Which EQ mount is best for AP?

[Star Hunter]

Out of the LX80, iOptron 45GT and the new EQ-AZ EQ6 I'm undecided which Eq mount is best for Astro-Photography field work? I don't want to mount a telescope so much as a few cameras (3-4). Any suggestions? Reviews?

Thanks,

James

[frolinmod]

I think you can scratch the LX80 off your list right away. It is in no way comparable to the other two you listed.

[OzEclipse]

James,

When you say 3-4 cameras, I assume you mean wide angle to short telephoto lenses?

I was tossing up between these two mounts myself and eventually chose the iEQ45 only because it was lighter and more portable. Some owners of both report problems but I suspect they are in the minority but a loud minority.

Many people use the EQ6 for AP with longer focal lengths so it would easily handle short tele lenses. It has a proven track record but is heavy. The head weighs 16kg. Some people love them, some people hate them. I have no experience with the EQ6.

The iEQ45 is well engineered so that it has the weight of a HEQ5 but an AP payload capacity, rigidity somewhere between the HEQ5 and EQ6 and probably closer to the EQ6 than 5. The mount assembles without tools. The tripod weighs about 7kg and the head about 10kg so it is very portable.The polar finder is calibrated for N or S hemisphere. The polar finder is small and illuminated so better in a dark sky than the city. At the last solar eclipse, I mounted a Meade 8"SCT with DSLR and ED80 refractor with 2" diagonal and heavy eyepiece on a side by side D saddle. It seemed to handle the weight pretty easily but then I wasn't doing long exposures. You may read about balance issues. This was a problem with the first version of the mount. Current versions have overcome this.

On the iEQ45 Yahoo group forum the average experience seems to be that out of the box, the drive has 30 arc sec PE and this comes down to 6-7 with PEC. Many people have reported this performance in the forum. For what you are after it may be ideal. Users are however reporting problems guiding long FL instruments >2000mm due to rapid smaller amplitude variations in the worm that PEC won't correct and autoguiders have difficulty keeping up with. This aspect should not bother you.

The mounts can be purchased (at more than double the cost) with Reinshaw encoders and servos that bring the PE down to <1 arc sec but at quite high cost. Other mounts come into the picture at that price point. You can also add a Telescope Drive Master servo system from Explore Scientific after purchase to either mount. The TDM costs more than the mount.

If you plan to use up to short tele lenses and want a portable system I'd suggest the iEQ45GT might be better choice. If you want a permanent setup, the EQ6 might be better. I only purchased my mount just before the November eclipse and have been busy over the past months and so have not yet used it for astrophotography. However I have quoted what appears to be the average PE reported in the user group as I think that is more useful than a single owners experience.

cheers

Joe

[brian nordstrom]

:) I have an HEQ5 and IEQ45 and the HEQ5 is good , but the Ioptron is a more refined mount in all ways , belt drives , better software , better machining , gears , etc. etc , it holds my Takahashi M210 with ease and its so easy to take out and set up .
I find it a good all round mount .
Its supposed to carry as much as the EQ6 , but thats probably streaching it , as its standard tripod is one of the geniric 2 inch SS legged job Ok to a point but the weak link as with most of these mid range mounts .
I have mine on a HD hardwood tripod and thats a great upgrade from standard .
Ive had mine now over a year and its not missed a beat ,, touch wood .
Brian.

[2stroke]

The iOptron 45GT, it that simple. Haven't herd much on the gt but the belt drivers are a good upgrade, though its not in the same class for quality and machine work as the 45gt. The LX80 has became a joke which is sad because if it pulled off what it should have at its original price then it would have being the mount that made meade millions.

[toc]

You might want to add the Celestron CGEM to that list - Im pretty happy with mine. Excellent hand controller. Its probably a few hundred more than the others though.