Looking for the Best Star Tracker for DSLR on the market? We've done the research to help you find the perfect Best Star Tracker to suit your needs.
Are you ready for star tracking and wondering what equipment do you need and what you already have? If that is true, then the main thing you must have is a star tracker. People all over the world are using star trackers for viewing and enhancing their knowledge of astrophotography.
The professional photographers are using star tracking with different lenses and unique techniques. Your method and location should have to be perfect for an amazing outcome. There is no best and exclusive star tracker. Your practice and determination give you the best result.
In this post, we have collected and reviewed the best star trackers for DSLR available on the market. It will help you choose the best according to your style and requirements.
Let’s start!
Our Overall #1 Rated Pick
If you're looking for the best star trackers for DSLR that is affordable, easy to use for beginners, and has a great build quality, our top pick is the Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro Pack.
Best Star Tracker for DSLR - Product Reviews
Let's take a look at the top products on the market, based on the average rating by real customers just like you.
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Best Star Tracker for DSLR: A Complete Review
If you've made it this far into the reviews then you must be serious about your buying choice.
Now that we've covered the quick list of products, let's break down each of them to see why they have been chosen.
In this section we'll cover the pro's and con's of each and give you some ideas of who each product is most suitable for.
Do you want to capture the little incredible details of the eclipses, Milky Way, and other celestial objects? Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Pro Pack – Motorized DSLR is for you as it corrects the rotation of the Earth, which allows you to see a more wide and detailed image without a star trail.
It has a nightscape tracking platform that is motorized and portable and assists in the dark. For polar alignment at a perfect angle, the deluxe equatorial base assists in the positioning of the star adventurer.
A glowing polar finder scope is built in it, which provides you an easy and precise alignment concerning Polaris. For a wonderful and portable eclipse, panoramas, and nightscape photography and tracking, it is advisable to use aluminum gears and rugged brass.
You can use the product for straight 72 hours because of the AA battery and the 5V mini-USB for an external source of power. The whole package also includes an adjustable latitude base.
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Cons
Omegon Star Tracker Mini Track LX2 N is an amazing device when used with a lightweight and wide-angle telephoto lens. It has a mount that is completely mechanical and activates the tracking for 30 min up to 1000 panorama, night sky time-lapse, and photos.
It doesn’t require any counterweight. It has a spring system that produces the same effect and ensures smooth and precise tracking. The portable and compact photo mount is made up of Aluminum, having 0.3 kg of net weight, which is suitable for travel and capturing moments of the celestial objects.
The camera should be mounted on the 1/4th inch and the ball head on the 3/8 inch thread, making the product compatible with a photo tripod. To achieve the desired tracking, the Polaris is aligned with an optical polar tracker.
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Are you looking for a current free mini-track that provides a fully mechanical mounting? Then, don’t worry, we have got you covered. Now, you can easily get the beautiful, detailed tracking photos and panoramas of the sky, Milky Way, and celestial bodies.
Omegon Photo Mount Mini Track LX3 N is batteries free, yet no power supply is needed. It has mechanical mounting. By simply winding up, you get the result of straight 60 minutes of wonderful tracking.
It has a CNC milled body that provides higher stability up to 3 kg, thus increases precision. It has an incredible spring system, which makes it portable and compact. This leads to smooth and precise tracking.
The camera should be mounted on the 1/4th inch and the ball head on the 3/8th inch thread, making the product compatible with photo tripods. To achieve perfect tracking with precise polarization of Polaris, an optical polar tracker is used in the product.
Pros
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Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer Mini (SAM) is a necessity for every skill level astrophotography. It has high precision, and the adjustable tracking platform for celestial objects can convert any tripod used into an equatorial mount.
It has add-on-accessories that break the traditional criteria of equatorial mounts and provide the best astrophotography experience with a detailed night sky view, panoramas, and time-lapses. It is very easy to polarize by glowing polar finder scope.
By using the free SAM Console application, you can convert and make your tracking speeds, custom (sidereal, lunar, or solar) for time-lapse videos. The whole package includes a mount, a polar scope illuminator, and a ball head adapter.
Pros
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Vixen Optics Polarie Star Tracker is the best tracker for your DSLR as it is smooth and compact. It has a load-bearing capacity of 7 lbs and can be attached to a camera tripod—Orient the mount towards the north by using the compass.
The mount uses a polar scope for the sake of alignment. A North Star window of alignment is pointed at the Polaris. The Polaris then tracks the movement of the star and captures clear images. It is not just functional but precise and compact too.
It is designed to bear the difficult weather conditions. The celestial tracking rate is half of the actual solar tracking rate. A polar axis is provided in the whole package for polarization.
Pros
Cons
Are you a professional? Do you need a tracker for your professional camera? Then, you are in the right place. SLIK ECH-630 Astro Tracker Tripod Head has a multi-speed for time-lapse photography of the celestial objects.
The tripod used is made up of AMT (Aluminum, Magnesium, and Titanium) to carry a load of 19.8 lbs., which is best for professionals who are working on a movie or in studios. It is perfect for traveling and bag packing because it is compact and lightweight.
It has an easy control menu through LCD. On 4 AA batteries, it can be used up to 20 hours. For easy polar alignment, smh-250 micro-adjustment heads are used.
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iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount is an upgraded form of Sky Tracker TM. It is easy to use and handle. It is compact and can easily be used on trips and night sky photography on both hilly and plain land to capture better beautiful views.
It has a rechargeable source that is built-in and can be used for 24 hours. The precise polar scope now has an adjustable illumination having eight levels of brightness. It can be controlled by phone and has four tracking rates, which work both in the Southern and Northern hemispheres.
A new feature of Slew mode (forward and reverse) is added to reframe your wonderful image without disturbing the camera. You can mount head to any common tripod of ¼ and 3/8 inches threads. This is achieved due to the azimuth control feature.
This is the fundamental tool for anyone interested in astrophotography.
Pros
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This product contains an Alt-Az tracking mount, which is computerized and weighs only 8.6 pounds. It is best for portable and mobile astronomy. Its payload capacity is 11 pounds and supports many DSLR. It can be controlled by apps from an android and generates its Wi-Fi signals.
“Freedom find” is a dual coder technology that assists in precise tracking and slewing without disruption in the alignment. You can make memories and create wonderful panoramas and breathtaking video time-lapse of celestial objects.
The Snap port in it allows fully automated shooting. You can get a smooth night sky tracking by using aluminum gears and rugged brass. The whole package includes an adjustable tripod and AA batteries built-in compartment.
The adjustable tripod has a pier extension (28 inches - 53 inches), providing better viewing. The battery compartment gives mobile power and includes a 12 V input, which allows external sources for power.
Pros
Cons
The product has a removable deck bracket making it best for the grab-and-go tracking device. It provides a stable and convenient platform for refractors (100mm or 127mm). It has a payload capacity of 22 pounds, so even the heaviest optical objects can be set on it.
It has a 42000+ objects database SynScan hand controller, which can keep the astrophotographer busy for many nights. For better and smooth tracking, a 180-tooth RA gear is provided. All metal built ensures the best performance of the product.
The whole package includes a Synscan hand controller, a polar finder scope, an 8” dovetail Styled bar, and mount comes with a pair of 7.5 lbs. counterweights.
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Orion AstroView EQ mount comes with EQ-3M Motor Drive Kit. It has a dovetail saddle that allows for better attachment of even more than one telescope without using tools. The product has the payload capacity of 12 pounds and a long 8” dovetail attachment platform 9in case your telescope doesn’t have one).
The other features of the product which make it unique and advanced are its worm gears, which are enclosed, dual manual control for slow motion, and azimuth attachment. For adjusting the aluminum tripod, a hinged center brace is added, and for keeping the eyepieces, filters, lenses, and more, there is a high walled tray.
The EQ-3M drive will provide a single axis that will better your adjustments and assist you in tracking celestial objects automatically. The drive also assists in regulating side-real tracking. The product also has an 8X speed of the electronic handheld and pause mod controller.
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Best Star Tracer for DSLR - Buying Guide
Benefits Of A Star Tracker
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Set Longer Exposure Times
The major and the most obvious reason for its popularity is that a star tracker allows you to take long-exposure shots without any distortion. You will be able to capture more details of the sky and deep, celestial objects. The results will be fruitful as compared to setup without a star tracker.
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Create Dynamic Time Lapses
The star tracker has the ability to control the shutter of the camera and create exceptional time-lapses of the vast sky. It is also controlling the motion of the camera with respect to the sky.
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Enhanced Visual Observation
The star tracker has the ability to handle the small telescope for visual observation. The Sky-watcher and iOptron star tracker are used for small level observation. Some innovative models are capable of large visual observation.
Portability
Star trackers are usually lightweight, portable, and compact. They can be easily kept in a pocket or traveling backpack. You do not have to worry about the weight as they are small and can be stored even inside a pocket.
If you prioritized portability, then it is better to choose a mini star tracker for astrophotography. The Omegon Star Tracker Mini and Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Mini are the best compacts and portable star trackers for traveling.
The mirrorless cameras are usually lighter, but they use the same heavy lenses for astrophotography. The APS-C sensor cameras are compact and lighter as compared to a full-frame. APS-C sensor camera and a light lens is a perfect travel combo.
Payload Capacity
The high weight on a star tracker is crucial. Star trackers have different payload capacities, and no one model has the same. The long telephoto lenses, full-frame cameras, and small refractor telescopes are heavy. When these are paired together, they reach above the maximum payload capacity of a star tracker.
The rule of thumb that you must follow in astrophotography is to capture high-quality images and not load the mount with heavy equipment. The load on the mount should not be more than 60-70% of the maximum payload capacity of the mount.
The astrophotographers who want to work with bulky equipment are suggested to use Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Pro or the iOptron SkyTracker Pro (also known as SkyGuider Pro). These star tracker kits come with a counterweight, which is essential for high payloads.
Polar Alignment
Polar alignment is a crucial part when it comes to point the polar axis towards Polaris/North Star. It is important if you are capturing a long exposure of a vast starry sky and do not want the distortion. All of the star trackers in the respected guide have polar alignment.
The Sky Watcher Star Adventurer Pro and iOptron SkyTracker Pro have illuminated polar scopes. It is an exceptional feature for deep sky astrophotography. These illuminated polar scopes allow accurate polar alignment.
Powering Up
The star trackers that are operated through battery and power bank versions are available in the market.
- Mechanical Trackers do not need batteries or power banks.
- Integrated battery charge via a USB cable
- AA battery
- 5 Volt DC
- 12 Volt DC
Omegon Mini Track is an entirely mechanical tracker that makes them travel-friendly. Vixen Polarie and Sky Watcher Mini and Pro can be powered through AA batteries. You can also use a 5 Volt DC portable power bank.
The star tracker with a rechargeable and chargeable AA-battery is considered the best one. They are compact, lightweight, and travel-friendly.
User-friendly
The star tracker should have a user-friendly interface and controls. All of the stars mentioned above, trackers are easy to use. There are some of the star trackers that can be used to improve a wide range of targets that you can capture.
There are a lot of models available on the market that have a remote control for easy control setup. A remote control gives you an easy approach and allows you to set the star tracker according to your required settings.
Focal length
The more accurate star tracker is the longer focal length lens or telescope you can use. If you are looking for a setup that can capture specific deep-sky objects, then these factors need much more attention.
Runtime
It is one of the most important features of any star tracker. This particular feature helps indicate the time after which either you need to change the battery or recharge the star tracker. If you have a star tracker with a changeable battery, then it is the best one to buy.
If your star tracker dies after a short time, that means it is not the best one to purchase and cannot be used for time-lapses or long exposures.
Automatic vs. Hand controlled
There are a lot of models that have both options on board. Automatic are the ones that can track the deep sky on objects that you want to capture by itself. These are easy to align with the Polaris. On the other hand, the hand controller is slightly complex to align and track the objects. However, practice makes you perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Star Tracker for DSLR – Final Word
The amount that is going to compete in the star tracker category must have a built-in power feature. Most of the people are light travelers, and they do not want to carry extra weight. The iOptron SkyTracker Pro has a rechargeable internal battery. It can be charged using a mini-USB charging cable.
The SkyTracker Pro is the best option if you want to travel and capture the deep, celestial objects. If you are traveling towards a remote and countryside area, it is better to pack light. You can use a power cigarette plug in your cars for charging the tracker.
The best star tracker for DSLR (astrophotography) is the one that suits your needs and style. You can buy expensive and modern equipment in the world, but it is useless if it does not fulfill your requirements. Your main goal is to capture exceptional images of the vast starry sky and divine celestial objects; the rest depends on your needs.
Happy Star Tracking, People!