Slowly but inexorably I am sliding towards astrophotography.
Several reasons. I am a serious amateur photographer, I want to see something for the time I put into astronomy and when the clouds cover the skies then it's good to process and play with the data. Keeps me involved, I am still doing 'astronomy'.
My interest photographically is towards Nebulae and DSO rather than planetary. I have a good DSLR and lenses and basic CCD as per my sig. My current efforts are being frustrated by poor equipment, a cheap EQ Mount being the main problem. Budget is available soon, up to $2000, but some advice is asked for on alternative paths to take. Not in any preferred order.
#1 An HEQ5 Pro mount, use existing 114 f8 Newt with CCD, small refractor and the DSLR. $1895NZ
#2 Buy a 127mm Mak SC with all the trimmings, GoTo, Track etc and use the CCD. How good are these things at tracking ? Also makes for a good portable system.
$1335NZ (Skywatcher 127) to ~$2200 ( Meade/Celestron models)
#3 An IOptron Minitower which can carry scope one side, camera or another scope the other side. Again use existing OTA's. Uses GPS to align as well. $2045NZ)
I've looked at finding an EQ3 or similar, new or second hand but I think to get good pix I need to go guided rather than rely on an accurate SCP alignment.
Maks require de-rotation, how difficult is this and how does it limit exposure times and picture acuity?
The Mak won't take the DSLR through the focusser but could it handle the DSLR mounted parallel?
I think I've just answered my own question, the HEQ5 Pro seems to be the best long term solution. Forgive my thinking out aloud but any comments and advice would still be appreciated. It's a lot to lay out for a hobby and I'd like to get it as right as possible because it's going to take quite a bit of explaining even to my incredibly tolerant darling wife. $$$$
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P.S. My 'Dodgy' chinese 114 Newt is actually not a bad piece of gear since I replaced the oversize plastic spider with a much smaller system. Putting a 2" focusser mount would let the DSLR attach, there is plenty of infocus travel to handle the camera.