Gear downgrade

While I'm very happy with my EQ6, I am seriously considering replacing it with the tiny Takahashi Seegul Sky Patrol III. I am fully aware of the difference in payload and the loss of autoguiding capabilities.

I shoot from a heavily light polluted location with a tiny 60mm refractor and a modded 7D. None of my exposures go above 120s and while I could, I don't guide for lack of time to set up everything. I don't use GOTO (lack of time to set it up) and I've become pretty good at star-hopping, considering I also use quite short focals.

Does any of you have this mount? Would anyone know what the maximum exposure time would be at around 370mm?

Thanks

Hey ecce_lex,

I hear where you're coming from ... but downgrade? Nooo! Why not get a barn door, or one of those new pre-built $500 ones that just take a camera? Or a dome, so you don't have to set up each time?

- Daniel

so you want to do this quickly and easily?
Quick polar alignment, and image away.
(not mine, just a Google image)

don't get a teegul. If you think the eq6 is too heavy try out the ioptron zeq25gt. I have seen some screen shots of these with guiding graphs equivalent to a paramount mx. And it weighs 10lbs. I have had one now since December and I cannot believe I put up with the CG5 for so long, it is not problem to guide right up to limitation by seeing. You will regret sacrificing autoguide capabilities, especially if you start traveling out to green, blue, and black zones.