Move Shoot Move
2-in-1 Star Tracker
– REVIEW –
Move Shoot Move, the pocket astro tracker.
Finally a lightweight, compact, inexpensive and very easy to use astro tracker! Let’s discover the advantages and disadvantages of Move Shoot Move together.

But… what is an astro tracker?
Let’s go in order, we all know that the Earth rotates. Our wonderful planet takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds to make a complete rotation on itself. This means that, during this rotation, what we observe in the sky “seems” to move.
How does it work?
The operating principle of an astro tracker is very simple. The rotation axis of the Earth passes almost through a star called “Polar”. By aligning the astro tracker with it, we have the possibility to rotate our camera at the same speed and inclination as the planet, triggering a real “tracking” of the stars. At this point, even if exposing for much longer, we will not get more “blurry” stars because the camera is moving in sync with the rotation of the Earth.
Simple, isn’t it?
So what is it for?
It is useless to explain that the longer an exposure the more light, color and details will be captured. The same goes for the sky, by exposing for minutes instead of seconds, we would be able to capture many more details of the Milky Way, as well as faint celestial visions, galaxies, nebulae and even clouds of gas. Moreover, by lengthening the exposure time, we are given the luxury of lowering the ISO sensitivity (so less noise) or even closing the aperture (so more definition) by a few STOPs.
PACKAGE CONTENTS
The company offers several bundles, the one I recommend is the”Kit B” which includes the following:
Rotator (Tracker)
Laser pointer
Laser Pointer Bracket
Power cable (USB-C)
Sync Time-Lapse cable
Two 1/4 inch screws
Manual
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How it looks like
Move Shoot Move 2-in-1 Star Tracker arrives home in an “armored” box. Once opened the package used for shipping, we’ll find inside the package containing the product. Of course, depending on the bundle chosen, the package and its contents may vary.
Design
A plus of this astro tracker is its compactness!
Just think that the total weight is just 466gr and, taking into account that traditional models can go up to about 1Kg (not counting any counterweights), I would say that it is a peculiarity not to be underestimated especially for those who, like me, are used to going on trips and long hikes, especially in the mountains.
Move shoot move fits in a pocket so it is easy to guess that you can put it in your backpack without worrying about its size.
Configuration
Move shoot move, can be configured in several ways, but here’s how I prefer to use it. I attach an arca-swiss sideboard to the bottom of the tracker. At this point I can attach the tracker to my ball head that I usually use on my FEISOL CT-3442 tripod.
Polar alignment
The polar alignment process is the most important part of using an astro tracker. The goal is to align shoot move with the North Celestial Pole (or South Celestial Pole if you are in the southern hemisphere). The North/South Celestial Pole, as said initially, corresponds approximately to the point where all stars rotate in the sky.

Performance
After performing my quick polar alignment, I installed my Nikon D750 and the very heavy Tamron 15-30mm. This configuration is already very heavy, to the point of making me have doubts about the effectiveness of the small shoot move.
Usually trackers of this size are limited to about 1.5Kg maximum load, at least this is what is recommended by the manual. On top of that, I was a bit skeptical that this device could handle my heavy equipment, considering that the whole thing is about 2.7Kg.
After adjusting all the settings of my camera (ISO 1600, 3 minutes, f/2.8), I brought the focal length to 30mm and took a test shot. At the end of the exposure, I enlarged the image, and to my great surprise, the stars were sharp! An exposure of 3 minutes at 30mm!

Time-lapse function
For time-lapse lovers, Move Shoot Move offers this integrated functionality. It is a mode that allows you to rotate the camera between shots while it is busy collecting an interval sequence of images.
Of course this is a function completely independent from astronomical tracking and, therefore, it can be used both day and night. It is possible to set the rotation speed by means of the appropriate button while the position can be set at will for both vertical and horizontal time lapse.
Although fascinating, personally I do not make many timelapses, however I wanted to test this feature. The location in question is the famous and beautiful Lake Braies, in the heart of the Dolomites.
Final considerations
I have tried most of the best known astro trackers on the market, I can say with certainty that Move Shoot Move is a fantastic option! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to start taking better astronomical photos without worrying about weight and bulk!

Disadvantages
Of course, like all things, Move Shoot Move also has some small disadvantages that I want to report. First of all the battery, according to the website, lasts only for 5 hours. This time is relatively short for an astro tracker. For example, my SkyGuider Pro can shoot without problems for 20 hours with its rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
Thanks
Move Shoot Move!
Thank you Move Shoot Move, for giving me the opportunity to test this wonderful product. I became a happy user of it because with great surprise it proved to be effective and reliable, but above all, light! Finally I can make long hikes in the mountains without carrying extra weight on my shoulders! (not to be underestimated).
Also, by entering the discount code “MAU” during the checkout phase, you will be entitled to a discount bonus, take advantage of it!!
If you’d like to learn more about Move Shoot Move, find out how to use it and learn how to get the most out of it, check out the handy Tutorial I’ve written for you!
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