The new Omegon MiniTrack LX Quattro NS is a fully mechanical travel mount (also known as an astrotracker) for astrophotography. You can use it to mount cameras and produce images of the night sky as your setup follows the movement of the stars over a one hour period.
The Omegon MiniTrack LX Quattro NS provides the ability to easily take images of the night sky from anywhere in the northern or southern hemisphere. It never needs charging as it works via clockwork, so there is no need for batteries and power sockets. Simply wind it up by pulling the cord and the mount will start tracking. It is optimal for wide images of the night sky and using telephoto lenses up to around 300mm.
The MiniTrack has two connectors – one for the tripod and another for your camera or ball-head. Simply attach the mount to your tripod using the 1/4″ screw and align the MiniTrack as you like. Alternatively, you can mount a ball head with the 1/4″ or 3/8″ thread.
The Omegon MiniTrack LX Quattro NS, when compared to previous version Omegon MiniTrack LX3, offers better precision, increased power and a four-kilogram load capacity.
Tracking with the Quattro is extremely precise with the newly designed needle bearing which helps guarantee smooth tracking with heavy weights. A new spring bar design provides better draft to move the load even more precisely. There is no unilateral strain within the mechanical system.
A bigger Teflon bushing ensures softer and more fluent motion. The stronger suspension system cushions and accelerates motions. The upgraded CNC body casing has been improved to provide better stability. The optical polar finder provides exact adjustment to the celestial pole and impeccably precise tracked star images.
The Omegon MiniTrack LX Quattro NS does not utilize a counterweight, instead incorporating a suspension system that provides the same functionality. This makes the MiniTrack extremely compact and fit for travel. The new, improved suspension system will support larger cameras, even under one-sided strain, and will cushion or accelerate the tracking system. This results in increased adaptability and accurate tracking of stars.
Optimum tracking speed is achieved when the clockwork ticks 130-135 times per minute. The spring has to be tensioned in accordance with the weight of your camera. Determining the ticks per minute with a “TapTempo-App“ for smartphones is recommended. These apps are used in the field of music and measure the tempo of a composition automatically. Making use of such an app makes it easy to measure the speed of the MiniTrack.
You can learn more about the Omegon MiniTrack LX Quattro NS here.
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