View Single Post
  #1  
Old 06-03-2017, 10:28 AM
AdamJL
Registered User

AdamJL is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,100
Please recommend - $1.5k on a guided tracker

Hi all

It's been a long time since I've been able to do any form of astro photography, but I think this year things will finally change.

I want to take pictures with lenses ranging from 14mm right up to 300mm (f/2.8).

I currently own an Astrotrac with a wedge mount.
The few times I've used the Astrotrac, it's been fun, but to be honest, one of the things that pushed astrophotograhy to the back of the pile was that it has such a steep learning curve.
Trying to polar align stuff with the Astrotrac in the southern hemisphere too... it's hard for me when I get to longer focal lengths.

But I love the end results! And as mentioned, want to get back into it.
With that said, my budget is about $1.5k (maybe a bit more if I can be convinced of the merits), and what I'd like is something that can take a DSLR + 300 2.8 lens at the heaviest, but allows for (the important bit) super quick and easy polar alignment (and all the other alignment I need to do as well!).
Anything computerised with a good interface is welcome. I would just like to "set and forget". I hope in 2017, someone makes a relatively affordable tracking mount for noobs like me, who don't have the time and/or patience to learn every bit of the ins and outs of tracking.

Thanks in advance!
Reply With Quote