Upgraded quickly - sell or have two rigs? - Forums

Topic starter

Dec 8, 2025

TL;DR: Upgraded quickly after getting my first rig and now have two fully functional rigs. Sell the first rig or have two rigs?

I got bitten by the astrophotography bug pretty hard. After initially buying a Dwarf3 for my son in July, I bought my first rig in October. Thanks in part to you all, I realized pretty quickly that I wanted more from my initial setup. I basically ended up upgrading the entire thing

OTA: Askar FRA300 Pro -> Askar FRA500 Pro + x0.7 reducer
Guide Scope: Askar FMA135 -> Touptek OAG-L
ASI533MC Pro -> ASI2600MM
ZWO 2" Filter Drawer -> ZWO EFW 7x36mm
iOptron CEM26 -> ZWO AM5N
ASIAIR Plus -> Mele Quieter4c running NINA

I initially got the ZWO EAFN and ZWO ASI220MM-Mini guide camera. Since I moved to the mini PC and NINA, I figured it was viable to use non-ZWO components, so I got a ToupTek EAF and the IMX290-based ToupTek guide camera and put them on the new rig.

Which leads to my quandary. I have two fully functional rigs. Does it make sense to have two rigs? I live in central TX under Bortle 6-7 skies. I have access to some relatively dark skies within 1-2 hours of here. I feel like the "responsible" thing would be to sell that first rig. I don’t really need the money, but I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle of setting up two full rigs. If I sell it, should I try to sell it as a complete package or piece it out?

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Natalie Sigalovsky

Dec 8, 2025

It really makes a lot of sense to have more than one rig. I currently have four rigs under Bortle 6 skies, and very often one or more of them is out of service—like right now, one of my mini PCs is down. Other times it’s something else that breaks or malfunctions. Having multiple rigs means you can simply keep imaging with the others and not lose clear nights.

The only downside is that before long, you’ll probably realize you want to upgrade or change something else too 😊 That astrophotography bug is very contagious 😊 I used to run a ZWO mount as well, but I wasn’t happy with it and eventually moved on. Hopefully you’ll be happy with your choices for a long time 😊

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Quinn Groessl

IOTD Staff

Dec 8, 2025

It’s nice having multiple things. Especially two complete rigs that you can set up at the same time. If you don’t think you’ll want to use both at the same time I’d just sell the FRA300 and the spare mount. With the FRA500 + reducer, the FMA135, and the two cameras you essentially have 6 different options for what FOV you want in your image. Link below to show the versatility.

Of course I’d probably then buy a 120mm apo for galaxy season with the money.

https://astronomy.tools/calculators/field_of_view/?fov[]=14632||3106||1|1|0&fov[]=14632||3258||1|1|0&fov[]=17005||3258||1|1|0&fov[]=17005||3258||0.7|1|0&fov[]=17005||3106||0.7|1|0&fov[]=17005||3106||1|1|0&messier=31

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Tony Gondola

Frequent contributor

Dec 8, 2025

I would keep the 300 and the better mount. Use the 300 for wide field work and pick up a 150mm F/6 Newt. with a coma corrector. When you’re shooting with the 300, guide with the newt and switch it up to image with the newt. This will really open up your choice of targets and the 150mm has enough resolution that you can also get into some lunar and planetary work also. That would be a very flexible setup that will keep you busy for a long time.

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AstroRBA

Dec 8, 2025

Keep it! You’re not a true astro addict unless you continuously collect scopes, mounts, cameras, accessories, spacers, filters, adaptors, power supplies, cables, controllers, dew straps, hardware, PC’s, software, covers, cases, boxes, lamps, counterweights, tools, magazines, coffee mugs, tee shirts, hats……

By the way; the above really complements a nice scotch whiskey collection!

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SonnyE

Frequent contributor

Dec 9, 2025

Why did you upgrade quickly? Did you fail to plan properly?

I see folks with rooms full of different scopes and things. I planned for 6 months before I clicked my buy button on my “best” wish list. Much of it turned out to be questionable junk to begin with. The AVX mount failed in 3 ½ years for the 3rd time. Not worth fixing again. Head sold to a friend who needed AVX hardware for his AVX, and the tripod given to another friend who needed it for his smaller telescope.

But I had learned a lot by then. So, my second mount is my forever mount. My telescope, an ED80T CF from Orion is still in use today by our Granddaughters at their dad’s house. They love doing visual with it still. There is a method to my madness, get what seems best for the time and budget, then work with it for a while or until it fails, then move up into something better.

So, some, like me, are users/perfectors, while some are collectors because they can’t stick with anything a long time. Just wondered if you can see that.

What is your goal? You could (and maybe should) hold on to #1 for a visual or secondary AP rig.

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Daniel Givens

Topic starter

Dec 10, 2025

SonnyE · Dec 9, 2025, 08:30 PM
Why did you upgrade quickly? Did you fail to plan properly?

You could say that. I wasn’t really planning on making the leap from the Dwarf3. However, I had a trip to Big Bend National Park that I decided to take with only about two weeks notice. I was just going to take the dob, but then I got an ad from High Point for the FMA135 being on sale, which led me to the FRA300 being on closeout for a great price. It was quite impulsive.

It’s not that I’m not really happy with that rig. The only thing I’m not happy with is the CEM26 because it’s a pain in the butt to polar align and the hand controller was flaky from the start and I’ve got an RMA to get it replaced. What I found was that I did want more focal length. Then I found this site and started seeing the stuff other people were posting with different setups, which led me to picking out a more expensive rig that I’m a lot happier with.

So, some, like me, are users/perfectors, while some are collectors because they can’t stick with anything a long time. Just wondered if you can see that.

I am generally the kind of person who buys something with the intention of not needing to upgrade. I would much rather spend more now than spend some now and then spend more when the less expensive thing wears out or I’ve outgrown it. It’s why I have several Tele Vue eyepieces. And I waited for almost a year using less expensive eyepieces before I got those. So my first purchase was shortsighted and not how I typically make purchases.

What is your goal? You could (and maybe should) hold on to #1 for a visual or secondary AP rig.

I am leaning toward holding onto it. I have the 8” dob that I use for visual, but I’m sure I could get some good use out of a second AP rig. Since the first rig is actually down because of the stupid mount, once I get it going again, who knows if something is going to go out on the current one.

Natalie Sigalovsky

Dec 10, 2025

You shouldn’t worry too much about changing things. Some gear—like filters—can last a very long time and don’t really become obsolete unless you decide to upgrade for better performance. But other equipment evolves quickly and keeps improving. I did a lot of research before buying my own setup, yet I still didn’t truly know what I liked until I actually used it. People can recommend certain gear all day long, but in the end, you’ll form your own opinion once you have hands-on experience with it.

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AstroRBA

Dec 12, 2025

SonnyE · Dec 9, 2025, 08:30 PM
So, some, like me, are users/perfectors, while some are collectors because they can’t stick with anything a long time. Just wondered if you can see that.

Google AI overview - **The phrase “can’t stick with anything” describes a lack of perseverance, follow-through, or commitment to a task, goal hobby or plan over a sustained period**

“Collectors”, especially in this AstroBin forum, certainly do NOT exhibit those above characteristics but are rather quite often VERY committed users of their equipment collection etc. (but possibly not perfectors..)

Continental Immigration

Dec 12, 2025