I bought a cheap star tracker and it cost me a whole night of shooting

I got a $150 tracker online thinking it would be fine for my DSLR and a small lens. Set it up for the Perseids last August, and after an hour all my shots had weird trailing lines. The motor was skipping and the polar alignment was junk. I lost that whole dark sky window and had to drive back empty-handed. Anyone know a solid tracker under $400 that actually works?

2 comments

2 Comments

ross.angela2d ago

Read a review that said the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i is solid for the price. People say the clutch is better than the old model, so it doesn't slip as much. The polar scope is still a bit fiddly in the dark, but once it's set, it holds.

jamies452d ago

That clutch upgrade is a bit overhyped in my opinion. It still slips under a heavier lens, which is a real pain during a long session. The polar scope issue just adds to the hassle for the money.