HEQ5 or EQ6 for imaging purposes?

[Black Knight]

OK. I have an EQ5 and 200p F5 reflector at the moment, but I want to do imaging and get reasonable results. I know I need to upgrade my mount, my question is, for the OTA I have, would an HEQ5 do perfectly well, or should I be looking at an EQ6?

My projected rig payload will be as follows (I don't own most of this stuff yet, just at the decision making stage ):

200/1000mm F5 reflector

Startravel 80 as guidescope

main camera

guide camera

filter wheel & filters

mounting bars/rings/brackets etc as necessary

I don't anticipate upgrading to a larger aperture newt in the future.

I know the HEQ5 has a reported payload capacity or around 18kg, and I believe the rig outlined above should come well within that.

Will the HEQ5 be man enough to handle this?

[JohnC]

If you are happy with the weight of the eq6 set up i would go for that.

You are then future proof should you upsize ota or add additional bits and bobs.

It is suprising what you end up atacching to the set up when imaging.

[Ben Ritchie]

I had a 200mm f/4 newtonian + DSLR (a Canon 20D) on my HEQ5/pro, and wouldn't have wanted to add more weight. You're looking at a longer tube plus guidescope, so i'd vote for the EQ6.

The HEQ5 might be ok, balanced correctly, but I reckon it's better to be over-mounted than under-

[JohnC]

Agree with Ben.

An old adige is The mount is everything.

[kookoo_gr]

go for the eq6 as the payload you have is almost at the limit for the heq5 pro ( i use almost the same setup for my heq5 pro). if you decide to add more things at your setup the eq6 will have no problem

[glennbech]

Here is an image of my setup. 200p, astro engeneering side by side bar, adjustable helios startravel 80 guidescope, finder-I also add a canon 10d and guide-cam when imaging. You'll have to add extra counter weights.

I agree with everyone on this thread that the mount is important. I just wanted to make the case that the 200p + heq5pro is a possible setup. It is the configuration that i mostly image with.

downside

- you have to balance it carefully

- You cant use it on windy nights (i dont think you could even with the eq6...?)

- This is the limit. You cant add anything more!!

upside

- It works. I can easyly do 8 minute subs with no trailing (polar aligned...)

- the heq5 pro is "portable" ;.)

[blinky]

I would disagree with the others - I have an HEQ5 and have it loaded with an 8" SCT and an ED80, with a William Optics SCT Focuser (HEAVY!) and focal reducer/DSLR and it handles it all fine.

That being said, if money was not a problem I would have gone for the EQ6 - it does give you more freedom in future. I have also heard that the HEQ5 has slightly better PEC but dont know if that's true or not!

[Deneb]

If you can afford it, you better off forking out for a EQ6 Syntrek/Pro, having an 8" newt with a 80mm guidscope & Camera is well within it's limit, not to say the HEQ5 can't cope with that. The only downer I found with HEQ5 mount which stopped me going for it was it's legs.. 1.75" diameter compared with the CG5/EQ6 legs which are 2". But other then that it's a good mount.

Nadeem.

[mark7331]

I would think the EQ6 is better suited as it would handle the weight better. With your setup you may be under the maximum for the HEQ5 but for imaging the recommenation is no more than half maximum weight if you want smooth guiding.

Mark.

[Black Knight]

Many thanks for your input guys - much appreciated .

If it could do the job, I'd much prefer an HEQ5, primarily because of the weight of the EQ6 (I have physical problems with both my arms). I don't have an observatory so I have to move my kit outside each time. I can handle the EQ5 and OTA just fine, I'm just wary of the reported weight of the EQ6. I've never actually seen one "in the flesh" as it were, let alone tried to move one. The weight issue is something I shall have to judge for myself.

Thanks everyone

[michaelmorris]

If you have to move it in and out yourself, would a 'telescope dolly' be of help?

Telescope Accessories | Universal Wheely Bars | Rother Valley Optics

[Black Knight]

I've seen pictures of those sort of things before .... never crossed my mind that I could actually use them though! Yes, it might be worth considering. Thanks