Great advice so far! Let me know if I'm missing anything...
Here is my updated build list (I will be updating it as I learn more) - Feel free to comment!
1. [
Already have] DSLR + wide angle lens. Planning on using a wide and fast lenses, say 50mm and seeing what I can accomplish with my beauties and my bad, nasty carbon fibre tripod, lol...
2.
[Required] Heq5 PRO About $1249 (
http://www.bintel.com.au/Mounts---Tr...oductview.aspx or
http://telescope.com.au/Telescope/Ho...%2cProductName) for use
with existing DSLR & lenses
3. [
Required] Power Supply - Advice so far is to a high quality car jumpstarter that uses a deep cycle agm cell(s) for higher battery life. Apparently, using half the ah value of a battery will give you an estimate of how long the battery will run the scope. (7ah battery: 3-4 hours life). 24ah batteries are a popular compromise between long battery life and size/weight/cost.
4. [
Optional Step up] (If I'm still having fun!) SkyWatcher Black Diamond 80ED, or other 80mm APO Refractor# to be recommended by you buys!
5. [
Optional Step up] (If I'm having trouble with tracking) Auto-guiding system (Too far in the future to care about now)
# Clueless about what's best for me here. I like the idea of a refractor design, F/5 (from what I can read above) and 80mm APO seems to be what everyone recommends. Can anyone point me to such a beast?
Questions / Other issues / Crappy ideas that have been dumped (undoubtedly more will be added, lol!)
Buying now has been dumped as an idea. Too easy to make a mistake.
Cheap mount has been dumped as an idea. Don't feel like building my 'house' on sand.
Vixen Polarie has been dumped as an idea. Too limiting when I get to a decent telescope.
Meade ETX has been dumped as an idea. Too slow.
What is a field flattener?
Since the Sony A65/77 has a EVF and no OVF, is that an advantage or a disadvantage in astrophotography, or both?