Mount camera to ???

[PeterEde (Peter)]

Piggy back scope or direct to EQ3. what do I need

There's a screw thread on top of the OTA ring that fits my camera but it's not really suitable for the weight on it's own and not aligned.

Alternatively I need a dove tail that fits the camera base and the EQ mount without the OTA?

I prefer piggy back then I can put 2 cameras on. One piggy back one on t adapter

[raymo]

Most scopes have a large[ approx. 25mm diam .] knurled hand tightened
wheel that you tighten up against the bottom of the camera whilst aiming the camera where you want it to point.[ which may not be the same direction that the scope is pointing.] If the wheel is missing or not supplied, you can always use a conventional nut and a small spanner
to nip it up temporarily. The thread is strong enough for any DSLR once the wheel or nut is nipped up. I use mine with a large telephoto lens on it.
raymo

[julianh72 (Julian)]

Originally Posted by PeterEde

... and not aligned.

As long as the EQ mount is polar-aligned, anything carried by the mount does not need to be "aligned" with the polar axis of the mount, as long as it is firmly mounted - it will still by turning around the polar axis at the correct rate. (You can point your telescope at Alpha Crux and point your piggy-backed camera at Antares, and both will track.)

[PeterEde (Peter)]

Thanks for that. I guess I didnt explain it properly
there is only a single screw on the OTA rings so the camera would be free to swing. It's not locked in place

[cometcatcher (Kevin)]

But there's a locking ring on it right? How heavy is your camera?

[dannat (Daniel)]

you'll need a small ball head to attach to the camera & 1/4" screw which is coming out of the top of the rings [i presume the screw is already there if not you'll need one too]

[raymo]

Peter, There is only supposed to be one male 1/4" thread protruding from
the front tube ring. As I pointed out, there should be a large knurled wheel screwed down to the bottom of the thread, and when the camera is screwed onto the thread and pointed in the required direction the wheel is screwed upwards until tight against the bottom of the camera, which is
thereby locked in place. If you want to point your camera higher or lower than where the scope is pointing, you will need a ball head, as mentioned by Dannat, although you can of course aim the camera sideways from where the scope is pointing.
raymo

[PeterEde (Peter)]

Thanks to all for your inputy. Yeah I have that screw and wheel. I have tried the camera on it before and though it wouldn't hold very well.

I'll give it a go tomorrow night.

[raymo]

The thread is coarse and very strong; you can tighten the wheel as
much as you like [by hand , of course.]
raymo