Amazon.com: Customer reviews: iOptron SkyTracker Pro Camera Mount with Polar Scope, Mount Only

Top positive review

Good, but needs removable gimbal tripod or ball mount

Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2023

I like the tripod a lit, but this kit should come with a removable gimbal so you can put the polar drive below the gimbal, or else (but not as good) it should include the ball mount too will need for astrophotography. I think they missed the boat on this kit, because it would have been so easy to perfect it with a tripod featuring a removable gimbal!

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Douglas Beck

For the Cost of this Tripod I could have got a GOOD Tripod, the Tracker is awesome!

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2022

I took the Tripod out of the packaging and immediately felt regret. It is poorly constructed, loose in many of the joints and feels chintzy. Seriously, I would not have spent even $100.00 on this thing. As for the tracker, I am very much looking forward to using it. I just would not recommend buying the bundle. Get the tracker and find a better Tripod elsewhere.

8 total ratings, 6 with reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

Walter F. Kailey

Good, but needs removable gimbal tripod or ball mount

Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2023

Verified Purchase

Helpful

Douglas Beck

For the Cost of this Tripod I could have got a GOOD Tripod, the Tracker is awesome!

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2022

Verified Purchase

Helpful

Robotech

Great tool for beginning and accomplished astrophotographers

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2020

Verified Purchase

Very sturdy and compact. Maybe a little too compact be careful the polar scope doesn't get in the way of the locks on your Ball Head. But I find I can align the mount to Polaris, remove the polar scope and then attach my ball head and camera. So, not a big deal. All in all I'd give the Sky Tracker a solid 5. But the included tripod brings it down. BTW Amazon shows this in red, but mine came in black. No problem, works the same.

It's nice that they "throw in" a tripod. Although cheaply made, the tripod is surprisingly sturdy when all locks are tightened. However, I don't know why they include this model because it WILL NOT hold the Sky Tracker mount very steady. If you try to put the mount on the camera quick release it will be too bulky to be steady. It'll make a nice extra tripod for my video camera, but not for the Sky Tracker. I read other reviews that said it wouldn't work and I couldn't see why not. I thought some people just didn't know how to 'customize' it. But the cheap (and I mean REALLY cheap), plastic pan and tilt head is permanently affixed to the tripod. You can't remove it. You will have to use a different tripod. I think just about any standard tripod with a 3/8" or 1/4" screw below the pan head will work.

Helpful

Bryan B

Game changer.

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2019

Verified Purchase

If you’re starting out in astrophotography, this device right here is every bit as important as your camera. Highly recommend, and I kick myself for not having it on all those beautiful clear nights.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

ZapD

Greatly helps with increasing the time before star trails kick in.

Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2019

Verified Purchase

I bought this because I like taking single shots, rather than combining dozens of photos.

The two shots in my review have been tweaked in lightroom, but are otherwise single exposures. The first is a 60 second exposure using a micro four thirds camera. The second shot is Jupiter and its moons taken with a long focal lens.

The SkyTracker is built much better than the photos would make you think. The core of the unit, and the parts that are moving are all metal. The plastic outside however is a bit cheap looking, and the actual buttons and interface could do with an upgrade and weather sealing.

The unit is larger than I expected, but does fit into a small bag. It is heavier than you expect also, so it wouldn't be too fun to backpack with.

The scope that it comes with is quite accurate and sharp. However, dialing in polaris can be tricky, and if you bump your tripod you have to re-align it again. Once aligned it kept the alignment for the hour I used to take my shots. It didn't become misaligned even while handing the camera ball head on top.

It can be a pain to crouch down to look up through the alignment scope, so adding a right angle viewfinder adapter is a must.