Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Pro Pack – Motorized Dslr Night Sky Tracker Equatorial Mount for Portable Nightscapes, Time-Lapse and Panoramas – Wi-Fi App Camera Control – Long Exposure Imaging
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About this item
- PORTABLE NIGHTSCAPE TRACKING PLATFORM: Motorized portable tracking platform perfect for capturing incredible detail of the Milky Way, eclipses and other astronomical objects.
- WIDE-FIELD ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY: The unique, modular design allows for integration with existing photographic tripods. Wide-field astrophotography as well as time-lapse video and telescopic use are all possible with the Star Adventurer 2i.
- NEW FEATURES: The new, upgraded Star Adventurer 2i includes Wi-Fi, allowing for smartphone control using Sky-Watcher’s free SAM Console app.
- EQUATORIAL BASE: Deluxe Equatorial base helps position the Star Adventurer 2i at the perfect angle for polar alignment.
- BUILT-IN ILLUMINATED POLAR FINDERSCOPE: The included illuminated Polar finderscope allows for easy and accurate alignment with Polaris.
- RUGGED BRASS AND ALUMINUM GEARS: Using rugged brass and aluminum gears provide smooth, motorized, night sky tracking for easy, portable nightscape and eclipse photography.
- BUILT-IN AA BATTERY COMPARTMENT: The built-in AA battery compartment provides reliable mobile power for up to 72 hours, and an additional 5v mini-USB input allows for external power source using a cell phone charger or other device.
- INCLUDED LATITUDE BASE: Adjustable latitude base allows for easy quatorial alignment.
- LIGHTWEIGHT AND PORTABLE: Weighing just 2.4 lbs., the Star Adventurer 2i is lightweight and portable enough to pack in a camera bag or backpack for astrophotography on the go.
- SUPPORTS MOST DSLR CAMERAS: 11 pounds payload capacity.
Reviews
★★★★★
Style: Astro Package | Verified Purchase
Great Mount for Astrophotography
This mount performs exactly as advertised. I took it out for the first time a couple of weeks ago in Maupin, Oregon. I'm attaching a couple of images, so you can see what's possible with this mount. As I said, this was my first time. The first image is of Andromeda, and its two companions. The second image is of the Milky Way, with the galactic center in Sagittarius in the lower left, and Cygnus in the upper right. The North American nebula is visible as a pink patch in Cygnus. Note that there are no star trails in the images.
Equipment used:
SkyWatcher Star Adventurer Photo Package
Equatorial Wedge (Recommended. This makes polar alignment MUCH easier.)
Counterweight Kit (Recommended, especially when using heavier cameras and lenses.)
Canon 6D
70-200mm IS USM L lens (for Andromeda at 200mm)
24-105mm IS USM L lens (for the Milky Way at 24mm)
Imaging: 10 images each @ 30sec with ISO 1600 @ 38 deg F. Periodically, and after a few minutes, I noticed I started to get some star trails, so I re-aligned to Polaris between image sets as needed.
Processing: I followed the workflow with image stacking as described on the LonelySpeck web site. I'm still learning how to optimize the images.
[...]
I attached images to show different configurations with the SkyWatcher. The ball mount option makes it easier to compose wide-angle shots.
You don't need expensive camera equipment to take great photos with the SkyWatcher. However, I do recommend using a camera with manual settings that can take raw images.
To help me align the camera to the parts of the sky I wanted to shoot, I used an Xtend-a-Sight™ Plus II bracket which attaches to the flash shoe on your camera, and allows you to add a reflex site (purchased separately).
[...]
I used a Sight Mark Sure Shot Reflex Sight, but any sight capable of attaching to a weaver-style rail should work. This setup makes sighting in dark skies much easier than just pointing and hoping for the best. I still took a couple of test shots to fine-tune object centering.
https://www.amazon.com/Sightmark-Sure-Shot-Reflex-Sight/dp/B004TDQDF0
The sight is attached to my camera in one photo. I attached a close up image of the Xtend-a Sight with the reflex site.
One final thing to note. There are 2 ways to align to polaris through the polar scope. Both ways work. One method is a bit complicated, and is described in the product manual. When done correctly, this should result in accurate alignment. The other method is easier. With the reticle positioned with 0 at the top, and 6 at the bottom (see image), you just simply you place polaris in the correct position on the reticle. The correct position of Polaris can be determined using an iPhone or Android app. The easy method will work, but it can be prone to misalignment. I used the easy method when I took my images, so that may be the reason why I had to re-align periodically.
★★★★★
Style: Astro Package | Verified Purchase
Totally worth it
This device is well worth the money. I will say it's not completely for the faint of heart. There is some configuration required. It's not just an "attach your camera and shoot" device. You first need to make sure your device is calibrated correctly from the factory. Checking the calibration requires pointing to a distant object in the daytime then rotating the axis manually 90 degrees to see if the axis stays aligned. What I found was the manual rotation is what introduced play into the system. So I had to do it 5 or 6 times before I realized it was as calibrated enough for my taste. The reality is you will not likely get to a 90 degree rotation in the field because it rotates so slowly. If you do need to calibrate it requires a .5 mm Allen wrench (not included).
Regarding the tripod, you do want one that is very stable. I read that many times but until I set it up I didn't truly realize what it meant. It's not really about wind per say. It's more about how much play your tripod has. Meaning if you were to put downward pressure on the tripod, would it flex? Millimeter adjustments matter with this thing. It is extremely delicate. Even when turning the device on you can accidentally tweak your Polaris alignment. I do not think any photography tripod will truly qualify. Now I must admit, I do not have a very stable tripod, but I was extremely careful. I mounted the legs at a steep angle so downward pressure due to weight did not give vertical play. I did also purchase a leveling mount to place between tripod and sky watcher gear. You need to have the kit level to the ground. I think this is very important. Trying to level your tripod using the legs would be a nightmare.
I bought the Astro package even though I use a dslr. I made the right choice because I can mount my existing tripods ball head onto the L bracket no problem. It also makes it easier to align to Polaris because there is a slot in the L bracket that allows you to place the LED device which illuminates your Polaris scope. Then you do not have to add your camera after the alignment, which would surely tweak your setup and give you bad results. So I would say, only buy the Astro package.
Before you align to Polaris, you want to roughly level your gear, and roughly point towards Polaris. Then mount your camera to the L bracket using the ballhead and point it to your desired destination and tighten the clutch. You can point the camera in any direction you wish. It doesn't need to face polaris. It can point anywhere and this device will work. If this is your first run I'd highly recommend a wide angle lens. That way, even if your alignment is not perfect you will still get acceptable results. Next change your iso, aperture, focus, wb, and shutter to like 30 secs and snap a shot using a timer then check the rough results. If you are happy, attach your shutter control cable from your SA to your camera (you need to buy this), take camera off the timer, set your camera to bulb mode, proceed to leveling your tripod perfectly, then do the Polaris alignment. There are 2 ways to align Polaris. Easy way and hard way. Using the easy way I got stellar results :) it requires an app. I used the Android app Polar finder and set the recticle to the star adventurer setting to mimic the layout. It tells you where Polaris should be located in your scope. But to locate Polaris use Google sky map. When aligning it helps to have a green laser pointer and point to Polaris then look through the scope and verify. You will see the laser in your scope. Also make sure the cross hairs are pointed straight 90 degrees, not at an angle. Once aligned perfectly with a leveled rig make sure to your hemisphere N or S is set then turn the dial to the star. The tracker will then control your shutter at a default 140 seconds.
The first night I forgot to focus correctly. The second night I got a milky way picture that was absolutely stunning. The attached picture was taken with a Canon t5i, with Sigma 10-20mm @ 10mm, 800iso and F3.5 @140 second exposure. 20 separate of these images were stacked to eliminate noise.
★★★★★
Style: Photo Package | Verified Purchase
This thing really works.
This thing works perfectly, exactly as advertised. Really awesome to take 400 pictures of the Orion nebula and have every single one perfectly centered in the frame with no start trails at all. It works surprisingly well even with a 300mm telephoto lens pointed at deep space objects (see photo).
Some advice: You need the latitude base, adjusted to your latitude - it makes polar alignment a lot easier. I also find the dec bracket and counter weight to be helpful with my bigger lenses. You also *must* have a sturdy tripod that can handle this thing's weight plus all of your camera gear. My lighter tripod doesn't hold everything steady enough and the results aren't as good. Polar alignment takes some practice but now I find I can do it in 2-3 minutes top.
★★★★★
Style: Photo Package | Verified Purchase
Well Built Tracker!!
I found the Star Adventurer to be well built and portable tracker with many great features! The basic photography kit is great for short focal length, wide angle photos, but for longer focal of 200-300mm I would recommend getting the Declination "L" bracket and counter weight, (As in photo below). Sorry, no astro photos to share yet, been cloudy and nasty in the NE US.
The one small issue I had, was calibrating the polar scope. The machining on the eyepiece threads had too much play, allowing you to move it around, even when screwed almost all the way in!
★★★★★
Style: Astro Package | Verified Purchase
Amazing window to the universe just opened up!
This mount has changed everything I do with camera. I love it.
Not for the meek; you have to get up and go out at night, but it is worth it.
★★★★★
Style: Pro Pack | Verified Purchase
Good value. Very pleased.
If you are expecting Astrophysics quality this is not for you. But, for the price it cannot be beat. I bought the Pro pack so I could try different camera mounting configurations and see what works best. Unlike some other reviewers I had no quality control issues with the unit I received. The finder reticle alignment was spot on as received. You do need a very sturdy mount to properly support the tracker. My regular light weight camera tripod would not cut it. I needed a very sturdy tripod or I clamped the equatorial wedge to a picnic table. After some practice polar alignment was pretty straight forward. I did find it helpful to put a piece of tape on the meridian offset scale to keep it from moving around while setting the date and time. I do not usually use the supplied reticle illuminator because it will not fit with the camera in place. My red LED flashlight worked well however. Attached is a photo of the Andromeda Galaxies taken with a Canon T3i with the kit zoom lens at 250mm focal length. I found a waterproof plastic carrying case at Harbor Freight that fits the packing foam from the original box. Now everything is well protected and I can travel with the setup.
★★★★★
Style: Pro Pack | Verified Purchase
Love It! (But don't buy from Amazon)
The one I got from Amazon was sold new, but was clearly an open box. It showed all sorts of wear, was missing parts, and also broken. Sent it back. Got a new one from B&H for less and couldn't be happier. This thing is AWESOME! I was new to polar assignment, so it took a while to figure it out. But now that I understand it, I can align almost instantly with this thing and be taking great shots in no time. This seems expensive for what it is, but all astronomy stuff is expensive, so there's that. But I definitely recommend this and would buy it again.
★★★★★
Style: Astro Package | Verified Purchase
If you are in to Astrophotography, this is a must.
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer 2i Astro Pack, (now even in a better form) greatly increased the success rate of night photos. Nice and clear Orion!
The equipment has a learning curve and one does need to spend time learning the setup. Since the original purchase, I have added a very good tripod, polar scope illuminator, and a counterweight kit. Also I have upgraded the firmware, which was easy but was hard to locate. Overall I am very happy with it but you should check out as there are better and improved options!
★★★★★
Style: Astro Package | Verified Purchase
Amazing gear!
I am by no means, an expert on astrophotography, but I can asure you this item is very well made. Feels Sturdy, and after strugling trying to "piggy-back" a DSLR on top of my cheap Astromaster 130EQ with the mechanical cheap motor (Sold on Amazon BTW, $25), this SkyWatcher blew my mind.
I was able to track for 3+ minutes on a 50mm canon Lens on my first attemp. My first attemp on M42 went pretty good with this star tracker. (Attached Image). Recommended 1000%.
Cons: The polar scope iluminator seems bad designed.
★★★★★
Style: Pro Pack | Verified Purchase
A good mid level star tracker
The sky watcher star adventurer pro is a good mid level star tracker. The device is well built and tracks well when properly aligned. The alignment, particularly for deep sky objects, can be a bit tedious but when done properly I have not had any noticeable movement using a 300 mm focal length and three minute exposures. It also performs well for general night sky photography and the alignment is much more forgiving. The battery life is good, I have shot about 40 hours on one set of AA batteries and have not had to replace them yet. I have not used the usb power source. The device has built in wi-fi (if it is the 2i) and an autoguider port. I have not used either to take photos though. The app that works with the device is somewhat lacking and basic. Hopefully it is updated soon. The kit is rather light, so it is easy to travel with. One of the drawbacks of this setup is the lighting of the polar scope. There is an external light and battery that must be connected into the front of the scope and turned on. The pieces are small and if you want to check the alignment after putting on the mount for the camera it won't quite fit. I usually just rig a red light from my head light instead of using the provided light. Overall it is a good mid-level mount. It is not for large telescopes or extreme focal lengths though.
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Question & Answer
Question :
If this device needs to be calibrated to the north star how would it be used to track the sun, say for the recent solar eclipse?
Answer :
If have a phone with the correct sensors, you can place it in the wedge using a cell phone holder and find north using one of the sky apps. Camera needs gps and magnetic sensors. It's not perfect, but will follow the sun for quite some time, I make periodic fixes by changing speed or using the manual position control. The longer the focal length of the lens used, the bigger the solar image and the more adjustments are needed.
Setting up the night before is great if you have the chance, not true for any group I have ever been with.
Question :
Should i get this or the ioptron sky tracker?
Answer :
I'm THRILLED with the Sky-Watcher. Offers better payload capacity and it's a solid design for its size. I use it with the counter weights and have put a Canon 7DmkII with battery grip and a 400mm lens---have great results with long-exposure tracking shots. I also own the iOptron, but I couldn't get a proper alignment with it my first try and wasn't really impressed with its design by comparison. It's collecting dust, but I don't have the desire to use it, as I enjoy the Sky-Watcher so much. If you're not looking for heavy camera loads on a tracker, check out Polarie star tracker. That is hands-down the greatest tracker for ease of use and portability. Clear skies!
Question :
What the difference between the astro and the photo package?
Answer :
the astro package has the declination bracket where you can attach a small telescope. The photo package comes with an generic ball head adapter to attach a camera.
Question :
What items are included in this package?
Answer :
The main unit, a detachable lighted Polaris alignment finder and telescope mount. Still needed to function as a astrophoto unit is the equatorial base, counterweight and ball head mount.
Question :
Users, in your opinion would this be compatible with a 13lb lens? i have a canon 400mm 2.8 with an adapter for a medium format camera.
Answer :
You would be better moving to a larger mount like the EQM-35. That would provide improved stability for this arrangement.
Question :
For dslr photography without telescope, is photo package enough or do i need to buy other things, please provide a full list?
Answer :
For DSLR photography you will need the Star Adventurer Mount, the Equatorial wedge (in order to set your latitude), dovetail bar that fits into the mount head, a ball head for the camera, a sturdy tripod and counterweight assembly.
Question :
Using with a sony a7r3,150-600 sigma tele lens,manfrotto gearhead,orion magnificent mini autoguider and counter weight kit. will i need anything else?
Answer :
You don't indicate how you intend to mount all of the named devices so I can't advise you on whether you need anything else. But I do know that the SkyWatcher S20510 Star Adventurer does have an ST-4 port but only has 1 axis of rotation that could be controlled by the Orion autoguider. The SkyWatcher must be manually aligned with the North Star and that alignment is critical for accurate tracking of stars during long exposures.
You would probably be much better served by using a device that has 2 axis rotation that will be much easier to setup. If you use a motorized/computer controlled altazimuth mount you would have 2 axis movements so the Orion autoguider could keep the desired object stationary in the frame during long exposures. If you invest in a computerized mount then most likely (depending on the model) it will keep the objects still in the frame during long exposures. If you use a non-computerized motorized mount that has the ST-4 port you might spend less for it than a computer driven mount.
Another factor you should keep in mind is the weight of the mounts, camera, lenses, autoguider, etc. that will be moved by the motors of your motorized mount. You should plan for a future that might include larger and heavier lenses when you do the weight calculations. Be aware that as the total weight carried by the motorized mount approaches its limits, there could be more possible vibration due to inadequate dampening of the weight. The other thing to keep in mind is that you will need a tripod that will be able to handle all that weight.
I did a quick search on the web and found the Orion StarSeeker IV GoTo Altazimuth Mount & Tripod on a telescope web site that is along the lines of what I have been describing. It has a 13 pound rated capacity for a telescope and that would probably be OK for your use as long as you stay within the weight limits. I am not endorsing this product or any other product. There are many other models from many manufacturers so do some research on the web to find something that will fulfill your needs.
Question :
How much weight can this handle?
Answer :
If you get balanced kit ,It should handle 5kg. If you don't, It would close to 3kg. Full Frame or APS-C camera are fine.
Question :
will this mount hold a Meade ETX 125?
Answer :
No - the Meade ETX 125 is to heavy at about 25 lbs for this mount. Max weight for the Star Adventurer is no more than 10 lbs and I would suggest keeping it under that limit.
Question :
Is the ball head adapter included in this kit similar to S20550?
Answer :
No! It does not. Only an adapter.
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