iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount with Polar Scope, Mount Only

Stars beware! With this new star tracker I can see all their secrets! I use this with an older canon DSLR and I have been able to see some amazing things. Build quality feels solid, and it's as easy as pointing it North, turning it on, then boom amazing star pics.

This was a gift my son loved it

This is an excellent device and very easy to set up for those who are not mentally challenged.

I actually have the predecessor model called Sky Tracker, but my experience should apply to this one as well. As a landscape photographer who uses this mainly with normal to wide angle lenses and a DSLR, this device works great and is reasonably small. The main experience I want to share is how to get the Sky Tracker repaired, if it should break. I had a really good experience with the iOptron folks, who were very flexible to send me a replacement part first, then to diagnose the error for a part I sent in. The Star Tracker is built in a modular way, with parts that are easy to replace. Together with the excellent support, that made it easy to fix and extended the lifetime of my Star Tracker hopefully by many more years.

The tracker is really difficult to set up. Polar alignment is very tricky, and you need to have prior experience. Otherwise, you have to spend hours to figure out how to align the tracker.

I purchased the iOptron SkyTracker Pro about two years ago and basically stored it away as I could not figure out how to use it. I dusted it off a couple of weeks ago and now I am finally getting used to setting it up. Basically, it's a small box-type structure which is easily mounted onto a sturdy tripod. There are two-methods in its mounting. One, you can mount it on a ball head or two, mount it onto the supplied EQ mount. I suggest using the latter method for polar alignment. This mount is the smaller, cheaper brother to the Sky-Guider and it shows when mounting a 200mm lens with a DSLR. I now use a small Fuji mirrorless and a 16-50mm lens to not overload the balance. My advice is to allow yourself time getting used to it. It will take a few outings for you to truly understand how this machine works, how to achieve polar alignment and how not to kick the tripod out of alignment (me!), etc. Plus, there is a lot of great SkyTracker how-to videos and tutorials on the web you can research. Am I glad I purchased it? Sure, it's small and fun. Is it the best tracker out there? No. But at $290, it is a great way to get into astrophotography without breaking the bank.

I have had this tracker a month and it has worked without any sort of problem. It carries my Canon T7i plus 100 mm lens just fine. I now have many successful nights of pictures, including comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE.I purchased one of those wind-up trackers and it was fussy to use, but the worst part was that the tracking was irregular. This device was more expensive, but well worth the extra investment. It has been solid and reliable.My only minor complaint is that I find the red illumination in the polar scope is often too bright, even at the lowest setting.