I see BinTel is selling Losmandy mounts - good!

[g__day]

Nice to see a distributor broadening their range to include some higher quality GE mounts - the full range of G8 of and G11 (+/- Gemini) and Titan.

From their mounts section under https://www.bintelshop.com.au/welcome.htm



https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7343.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7343)
Skywatcher AZ3 Mount
$199.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7344.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7344)
Skywatcher EQ3 Mount
$349.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7345.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7345)
Skywatcher EQ5 Mount
$529.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7346.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7346)
Skywatcher EQ5 Mount (Steel Tripod)
$599.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7347.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7347)
Skywatcher HEQ5 Mount
$999.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7348.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7348)
Skywatcher EQ6 Mount
$1,499.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7528.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7528)
Skywatcher EQ3 GOTO Mount
$995.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7529.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7529)
Skywatcher EQ5 GOTO Mount
$1,149.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7349.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7349)
Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro V3 GO-TO
$1,799.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7350.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7350)
Skywatcher EQ6 Skyscan GO-TO
$2,399.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7179.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7179)
Meade LXD75 EQ Mount w/ Autostar
$1,195.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7523.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7523)
Losmandy GM8 Mount
$2,499.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7524.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7524)
Losmandy GM8 with Gemini GOTO
$4,179.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7556.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7556)
Losmandy G11 Mount
$3,749.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7557.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7557)
Losmandy G11 with Gemini GOTO
$5,495.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7558.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7558)
Losmandy HGM Titan
$10,695.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7559.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7559)
Losmandy HGM Titan with Tripod
$12,295.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/6532.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=6532)
Bintel RA Motor Drive
$149.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7447.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7447)
Bintel SkyView Alt Az Mount
$349.00 https://secure.attl.com.au/bintelshop/Stock/7359.jpg (https://www.bintelshop.com.au/Product.aspx?ID=7359)
EQ-1 RA Drive
$49.00 Total items: 27https://www.bintelshop.com.au/~/Images/spacer.gifItems: 1 - 20
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[jase]

Yep, news of the Bintel now stocking Losmandy kit was already posted - http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=20548

About time, but I don't think there is much in the way of pricing benefits.

[iceman]

5 and a half grand for a G11 with Gemini.. wow, not cheap.

[mick pinner]

for what you get it and how it performs compared to Skywatcher mounts it is.

[acropolite]

The $5.5k was for the Titan, the G11 is $3,749.00

[jase]

Its the way the information has been posted (paste).
I think you'll find the Titan is $10k. If it was only $5.5k, I'd buy another and have two set up for all night supernova searches.:D Nothing like doubling your chances of discovery.

[allan gould]

Phil was correct. $5.5K for G11 + Gemini

[rogerg]

I love the mechanics and electronics of my GM-8 but I just wish they'd design the physical construction of the mount smarter. It's such a bulky mount compared to it's competitors. You could easily fit 2 sphinx or similar Tak mounts in the same box as one GM-8. :shrug:

[g__day]

I guess once you get past carrying capacity (a EQ6 or maybe Vixen Sphinx SXD) then your paying for goto (say $1,500) and tracking (P.E.), and its the PE where things get really expensive (easily $1,500 - $5,000) in the same weight class as above.

I guess to get the PE good enough for longer duration astrophotography the machining and materials have to be par excellence - and that is what you're paying for.

Reading abit folk that buy a CGE for its surperb design, ruggness and carrying capacity eventually leave it for of all things a Astro Physics 1200 (at probably twice the cost for 4 times better PE). Folk that buy a G11 have to watch out for load imbalances that cause motor burn outs - but little else, They seem to graduate to Titans.

Folk that buy TAKs or Vixen Atlux's never seem to leave them - tells a story huh?

[Kal]

You can't even get the titan that cheap in the US in US dollars ;)

Mike was right, $5.5K for a G11 with Gemini.

The price is all a matter of perspective though, to some people that is a bargain compared to AP or Tak mounts.

[KenGee]

I'm saving $500 dollars by importing one myself but with the hassel and what not, I might would have got one from them if I'd known.

[gbeal]

Maybe, but close enough, check here http://www.bttechnologies.com/mount_losmandy.htm Just depends if you are pricing the tripod or not.
Gary

[g__day]

I was surprised to read Rod Wodaski in The New CCD Astronomy book call the Losmandy G11 (pg 175) "risky due to variations in accuracy from mount to mount, and often requiring some TLC to get the most out of your mount"

and from pg 133

"The Losmandy G-11 has been the entry-level mount of choice for imagers on a budget for sime years. The GM-8 is not stiff enough to be a good imaging mount, but some folks have had good success by putting the G-11 tripod and saddle on the GM-8. If you are going to take that approach, you might as well just go all the way and get the heavier G-11 head, too. The price difference between the GM-8 and the G-11 is not large.

The G-11 has larger periodic error than most of the mounts mentioned here (ed. Paramount, Atro-Physics, Takashi - he certainly likes the high-end doesn't he?), but you can usually guide out the error satisfactorily if the focal length of your imaging scope is under 2000mm. There is some variability in the periodic and random errors in tracking from mount to mount, and some web sites have sprung up with suggestions on how to improve tracking accurcay. The G-11 Tuning page is an excellent reference:"

http://www.tfh-berlin.de/~goerlich/cg11tune.html

"The G-11 is often spoken of as capable of carrying 60 pound loads, but for imaging somewhere around 30-35 pounds is more realistic."

Interesting huh? G-11 is an entry platform for rich kids playing with imaging or a dream mount for any of us cash strapped fellows!

[Bassnut]

I got the G11 with Tripod. Dont use it much, but man, the tripod is SOLID, an outrageously stable device, over the top, worth it on its own with any mount!.

[g__day]

Well that G-11 tuning page was a real eye openner. Yes the G-11 is a mass produced mount, but at $5,500 for a goto version - you'd think all those kinks would be well and truely worked out of the design, especially the stepper motors, elevation nuts and glue that they say passes for lubrication!

Are most of these problems in that tuning page fixed G-11 owners?

[Bassnut]

G11 now has servos, not steppers. Elevation nuts?, the two screws are more than adequite (I think it was only one years ago). Glue?, is smooth as!.

[[1ponders]]

When did this happen? I have the G11 with the digital drive and have been trying to get away from the stepper motors without going to the expense of Gemini with servos?

[JohnG]

It hasn't. The Gemini is the only option that has Servo Motors and also has the option of Maxxon Motors with highter torque.

The standard mount still has the Steppers.

Elevation nuts, glue ??????? the current models had the glue for grease problem fixed years ago. Current grease is Silicon based Slick 50, good for all temps.

That tuning page is so far out of date as to be totally irelevant, the motors are different now, 2 bolt altitude adjustment has been current for at least 6-8 years, the worm is a High Precision one and has been standard for at least 3-4 years now, grease is Slick 50, PE is significantly reduced, totally out of date.

Cheers

JohnG

[Bassnut]

Sorry, yes, servos come with Gemini.

[Louwai]

I may be asking a dumb question here, but why do we pay so much for everything in good old Oz?? I've been looking at a C14-CGE. To buy retail in Oz is between $12,500 & $14,000 depending on where you buy.
I can buy the exact same unit in Canada for AU$7,150 retail, (including free shipping anywhere in Canada), get it shipped over here, through customs, pay the correct amount of duty & GST & have it delivered to my house in Melb for a total outlay of less than AU$9,500
Even adding 25% markup on top of the Canadian RETAIL doesn't get it up to the retail price here.
The dealers in US & Canada would have a similar shipping cost from Celestron as the dealers here. My costing above INCLUDES AU$1000 for shipping from Canada to Oz, which is over & above the original shipping cost that the Oz dealers would have. So you could effectively say that's an additional $1000 margin on top of the margin they already have noted above. I fully understand that businesses need to make profit. But selling an item for almost double what the same items sells for overseas is a rip-off.

If I'm wrong or missing something, please let me know.

Very annoying. Bryan

[leon]

I have the latest model G11 and the Maxxon Motors, and as John G has mentioned it is a refined work of art, and worth every cent i paid for it, and it was many cents, (very happy chappy.) ;)

Leon :thumbsup:

[Exfso]

Must admit, when I bought my G11 with Gemini 3 yrs ago and the Aussie dollar was about 72c compared to todays 84c and I paid the same. I think someone is ripping off the public here. Just my 2c+gst worth though..

[Stephen65]

I must admit I find the Celestron pricing in Australia in particular very difficult to understand when you compare it with US or Canadian prices.

I understand the impact of exchange rates, GST, customs and shipping costs but when something sells here for 25%-50% more than it sells for in the US even when you take all those factors into account then its more than odd, particularly when there are other brands that manage to sell here for only a bit more than US prices.

I don't know that I would automatically blame the retailers though, as I understand it there is a single Celestron distributor in Australia who sets the retail prices and who has a captive market as Celestron retailers in the US or Canada are not supposed to sell internationally.

Its got to the stage where if I think a product is overpriced compared with overseas prices I either buy directly from overseas if possible or look for an alternative brand.

[Geoff45]

The only problem with buying OS is if something goes wrong. It would be a real problem trying to correct a lemon mount or scope from a distance. I generally buy OS for things that don't often go wrong--saddle plates, mounting rings and so on. Sometimes you find that you may get an item quicker from OS rather than waiting on an Oz dealer for his new stock to arrive.
Geoff
BTW my GM8 is pretty solid for the gear I have and tracks well---well worth the money. And speaking of money, I paid $4200 about a year ago when the Aussie dollar was lower than it is now. I see its current price is $4179.