Mount advice thread #7659867

[_Jimmy]

Hi guys,

Sorry for another one. It's doing my head in though.

I am starting out for astrophotography and getting things together. What I have is a Stellarvue SV80ED + 50mm guidescope + gear to attach camera, canon 70d (while not the best camera for this, it is what I already have so it's ideal), and have a couple spare laptops around the house.

I know the recommendation is to go an NEQ6 (and this is what is eating at me). SO, between adult responsibilities and wanting to get going, is the HEQ5Pro an excellent start? Is the difference really that much? EDIT: Also the other consideration adding to it all is the cost of shipping, as the only place that seemed to sell them locally closed down a couple of months ago.

Basically I am calling on you to put my mind at ease that the HEQ5 wouldn't really produce significantly different results to an NEQ6*




*with competent use... :rofl:



Cheers, Jimmy.

[Somnium]

HEQ5 is a capable mount, it is pretty much the same as the NEQ6, just without having the carrying capacity. so for your current set up it will be perfect, though if you upgrade your ota later, you might find you need to upgrade the mount with it. check out the classifieds, these come up second hand quite often and you can get a good deal

[chuckywiz]

Should work fine. If you need a hand setting it all up and running when you have it all just shout.

Dont forget the cable to connect to the mount. Whether your going to connect to the handset or the mount direct.

Ben

[Merlin66]

Jimmy,
I have and use both the HEQ5 and NEQ6 mounts.
The 80mm refractor plus your gear will sit and play nicely with the HEQ5.
I've had a C8 on the HEQ5 no issues.....

(I have >17Kg of bits - C11+3 cameras + electronic finder + spectrograph hanging on the NEQ6, with 5 counterweights:eyepop:)
The s/h market is the way to go if you can.

[_Jimmy]

Thanks, yeah my head is somewhere else at the moment and I just get caught in the recommendations side of things. I think most threads I've seen (to me at least) the tone almost makes them seem like the poor cousin or get as a last resort kind of thing.

Copy on the upgrade path, I don't think that will be a problem down the track. For now I envisage lots of practice to get competent and even more to get decent.



Cheers! Yeah for sure, will let you know. I think I am going to aim for mid-December to end of the year, so when ever that rocks up given the postage delays at that time!

[_Jimmy]

Good to hear the comparison from someone who has used both!

Jeez, are you set up in a single location? I'm bang in the middle of Perth suburbs and can pretty much see my way around the back yard from all the street lights! So I think simplicity and mobility are going to be key for me enjoying this. I don't mind a decent drive :)

EDIT: I have a bit of a time frame I would like to get it, knowing my luck I'll buy new and one will show up within a week!! Aiming to get lots of practice in over more comfortable summer nights so it's second nature by winter.

[chuckywiz]

If its going to be that long perhaps think about how you want it all to talk to you.

I personally use laptop direct to mount. Others connect through the handset and others just use the handset. If you go my way you will need to order the usbdirect cable as well.

Something like this http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p8045_Pierro-Astro-USB-HEQ5-Direct-Interface-for-Skywatcher-H-EQ5-Mounts.html

Ben

[_Jimmy]

I'd probably go laptop controlled as well. I would most-likely be going this way for auto-guiding down the track anyway?

[Merlin66]

Jimmy,
The NEQ6 is set-up in the observatory.
I only do spectroscopy and solar.
For spectroscopy there's no such thing as light pollution (well almost!)
It's easy removed from the spectral image..... majic!!

The HEQ5 moves around the garden to do solar observing (spectroheliograph) and some objective prism spectroscopy with the ED80.

[Atmos]

The HEQ5 is basically the little brother of the EQ6, both are excellent mounts to begin with but it all depends on what you're throwing on top of them. You're starting small (which is good) so you right now don't need the weight of the EQ6.

[doppler]

My Heq5 pro handles a rc6 and a 102mm f7 guide scope with ease, with just the 2 supplied counterweights.

[_Jimmy]

Thanks Guys and everyone else, I feel much better about going for the HEQ5 now and that I won't be making a bad decision :)

EDIT: I'll give it a few weeks to see if a second hand one comes up here otherwise I'll be getting a shiny new one!

[DarkKnight]

I've recently been through the same exercise and I'm sure you will be happy with the HEQ5 Pro.

I bought the EQ6 and was quite pleased with it but like yourself I have to travel to use it as trees and buildings block my viewing at home.

The main reason that I sold it (to a member just up the road from you in Karratha) was the weight of the mount itself. The head alone weighs 16kg and the tripod another 7.5kg, sort of borderline portable, and could be tricky setting up and dismantling in the dark for this old geriatric. ;)

The HEQ5 + tripod weighs 16kg so much more manageable, and with a payload capacity of 14kg will handle a 'scope much bigger than I ever anticipate owning.

I'm very pleased with the HEQ5 Pro and I'm sure you will be too. Good luck in finding one soon.

[glend]

There a belt drive mod kit for the HEQ5, which could make it very smooth:

http://www.rowanastronomy.com/productsa1.htm

I have the Rowan Belt Mod on my NEQ6 and it improved imaging performance significantly.

[pfitzgerald]

Hi Loren

I've been using a HEQ5-Pro for nearly three years now and have been very happy with it. If you go this way make sure that you get the HEQ5-Pro though, not the EQ5. I've been doing AP (with some success) using aDSLR on the back of a Sky Watcher ED120 refractor plus an Orion Guide scope package without too many hassles. With a good alignment I've been able to run 8 and 10 minute guided subs. (Usually shoot 5-6 minute subs at ISO 800 though).

Paul

[DarkKnight]

Good advice from Glen.

The Rowan kit is my next mod.

[_Jimmy]

Very good to hear Paul and Kev. Yeah after the HEQ5 pro definitely!

I've missed the last 4 or 5 that went up including one with the belt mod already done, I'm in talks with a member about one at the moment so hopefully soon Kev. Looking forward to getting one! I've checked out the Rowan belt mod site already, will see how the copy I get goes once I learn how to use it before spending more money right now!!