ZS66 on EQ3 2
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Original image


This shows the SXVR-H9 camera fitted to the ZS66 with an experimental setup using my old Lumicom OAG which I used in the days when I guided my Genesis on the SP mount manually through a 12mm illuminated reticule eyepiece doing astrophotography.

However, in practice this didn't work as I couldn't make both the imaging camera and the guide head parfocal? The prism in the Lumicon OAG was too far forward from the focal plane of the SXVR-H9 camera. As the tests I did with the EQ3 were primarily to test its autoguiding capability, I simply adjusted the focus to be sharp for the SXV guide head. As mentioned, due to backlash in the DEC axis spur gears and along with loose or tight spots in the worm to ring gear meshing (discovered when the DEC clamp was applied), it was found to be next to useless! This in my opinion is due to badly machined castings as there are no ball bearing races used in this model. The RA and DEC axes/shafts simpy rotate in the castings and when the clamps are applied, 'push' the ring gear fractionally off centre which produces the variability in the meshing with the RA and DEC worm shafts.

The bottom line being don't use an EQ3 for serious astro-imaging ;-)