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Old 06-09-2012, 05:54 PM
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mithrandir (Andrew)
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Losmandy Starlapse arrives!

The postie had a box for me.

Now to see if my 190XPROB tripod can cope with the weight.
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  #2  
Old 06-09-2012, 06:48 PM
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blink138 (Pat)
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arr.... it looks like a baby g11!
pat
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Old 06-09-2012, 06:51 PM
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Larryp (Laurie)
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Nice bit of gear!
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Old 06-09-2012, 07:32 PM
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mithrandir (Andrew)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blink138 View Post
arr.... it looks like a baby g11!
pat
Engineered like a G11. I have one of those too.

It's more or less half a G8. It just has the RA motor. The Dec motor is extra.

A quick 60 sec image at 50mm with really rough polar align (yeah, south is around there somewhere and a digital level says something near the right inclination) and almost in focus has round stars.
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Old 06-09-2012, 07:46 PM
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h0ughy (David)
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how you going for balance there. looks a bit on one side. does the tripod want to topple?
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Old 06-09-2012, 08:06 PM
adman (Adam)
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Mine should (might) arrive tomorrow.

I was worried about my tripod - it's a 055CXPRO3. It's light and strong, and does a good job of damping vibrations but I think I might feel better with something heftier.
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Old 06-09-2012, 09:35 PM
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Octane (Humayun)
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Do want.

How long was the wait, Andrew/Adam?

H
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Old 06-09-2012, 09:41 PM
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Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)
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Haven't heard diddly about mine yet ... ordered weeks ago.

Last edited by Omaroo; 07-09-2012 at 05:48 AM.
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Old 06-09-2012, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by h0ughy View Post
how you going for balance there. looks a bit on one side. does the tripod want to topple?
David, it does seem a bit one sided, so I pointed one of the tripod legs south, just like you should do with any GEM. The tripod legs have two extension sections and even with only the top one extended it was quite stable. I will see if the 804RC2 head is easier to adjust than the ball head on it today.

The camera is on a short dovetail to allow dec balance and the camera mount slides along the rail to balance RA.

These were taken with my 16-50mm at 50mm, f3.2, 45 sec ISO400 (DSC00381s) and 500mm Samyang Cat (very hard to focus, might have to get the Sony one - ~$1450 ouch), f6.3, 58 secs, ISO800 (DSC00393s), both with pretty poor polar align. No processing other than resize. Hate the Sydney light pollution.
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Old 06-09-2012, 10:40 PM
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Do want.

How long was the wait, Andrew/Adam?

H
I think it was about 3 weeks. Most of that was for Scott to make them. There was no stock at HGM or here.
I got an email from Peter that they arrived Friday, EFTPOS'd the same day (which probably would not appear in ATS' account until Monday), no-one was home to accept delivery Wednesday, picked up from the P/O Thursday.

No complaints. Except from SWMBO about more astro toys.
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Old 07-09-2012, 08:41 AM
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Humayun - I missed out on this batch after having my order in for several weeks. I've cancelled it because all I can get is a commitment to now try and supply another one before the eclipse - maybe. Pity. Vixen Polarie - here I come. I want some time with any unit well before it comes to have to use it to capture a rare event.

Last edited by Omaroo; 07-09-2012 at 12:50 PM.
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Old 07-09-2012, 02:18 PM
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Humayun - I missed out on this batch after having my order in for several weeks. I've cancelled it because all I can get is a commitment to now try and supply another one before the eclipse - maybe. Pity. Vixen Polarie - here I come. I want some time with any unit well before it comes to have to use it to capture a rare event.
Chris, I first asked about getting one in about March. The answer then was none available and no date on Losmandy making any. Remember astro gear is a sideline, so they get made when there is a lull in movie gear production. I asked again every couple of months, until I was told probably mid Sep, so getting the invoice last week was a nice surprise.
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Old 07-09-2012, 03:39 PM
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Cheers Andrew. I really appreciate my Losmandy gear. It's beautifully built, is rock-solid, well finished and absolutely reliable. I just wish that Scott would recognise its value to users and produce it with a little more interest. It's almost as though he's asking us to believe that he sits there on the lathe himself. If the astro gear manufacture has to wait until the HGM gear is done, get another damned CNC! LOL

Anyway - A Vixen Polarie has been ordered and will arrive Monday/Tuesday. It's not what I wanted but I can't physically left my G-11 any more. I need to get out into the field and photograph, otherwise I may as well just give the sport away.
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Old 07-09-2012, 03:55 PM
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It's not what I wanted but I can't physically left my G-11 any more. I need to get out into the field and photograph, otherwise I may as well just give the sport away.
I'm also tired of lugging the G11 around. I got a polarie a month ago after talking to Alex Cherney. I used it a couple of times already and it's perfect. I considered the Losmandy alternative but it's still a mount and too heavy. The polarie fits in your pocket and it's set up in 1mn or so. I'm taking it to the eclipse with me as I'll be flying in.
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Old 07-09-2012, 04:10 PM
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I'm also tired of lugging the G11 around. I got a polarie a month ago after talking to Alex Cherney. I used it a couple of times already and it's perfect. I considered the Losmandy alternative but it's still a mount and too heavy. The polarie fits in your pocket and it's set up in 1mn or so. I'm taking it to the eclipse with me as I'll be flying in.
Brilliant Marc - that's just what I wanted to hear. Good decision then. I spoke to Mike this morning as well, and he's very happy with his too. It has a 3.5kg payload limit, and my OM-D plus Tak FS60-C with camera angle adjuster and flattener/reducer weighs in at 2.7kg. Perfect. With lenses - less than half that - around 1.1kg with grip.

Sorry to divert your thread Andrew - it wasn't the intention.

Last edited by Omaroo; 07-09-2012 at 04:47 PM.
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Old 07-09-2012, 05:04 PM
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Brilliant Marc - that's just what I wanted to hear. Good decision then. I spoke to Mike this morning as well, and he's very happy with his too. It has a 3.5kg payload limit, and my OM-D plus Tak FS60-C with camera angle adjuster and flattener/reducer weighs in at 2.7kg. Perfect. With lenses - less than half that - around 1.1kg with grip.

Sorry to divert your thread Andrew - it wasn't the intention.
well i have all three now - each has a place and use Astrotrac, polarie and the Starlapse
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Old 07-09-2012, 05:20 PM
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well i have all three now - each has a place and use Astrotrac, polarie and the Starlapse
So what different places do they have David? All I want is to spin a camera around for a few minutes - or to keep an object in basic view for a couple of hours. What specific feature of each isn't available from the others?
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Old 07-09-2012, 05:52 PM
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So what different places do they have David? All I want is to spin a camera around for a few minutes - or to keep an object in basic view for a couple of hours. What specific feature of each isn't available from the others?
load , capacity and rotation - you guessed it. as too portability and flexibility for different needs.
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Old 07-09-2012, 05:58 PM
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Yep, I would have guessed that. I was after specifics. I'll try and have a chat to you about it in Cairns if we cross paths.
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Old 07-09-2012, 06:05 PM
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Just curious, as I will be seeing Scott in a couple of weeks. Would starlapse owners and would be owners be interested in a Losmandy tripod dedicated to starlapse heads? How much would you pay? Or is the current use of a photo tripod enough?

BTW Scott did not want to make the product. I hassled him for years, but given his very clever implementation and subsequent popularity of the end product I'm very pleased he capitulated
.
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