[SNIP]
As of now I've decided to start small, so my setup includes,
Mount: iOptron SkyGuider Pro
Camera: Canon R7 (Modded)
Filters: Optolong L-Pro and L-Extreme
Accessories: ASI AIR PLUS, Celestron PowerTank, Guide Scope and Guide Camera
For the Primary Scope, I'm considering the RedCat 51. Are there any other scopes I can go with? Like Z73 or the new RedCat 71? To get some extra reach!?
I know that the RedCat 71 weighs more and won't be suitable for such a mount. Want to know if anyone is actually using it?
I've only been doing this for a short time (a year) but have gone through three systems trying to figure some of this stuff out. I think I finally got it right, but it took some time (and money) to do so. Hopefully what I can offer will help you save some of that money.
Weight is the #1 issue when considering a system such as the one you've proposed. If you plan to use the iOptron SkyGuider Pro then you are dealing with a payload weight limit of 12 lbs, and maybe a little less to give you more stability. This does not give you a lot of room for the stuff you want to add. The Camera, a Canon R7 body, has a weight of 1.3 lbs with the battery. Now add to this the OTA, which will weigh between 4 and 10 lbs, and you will find that you are very quickly running out of capacity options.
More precisely, the Red Cat 51 weighs 1.8kg or 3.96 lbs., and that is without a reducer. For some of the shots you'll be taking you will likely use a field flattener and/or reducer that will add another .7 to 1.2 lbs to the equation. If all you use on the head of the mounting system is the OTA + Camera + reducer then you are alright. If my figures are correct, you'd have about 3.96 + 1.3 + .8 = 5.97 lbs of the total weight for the barest system. The SkyGuider Pro should handle that, assuming you have a sturdy tripod or base. The problem, though, will show up if you start to do anything else in the equation. This would include a more powerful OTA, a guide scope, a guide camera, or other goodies that are mounted on these contraptions.
For a quick comparison, if you swap out the Red Cat 51 for a 71, then you will bounce the weight up to 8.3lbs instead of 3.94. That means that instead o f5.97 total, you add almost 5 lbs of extra weight (new total jumping to the 11lb plus range). Remember, this would be with a mount that is rated for only 12 lbs.
With that in mind, let me make a couple of suggestions for you. I'm sure more knowledgeable folks, or those that simply want to push their own preferences, will jump in here, but I want to at least get out what has been working for me with a not-too-different setup. I started with a Nikon D3300 (about the same weight as the Canon), a 4" Newtonian, and a manual tripod/mount. I outgrow in the first night I used it. Within a few months, I sold part of the equipment and stepped up a 50mm AP refractor with a used Meade LXD 55 mount package. Money is the biggest issue holding me back, so I work with what I can afford. That system got me by for the last 9 months.
Recently, I went all out (for this year at least) and purchased all new equipment which includes a William Optics Zenith Star 81, a ZWO ASI 183mc Pro (cooled CCD) for my main camera, and the Orion G3 for my guide camera, an Orion CT80 refractor as my guide scope. Let me explain my rationale for choosing these items, which can either be a guide for good or for evil depending on how you see it.
My Meade LXD55 was a good tripod/mount system that did most of what I wanted. But it was pretty heavy and was more mount than I really needed. I'll get a bigger mount with a new telescope, later in the year, after I work in the salt mines for a few more weeks. I wanted a mount that was "goto" capable but was also Wi-Fi and GPS capable as well. In addition, I wanted it to track well, be from a manufacturer that was reliable, and be in a price range that was less than $700. That's where I turned to the
iEXOS-100-2 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System with WiFi and Bluetooth Compatible. If you've not heard of the iEXOS line of equipment, don't worry. It is made for and sold as part of the Explore Scientific line. The best part, the total price was under $500!
I know, there are many who will tell you to spend 80% of your budget on the mount. I think that's a bit too higher, but I think 50% of my budget would OK. I didn't follow that advice, though. Instead, I spent only 25% of my budget on the mount. The biggest reason, besides price and features, is the fact that the iEXOS has a 19lbs weight capacity limit. As you'll see in a moment, I'm well under that, even when I load up the unit with some extra goodies.
Now on to my choice for the OTA. I went with the Zenith Star 81 for two big reasons. The first is that it offered more features for a lower price than other 80 - 83mm OTAs. You can get the 81 APO for just $878, which means in close to the price of a Red Cat 51. If the price is of concern, then step down to the ZS 51 APO for under $600. In the long run, the price per feature ratio was simply too good to not go with the ZS.
The second reason I went with the ZS model is that there was a sale going on. I actually got the OTA with a really nice reducer (.8 I believe) for a couple hundred more $$$. The OTA and all the extras come in a great little case, which is well padded.
All total, with the new mount, OTA, top of the line CMOS camera for my main, a very decent CCD for my spotting scope, and all the accouterments that go along with it I still come in under 15 lbs. The beautiful thing is that when I'm using the system for EAA I don't need the guidescope/camera combination. That drops the weight to just over 12.5 lbs. The Orion G3 and guide scope bump it back up to the ideal weight limit of 15 lbs. And for straight observation, you can go up to 19 lbs.
Finally, since we often have desires bigger than our needs, there is the possibility that will want more load capacity options. In that case, I would recommend looking at the Explore Scientific Exos 2-G, with a retail price of $999 and load capacity of 28 lbs.
I hope some of this has helped. Good luck with your plan.
