custom FinderScope mount for nano.tracker - Help

[silv (Annette)]

Hey

so I got myself a nano.Tracker the other month and played around with this cool little toy.
It can carry 2kg and my setup, Sony Nex5-N, mirror lens 500mm 6.3 and ball head are ~1.6kg.
I managed 15 secs exposure with really good alignment and 13 secs with so-so alignment.

What I really missed during those first nights under the stars since 2013 was a finder scope or similar tool.

I can't for the life of me think of a construction to attach a FS to my setup.
Or to attach and align my smartphone (incl Skysafari Plus) as surrogate FS.

Here are some pics of the setup.
Can one of you guys think of something I could use/make/alter?
Any idea would be most welcome!
I'm no good in DIY (and quite poor) but possibly from your idea I could at least think up something that would be feasible even for me.

Thanks a million

[iborg (Philip)]

Hi

Does your camera have a hot shoe? If so, you might be able to mount an RDF onto it.

If not, see the link below. Slip the adapter between your camera and mount, and add the RDF to one side.


Mount adapter link
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...extension.html


Hot shoe RDF link
http://www.365astronomy.com/Blitz-Ho...der-COMBO.html


Hot shoe mount for smart phone anyone?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DSLR-Smar...-/181240118647

Another link to look at
https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/1...ed-dot-finder/

Have fun

Philip

[silv (Annette)]

aaaahhh! you're da man! gran-di-os!

of course, my NEX5N doesn't have a hot shoe

But while I was looking into your solutions I stumbled over something easier.

1 of my ballheads is Arca Swiss compatible and a 14cm quick release plate with 2 1/4" mounting screws can hold the lens and on the other side a RDF.

Baader ships their RDF Sky Finder III with assorted mounting adapters one of which can surely be attached to the 2nd 1/4" screw.

Lens and RDF will require alignment each time I put the stuff together, of course. But hey - then I will be able to find my way! Yay!

[silv (Annette)]

actually, I'll first try it with a smartphone holder instead of the RDF side by side to the lens.
If it turns out that I can't align smartphone and lens usefully enough or that the smartphone is getting confused by the metal holder I can still get the RDF and have only lost €2 for the holder.

super!

[iborg (Philip)]

Hi

Good luck with it.

Philip