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Hi Wade, I can't really comment from an astro-imager's experience, because I'm just about to get into this area.
However, I do have a HEQ5 Pro and I have mastered the polar alignment and drift align techniques for it, such that I'm very confident of guiding for shorter durations - my drift is very minimal: have just bought Geoff Smith's short/long exposure webcam as well, so auto-guiding should be further enhanced when I set this up.
PEc should benefit the equation too I imagine, and I am making my own permanent pier that will be bolted to my observation deck.
I too want the option of using the tripod at times, but this is no problems as the HEQ5's mount plate (which doubles as the pier's levelling plate) is a simple piece to fabricate. I had designed this for when I thought someone was fabricating a pier for me; but when that turned out to be a furphy I started my own (far superior imho) pier construction and had the HEQ5 mounting/levelling plate made at my local steel supply shop for $20.
I think I've attached the plans for this plate in this post, if it isn't I'll re-do it later today!
Cheers, Darryl.
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