Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

It€™s time to search for a tracking mount. Any recommendations for a motorized device that make it easy for alignment?

(Download)

jimcrna Loc: indiana/florida

no help but really outstanding photo

Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

No worries and thank you!

pesfls Loc: Oregon, USA

It will depend greatly on the weight of your camera lens. For a dslr with with a "normal" or wide angle lens there are some on the market that will track & provide for alignment on Polaris. I Optron, SkyWatcher & Vixen are some manufacturers of these lightweight mounts.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

If I were shopping for a new mount today, it would be an iOptron hands down.

For Astrophotography, take the advertised weight, and half it. That is your payload to get good images.
IE: My mount is rated for a 30 pound payload. My equipment from the Vixen Bar up totals 13.1 pounds.
30 = 15 # PL for AP.

You can't have too heavy of a mount. But many have too light a mount for the task they wish to do.

You don't realize it now, but you are being sucked into a black hole.
I recommend a Refractor as a telescope. It is the least troublesome telescope to work with.
And it is best for my intended goals: Deep Space Objects, Nebulae.

Welcome to the Vortex!
To me, it's the most fun I can have in my backyard with my clothes on.
Take a trip and never leave the farm.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Are you trying for a long exposure to capture more detail, to enhance the already excellent image you've posted? Because, unless you are using a telescope for deep sky imaging, why?

Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

Yes to capture more detail and the capture deep space objects later as well.

Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

Am going to start saving for this right away. B&H has your model in a package for around $1200
Thanks for the excellent advice. Will get a telescope later for now I just want my Landscapes as bright and detailed as possible

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

What exposure, speed, ISO setting were you using on the image above? I ask because with my Nikon D850, a wide angle nightime sky shot at anything longer than 15 sexc @ ISO 3200 and the sky begins to look like dusk. At 30 sec, it looks like daylight. This is with a Sigma 24 mm f/1.4 lens.

Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

Did you forget to add something?
Settings are Nikkor 14-24 2.8 @f/4 ISO 5000 20 Sec 15mm I also have a Nikon D850

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Nice image. As for tracking, the answer depends upon how you intend to image. If you are talking Milky Way shots with a wide angle lens, the cheaper drives like the iOptron, etc., can work just fine.

If you want to still use a camera, but step up to longer lenses, and ALT-AZ type go-to mount can work just fine.

If you want to use a telescope, you need to consider a german equatorial type mount.

I do all 3, depending upon what I am trying to do.

As for which mounts, that opens up a whole new set of discussions.

Welcome to the world of Astrophotography!

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

You don't need to get a telescope right away. You could mount your Camera and try various lenses to get a feel for the mount, and to enjoy it's native tracking abilities.
Then grow into a telescope and guiding as you progress.
The mount can be used for a lot of things, including a powered tripod to begin with.
But if you get an Equatorial mount now, or first, you can grow forward as you fall into the black hole.
And there's a bunch of us here to help you along. Bring your questions and thoughts, and by all means your images.

I rarely use my mount for my camera alone. But for the Solar Eclipse last August, with my Tamron 150-600mm and a solar filter, it was perfect!
Kept the Sun centered for the entire event and then some.

I use an 80 mm Triple Apochromatic telescope. I can mount my Nikon to it and use it for terrestrial, as well as extraterrestrial photography. I don't often, but could.
I decided when researching I wanted a true Astro Camera so I wouldn't beat my DSLR to death.
And by now, you are beginning to see why I call it a black hole.

Happy dreaming and shopping. I made 3 different wish lists with 3 different avenues of vendors. As I researched, I groomed the lists, then finally "pulled the trigger" on one.
I knew the learning curve would be steep, but I made it up, and in spite of a few boulders rolling down on me, I persevered.
You can as well.

You already have a great eye for your Photography. With a bit of the right equipment, there is no reason to not take in the Universe.
You are here.

J-SPEIGHT Loc: Akron, Ohio

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

A couple years ago I was in the same boat and after much research opted to purchase the Sky Watcher Star Adventurer with the photo package. This unit will hold the most weight and does an adequate job of tracking depending on how diligent you are with your polar alignment. It does have a couple of negs but don't they all. I have had 2 Canon 50D's with grips and 70-200 f4 plus 8 mm fisheye on it at the same time and was able to use 60 second exposures. This year i will see just how far I can push the exposure.

Caveat Emptor: When polar aligning with the base outfit you have to align and then remove the aligner and add your L bracket and camera which can shift your polar alignment. I have gone online and found a fellow in France that 3d prints adapters that allow me to polar align with all the equipment on the rig. Very reasonably priced, around $24 USD. Can't remember the URL off the top of my head.

Bottom line, I am extremely pleased with the unit both for astro-photography AND my favorite, time-lapse photography including astro-time-lapse as well as panning time-lapse. You will need to get the advanced firmware for this.

Sdubois Loc: Narragansett RI

Wow thank you so much for the information! So much to research now, down the worm hole I go!