A few days ago, I shared a picture of Fighting Dragons on Cepheus captured with my wide field telescope setup, which I refer to as “rig 3”.
This configuration consists initially on an Openastrotech mount, a Canon 200 2.8 lens, and an ASI1600MM-C camera, and I have been using it for a year and a half now to capture astrophotography images.
Since the beginning, I have been constantly thinking about ways to enhance my astrophotography setup, not because the results were unsatisfactory, but because of the exceptionally good results achieved.
The journey of upgrades began with the acquisition of a new lens, the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM (Art). However, this was just the first step, and additional changes were necessary due to unexpected issues that arose.
One such challenge was with the electronic focuser used on the Canon lens (Astromechanics), which caused significant delays of almost a year when attempting to connect the new Sigma lens.
The primary issue was that the Astromechanics provider, located in Russia, did not offer an adapter capable of managing the new Sigma lens effectively.
After much consideration, I opted to switch to a traditional motor system that utilizes a timing belt and pulley. The V-curve on autofocus is exceptional with this setup.
Subsequently, I upgraded my camera from the ASI1600MM-C to the newer ASI294MM-C model, which has been a fantastic improvement.
Lastly, I decided to upgrade my mount to the ZWO AM5.
Given the limited space available in my observatory, this mount was an excellent choice as it eliminates the need for a counterweight, freeing up valuable space.