New Skywatcher EQ7 Mount

[avandonk]

Heard a rumour on CN

See here

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=7160525&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=58988439332&id=528759347

It is the mount nearest center with the refractor on it.

Bert

[beren]

:confuse3: Interesting indeed, the choices for gear nowadays just continue :D be keen to see/read first light reports, the first iEQ45 real world reports are starting.........

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31073495@N05/5019699391/in/photostream/

http://www.singastro.org/viewtopic.php?p=63145&sid=135bfa5beae5eca3a6760134572b0f1 c#63145

[mozzie]

looked like a 14" collapsible dob in the back ground too....

[DJ N]

Just noticed this on Stargazerslounge from the UK.............

........"A number of new Skywatcher products have been showcased in Photokina, including:

Skywatcher EQ7 (we assume) mount with 45kg payload, dual-encoders, permanent PEC and 0.9 degree step accuracy.
120ED and 150ED f/7 five-element (triplet at front plus doublet flattener) with new linear power focuser.
100ED f5 Petzval with carbon-fibre tube.
100mm guide scope.
300mm f/4 Newtonian.
8" and 10" f4 carbon fibre newtonians with new linear power focuser
14" and 16" Flextube and GOTO Dobsonians.

The new 100ED refractor will feature Japanese FPL51 and German Schott glass, the 120ED and 150ED will have Japanese FPL53 and German Schott. They will offer a "full frame corrected focal plane" with "excellent field flatness". ................"

Here is the link ==> http://stargazerslounge.com/sponsor-announcements-offers/114910-new-skywatcher-kit-incoming.html

[h0ughy]

gee that mount looks large - i wonder how much? Though it seems to be going a tad backwards with the cables being manually attached on the outside? a 150mm refractor mmmmmmmm an a cheap F4 300mm...... all the popular items..... and all when the dollar is up as well.....

[avandonk]

Ok h0ughy settle back back leave that new bone alone!

Bert

[RobF]

I'll have one 10" CF Newt and maybe the EQ45 too please.....:D
Great time to be an amateur astronomer.

[dugnsuz]

Jeez that EQ7(!?) is a big mutha!!

[adman]

There must be a good reason for the external cables...? Anyone care to hazard a guess?

[Benno85]

Keep costs down perhaps? :shrug:

[lacad01]

Shame they can't get away from the cumbersome DB-9 for the hand controller :shrug: But certainly looks like a solid beastie.

[sejanus]

I'd be all over that 150ED!

[Alchemy]

Certainly some interesting new products, now if they can only sell a 16 Meg camera for a grand or two........

[robz]

The EQ6 first came out at around $3,000 AUS.

I hate to think what price the EQ7 will be?

It looks a lot chunkier with the thicker counterweight shaft and latitude/base assembly (plus a bit more with the encoders) creating a larger appearance?
It will no doubt hold larger and heavier scopes, but at what cost to the amateur?:question:

I love the shot of the mount with a short 90mm refractor;)..........makes it look like overkill:)

[bmitchell82]

I guess at the end of the day if they can keep the PE down and use some decent quality worm gears and also address QA issues then it'll prolly be worth the money. but if its anything close to a G11 in pricing then its a no brainer... so the price point will have to be 25-3k ish or it wont kick off that is just my opinion as they have made sure that they are the "cheap" alternative to the more expensive and subsequently better products. lets see what the wood works churns out :d

[Tandum]

It carries twice the weight so twice the price I guess ?

Plan for the worst case and hope for the best case :D

[netwolf]

Well there is a huge price gap between the proposed pricing for IEQ75 and the smaller IEQ45 mounts. The smaller mount is about 1500USD and the bigger one is almost in the AP900 price range. I am not sure how the specs of the Eq7 compare with the IEQ75, the later has some high res encoders to imrpove performance. I wonder if the Eq7 will make use of such encoders also.

[bartman]

That counter weight shaft looks pretty thick! looks almost twice as thick as the eq6's.
Just wondering how the tripod will hold up with that extra weight?
And is it starting to look like a Paramount...you know with the bulky square/rectangular boxes and round drive bits (scuse the plain -:shrug: non tech lingo....http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/../vbiis/images/smilies/tongue05.gif) ...without the wires heheheh

Bartman

[robz]

Good point Bart...................to me it looks like they're trying to emulate an Astro Physics style/appearance.It will need a damn good tripod to support that weight - plus a large and heavy scope on top of that.

Either way, I have a feeling that it's price may be dissapointingly high?:rolleyes:

[RobF]

As Peter W has said before, the first 80% of the engineering is relatively straightforward - the big test will be if they can reliably produce mounts that perform to a very high level - something that is typically expensive to do (to get that final 20% performance).

Certainly looking a tad Paramountish in those pics....

[miki63au]

It would be perfect for my 12.5" DK Cass. A l'bit too much for the G11.

So, any info when will be available?

Cheers,
Mick.

[DavidTrap]

I thought so too, but am probably biased! ;)

DT

[avandonk]

Depends on the price but throw away the gearboxes and use harmonic drives driven by servos.

Bert

[Zaps]

Or keep the high resolution encoders, throw away all gearing, and go direct drive.

[TheAstroGuy]

Hi There,

I can confirm the EQ7 is definitely coming, New worm gears, improved PE , and designed specifically to improve on all aspects of the already great NEQ6pro.

The designers have been working on it for quite some time considering all attributes based around our photography.

Will keep you posted when i know more, i don't think Sky watcher will overprice these, they usually do pretty well pricing their other gear.
Personally I gotta say they look pretty darn good.

Kind Regards

Shane

[gregbradley]

An impressive lineup of gear that is being released.
These guys are really doing a good job of making new gear.

Greg.

[robz]

Hi Shane!..................guess who????:hi:
Now guys..........cop this..............:

http://www.ioptron.com/index.cfm?select=productdetails&phid=554c70db-026e-4d24-be4e-2be32b3ffaac :eyepop:price is a joke!................me no want fugly big mount :rolleyes:!

iEQ75-GT = EQ7
iEQ45 = new EQ6.