Product Reviews
- Reviews
- Questions
- RedCat 51
- component
- WO High Latitude Base
- engineering
- design
- weight
- iOptron SkyGuider Pro
- anyone
United StatesAnyone using the Ioptron SkyGuider Pro should consider the WO High Latitude Base. The engineering, weight, and overall design is a significant step up from the OEM. An essential component for a portable rig using the RedCat 51.
United StatesWilliam Optics Wonderful Simple as that, he should make Swiss Arca release clamps and tripod ball hesds.
United StatesFrustrating. When you finally get the iOptron and it’s polar scope aligned so that Polaris is here it should be in the reticle you have to tighten the longitude and latitude handles on the William Optics wedge and everything shifts by a few degrees. Then you loosen, align again, tighten the handles and everything shifts, etc etc.
United StatesI found it more solid and easier to align to the pole than the standard iOptron base. It makes setting up for photography quicker. I'm very satisfied!
United StatesTake this advice with a grain of salt, as I've only just ordered this product and am not yet an "astrophotographer". I believe it is reasonable to tilt the tripod (on setup) to gain a few degrees of extra latitude beyond the designed ranges. I live in Washington State (lat 45⁰) and visit my son in Tucson, lat 31⁰. I was going to get all cranky about having to possibly 'rearrange components' (as it was described) to get a "north" base to 'elevate' below 32⁰. The astronomical requirement is simply to point the tracker at Polaris. Tilt the tripod base sufficiently (in AZ a couple of degrees are sufficient) such that the elevation angle can be comfortably adjusted to Polaris using the ***** base. The scale on the base wouldn't read accurately, but that is survivable. If that troubled you, use a gravity-based angle finder (not a protractor) to measure a true elevation angle. Or measure the angle of the tripod's surface and add that from the displayed angle on the base's dial for 'north' bases. Such a tripod tilt would insignificantly affect azimuthal measurement (cosine of 5⁰=0.996). There is a lot of clear sky in SE AZ to gaze through, and I submit that it is adequate to use a 'north' base there.
United StatesVery smooth operation, better than the o e m