OAG or stick with my ST80

[En1gma]

Reading a comment on another thread by AlexN about always finding a guidestar with an OAG. I am currently running an EQ5 goto for imaging and I am concerned I may be overloading the mount (running a D5000, ED100, ST80, SSDSI-II). Would it be recommended to swap out the ST80 and get an OAG to ease up the load on the EQ5?. Im just concerned that in my light polluted skies, I wont always find a star to guide on.

Appreciate your comments and sorry for my formatting.

Cheers,
Rob

[gbeal]

Rob,
I have tried a couple of differing OAG's, and never really hit the spot with them. I have a separate guide-scope, a nice 500mm focal length 65mm apo, but the length is bordering on unwieldy.
So, without trying to throw you completely off the mark, I have of late been using a converted 50mm finder, with my guide camera (in my case an SX Guide-head) fitted in the place of the cross-hair eyepiece.
Small, light, and zillions of guide-stars.
So far it has provided effortless guiding with the FLT132, and also the M703 (reduced, so about 1350mm).
There have been a few threads on this "alternative", so maybe give that a thought as well. I am currently coercing a supplier to provide this "Guide/Finder" as a commercial item.
Gary

[En1gma]

Thanks Gbeal,

That is actually a good idea. I'll give this a try today.

I was thinking about that before but it slipped my mind.

Funny enough. I had come across a website about 2 weeks ago where a USA retailer was selling the guide scope finder packages. So no doubt the market has already started for this type of product.

If i am successful, I'll sell off my ST80 to fund my focal reducer!. Whoo

Cheers
Rob