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Hi Paul,
I haven't used either, but in the past the AZ3 was sort of the default mount that used to be recommended, to protect noobs from anything less. Nowadays I believe there are better options for beginners, and like a lot of things in this hobby, the differences between them now are minor when compared to the terrible things people had to use just a few years ago.
I have a Panoramic mount which I bought second hand. It is very nice, but too expensive new. (It is set up for encoders so you can use an Argo Navis or similar. Personally, I think that is unnecessary for an 80 mm scope, but many would disagree with me.)
I also have a bogan tripod and a very good alt-az mount on it called a Hercules. This set up is lighter and very "grab and go", but this means that it is better for lower magnification. This also puts the scope off to one side, which is fine when I'm on my own, but I get nervous when there are other people about who might knock it over. Then I prefer the Panoramic, where the centre of gravity is positioned closer to the, er, centre.
Good luck with the hunt.
Cheers,
Brian.
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