#IOPTRON MINI TOWER PRO REVIEW FULL#

Samples of images taken with the SkyTracker PRO, from. It can be used to image bright deep sky objects such as Andromeda Galaxy and the Great Orion Nebula. With a 3.5 kg max payload, the SkyTracker Pro is capable of handling shooting with mid-range telephoto lenses. IOptron SkyTracker Pro unit: SGP’s little brother

#IOPTRON MINI TOWER PRO REVIEW FULL#

You can read the full SkyTracker Pro review here. The SkyTracker Pro is SGP’s little brother and is intended mostly for taking starry landscapes, wide star fields, and Milky Way shots. Same as Skywatcher, iOptron has two star trackers in their catalog. Things To Consider Before Buying iOptron SkyGuider Pro Or SkyTracker Pro? Counterweight shaft: ⌀20×200 mm w/ 3/8-16 threads.Body dimension: 133x115x95 mm (w/o alt-azi base).Power charge port: Micro USB (5V), 80% charge in 5 hours.Power Requirement: Internal rechargeable battery.Polar scope: AccuAlign TM dark-field illuminated (~6º FOV).Tracking: Northern and Southern Hemisphere.Fast slew speed: 144X, forward and reverse.Tracking speed: Solar, Lunar, Sidereal, 0.5x Sidereal.Mount weight with base: 3.2 lbs (1.45 kg) with battery.Payload (Max.): 11 lbs (5 kg), balanced.Be careful to choose the appropriate version among the High Latitude or Low Latitude ones, depending on where you shoot most. This wedge is built like a German Tank and allows the precision of a Swiss clockmaker. My William Optics Wedge I use with the Star Adventurer, and it is rock solid and makes it easy to polar align. If you struggle to get precise alignment and round stars with your setup, the best solution is to invest in the marvelous William Optics Wedge for iOptron. The wedge is used to precisely align the SGP to the celestial pole, thanks to the micrometric movements it offers for both Altitude and Azimuth.Īpparently, the wedge does not allow you to easily align the SGP with the kind of precision required by the use of long focal telephoto lenses or small refractors. The SGP tracker sits on the equatorial wedge mounted on the tripod, and for many, this is the weak link in this astrophotography setup. The SGP is only one serious flaw: the equatorial wedge.

It has a user-replaceable built-in Li-Polymer battery.You can “pimp” it with a range of accessories to increase performance and usability.It comes in a complete package for astrophotography.Let’s see more in detail some of the pros for the SGP. If you are serious about photographing the night sky, the SkyGuider Pro (SGP throughout the review) is the perfect tracker for you.Ĭompact, lightweight, with a good maximum payload, will allow you to photograph with ease anything from starry landscapes to star fields, from deep-sky objects to planetary work with small telescopes.

Ioptron mini tower pro review