Setting up Astrophoto mount and tripod! Starting Astrophoto for lazy people

[@woody5109]

2450 views and only 150 likes, come on people, how hard is it to tap that button. We need to support people like this that are willing to teach us Astrophotography. I follow a few others and this guy is one of the best.

[@leehunt9930]

Really appreciate your videos Cuiv. Had a two year break since moving house and finally got my scope out last weekend and put it together, found your videos and used Nina for the first time last night using your vids as guidance and bagged the best shot of Andromeda I’ve ever taken. Avid follower now, thank you!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for the feedback Lee! This is excellent to hear! Do you have a link to that Andromeda shot? I've always in awe of pictures of our sister galaxy!

[@salomon1639]

Love the slow mo horror. Your clever sense of humor brings a smile. Thanks for being yourself. I’m so glad that OPT reached out to you. As I told you you have the best Astro channel Believe me. I am constantly looking for different topics and I wish I had seen you when I was starting off. You really know how to explain and teach the important contents that help with this very challenging yet rewarding hobby. I know that it takes a lot to make your videos and want to thank you. I am sure that all of your follow feel my sentiment. Looking forward to the next video. No pressure

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Salomon for your thoughtful and kind comment (this one and others), it means a lot to me. I know that financially my channel will likely never amount to anything, so knowing that I help other people in this hobby is really what fuels me. Thank you!

[@JamesPetruzzi_MyHawaiianImages]

Glad you're getting with OPT! I shop with them all the time, they're good people.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks James! It really is an honor they contacted me! Feel free to use my affiliate link to shop with them next time (hint hint nudge nudge) - nah, more seriously, it's all up to you and each individual buyer :)

[@woody5109]

Clive, your the best, if some of your kit is “questionable” you’ll let us know, we appreciate that. Great sense of humour, very knowledgeable, love following you 👍

[@MacGyverGTP]

Love your sense of humor, both in editing and in personality. You literally made me smile the entire video. Thank you for that! I've got the EQ6-R Pro too, Love it! Your lessons are very helpful, and continue to be, in my journey. A new ZWO ASI533MC Just left China for me (USA) yesterday! Can't wait to start using it!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Sean! Glad that you enjoy my somewhat sarcastic (or so I am told) sense of humor :) Plus if the videos are useful at the same time, it's even better! Woohoo for the ASI533MC! This is such a good camera, I'm sure you will love it!

[@OrionM42]

You make things learning super easy. Thanks man. 👍🏽

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad it's helpful Mahesh! :)

[@matijajakicevic8262]

Great video! That Verge pc build comment made my day. The poor guy still getting flamed for it. Thanks for the info!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad some people got the reference, even though I just realized I misidentified the magazine name! I feel so bad for that guy, he left such a lasting impression (but then I'm sure it wasn't his fault!)

[@derekderek2570]

I'm so happy OPT reached out to you. I've had two terrible experiences with High Point Scientific and will never do business with them again, but I'm looking forward to doing business with OPT and I'll make sure to go through your affiliate link when doing so!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thank you Derek, much appreciated! I've ordered quite a bit of gear from OPT (their used section is always awesome too!), but never got anything from HPS, maybe I dodged a bullet? To be fair, my very first order from OPT (which was also my first astronomy purchase as an adult) 10 years ago didn't go perfectly smoothly, but that was a long time ago, and my experience with them since then has been stellar :)

[@jlecomte0719]

Tes vidéos sont hilarantes et informatives. Good job!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Merci beaucoup Julien!

[@sneakerset]

Kinda funny. I do the same thing - walk around the gear talking to myself. OPT sells their own line of merch - the TPO brand. Thanks,Cuiv

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh that's true! I really should check what they offer on the TPO side of things! I actually have some TPO adapters already, I need to check what else they have under that brand!

[@sneakerset]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek People sometimes confuse Chinese (PRC) products with Taiwanese (ROC) products. Synta and Kunming (United Optics) made in PRC vary greatly in batch samples due to QC, while GSO (TPO) and Williams Optics are made in the ROC with better fit and finish. Btw, that's a very nice Coronado behind you. There's a guy out here: (YT) drkstrong. He spent time in Japan (between 1990-95) as co-investigator on the Yohkoh solar X-ray telescope. Check out his resume, and he's like you - answers all questions. I'm a new sub..waving a hand from SoCal.

[@whatmattersmost6725]

Cuiv, because of you I got that "ZWO EAF "Hot Price of Garbage" and ordered a second one! Thanks Cuiv!!!...But so far I like it for the $$

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha, that's how it ends up being ;) Yeah, in the end, I do think it is serviceable especially for the price, I was just aghast at the backlash at first!

[@owenjones-wells9395]

Great video. Really helpful for beginners like myself. I like the tripod spreader. Would that be worth it for the HEQ5 Pro mount?

[@nn1982in]

Great video Cuiv. Don’t you need to make sure that the head is leveled? Do you do the polar alignment now or after you place the OTA and Guiding equipment?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for pointing this out! I think I will actually make a separate video on that, because I am going to say something blasphemous: precise leveling of the tripod doesn't matter for Equatorial mounts (gasp). Or it doesn't matter for most things - it's a super interesting topic, so I'll cover that! I do my Polar Alignment after I have all the equipment on, because then I will not bump the whole setup out of alignment again when slotting the OTA into the saddle.

[@fernandoapausa4931]

Cuiv, what about leveling the tripod? At which point you do it? I make sure it’s leveled before mounting the mount, although when tightening the leg spreader it may lose some level precision...

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Very good point Fernando - actually this is a very, very interesting topic, and I will make a separate video on that. But overall.... don't worry too much about perfect leveling of the tripod!

[@RobB_VK6ES]

The TLDR version is it does not matter with an EQ mount since you are aligning with the polar axis not some arbitrary ground reference. You can prove this for yourself by taking a spirit level to any flat surface regardless of it's inclination and find some orientation of the level which will show level. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIuVn3ucr7Jsaqc

[@brunofigueira4970]

Hi Cuiv, a simple question, wich cable do you use power your ZWO camera? Did you get the ZWO adapter or just a general 2.1 12v cable? Did you connect all your 12v gears via a power hub?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I have an upcoming video about that, but yes, basically I just used a general 2.1 12V cable, and all my 12V Gear is connected via as DC splitter (except the mount, as I don't have the proper cable for it).

[@brunofigueira4970]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek thanks a lot. Waiting for your video as always.

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Anderson Power Poles.

[@AncalimeNL]

They are called 'tweezers' because a guy from the Verge, doing a 'how to build a pc' video on KZbin called them that... He made a lot of other mistakes too, including, but not limited to: using a swiss army knive instead of a screwdriver. Placing a static armband on the wrist without a cable grounding it to anything...(just a bracelet). Calling an i/o shield a 'brace'. Placing RAM in single channel mode rather than in dual channel mode. Removing pre applied thermal paste. Installing PSU upside down. Installing GPU in wrong PCIe slot, and I can go on ;) Video has since then been removed, but the reaction videos to it by the pc building community have not. There was even 1 guy who got a strike (later revoked) as the Verge was not really happy with these reactions, rather than rectifying their video :)

[@itaialter]

Hey Cuiv, if you can get a general affiliate link to FLO, I'll gladly use it, I'm planning on getting the Z61 + accessories and some other stuff in the future for my SkyGuider.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I'll let you know if ever that happens :-) I have such a positive impression of FLO, not because I ever shopped with them, but because of the stickers on their packages saying "may come with clouds" or something like that :-)

[@itaialter]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek I've been asking them a lil bit of advice on email before/after my purchase of the SkyGuider. They've been really great so far.

[@darrenwarne9005]

You should get a sun screen corporation as a sponsor 😂

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Ha! That's for sure! Especially since here in Japan sunscreen is seen as a beauty product for (mostly) women who want to keep their skin as fair as possible - so it is very expensive compared to Europe or the US...

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

How are the optics on your R200SS.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I personally really, really like them - but I haven't used the R200SS with a sensor bigger than M4/3, and I'm not a pixel-peeper, so maybe others would like them less? Still, for me, they're great: pinpoint stars throughout the field, an no collimation to do (but one day I'll have to clean that mirror, and I dread that day...)

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Just be very careful. I purchased mine in 1999 from Orion Telescopes when they were selling Vixen gear. The polar alignment scope does not go to the year 2020. I have cleaned the mirror exactly once in that time. Every time you clean, you risk a lifetime of pain, tears, and dreadful suffering. BTW, as a geek, I hope you are not doubly cursed with the additional burden of being involved in ham radio.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for the tip! When I need to clean the mirror, I'll ask Vixen to do it (advantage of being in Japan!) as I really don't want to ruin it! I have cleaned Dob mirrors before, but still... I haven't used my polar scopes in a while, since Sharpcap Pro PA routine came along :-) but I really have a soft spot for Vixen, they sure are high quality in general.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Oh and while I do like Short Wave Radio and sending reception reports, I'm not into ham radio yet :D

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek oh no...too late.

[@troyhunter4740]

Haha poor cuiv, the lockdowns have been stuffing up the fitness i see :P.. i know the feeling!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Exactly :D

[@johnjames378]

NO DON'T TAKE IT APART!!! Too late....... ;)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha, it ended up being better in the end, so it was all worth it!