Considering an EQ6 synscan v3 - feedback appreciated on unmodified mount
Hi,
I'm considering an EQ6 synscan v3 and was interested in feedback about it.
I would be using it with my 140mm f5.8 refractor (800mm focal length) and was hoping to use it for photography with a DSLR. The refractor is quite light weighing in at about 7kg - so hopefully legs sticking/warping wouldnt be too much of a problem.
From the posts there seem to be many variations (EQMODs, rebuilds and pre-synscan v3 versions) which makes it harder to evaluate - hence the request for feedback. My questions relate to the mount as is in an unmodified form:
Has anyone had experience with using it at 800mm or similar focal length unmodified and without an autoguider for photography - if so what was the outcome? If not crash hot at 800mm would an autoguider be likely to fix this? (seems pretty good with the ED80s at around 600mm).
Secondly any experience on how smoothly the scope tracks if pointed for example at jupiter at around 300x magnification? (this would not be unusual for me when observing) Would I expect a lot of jitter or does it track smoothly keeping jupiter well centred at these magnifications?
How is the pointing accuracy? A recent post suggested some problems eg with finding planets?? is this common for others or likely setup problems?
Finally any particular dislikes people are having I would be interested in hearing.
I guess another option would be the sphinx deluxe but perhaps this may be hard to justify for around another 1K if the EQ6 would do the job nicely. (Also it would be annoying to have to constantly read the skymap controller upside down all the time - they must know people use it in southern hemisphere!)
I have the V 2.5a. hand controller not the V3, but the mounts are still the same.
As for smoothness, yes they are smooth. Even at high mag you won't see any vibration/motor jerking etc.
If the objects tends to wander a bit, that can be fixed in the PE training of the mount. Not hard to do at all.
But most definately auto-guiding makes a huge difference for long exposure imaging. Even the largest and best mounts in the world can't track faultlessly.
They are auto-guided.
The V2.5a and earlier hand controllers are reknown for not finding Planets. I don't know if it has been fixed in the V3.
Your refractor will be fine on top of an EQ6. They are quite capable of carrying a fair amount of weight. The biggest problems arise in very long OTA's when flexure starts to be an effect.
Given my budget the choice seems to be the EQ6 pro or to pay a fair bit more for a sphinx. No doubt the sphinx would be better mechanically but in practical terms at around 800mm it may not make such a huge difference perhaps.
Agree the autoguider is the ideal way to go but this is all extra $ and that will probably have to come down the track.
The mount itself is good at high mag. I have used it for over 2 years and this last year I have been imaging at 10,000mm plus. It has been a solid performer for me. Worth considering.
Black or white is really no problem for me and I gather they are otherwise the same mount. However, I thought that the black ones didnt have the synscan v3 (for PEC, autoguider, goto with latest 3 point align) and the newer motors which people say have been an improvement on the original motors that came with the mount. By the time you buy the kit for around 1K and add to a black one you end up around the same figure or more I thought??
So many versions of the mount out there it gets a bit confusing. Perhaps Ive missed something. I was working on a figure around 2K for the unit (at 2.6K+ I guess the vixen would be a serious consideration for better precision). Ive seen the mount listed at $1,800 canadian also and couldnt justify paying 2.6K+ on principle. Please let me know if there is a cheaper option as I agree there is no point paying extra just for the colour of paint.
I do agree with KG8 though - the white one do look better but Im on a budget so black would be ok. Key is to ensure that if I spend 2K I wont be disappointed with the equipment ie. good tracking and pointing (sounds like it should be pretty spot on).
Certainly 2nd hand might be ok but I would prefer to try before I buy if possible if doing this. I know someone who may be thinking of selling one soon. Agree the price seemed very reasonable.
Still interested to find out about the cheaper black variety. I wonder if this is the version with autoguiding but no PEC and goto. Finding it hard craning my neck up to find objects with the refractor now Im getting a bit older so goto seems an appealing thing to fix. I dont have a laptop or autoguider so this also has to be factored in.
David, any late model EQ6 (black or white) is fine. The hand controller is the V3, not the mount. You plug the V3 hand controller into any EQ6 GoTo mount and away you go. As long as the mount is the GoTo version (Synscan, Skyscan, Syntrek, EQ6 GoTo ready,).
I have a very new version of an EQ6 and I am very impressed with it. I use the polar scope for alignment and a 3 star alignment. The first star I need to use the finder scope then all others after that are in a low power field. When alignment is done then it mostly centeres a goto object in my eyepiece even if slewing from one side of the sky to the other. It can be left looking at an object for hours and it will stay in your field.
I haven't tried using the internal goto to look at planets but tend to use skymap to goto via my laptop.
PE is present and I have a graph of it at http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/a...8&d=1184631179
See http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...t=20720&page=3 for info about the graph.
The data was taken through a 600mm focal length scope. I feel that guideing is the way to go but you could be lucky and pick a flat part of the graph and do 30sec exposures.
As for the pro vs not pro, I ordered a not pro version from NVT but a pro version arrived. A nice surprise.
Hi Prickly
I am selling my EQ6 Vers 3 if you're interested. It's less than a year old bought from a Sydney retailer in a nice shade of black! It works well with my C11 and is nice and quiet in both axis. I'm no too far up the road from you if you want to see it in action. I certainly think the EQ6's are a very solid mount.
I am very happy with my EQ6 Pro/V3, it has been faultless since last Christmas when I purchased it. A few weeks ago when observing the moon at 200X the image just stayed rock steady. Both DEC and RA motors are as smooth as silk, very little backlash and no jerkiness. I have attached a pic of my TOA-130S on the EQ6 and it is no lightweight at 10.5kg ( plus 1kg for the finder). By the way, no "go to" problems at all either, just goes where I tell it to.
Thanks for all the information. So the motors in all the later models are all the same you just need to get the synscan controller as an addition if you buy the current goto ready black ones with the non-goto hand controller.
Terry, very impressed with the PE graph - when you say you turned the guiding off midway through the graph I'm assuming you are referring to the PEC guiding (or was this autoguiding?). The PE is noticable but does look fairly smooth unlike some others Ive seen for the EQ6. I'd imagine many far more expensive mounts would be challenged in comparing to the first 1/2 of the graph.
Presently away on hols in Brisbane sparky without email. Will give you an email when I get back to Canberra.
That TOA looks great on the EQ6. Certainly seems most people are pretty happy with these later model EQ6s. Hope you are having some luck with selling your vixen 140 - Ive been really happy with mine.
Hi David
I'm happy show the EQ6 wether you want to buy or not. Like others here mine has worked well from day one. The C11 and bits come to 13.4kg (I checked) and the mount handles thid no probem.The gotos have been spot on. Any problems/issues were down to the user (me).
Thanks for all the information. So the motors in all the later models are all the same you just need to get the synscan controller as an addition if you buy the current goto ready black ones with the non-goto hand controller.
Terry, very impressed with the PE graph - when you say you turned the guiding off midway through the graph I'm assuming you are referring to the PEC guiding (or was this autoguiding?). The PE is noticable but does look fairly smooth unlike some others Ive seen for the EQ6. I'd imagine many far more expensive mounts would be challenged in comparing to the first 1/2 of the graph.
Presently away on hols in Brisbane sparky without email. Will give you an email when I get back to Canberra.
Thanks
David
The scope was being autoguided using my QHY type guider and I turned the guiding off half way through the graph. It was also sub pixel guiding as the guide scope has a focal length of 600mm vs the imaging scopes 1800mm.
I haven't bothered with the PEC as I would have to train it each time I set up and I now have a very good guider instead. It shows that it is quite capable of being guided well.
