

There are a number of versions of HEQ5/EQ6

HEQ5 mount - unmotorised, uncomputerised.

HEQ5 syntrek - motorised with simple hand paddle for up/down/left/right

HEQ5 PRO syntrek - full goto

Same for the EQ6. You can upgrade from standard mount or syntrek to full PRO syntrek with additional packs (not sure if you can go from standard mount to syntrek).

If you are going EQMOD (and I thoroughly recommend you do if you have a spare laptop and can power it at all your observing sessions) I'd get the syntrek version with an EQDIR module. I haven't used the handset once on mine and have built a big enough power supply that I can power my laptop off all night if I ever wanted to...

Not true, the HEQ5 has dual axis motors fitted as standard as does the EQ6. The Snytek versions have the goto motors and controlboard fitted but are supplied with a basic up/down left/right HC, the PRO versions come with the Synscan HC. The basic HEQ5/EQ6 can be updated to full goto by replacing the motors/controlboard and HC. The EQ5 and below are not fitted with motors as standard.

Peter

[Cornelius Varley]

Been reading the last posts with interest.

What the diff between the HEQ5 pro and HEQ5 synscan mounts? Does the pro offer computerised goto? And by computerised does that mean that you can control the mount using say a guidescope with webcam attached to a laptop?

Just trying to justify upgrade to wife

(Sorry for the low tech question after the rather higher level debate that has been taking place.)

The HEQ5 PRO and HEQ5 Synscan are just different names for the same mount.

Peter

[SkyExplorer]

Okay, can you connect both HEQ5 Pro and HEQ5 Syntrek mounts to a laptop then?

With the mounts in question do you need a laptop at all? I guess with the HEQ5 Pro you don't as it comes with a synscan HC?

Wife asked me "What do you get with a computerised mount over a non computerised?"

[Cornelius Varley]

It depends on why you need to connect the mount to a laptop. If you want to control the mount via a laptop instead of the HC then you can use EQMOD. With the latest revision of the firmware 3.27, the HC can be put into PC direct mode and you can connect the HC to the laptop and mount, the HC then acts like an EQDIR module. With the Syntrek version, the mount is connected directly to the laptop via an EQDIR module. Both mounts can then be controlledl in the same way through EQMOD and stellarium or similar. Both mounts are the same, just the HC differs. If you want to autoguide, the mount has a ST4 guider port which will allow you to connect an autoguider fom a laptop or an Orion or LVI standalone guider directly.

Peter