Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer REVIEW

[@yahiabrahimi1828]

This channel is realllly underrated, he's really good at what he does and the amount of infomration he presents is reducilis Keep Going !

[@AstroBackyard]

Man, thank you so much. I appreciate that

[@hughmongus1233]

The amount of spelling mistakes is more, lol...

[@mikeries8549]

Them video classes paid off. If I had a dollar for every time I asked for help in a store and got helped by a kid who is majoring in videography and another dollar for every rapper/DJ I've met I'd be loaded.

[@MikeAustin2012]

I agree! I have wasted so much time and some money and still haven't gotten any decent photos. His help should change that.

[@marioantonio2011]

Spectacular the channel !!! first sorry for my english! I have a question, I am starting in astrophotography and I am thinking of acquiring the Star Adventure and a Svbony 80 or 70mm Ed telescope. Do you think it could work with this mount and my Nikon d3100 ?. Thank you very much and keep it up my friend My Congratulations.

[@crs1flo]

Hi! For the polar scope illuminator you have an small plastic adaptor that fits on the declination bracket, so you do not have to remove declination bracket.

[@joeshmoe7967]

It still is a weak point. Imagine a built in one that runs off the power system. I run my tracker with a USB rechargeable battery, which will run for hours. I have left the illuminator at home by accident, and it is small enough to easily lose. Of course you can use a flashlight but it is a bit of a pain. Over all though I think my Star Adventurer is awesome and I love it.

[@keithmenia8470]

Mine shipped with the adaptor. I can keep it on while shooting. I think that is the key because you can make adjustments (and verify) the rig is aligned WITH the gear on. My beef with the illuminator is that the switch never really turns off. I have to remove the watch battery or it drains.

[@hobbyhyper]

@Keith, try adjusting the small terminal under the battery so it’s a bit lower in the assembly, the lid screws the battery down onto it to make the connection. If the terminal is too proud, the battery can not disconnect from it.

[@keithmenia8470]

@@hobbyhyper will give it a try. I like simple fixes. Thx

[@chrishanson3497]

@Lihkin I use my small red flashlight in one hand to luminate and it works great. Just shine it at an angle and it does not washout Polaris.

[@carbondax2544]

the SA has been my only mount for 18months since I started this hobby. I've managed 2min and sometimes 3min guided exposures using a Sharpstar 72ED with a cooled ZWO camera and OAG. Though i've just now moved onto a proper goto mount I'd have to say the SA is incredibly good value for money and so versatile. Great video Trevor. Thanks

[@scottd7818]

Watched your video on this about 3 months ago. Bought the Pro package 2 months ago. Its been great. If you get your polar alignment set just right you can get some pretty long exposures with no trailing. Did a 90 second shot of the galaxies in Virgo with no trailing at all. Nice product and thanks for a great review of this product. Now if I can get my post processing down I'll be good.

[@1337spb]

FYI The polar illuminator can click on to the Green Vixen Bar slot, you do not need to remove anything to use the illuminator.

[@anilwadhwani17]

1337spb how

[@mcpooch]

@@anilwadhwani17 This pack SHOULD come supplied with a little plastic adapter that lets you install the illuminator straight on the green dovetail bar. Apparently Skywatcher got the message that it is not good to take it off, polar align, and then put it back on, balance, set-up. Something is going to shift meaning you just threw off your polar alignment in most cases. But the little plastic doo-dad should fix that problem. In a pinch you could shine a flashlight down the hole to illuminate the reticle. This all is not ideal, they should have a fixed reticle illuminator.

[@KopLamp]

Was about to type the same thing ;-)

[@bbergener17]

I recently discovered your channel and you have completely inspired me to get into astrophotography. It's daunting, but your enthusiasm and education has gotten me comfortable with that fact. I'm now in search for the right equipment to start this outer space journey! Thank you!

[@TewkesburyBear]

Did you follow through? I'm just starting this setup, waiting on delivery of the SA Pro. Can't wait.

[@mytheoryofmind]

@@TewkesburyBearhow’s it been going for you? Are you still into it?

[@tomaszchocho9079]

Your channel is a "mine of knowledge". From equipment to the entire process. Thank you very much. Greetings from Poland

[@greygoose3936]

I can't wait to pick up one for myself. I've gotten tired of just getting stars in my backyard and want to try to get Andromeda next.

[@Fishe.]

I'm late but of course you can photogtaph andromeda without a tracker

[@SmitPatel-q8c]

Yeah, just phone and tripod is enough to capture​@@Fishe.

[@tjh44961]

One of the things that I learned back in the film photography days was that you should avoid extending the center column of a photography tripod if at all possible. It just adds to the instability of the whole system, because you're adding a lever with a weight on it to the top of the tripod. Also, use as heavy a tripod as you feel you can, given how much you want to haul around. All of this will add stability to the system. Thanks for all the effort and enthusiasm you put into these videos, Trevor!

[@AstroBackyard]

Yeah! That tripod center column is only up in the video to fit the mount in the frame with me 😊

[@exoplanets]

Best astrophotography channel!

[@AstroBackyard]

I really appreciate that!

[@TiagoRamos79]

Undoubtedly one of the best, Trevor brings magic and passion for what it does. I owe you the return to astronomy and especially the astrophotography that has been dormant for 20 years in me.

[@ronanhunt88]

The Exoplanets Channel yep really pro level videos. Super shots at the end for crazy short exposure times.

[@ravenstarver1360]

@@AstroBackyard guy, you've got me stuck choosing between the Staradventurer and the Ioptron Skyguide! Does anything really set them apart?

[@SuperLordPedro]

I literally googled this tracker for the first time yesterday and today there is the review!

[@vasilisbarbinis5252]

Hello from Greece. Very nice and honest presentation. I use the original version of the tracker and it is really excellent. The only downside is that to put new batteries into operation on a tripod will destabilize me because it definitely needs a lot of power to remove the old batteries and the red light needs a patent to hold on to the Lbracket.

[@constellationshots3893]

That was a nice overview of the mount and I loved your images, nice job. One other thing about the polar light is that once you do polar align and then put on the dec bracket, you can throw your polar alignment off, and even if a arc min or arc sec off of polar alignment, you can't get those long exposures.

[@fenderay6strings425]

I really enjoyed the shootout you had with Nico. It's nice to seeing both of you comparing photo's. Keep working with each other, GREAT JOB!

[@joehoff6048]

Trevor, having recently purchased a Star Adventurer and using it twice to date, I’d say your review is spot on. One of the first things I realized is that my old body no longer allows me to bend and twist to look through and use a polar scope properly. So I purchased the iOptron iPolar scope and printed an adapter that can be used with the fine tuning bracket. Only had a chance to use it once in less than ideal conditions, but seems to work well. Also added an autoguider to the rig. Again no real data on how well it works but the first run was promising. Lastly I am presently printing an adapter that will go between the tripod and tracker to make it much easier to do the final leveling- working much like a transit head. Will let you know how that works out. I fall into the category you mentioned as a long time photographer but new to Astrophotography and this tracker is my first piece dedicated to this hobby. Thanks for the great video and all the information you expounded through the years. It’s your work I credit for guiding me in the right direction. Clear Skies!!

[@kajurao09]

I just bought the Star Adventurer and i was happy to notice that they added a small additional part to the illuminator that clips on the l-bracket so you can do the polar alignment having your telescope mounted on!!!

[@ElPasoTubeAmps]

Excellent presentation. You and Peter Zelinka have definitely educated me on the various Star Trackers so it has made it possible for me to continue with my astronomy hobby. I have been at it a long time and belonged to the Von Braun Astronomical Society in the 1970's in Huntsville, AL but now live in the desert of West Texas (El Paso) and I have found a nice dark place on the way to WSMR where I worked for 26 years that has about one car per hour - about 21 miles north of El Paso. I have a 10" Meade that I love but it is a bit too heavy for me to carry around and set up without some help. I am amazed at the accuracy of the star trackers and have the iOptron mounted on a spare Meade tripod. Solid as a rock and still portable. I use a Sony mirrorless A7RIII camera at 42 megapixel and love it. You guys have helped me realize that ISO of 1600 is good, maybe a little more sometimes, but the super high ISO is not the best. I use Lightroom as a editor and am having a heck of a lot of fun again. Lastly, back to the camera, I have coming in Tuesday the Sony 200-600mm lens that, from the fantastic job you guys have done with camera lens, I am very encouraged and can go out alone and expect to get beautiful pictures without the big scope. I won't get rid of my big scope but I am no longer stuck waiting for someone to travel with me, which happens to be my grandson most of the time but he is a college fellow now and has other things to do. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

[@jodyschultz5870]

Solid review. Thanks for covering the panorama modes. I suspected it would do that but I was not sure. I am going to need this for a nice panning milky way time lapse.

[@Bruce.94538]

This is a great product. I used it for the 2017 solar eclipse with 2 camera with long lens. I us3c the auto trigger and had that set for 60 seconds. As for the Illuminator, it is nice if you can find it in the dark. But my phone with a red screen works too by moving it near enough to light the graticule. My next thing I want to try is the auto glider.

[@nordic5490]

Bruce Davis great tip

[@ringod123]

As well as the fine tune adjustment knob for Dec, you can use the left/right arrow keys on the same side of the mount as the hemisphere slider to move at 12x speed in RA. And as others have said, you should have recieved a small plastic adaptor to attach to the polar illuminator to allow you to attach it to the dovetail part of the L bracket.

[@matthewhaines5191]

This is the best review i have seen on this amazing product. time to order my own ! Cheers Trevor. A really gr8 review.

[@revadan]

the RED Light can be attach on top of the green bracket, there is an insert included with it that fits the bracket even its already installed. BUT its the worst and cheapest design of illuminating light.

[@rainerhofmeister6648]

The insert is the worst. I designed and printed my own adapter.

[@Gaatech]

@@rainerhofmeister6648 nice are you able to share the 3d file should I purchase this kit

[@rainerhofmeister6648]

@@Gaatech Sure, just send me a message when you got the mount

[@BogdanStetco]

@@rainerhofmeister6648 did you publish your 3d files anywhere? I'm really curious what design you came up with. That insert is the worst I have seen anywhere.

[@rainerhofmeister6648]

@@BogdanStetco No, I haven't published it. I made the simplest design possible. It can be printed with only a little support and has a large base to keep it stable. I found out that there are a few designs on Thingiverse, but they didn't work for me so I made my own. I'll see if I can publish mine there, might take a few days.

[@bakanaman2]

Great review! I struggled with the scope illuminator that came with the mount for quite a while and finally took it out of my bag. Now I just shine my red flashlight (or use my cell phone screen) at an angle so it illuminates the scope just enough to see the reticle. Would be nice if they had the reticle illuminated internally, but not too big of a deal. Polar alignment should only take a minute or two once you get the hang of it anyway. Overall I love the Star Adventurer. If anyone is having trouble getting good tracking it is very likely your polar alignment is slightly off. It's very easy to bump it or find it moved slightly after adding a camera or other scope on to the mount. As Trevor said having a stable tripod is crucial.

[@avender93]

I tried just using my pocket red light instead of the illuminator this thanks to your comment, and its so much easier hahaha thank you

[@stew_redman]

I use this setup with a compact Li-Ion battery pack with a powered USB hub. I power the camera and mount from the battery pack, it can go for months without recharging. The polar alignment illumination is terrible, especially for us in the Southern Hemisphere. I usually align it with a compass and a digital inclinomoeter - the advantage being that this can be done with the setup fully loaded, so the inclination doesn't shift when you put weight on the mount. I've had great success with lenses from 35 to 600mm on this mount. I've also used a guide cam, via PHD2 (for RA only) with great results but, as Trevor said, always using an intervalometer instead of the mount camera trigger.

[@darinarnold6619]

Trevor love your vids. Which do u prefer the ioptron sky Guider or the skywatcher pro.

[@IcedReaver]

Great video Trevor, thanks for sharing. I just ordered the Adventurer 2i Pro pack (the only difference is the integration of WiFi) as I struggled to find decent used prices of the unit you reviewed in this video. Can't wait for it to arrive to try it out! I bet there's no clear skies in Wales when it arrives haha!

[@falveyy]

How's it going with your Adventurer bro? Was it worth all the money?

[@IcedReaver]

@@falveyy I think the SA 2i is a fantastic buy for the money and I managed to get good use out of it. In total, I was using it with an ASI533 camera, 32mm guidescope + ASI120MM guide camera, WO redcat 51 and an ASI Air Pro (which was mounted to the tripod). The above kit worked great with my SA 2i but I think it was at the max payload of the mount. I was able to get great images of M42 Orion, Rosette Nebula and M31 Andromeda so it's a very capable system! I just upgraded to en EQ6-R as I bought a 100mm refractor which I'm waiting on. I used the redcat etc on my EQ6-R and there really wasn't that much to learn and figure out after using the SA 2i, so I'm glad I started with that!

[@falveyy]

@@IcedReaver Wow! It's great to hear. Thanks for your answer and good luck ;)

[@falveyy]

@@IcedReaver Do you publish your photos anywhere?

[@stew8584]

That was a fair review, Depending on where you live, On this Blue marble the iOptron versions are twice the price if not more eg: iOptron SkyGuider Pro $$$$. The Star Adventurer Pro money saved for better tripod or lens and or telescope. But thanks Trev, clear skies.

[@dogmaticdrongo]

Found this really helpful and i have found myself watching quite a few of your videos, for someone just setting foot into the field of astrophotography your channel is fantastic.

[@DarkT3mpo]

Hi! Let me first congratulate you on the good job you are doing on this channel ! keep it up !!! You inspire a lot of people. Concerning the USB power connection, you do not need to lose portability powering the Star Adventurer that way. I actually power my StarAdventurer using an external battery (like those used to charge up phones). It lasts a very long time, and it has the added advantage that the voltage is very well stabilized for those external batteries. So far I did not get any star trailing with exposures up to 3 minutes and a focal length of 210mm on an APS-C sensor. No guiding, just polar-aligned as good as possible.

[@niner_six_echo]

Okay. I watched this twice yesterday and I'm convinced this will work for me. In fact, I ordered this tracker yesterday afternoon. When another newbie asked me about it, I sent him a link to you vid.

[@johnnyredfireastroimaging5266]

My decision to buy this was that it was less hassle having to "upgrade" a mount with buying separate wedge and upgraded declination brackets for the ioptron, thereby being more cost effective for a first rig

[@DavidParker-jr5bd]

Wish I'd known this was coming before investing in an Ioptron cem25p which I love but at 1/3 the price the Sky Watcher is the real deal.

[@robertbbaker8137]

Thanks for all your reviews and tips. I'm going with Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro Pack . This review help make the final choice. Mounting on a Manfrotto 055. Taking this up to Mauna Kea first new moon.

[@davekelly8168]

As a photographer primarily, I've dabbled in night photography a little. But ive decided to get one of these. I have a little knowledge of such type of photography etc. But ive learned so much after finding this channel. Cant wait for mine to arrive and I can attempt some serious imaging with my Canon 6D.. Excellent videos and so easy to follow your work flow..

[@billreininger3135]

One option on powering the Star Adventurer that I use is a small solar battery that has a USB port. It is about the size of a deck of cards and I can charge it up during the day and power the Star Adventurer without using up the batteries. I think I paid about $20 for the solar battery on Amazon.

[@nathantw]

I've used up to 800mm with this. However I use 400mm and 180mm more. I purchased another 2lb counterweight to help with balancing.

[@balintk.9373]

Hey, You think the tracker would give me decent result with a 450mm FOV?

[@TheSillif]

@AstroBackyard In the UK, my kit came with an adapter to slot the light into the gap in the middle of the L bracket for alignment so you don’t have to remove it. I also got a right angle viewfinder and adaptor to plug on the back from ebay, so you’re not breaking your neck while Polar aligning.

[@ronanhunt88]

TheSillif oh man I must get one of those is there a particular one you’d recommend? I’ve tried my SA a couple of times and my neck hates it afterwards!!

[@CosmicDigs]

Trevor, your reviews are ALWAYS first class, you take time to fully understand the product you are going to review ahead of time and I have learned lots from your reviews on mounts and cameras and more recently, the Canon RA. I just told my friend you had done a review on this tracker and she tells me you have also done one on the Ioptron and now we are stuck which one to go for. If you were to choose between the two, which one would you pick and why ? Use will be for possibly 2x light DSLR cameras

[@stephanegrosjean4990]

12:40 Actually, the illuminator comes with a small extension plastic thing just to solve that problem. You clip the larger side to the bottom of the illuminator and the other side is the correct size to fit into the bracket. No need to remove everything.

[@billvinson7859]

I have this same set up with the Redcat and the Canon 60Da. I use one of those phone chargers instead of the 4 batteries. I use a rubber band to attach the phone charger to the counter weight. It works great. I put Velcro on the red light illuminator to use it with the green bracket. It works but not perfect.

[@o0L4nc3r0o]

By Phone charger, do you mean a Powerbank? Don't you have issues with it? I've read multiple comments of people where their Powerbank shuts down (sleep mode) because the SA requires only very little power. :)

[@billvinson7859]

I have 2 different kinds. They are both small power tanks. One looks like a Bic cigarette lighter, the other is like a thin cell phone. The first one works fine but cell phone type does cut out.

[@ujamable]

Totally helpful for a beginning astrophotographer like me. The video determined my decision to purchase. When buying on line it’s so difficult to see the product and understand how it will work when you get it. Thanks man Peace ☮️

[@gclaytony]

I've been using my red flashlight to illuminate the PA scope after everything is mounted. However, I did find that the reticle light will clip into the slot on the Dec rail. You have to eyeball the alignment with the polar scope but it is a little more convenient that using a red flashlight.

[@craigspittles9691]

Excellent review. I have had one of these mounts a few weeks now. Still waiting for a clear night so I can try it out properly. Have been doing some time lapses though and regarding the 12x setting it does not actually do a full rotation as reviewed it only does the full rotation in the celestial, solar or lunar (so 1x speed). The other settings it does a pendulum effect.

[@ttamissa]

Hi Trevor! Thanks for the very detailed review covering practical issues from the perspective of somebody with lots of experience. Very helpful. I ended up ordering one, and I’m waiting for it to arrive :) I also wanted to say that, in my opinion, having AA batteries is definitely a plus, specially if you use good quality rechargeable ones. You get the advantages of both worlds, lithium battery pack and AA batteries. Cheers!

[@RawSpaceVideos]

Question. With a camera and long lens mounted on the L bracket (fine tuning mounting assembly) and no ball head, can you aim anywhere in the sky by adjusting the right ascension (clutch axis) and declination (L bracket axis)?

[@AstroBackyard]

Yes! It's a little more work than on the ball head - but any pointing direction you need is possible.

[@AndrewBirkett]

You should have gotten a small black plastic adaptor to allow the LED illuminator to fit into the green dovetail while it's on the mount.

[@timlong7289]

Oh is that what that is? Its totally unclear. They really should have built the illuminator in, it does let the package down a bit.

[@erforscher]

Hey Trevor I just came back from the Google Pixel Launch event and I have to say that you really need to test the Astrophotography capabilities on Pixel 4. Please get it, you are the best guy that I know when it come to Astrophotography.

[@regineb8546]

Merci Merci :)) I like your explanation. I had just buy the star adventurer, and there is a little plastic ring which allows you to fix the red polar scope light on the outside of the dovetail. So you can do your polar alignment with your camera or telescope already setting on it. It's good to have this option to check the polar alignment after installing all of your gear, especially if you are as clumsy as me

[@Reality-Rendered]

Great video! I would advise anybody when considering one of these units would be to check the polar scopes accuracy before a serious night out. When I got mine awhile ago the reticle was not centered with the RA axis and it can be a little frustrating aligning it up again. Id assume with wider angle lenses this would not be as impactful but with longer lenses or scopes you would need a more precise polar alignment and would want to make sure the polar scope is aligned accurately with the RA axis.

[@jeffczartoszewski4568]

Great video. Very informative, concise and straight to the point without a lot of extra chit chat and nonsense. You should do videos of more mounts, trackers, scopes and lenses

[@LivingTech]

Another great video! I especially like your professional, clear, succinct style that respects the viewer’s time.

[@richardmorris4697]

Great review. I've got the Mini version which is great also but with a 200mm Canon lens, I feel it is taxing it a little. The sam comes with an adapter to attach the illuminator for the polar scope to the lo g dovetail bracket in place. Lov e you content, so I formative and helpful

[@johnpatrickmatthewsmusic]

Great video I just got the new one 2i pro, like the wifi on it , don't like the wedge yeah and the polar illiminator is silly. really how hard would it have been to put in a single LED red light? I'm probably gonna wire one in myself with a dial to dim it.

[@philliprodden8466]

thanks for all your videos . Just got this tracker and I am looking forward to using it.

[@thunderarrows9784]

My setup came with a second plastic part that can be put into the opening of the fine-tuning bracket and then install the illuminator into a plastic adapter with the camera on the mount. To bad, they don't provide a better manual to use to explain how to put it together.

[@o0L4nc3r0o]

Good to finally see a review of it :) So far, I'm loving it! :p The only thing you forgot to mention is that just like the iOptron SkyGuider, there's an ST4-port which makes it possible to do RA-guiding. :)

[@AstroBackyard]

I know.. during the edit I was thinking "man I didn't say ANYTHING about the guiding" (so I added the text)... Truthfully I don't usually use guiding on these star trackers - but it's definitely something worth noting!

[@o0L4nc3r0o]

@@AstroBackyard I'm considering buying me the ASIair guiding kit. This works on the Star Adventurer Pro, and it's easy to transfer later when I buy me a proper GoTo-mount :)

[@ronanhunt88]

o0L4nc3r0o I’m planning the same!

[@ondra_skywalker8414]

Thanks for video! I just bought new one Star adventurer and you helped me alot with new toy, setup etc. As always Trevor thanks!

[@TheLightExplorer]

If you are within the return window, return it as they are releasing the new version v2i in a couple of weeks at the same price. It will have a couple of new features, including WiFi (that will help you connect it with your phone and control it).

[@dougmain7256]

Love watching your videos, they're very informative. I've ordered the Star Adventurer Pro, it's taking ages to arrive though. Can't wait to start using it with my Nikon D5600 !

[@greglight5808]

Trever there is an adapter for the polar illunator that has two sides flip the adapter over and it fits in the bracket

[@JimHendrickson]

I picked up my Star Adventurer at NEAF 2018 and have had it about about half dozen times since. I'm really liking it. I've done mostly short-medium telephoto with a Canon APC-C camera, and have used it successfully with a Canon 200mm f/2.8 L. I just picked up the RedCat 51 at our local astro convention last week and and am looking forward to trying out the combo. In one extreme use case, I even mounted my C90 on it for visual observing of the Moon and Jupiter. It handled it quite well! I had forgotten about the polar illuminator that mine came with. Like you, I realized right out of the box that it was impractical, and just use a dim red flashlight shining obliquely into the polar slot. The only two things I would complain about, one you mentioned, is that the rotary switch is a little loose. My second gripe, and this seems to be my common gripe with many of these devices, is the batter cover. It is just too lose, and because of its location, whenever loading or unloading the mount, it's always coming off. I have to put a piece of tape one one of the tabs to make a bit more fitting. Also, my Star Adventurer didn't come with Bortle 2 skies. I don't think they had that option when I bought mine.

[@garycrumrine9538]

As always, very informative. Your videos keep getting better as time goes by. Love the out takes.

[@glennchaffin8446]

I have had my Star Adventurer Pro for awhile now but i have only been able to use it a few times with a wide angle lens and a dslr. I have wanted to get the Red Cat 51 scope ever since you reviewed it a few months ago but i hesitated to buy it mostly because i did not like the color options to go with the white and green of the star adventurer. Well my new Red Cat 51 arrives tomorrow and it is the new version Limited Run in Black. I can hardly wait. :)

[@joeshmoe7967]

Williams needs to also offer a special edition 'star adventurer green' LOL! I love the anodized green on mine. I might need to paint my canon 300mm to color coordinate. A black red cat should look pretty sweet. Cheers

[@AstroBackyard]

Awesome.. congrats man!

[@ScutuRC]

5:06 or a simple On/Off button - but I see that happening in the bag while traveling .. Thanks for the review!

[@speedx5803]

I just bought this guy earlier today, haven't yet received it. Like your review, good to know the knob for moving the camera around. thanks!

[@dquaidman]

You can also hook it up to an external battery pack. I have a Celestron PowerTank (Lithium) and it works fine with it.

[@iamhondo]

Good video about the tracker. I see a lot of people jumping into the SA with an oversize telescope and they struggle a lot. That's a worst case. So I advise newbies to start with a simple camera on a ball mount with a wide lens -- 50mm or less. If someone can't polar align and take good images with a wide lens, then their results with a heavy, long scope will be much worse. Start at the shallow end of the pool. (Also: The azimuth lock screws that need a hex key can be replaced by knurled screws -- no tools in the dark.)

[@jezrougan]

Hi Trevor... As always your reviews are informative and another nice review of this tracking mount... Is there any chance you could do a review on the sky watcher all view mount please, as I have had mine some time but I'm still having trouble with inputting the location information and tracking seems to be an hour out in positioning....

[@fusion-music]

I'm sure Sky-Watcher will be proud of that full review. As demonstrated in your photo with the weight attached to the tripod, it us always more stable with the extension pillar fully down & locked. That's why cameras with moveable screens are easier in this field if your tripod isn't tall.

[@nigelcrabb6499]

A comprehensive and well structured review by a very experienced user. Very helpful - thank you!

[@brianallan1974]

Great review and answered all of my questions regarding the setup of this tracker with a camera/lens and camera/telescope. Thanks

[@MrEdtobias]

Great video. I have been looking at this tracker for little while. I am just getting started in astrophotography and haven’t done any deep sky work yet. Thanks for the great review.

[@celeritasc9207]

Actually you can use the illuminator on top of the green L bracket. There is an extra plastic piece that allows it to be installed, no need to align in advance of having your camera mounted. Though, I agree it would be nice to have it integrated into the assembly rather than be separate and easily lost.

[@perseus068]

Maybe the biggest Con I found is that you have to polar align first and then you punt all the stuff onto it. Well, when you load it with a 5DIII + 70-200/2.8 I notice some flexures and I´m not so sure that the polar alignment didn´t get worse...

[@marlonmc8080]

I bought this mount this year before to go to the Sierra, a dark place. On the first travel, I used it, but I needed more practice to take good photos, experience. When I went one mount later, I got excellent images of MilkWay. I approximately got 10 photos, and then my lens fogged. Even so, with this data, I can practice processing images in photoshop and stacking too. In the first probe that I do, I can look at some details that I can't see before.

[@RaysAstrophotography]

Excellent Review Trevor! Never used this small size trackers before, but seems a good travel size mount!

[@eaghra]

You missed a couple key selling points. There's an extra 3/8" screw on the dec bracket that allows you to put on either a second ball head with a camera pointed in a different direction, or various accessories such as a guide cam and scope that can plug into the ST-4 port which also wasn't mentioned. That guide scope and tracking addition has taken mine from a max of 90s exposures to 3 minutes and beyond. As far as polar aligning, yes it's a pain, but you shouldn't remove all of your gear just to put the red led in. Your alignment will be completely off when you put your gear back on again. Instead load it at operational weight, and then either get one of the mods mentioned, or shine a red flashlight nearby while looking through the scope. It's cumbersome, but it gets the job done.

[@denisberthier522]

Thanks Trevor for this great demonstration. Practising "Pyjama astronomy" on my balcony (in light polluted area), I shall get this tiny equatorial to drive my little refractor Baader planetarium.

[@5sidedfistagon]

Trevor you should update the tracker to the advanced firmware version! Way more options available (especially if you do timelapse)

[@deckle]

"You can always find batteries in a remote location" Hey Look a battery tree! lol

[@kedardeshmukh8075]

Even I am a cuber and interested in astronomy. I think Cubing and astronomy gets along

[@kedardeshmukh8075]

But AA are more readily available

[@mikeries8549]

@@MrJackieJames someone somewhere had a meeting and decided that the product can cost no more than 'x'. The rechargeable battery, charger, and the built in light cost extra and someone decided it'd cost too much. Not sure how competitive the market for portable star tracker camers mounts is but adding to the price doesn't help sales. They had to compromise to keep under $400 US. I can purchase a brick of 48 AA batteries for $5.

[@mikeries8549]

I set my truck up for the night because I'm a duck hunter and we launch a boat in the dark. I put a big flood light on the rear of my topper. For backing and launching it's very nice. Then I got given a telescope. Imagine being able to light up a large area like daylight during setup. Flip a switch and it's off. Then the blue leds kick in. Had it all set to go waiting for clear skies then we had the great toilet paper and disinfectant shortage of March 2020...

[@dgdave2673]

Dumbest comment!

[@dsb227]

Great video! Please consider reviewing the "Omegon Mount Mini Track LX2" I'd love to see someone with your experience see what it can do! It works on a clockwork thing, no batteries! I want one! (I think)

[@asnlem4772]

Same here. I got me one and wanna see what he can get for results.

[@craigfield3228]

I have one of these ... Your review was everything i have expierenced with it in the last year or so... i use a polemaster to polar align it... i borrow that from my larger setup... but work BRILLIANTLY

[@natejackman6161]

Craig, just curious how / where you mount the PoleMaster. I have one on my large rig. Is there an adapter you are using or are you manually holding it in place with the screw on the side? Thanks!

[@springcopsespaniels2189]

having used the SA for a year I've never had a problem with the illuminator, and it does clip in to the dove tail adjustable plate without the need to remove it.

[@toddnoseworthy1447]

Great video, keep 'em coming'. A few tips: 1)There is an extension available online (it can be 3d printed) for the polar illuminater if you want to use it while the "fine-tuning mount assembly" is in place: 2) if you want to use a small guide scope (an option for the mount which wasn't mentioned in the video) it has to be mounted somewhere. I initially tried to do it with a ball head but because it ends up on one side of the mount or the other, it throws off the balance. I saw an idea online where the person mounted the guidescope on the end of the weight rod so it then helps to offset the weight of the camera and balance the mount instead of throwing the balance off. I will be using this method in the near future. 3) If you want to use a Polemaster to polar align the mount, you can also purchase (or 3d print) an adapter to hold the Polemaster in place as well.

[@jackbernstein3029]

Just got one. The illuminator now has a second piece which will fit into the fine tuning assembly.

[@cruikshank]

Another Great informative video. As a photographer I like the solid grey background. I’ll definitely put this mount on my Amazon wish list. Only one thing lacking, Rudy! For us Po boyz please give us your impression of the Omegagon ? Wind up drive. Thanks, Dave in Cloudy PA. It’s been very frustrating, blue sky days then the clouds roll in at sunset 😾

[@johngravett9194]

Just looking at buying one of these - thank you for the review, most informative.

[@atbsigma]

I was going to borrow one and check it out, but my wife told me to just buy my own and don't go through that drama. I have one on the way and I'm pleased that this review shows this to be a great purchase. Often times I don't want to piggyback my camera on my much larger telescope, and there are other times I simply want to bring my camera to a dark site and do a little imaging, not bring out the big 150lb worth of telescope to observe with. This mount looks like it'll do the job.

[@jimm5593]

Another great video from Astrobackyard. I am so glad that you have such a good experience with the Star Adventurer. I hope the good folks at Sky Watcher let you keep it.

[@ChrisKoXP]

Please review Sky Watcher AZ-GTi mount too. I am looking for a portable camera GoTo mount and auto-guiding without laptop setup.

[@a.m.creativ]

I have this tracker and I LOVE it! I get easily 7 minute tracks with my Sony a7ii and a Rokinon 20mm f/1.8. I get nearly 2 minutes with a 20mm f/3.5 lens. I could probably get more out of it if I was a bit more careful with my alignment. Without critical alignment, this mount seems to still get the job done and very well. I don't agree with your assessment on the polar scope illuminator. It works just fine on the dec. bracket. It mounts and it lights the scope up nicely. In fact, it's designed to do just that.

[@lwizzit]

I’m shortly getting started into the hobby and I’m expecting the Star Adventurer will be my first mount with a Canon camera. Now, do I get the Rokinen 135mm or like him, the WO Redcat 51??? Decisions, decisions.

[@michaelpower2mp]

Thanks Trevor this is going to help me make my decision on what tracker iam going to buy Hope companies give you more stuff to check out so you can show us what's available and how to use it properly And love the rudy bits

[@hogsatkat]

Hi Trevor, great tutorials you produce. they are very helpful. I'm going this way also with the Star Adventurer and DSLR. However, you comment about the lighting gizmo is incorrect. It can be attached to the fine tuning bar quite easily and while your DSLR or scope are attached. there should be an additional piece that facilitates mounting the light to the fine tuning bar. I use this all the time. Regards Dazee

[@waterdragonstudios7167]

Great video thanks, got my Sky Watcher Star Adventurer 2I pro coming tomorrow. going to stap my canon r6 mark with the 15-35mm 2.8 lens onto it.

[@Lion2232]

Hi Trever! Quick question regarding the autoguiding. At the end of your video you annotated that the auto-guiding functionality is impractical. Can you please provide a quick explanation of what you meant by that? Thanks :D

[@stuckinkent1]

Great vid. I got one of these about 2 months ago after looking into reviews and different options. The absolute annoyance with that little illuminating reticule thing!!! other than that, it is a great addition to my kit. Brilliant review here.

[@HansensUniverseT-A]

You forgot to cover the fact that it has an autoguider port, i'm using the M-gen lacerta II with my adventurer with great results.

[@jaruko_]

Can't wait to get started with this tracker!

[@jimmydingo4752]

So that’s the end that alignment device goes to? I was trying to figure out how it fit on the sight end, not the exit. Great tutorial.

[@rwilbourn99]

Great video. FYI, I just bought one and found that the single counterweight is insufficient for my Nikon D850 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. I suspect that there are a lot of combinations of full frame DSLR's and lenses that would require an additional counterweight even though they're under the 11 lb max weight. Although you could dispense with the counterweight setup, it seems that the unit would be more stable with one in combination with any telephoto lens.

[@TheLightExplorer]

I have the exact same combo as you (with the battery grip too) and thought the same - that the counterweight wasn't sufficient. But the easy trick is that you just slide the Declination bracket down and you will find that the counterweight is more than sufficient for this combo. I think most folks just put the bracket on at whatever position and then wonder why the weight is not sufficient (without attempting to slide the bracket down which gives more leverage).

[@hablemosdefoto]

Thank you so much for this video it help me a lot. I just got my. the only concern is the battery cover.

[@ronaldleedham4719]

So a few things here. First thanks Trevor for your great reviews! They are spot in and extremely helpful. I reply enjoy your channel. Second, as a replacement for the illuminator that comes with the Sky Watcher Pro tracker, I use a 9v powered illuminator for a reticle I have. Just a dab of tape to hold it in place when I perform polar alignment to a fully loaded mount. Not the best but I found it better and brighter then what come with the Pro tracker. Third, has any one retrofitted an electronic polar finder to a Sky Watcher Pro??? I'm guessing you need to mount it on axis for best results???