Taking the Next Step in Astrophotography – Need Your Thoughts! - Forums

Hi everyone,

I’m still pretty new to deep sky astrophotography, but I’ve already taken lots of photos of constellations and the Milky Way with my DSLR. Now I’d like to take the next step and dive deeper into the hobby.

I’ve put together three possible setups and would like to get your opinions on them. My goal is to have a setup that’s expandable – something that can handle larger telescopes later on without having to replace everything from scratch.

For one of the setups, I intentionally went with a slightly oversized tripod and mount to be more future-proof.

I’d really appreciate any tips or feedback on the setups!
I’d love to know:

Which combination would you recommend?
Do the components look well matched to you?
Is there anything I might have overlooked?

Setup 1:

Telescope: Askar 103 APO (103 mm / 700 mm f6.8)
Reducer: 0.8× (700 → 560 mm f5.4)
Filter Drawer: ZWO 2" Filter Drawer
Camera: ZWO ASI2600MC Pro (APS-C 26 MP)
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ6-R Pro (max payload 20 kg / ~13 kg for imaging)
Guiding: Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI120MM Mini
Control: ZWO ASIAIR Plus
Filter: Optolong L-Enhance
Accessories: 2×5 kg counterweights (included), Bahtinov mask

Setup 2:

Telescope: Askar 103 APO (103 mm / 700 mm f6.8)
Reducer: 0.8× (700 → 560 mm f5.4)
Filter Drawer: ZWO 2″ Filter Drawer
Camera: ZWO ASI6200MC Pro
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ8-R Pro (max payload 50 kg / ~33 kg for imaging)
Guiding: Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI120MM Mini
Control: ZWO ASIAIR Plus
Filter: Optolong L-Ultimate
Accessories: SkyWatcher counterweights (2 × 10 kg, included), Bahtinov mask

Setup 3:

Telescope: SkyWatcher 300PDS (300 mm / 1500 mm f4.9)
Coma Corrector: TS-Optics Wynne 3″ Newton Coma Corrector
Filter Drawer: ZWO 2″ Filter Drawer
Camera: ZWO ASI6200MC Pro
Mount: SkyWatcher EQ8-R Pro (max payload 50 kg / ~33 kg for imaging)
Guiding: Evoguide 50ED + ZWO ASI120MM Mini
Control: ZWO ASIAIR Plus
Filter: Optolong L-Ultimate
Accessories: SkyWatcher counterweights (2 × 10 kg, included), Bahtinov mask

Clear skies,
Jan

Setup 3 but: with the SW Quattro, TS 2" 4-elements CC, PlayerOne equivalent of the ASI2600MC, Filter Drawer, 2" Filters (depends on your LP situation i.e., how dark are your skies, avoid L-Ultimate, choose Antlia ALP-T). Any 400mm (cheap) achromat for guide-scope and any guiding camera (ASI or otherwise), Mele Quiter 4C N150 with NINA/PHD2/Stellarium (instead of ASIAIR) and any EAF that fits the budget (No ZWO please). Of course, for a proper guide-scope setup mounting rings and bar of adequate girth are required.

A few thoughts…

Is your area windy or is your observing site protected? the 300PDS will catch any breeze and the longer focal length will magnify the impact. I had a 250 and it was an absolute sail.

The askar 103 with reducer has very large spot sizes (~5u). I’d probably spend the extra $ and get something like a Cat91 that has 1.4-2u. I have one and it’s fantastic corner to corner with a full frame camera.

I had the ASIAIR and it was very nice, but once I went with Nina on a Mele 4c PC and Wandererastro Power Box, I realized how limiting it was. But the ASIAIR will get the job done if you’re all Zwo.

What is your Bortle and location? I live in AZ so I can image any time except during the Monsoon season.

I noticed that you do not have an EAF listed.

What targets are you looking to image?

Do you plan on imaging from your backyard or will you be traveling a lot with it? Can you leave the mount set up? An EQ-8 is a lot of mount to haul in and out.

A 100 mm ish refractor and color camera is a nice way to start. My main scope is an Esprit 100 which I love. It’s easy to set up as well, if you mount your ASI air to the dovetail/scope you can carry the entire set up out in one piece, drop it on the mount, connect power and you are ready to go.

I’d second adding an autofocuser eventually as this will take care of refocusing over the course of the night and let you get some sleep.

Personally, I would go with a smaller refractor APO (triplet to quintuplet) to start off with and even a smaller mount, to be honest. Something like a 65-91mm refractor with a relatively fast f-ratio would be my suggestion. These apertures tend to have focal lengths that are more forgiving regarding polar alignment errors and guiding. Also, refractors of these sizes tend to weigh less.

Weight is a big thing with me since I have to set-up and breakdown after 2 or 3 consecutive night sessions. Which leads me to the next set of questions:

Are you going to have these mounts on a permanent/semi-permanent pier? Or is this rig going to an observatory? Or are you going to have to set-up and breakdown often? Likewise, are you going to be traveling to darker skies? I know you mentioned taking photos of constellations and the Milky Way, so are you interested more in photographing nebulae or galaxies?

What I have found over my many failures with this hobby, is that the equipment’s weight has a direct effect on whether I use it.

The EQ-8 is ~57 lbs (26 kg), so if that’s not going to be stationary somewhere on your property or at observatory, I would pause before taking any action—even the EQ-6 is ~38 lbs (18 kg). In my mind, those weights alone would give me serious considerations on how many times I would really use it.

These are just my thoughts though and I wish you luck on your journey!

Rick Krejci · Nov 7, 2025, 03:14 PM
A few thoughts…
Is your area windy or is your observing site protected? the 300PDS will catch any breeze and the longer focal length will magnify the impact. I had a 250 and it was an absolute sail.
The askar 103 with reducer has very large spot sizes (~5u). I’d probably spend the extra $ and get something like a Cat91 that has 1.4-2u. I have one and it’s fantastic corner to corner with a full frame camera.
I had the ASIAIR and it was very nice, but once I went with Nina on a Mele 4c PC and Wandererastro Power Box, I realized how limiting it was. But the ASIAIR will get the job done if you’re all Zwo.

N.I.N.A might actually be worth considering — I hadn’t really thought about that yet. It would also mean I’m not limited to ZWO hardware.

Dave Stearn · Nov 7, 2025, 03:44 PM
What is your Bortle and location? I live in AZ so I can image any time except during the Monsoon season.
I noticed that you do not have an EAF listed.
What targets are you looking to image?

I live in Germany, and my location is around Bortle class 4. My girlfriend and I often travel to Denmark and Norway, where it’s usually class 3 or even 2.

When I put the setup together, I didn’t really think about adding an EAF. Do you have one in mind that you’d recommend?

I’d like to focus mainly on nebula photography.

starfield · Nov 7, 2025, 04:25 PM
Do you plan on imaging from your backyard or will you be traveling a lot with it? Can you leave the mount set up? An EQ-8 is a lot of mount to haul in and out.
A 100 mm ish refractor and color camera is a nice way to start. My main scope is an Esprit 100 which I love. It’s easy to set up as well, if you mount your ASI air to the dovetail/scope you can carry the entire set up out in one piece, drop it on the mount, connect power and you are ready to go.
I’d second adding an autofocuser eventually as this will take care of refocusing over the course of the night and let you get some sleep.

I’d prefer to keep the whole setup mobile. I already thought the EQ8 might be a bit much, especially after seeing how heavy it is.
I also want to add autofocus, but I’m not sure which model would be the best choice for my setup.
To be honest, I’m still not completely sure if all of my setups really make sense together.

I would suggest looking at the Askar 55, 70 or 85 refractors if you are looking for a portable rig.

The 85 at 403 mm will give you a good FOV for nebulas and at 4.8 to is fast for a refractor.

The AM3 N or AM5N mounts.

I use the ASIAir Plus and I get great results with it.

It’s easy to use and I can use my iPhone with it .

My suggestion is not to get hung up on gear. I personally like ZWO products and could care less whether I can mix or match non ZWO products.

The ZWO EAF works great.

You will need a dew heater for cold weather.

My suggestion is to learn to use Pixinsight.

This hobby is 90% processing and after you learn how to use your rig 10% image acquisition.

ASI 2600duo air WD20 mount with scope of your choice. Simple and portable.

Dave Stearn · Nov 7, 2025 at 05:08 PM
This hobby is 90% processing and after you learn how to use your rig 10% image acquisition.

Mmm.. 🤔 Maybe mid size, I started with a mid sized Celestron AVX (which I don’t recommend) and a hyperstar, yeah, but it was because the 6SC Was my first scope, so I wanted all in one, and I swapped that a year later, It’s good, don’t get me wrong, but its hard. I wanted a galaxy season long FL and a wide fast scope on winter. Then I got the EQ6, and a RC8 and then I started to get good results and another camera and filters. But this is a pain to move. I have it permanently on my DIY home manual observatory, so, think about the worst night you had in astronomy and mount and dismount everything… so, if you are traveling then buy everything accordingly. Best regards.

If you want it to be somewhat mobile I’d get a strain wave. Personally I like my Skywatcher Wave 150i. Then instead of the carbon fiber tripod, I’d get the steel one. That’s a good balance of portability and sturdiness.

Other than that I’d ditch the bahtinov mask and get an EAF. ZWO’s is fine, and it’s your only option if you’re going with the ASIAir.

Then personally I prefer refractors. So I would go with 1 or 2. And to decide that, I’d put them in to astronomy.tools fov tool and decide which one I prefer.

I see you might also be taking the kit with you to different location, so portability should be considered as well.

I’d say if you’re willing to spend at the EQ8 level, go for a strain wave mount with a high load capacity (the AM5N and Wave 150i are quite popular) and invest in a high-quality refractor, such as the Takahashi FSQ series.

.You need to decide whether you want a mobile setup or a stationary one. I had the EQ6-R Pro, and I loved it; it is probably the best option for a mobile mount. On the other hand, the EQ8 is meant for a stationary setup, and I wouldn’t recommend moving it around. If you choose the stationary option, I would recommend considering options #2 and #3. Option #2 is better suited for larger targets like nebulae, while option #3 is more appropriate for zoomed-in views of galaxies. Also, if you come to this point, go mono.

I’d suggest a ZWO AM5n mount (with TC40 tripod).

Hi Jan, I shoot in Bortle 4. I have an Askar 103apo, an Askar 65phq and a Redcat 51 III. I use an AM3 mount which works great. If you want portable and upgradeable get an AM5N or Skywatcher 150i. This will also allow you to use larger scopes when you are ready. My most used scope is the 103apo at 700mm. It is a good value scope but not as sharp as the other two. If I had it to do over I would have gotten the 107phq which is sharper. I highly recommend the 65phq at 416mm. I think it is underrated. Very sharp, portable, petzval design, good price, good build quality. If I could have only one I would choose the 107phq, though it is the least portable, However, I got all three scopes for only $250.00 more than the price of the 107phq. The Evoguide 50 is probably overkill at those focal lengths. Save a few bucks and put it toward the scope or mount. Eventually you will want an EAF. I use ZWO, it works fine. Personally, I like Petzval refractors and prefer not to use reducers.

CS, Bob

I agree with those that say/imply to be totally expandable, you need to purchase the best quality components that you can afford at this time or over time, and use NINA to integrate them, ie, avoid ASIAir if you want future expandability. IMO, ASIAir is a great control system for a “grab and go” setup. I have a Losmandy mount because the mount hardware, gemini goto unit and hand controller are separate and I can replace any of them if one is damaged without buying a new mount.

See my setup in Astrobin as an example of putting the best one can afford together and using NINA/equipment drivers to have them communicating and performing well. Then you spend the rest of your life thinking about expandability (What can I do to mitigate my local sky quality? What is my next hardware/software upgrade and why is it needed? Development of strong working knowledge of image processing such as PixInsight or Photoshop).

A lot of people are raving about the cost/performance of Antlia filters. I hear that their manufacturing quality control is outstanding. I currently use Baader LRGB and 6.5 nm Ha filters with great results. But planning to switch over to SHO 3nm Antlia because I image in Bortle 6-7 skies and because of Antlia’s quality control reputation.

I recommend the ASI 174 as the guiding camera that you will probably not outgrow.

Any quality and affordable telescope will do but some give a bigger bang for the $. I hear that China, Japan and Taiwan (William Optics) are producing quality scopes but I prefer USA made scopes for serviceability/quality but unfortunately the USA scope manufacturers no longer make quality scopes/focuser for under near $3000 USD.

I started astrophotography in June this year. So, take my suggestion with a little or lot of salt.

I live in a place that requires frequent tear downs due to weather and human factors. I was looking the EQ6-R. But, the total weight that needs to be transported is about 78lbs. Mount itself is 38 lbs. I am not getting any younger either.

Chose a Skywatcher Wave 100i, as I knew any thing bigger than 90mm scope will be difficult to handle in the Winter weather (43° North), in the USA. Skywatcher Wave 150i has more payload capacity.

Eventually, found Askar V on sale. Mainly shoot at 80mm with the reducer (384mm focal length). Using an Ogma 26CC OSC (Cooled IMX571 sensor, equivalent to ZWO 2600 MC). Skywatcher Evoguide DX with Player One Uranus C (uncooled) as guide camera. The Uranus C was my starting imaging camera, repurposed as guide camera.

I have Antlia Triband RGB Ultra ii as light pollution and general filter (USD180). Also have SV220 HA - Oiii 7nm narrowband filter (About USD130). Yesterday, got the newly introduced SV220 Sii-Oiii 7nm narrowband filter (about USD160). Works well for Oiii and Sii signals (short 3 hour session last night, cut short by clouds). There are also Askar Color Magic Duo (D1 and D2 filters), 3nm bandwidth, I think.

As others suggested, may be look at 400mm focal length. May be Askar FRA400?

I use NINA and PHD2. The main reason being not to be limited by ASIAir restrictions.

Just a few thoughts: I have the SW EQ6R mount and it is great for setting up in the backyard, but you might want to consider the SW 150i Strain Wave as a newer solution. The extra payload will be needed if you decide to go for more aperture later.

Adding a ZWO electronic auto-focuser to your rig is a must. I see that you are starting with OSC which is a great option for newer enthusiasts. To future-proof your rig, consider getting a 7 Position Electronic Filter Wheel using 36mm filters for when/if you make the jump to mono. 36mm filters are more affordable than 2”. The EFW will make changing filters as easy as hitting a button as to manually swapping out filters on your rig with a filter drawer.

PixInsight for processing. You can start out using just a few steps and adding more as you grow and learn the software.

Good Luck!

Hi, I was always told to get a larger mount that I think I’ll need as it is the most important item. I’d go for the refractor with the skywatcher 150i. That will boost your payload capacity without breaking your back like the EQ8 will. Add in a zwo eaf to autofocus, and I think you’ll be in good shape. The icing on the cake would be a filter wheel instead of a drawer. That will allow you to automate plans better.

Mount, scope and camera are the big ticket items so they should be your focus. If you are building a portable system I would recommend one of the strain wave mounts. Their payload to weight ratio are great. I use an AM3 and a friend uses an AM5 for our portable systems. We both like the performance of our mounts. I don’t know if there is one scope that does it all. I have too many scopes. I pick the scope/camera combination based upon what I want to image and how I was to image it, osc or monochrome. For the past year the three scopes I use the most are an 8” RASA in the observatory with a ASI1600MM camera with SHO narrow band filters, an AT60ED refractor with reducer and an ASI2600MC camera and an AT115EDT refractor with reducer with a 0.8 reducer. I use an ASIAIR with the portable systems and NINA in the observatory. I like refractors for their portability and ease of use, I like the RASA for its speed, it is f/2, for doing narrow band imaging. I like both the ASI1600 and the 2600 as both do not have any amp glow.

Most important I think is to get a mount that you can handle and can handle your equipment.

Thanks for all the messages — I used the weekend to read up a bit more on the topic.
What do you think about the products from ToupTek and Proxisky?
Those brands were recommended to me on another forum. Here’s a setup that was suggested to me:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jvt3H7ybi0yDCrsncv7HR9y034kflNeUCi4NPOCSUZY/edit?usp=sharing

I’ve also added an autofocus and filter wheel now.

Jan Hierscher · Nov 11, 2025, 06:45 AM
Thanks for all the messages — I used the weekend to read up a bit more on the topic.
What do you think about the products from ToupTek and Proxisky?
Those brands were recommended to me on another forum. Here’s a setup that was suggested to me:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jvt3H7ybi0yDCrsncv7HR9y034kflNeUCi4NPOCSUZY/edit?usp=sharing
I’ve also added an autofocus and filter wheel now.

Nice final list.

I use a Touptek clone IMX571 (Ogma AP26cc), have no issues with it. Just get the UV-IR window version, if you can select. Saves an hassle, if you want to do RGB without any filters. Just ensure that there is a dew heater for the sensor glass. Mine does.

Regarding the Proxisky mounts, I have not heard of anything bad. OnStep might take a little getting used to, like any other software/firmware.

My only suggestion is to get a better tripod. EQ6 (Skywatcher tripod for wave mounts) or a Pier - May be like this (https://www.omegon.eu/pillar-stands/omegon-pro-column-for-eq5-mounts/p,85076)

I am guessing you are in Europe, so provided an Omegon link. You might have less hassle contacting them and getting clarification regarding the Proxisky mount base and the Pier top match. Also, if you need more height, can get Aliexpress/ebay 194 mm pier extension (https://www.ebay.com/itm/146596700674). Skyoptikst is a reliable vendor. Good communication for clarification for inquiries about matching the sizes.

Carbon fiber tripods are good, but are light, short. Almost every case I read about, had have to add extra weight with a tripod stone bag or something like that.

Edit: Looks like Omegon Pier is not available until January 2026. The ebay seller Skyoptikst has a pier too (eBay item number:146880323243)

Quinn Groessl · Nov 8, 2025 at 10:36 AM
If you want it to be somewhat mobile I’d get a strain wave. Personally I like my Skywatcher Wave 150i. Then instead of the carbon fiber tripod, I’d get the steel one. That’s a good balance of portability and sturdiness.
Other than that I’d ditch the bahtinov mask and get an EAF. ZWO’s is fine, and it’s your only option if you’re going with the ASIAir.
Then personally I prefer refractors. So I would go with 1 or 2. And to decide that, I’d put them in to astronomy.tools fov tool and decide which one I prefer.

While Quinn provides a sound advice, you will need a Bahtinov mask even if you opt for an electronic focuser.

First, you’ll need to setup the auto-focuser. To determine the optimal settings and/or evaluate the results, you’ll need another tool to achieve good focus.

Most auto-focus routines I know, need to start from a good focus position. For example N.I.N.A. starts an autofocus routine with moving far out of focus (Auto Focus Initial Offset Steps). If it didn’t start near-focus, the focuser position will be too far out and the software may not detect stars anymore. As a result the routine will either fail or won’t be reliable.

Also a Bahtinov mask is cheap. I wonder how many of us never used one. It’s such an essential tool that not having one is like showing up to a star-party without a red flashlight 🙂

Clear skies.