DSLR Sky Trackers?

[Comet Hunter]

So I got an early Christmas present from my son: an i-optron skytracker pro. I'm looking for a light kit to match with my R8 and existing tripod that's easy to move about and set up, primarily for Milky Way shots. I have enough guided scopes for my bigger scopes and deep space stuff.

The question is: trade it in for the SkyGuider Pro or keep the Tracker Pro?

Has anyone used both or the Tracker Pro?

Thoughts and considerations? My camera and lens will be about 3 lbs.

Thanks in advance,

Ed

 

[Kyle Jones]

I've had and used both. I definitely prefer the SkyGuider Pro as more robust and the counterweight helps too. You can make the Sky Tracker work for that weight if you want to try things out. It is lighter to move around.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Ed,

Sorry I just saw this.

What lens are you thinking on using with the R8?

I just got the SkyTracker Pro. I started out my Astro journey with the SkyGuider Pro.

The SkyGuider Pro has the most capability in terms of load of the two. It's more Robust as Kyle says.

The #1 thing I hated about the SkyGuider Pro, was the clutch mechanism. I found that it always got too tight, and was really really hard to loosen. So I found it could mess up my PA, as I had to put such force on it to twist it loose so I could adjust the angle of the camera.

#2, the PA on the SkyGuider Pro was a bit of a pain, I finally got the iPolar and put it in, so I then brought my lightweight laptop with me to then use to PA instead of visually.

I just bought the SkyTracker Pro, as I wanted to track my MW images so as to have some more fun with my MW timelapses. I wanted something quick and easy to set up. The SkyTracker Pro seemed that way. So many people out there are using the MSM Nomad, that's the one everyone gets for a MW tracker, but in my research I found so many people struggling with it. And while some people got it to work great and got great results, many more struggled with it. So that's why I chose the SkyTracker Pro, as to me it feels like a slightly more robust version of the MSM Nomad.

I tried the SkyTracker Pro a few weeks back. PA was quick and easy. It didn't come with a Laser Point, but I have one. I used it to get the PA close, and then used the optical scope on it to finish it up.

Weight is an issue, to use counter weights on the SkyTracker Pro is a bit of a pain, but the "clutch" mechanism on it is so easy to use, I wish the SkyGuider Pro had something similar.

So for mine, I am just going to use the Nikon Z6II and one of my lighter fast lenses. I used a lightweight 85mm on it, and it tracked fine. I also with the 16mm Viltrox tried it's 1/2 speed option and that worked great to keep the foreground sharp and the stars sharp while tracking. That's the mode I will probably be using.

You have the SkyTracker Pro, I think you should just try it first and then switch to the SkyGuider Pro if you find the SkyTracker Pro isn't able to handle the weight of your camera gear.