Recommendation for a good equatorial drive mount

[West Coast Birder]

I would like to get a decent equatorial mount for long exposures. Something reasonably sturdy and also hopefully portable in a car. My current hardware is a) DSLR and 600mm F4 as my heaviest combo and b) Televue TV-85 apo refractor which I hope to be able to attach my DSLR to for prime focus photography. It would be great if the mount has additional payload capacity to take a larger scope and maybe use the Televue as a guide scope but I think that’s going to force some compromises on weight that I am reluctant to take on.

Anyway, guidance welcome!

 

[Barry]

EQ6-R Pro ....Right now, about 1700.00...Prices have come down on these considerably...I use it for my astro stuff but not DSLR..I did use my Canon 5dMkII on the Televue 85, then went for ZWO Astro camera after that..This mount is great...Lots of literature online regarding it..Also checkout Cloudynights.com, for their classifieds..Be forewarned tho, many sellers there are very reluctant to sell to new people...but you will get an idea of used prices for cameras (astro) and terrestrial..

 

[West Coast Birder]

Thanks! Does it come with GoTo hardware? And autoguider capability? I know my way around the sky, having been a visual stargazer for almost all my life but having GoTo saves a lot of time, especially in light polluted skies.

 

[Barry]

Thanks! Does it come with GoTo hardware? And autoguider capability? I know my way around the sky, having been a visual stargazer for almost all my life but having GoTo saves a lot of time, especially in light polluted skies.

Yes....Also can use Iphone/Ipad or laptop to control the mount with the right cable from the mount to the computer USB-c (I think) I would have to check what I have..Bought it on Amazon, not all work properly that you might have in your cable drawer !! The mount also comes with a handheld thingy to set it up amd move it to different things you want to observe or photograph...

 

[West Coast Birder]

Awesome, thank you sir! Probably going to be my next purchase. I have a CPC 1100 I need to sell as it is a bit too unwieldy and the alt-az mount is fine for visual stuff but obviously not for long exposures .