The ball head is going to add at least 1–2 pounds to any payload … The SkyGuider Pro has a better build quality and the mount is designed to handle up to 11 lbs, when properly balanced. On one side is a battery compartment to fit the 2 AA batteries. I've also heard reports from many people that the software did not do the best job with the polar alignment process. He is most interested in deep sky photography with low budget equipment and in helping beginners along their journey under the stars. The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer and Mini will both use the same declination bracket and counterweight kit. I'm not quite sure what was going wrong with the original Mini I had been using. This will easily allow you to position Polaris precisely in the polar scope. This allows you to control the star tracker from a smartphone app, just like the Star Adventurer Mini. Der ultratransportable SkyGuider Pro von iOptron macht Astrofotografie mit langen Belichtungszeiten so einfach wie noch nie. However, in order to get the full 11 lb limit, you'll need to attach the included Declination Bracket and balance the counterweight. I want to be very clear here, you don't want to actually use the weight limits listed. Guiding the SGP allows you to push its limits even further. In my experience, there were a few times where simply putting the star tracker into my hard-case caused the dial to rotate, and the tracker to turn on. You've fully charged the battery. The SGP is one of the most performant trackers for lightweight and mobile astrophotography. Sometimes the tracker's motor stalls and will not run. I like the simplicity of the iOptron models, and I haven't had any problems with them. Review iOptron SkyTracker Pro This is very easy to do, you'll just slide it right into the slot. Are you wondering how to frame a target without a computerized GOTO system? If you decide to upgrade to the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer in the future, which can handle more weight, you can always use the same base, declination bracket, and counterweight. Since it only has a power button, you will need to control everything from the SAM Console App on your phone. I currently live in New England and I have a great location to take photos. I am sure i will be using my 14-24 2.8 and i may go buy the 24 1.8 just for this. Once you've determined the total weight of your setup, you can look at the different star tracker weight limits. The tracker was left running for hours, and I didn't realize until I began setting up for the night. I recommend using the free SAM Console App  for all Sky-Watcher users (iPhone and Android). A wobbly and “skinny” tripod may get the job done for starry landscapes with light gear, but will stop there and photographing anything else will become a frustrating experience. email address visible to photographer only. Therefore, you will want a good polar scope to help find Polaris. The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini has 3 timelapse modes built into the SAM Console App. SkyGuider Pro, The SAM is the only star tracker without dedicated buttons to change your Hemisphere, Tracking Speed, and RA Slew. Der SkyGuider Pro ermöglicht die Verwendung von Kameras mit schweren Objektiven bis zu fünf Kilogramm Gewicht. The MoveShootMove has a fairly weak battery life of 5 hours and can't safely handle large telephoto lenses. Same as Skywatcher, iOptron has two star trackers in their catalog. All you have to do is turn on the laser, and adjust your ballhead until the laser is pointed right at Polaris. First, it features a bubble level which will help ensure your tripod is level. These timelapse modes will allow you to have a beautiful panning motion throughout your timelapse, when setup properly. The MoveShootMove includes a nice laser pointer bracket though, which locks it in and helps to quickly do a polar alignment. This is because I can always toss a few alkaline AA in your backpack for when I arrive at your location only to realize I have forgotten to recharge my mount. As soon as that red light starts flashing rapidly, unplug the USB cable. I recorded a video back in October 2019 which covers the main points of this article. I recently created a full tutorial for doing a polar alignment in the Southern Hemisphere, I would recommend watching it first. The tracker itself is very streamlined, and there aren't any extra features. You can align the 4 Sigma Octans stars to the polar scope reticle markings. Properly balancing your camera gear will also put less stress on that motor! At that point, you could put the tracker at a 90 degree angle and do simple left / right panning motions, just like you would be doing with the Sky-Watcher trackers. Leading the camera tracker market for nearly four years, iOptron's SkyGuider Pro pushes closer to perfection. If you plan to do Milky Way photography, this will be a major hassle! These are both great options for more advanced users with full-frame cameras. If I go with the Sky guider do you offer a tutorial showing how to use it? You can take off the front and rear caps and quickly do your polar alignment. Not only is it very compact and easy to carry around, you can do a polar alignment in seconds with the laser pointer. In addition a lot of the shooting I do is fairly remote. The altitude adjustment knob will move your star tracker up and down. Just remember, this tracker is primarily for wide-angle shooting (50mm or wider). This can be great if you have a portable power source! Although the PoleMaster doesn’t produce a specific adaptor for the SGP and would require a universal adaptor. That means my usual setup is between 5lbs and 8 lbs. The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i now includes everything you'll need in one bundle. If you find yourself below 27 degrees most of the time, get the Low Latitude base. As usual, if you want to see how astrophotography equipment performs in real life, I suggest you have a look at astrobin.com for a large pool of images taken with the gear you are interested in. This camera tracker bridges the gap between a camera tracker, and a small telescope mount. With it’s high payload and high tracking performances, you can use the SGP in combination with a DSLR with a long telephoto lens or small refractor telescope for great deep-sky astrophotography. Therefore, you will need 2 ballheads - one to hold the tracker, the other to hold your camera. You will need to connect your smartphone to this WiFi network first. The WiFi features are nice, but still leave a lot to be desired. Each tracker has an optional counterweight kit, and they all perform a bit different. With all that in mind, I personally recommend using something like the Benro IB2 ballhead. I will be moving to Fl in a few years. These 4 star trackers can be broken into two categories - lightweight and heavy duty. In order to safely recharge the iOptron battery, plug it into your laptop or a power source you can monitor. You can read my full review of the base here. When I was testing out the Mini, I did have some connectivity problems using the app. All you need to do to begin photographing with the SGP is following this workflow. But remember: to get the most out of your SGP, you have to use a sturdy tripod. For those living in the Southern Hemisphere, the iPolar version of the SkyGuider Pro may well be your best option. War ich doch mit dem Vorgängermodell durchaus zufrieden (siehe auch hier) und brauchte in den wenigsten Fällen zwei Reisemontierungen gleichzeitig. It's one of the most compact star trackers available, making it easy to travel with. In this SkyGuider Pro review, we will discover why this star tracker is one of the best trackers you could buy on the market. The iOptron SkyTracker Pro and the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini are the 'lightweight' models. The only caveat would be those who have a D850-sized camera with a heavy ballhead and a large wide-angle lens. The Sky-Watcher reticle will make polar alignments easier in the southern hemisphere. Plus, they can be charged with a standard micro-usb cable. The Star Adventurer Mini only has one button! Unfortunately, each star tracker has at least one drawback. Let's take a closer look at each one next. Table Of Contents show. In fact, most astrophotographers recommend using 1/2 the weight limit. I really like the simplified design and the included laser pointer. Listed below are the specs and prices for each counterweight kit. Let's see which star trackers actually come with a polar scope and how good they are. This weight limit is why I ultimately moved up to the SkyGuider Pro. But with the iPolar Polarscope, you will gain the possibility to precisely polar align the SGP with no hassle, even if Polaris, or Octans, is not visible. Point being, all of these star trackers could use a new 2020 version. The Z61 seems to be a very popular (or well advertised) scope to pair with a skyguider pro. (Usually 3 lbs or less). All star trackers are largely designed the same, with a polar scope going through the tracker, and a camera mount on the front. If you're just shooting long exposures at night though, the Star Adventurer is very easy to use - turn the dial to the "Star" icon and begin shooting! However, it's poorly designed and you'd be better off investing that $80 into the SkyGuider Pro, which can easily handle more weight. I can now do a polar alignment in seconds, rather than minutes! However, it is possible that the polar scopes were not installed properly. Every star tracker comes with a basic ballhead mounting screw option. However, I cannot say the same for many of my students. The Altitude knob can be a pain to turn, especially if some grit gets inside the gears. If you need to backpack with your equipment, the Stainless Steel tripod is not a good choice: I have good results with both the Manfrotto 055XPROB and the Benro TMA 37-A, but try not to extend the smallest section of the legs. All you have to do is turn on the laser, and adjust your ballhead until the laser is pointed right at Polaris, you will want to double check for these problems, One to power on/off the tracker, and the other to change the tracking speed, Captured with the SkyGuider Pro and Tamron 150-600mm, the SNAP cable for your particular camera, Taken with the SkyGuider Pro and Tamron 150-600mm, Public comment Both the high end star trackers, SkyGuider Pro and Star Adventurer, have the polar scope built-in. Then you can slide the polar scope up through the middle of the star tracker. If you struggle to get precise alignment and round stars with your setup, the best solution is to invest in the marvelous William Optics Wedge for iOptron. The azimuth screws are also pretty flimsy and hard to turn. Although we mentioned longer lenses above, you always have to be wary of the limited 6.6-pound payload of this iOptron SkyTracker. I've seen multiple times where the altitude knob on both the iOptron and SkyWatcher base falls off completely! Also, if a star tracker has prices added together, that includes all of the necessary components required for a sturdy setup. IOptron have also added a quick slew mode with both forward and reverse to help you quickly reframe your image without disrupting the cameras position. Thanks again. To be clear though, you can use this base with the Star Adventurer, SAM, and SkyTracker Pro. Potential Limitations of the iOptron SkyTracker Pro. Immer wieder werde ich gefragt, welches denn die beste Reisemontierung sei. What’s Not Included (But Would Be Useful), Frame Your Target Easily With An Hot Shoe Red Dot Star Finder, Easy Polar Alignment With The iPolar Electronic Polarscope, Skywatcher Stainless Steel photographic tripod, It comes in a complete package for astrophotography, You can “pimp” it with a range of accessories to increase performance and usability, It has a user-replaceable built-in Li-Polymer battery. If you've ever wondered why your iOptron tracker has a flashing red light when you turn it on, now you know why! This series shows the optional counterweight kits for each star tracker, the Sky-Watcher models use the exact same components. Here you can read our review on the Vixen Polarie. Vous réussirez de fascinantes photos grand angle du ciel nocturne.. However, you may prefer to use AA batteries. If you plan to use a telephoto lens, I would go for the SkyGuider Pro instead. The iOptron SkyGuider Pro has everything you'll need in one package. This is the easiest way to do a polar alignment and you really don't need any of the other gear in the various bundles. A ballhead will not be as precise as a legit latitude base, but it does the job well enough. You can click on each price to take you directly to the corresponding accessory. Thanks to the included counterweight, you can better balance heavy gear on the mount, improving the image quality. Unfortunately, this dial is moved very easily. If you want to do Milky Way photography for example, you'll always need to drag your laptop out on-location with you, to do a simple polar alignment. That allowed me to power the SkyGuider Pro while I photographed a nebula for a few hours. This camera replaces the polar scope and should allow you to do a more precise alignment with your laptop and the iPolar software. The two entry level star trackers, the Mini and the SkyTracker Pro, both require the polar scope to be installed each night for your polar alignment. The smaller star trackers, SkyTracker Pro and SAM, only have a simple screw(s) that you tighten down, which keeps the camera mount from rotating. All four work in both northern and southern hemispheres. There cheap plastic illuminator is easily lost, and that means you have no easy way of seeing the polar scope reticule at night. Over the past 2 years I've been hard at work creating a full-length tutorial for each star tracker! The Sky-Watcher's base has a better design than the default iOptron base. I want to take some deep space photos and was having trouble picking a system tracker. The Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer was recently updated to the 2i edition. As there is no "North Star" to easily align to, you will need to do your polar alignment on multiple stars. iOptron SkyTracker Pro - 2.6 lbs  (or 6.6. lbs with optional counterweight kit), Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini - 6.6 lbs. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, you are going to have a bit more trouble doing your polar alignment. A Star Tracker allows you to capture much higher quality nightscapes. My favorite part of the MSM is the included laser pointer. For example, I had over 5 lbs of camera gear attached to the iOptron SkyTracker Pro, rated for just 2.6 lbs, and was still able to shoot up to 4 minute exposures at 14mm without star trails. The MoveShootMove has multiple bundles available, which range in price from $200 - $400. The iOptron polar scopes don't have anything like this. Both star trackers can handle up to 11 lbs of camera gear, and they feature a sturdier design. I recently taught a deep space astrophotography workshop, and 4 out of 5 SkyGuider Pro's had serious problems that all required taking the tracker apart and repairing manually. With this kind of weight limit, you can easily mount a DSLR with a small refractor such as the William Optics Redcat Z51, the William Optics Zenithstar Z61, or even the Skywatcher Evostar 72 ED. Realistically, if you are using a wide angle lens with any of the star trackers, all you have to do is make sure it's roughly pointed up towards the North or South Celestial Pole. It should allow you to use a single counterweight and still maintain balance with a heavier camera rig. Protruding from the right side of the tracker is a slot for your polar scope. Andrea Minoia works as a researcher in a Belgian university by day and is a keen amateur astrophotographer by night. With the exception of the Vixen Polarie and MoveShootMove,  all the star trackers should last you multiple nights shooting without a problem. The combined package would allow you to have a more balanced setup in some scenarios and will let you use a telephoto lens. The azimuth adjustment knobs will move your star tracker left and right. iOptron also makes the iPolar version, which retails for $598! Before using your star tracker, you will want to double check for these problems. This makes it easy to charge the iOptron models while traveling, as you should have easy access to multiple USB chargers. Very simply, if you plan to use a telephoto lens, or you have a heavy camera/lens, then I'd recommend going with the iOptron SkyGuider Pro or the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer. While the SkyTracker Pro is very capable, If you are more than the occasional starry photographer, you should get the SGP because of its higher maximum payload, better construction (metal vs plastic), more accessories, and better performances in general. 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