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it all comes down to balance.. I had easily 28kgs (probably closer to 30kgs) on my EQ6 and got good deep sky results... yes it was loaded past its limit, and the slightest wind would ruin exposures, but provided it was balanced carefully tracking was fine...
I've seen quite a lot of weight on HEQ5's too.. Given they are balanced, they will carry the weight... Damage to the motors is unlikely if its balanced well. stability will suffer, but it will preform in the right conditions..
I wouldn't attempt deep sky photography with a 10" newt, guider + cameras etc on a HEQ5 just for the stability issues alone... I wouldn't relish the idea of all that gear on an EQ6 pro with regards to stability either.. Yes its possible to do it, but with a nice breeze you're going to be frustrated regularly...
The most I plan to put on the HEQ5 that I've just organized as a downgrade from my EQ6 is something like a 4" refractor and a 3" refractor side by side..
Since my days of having 30kgs or there abouts on an EQ6, I'll say I'm a firm believer in over mounting your gear as much as you can... If I get a mount that says it can carry 40kgs, I wont be putting more than 20kgs on it for photography purposes... Likewise, the HEQ5 is rated at 17kgs... I dont see myself putting more than 7~8kgs on it...
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