Losmansy G11 - size shock

sejanus (Gavin) · #1 10-06-2010, 11:55 AM

Hey Guys

Dropped into Bintel to look at the G11 up close as I continue my ridiculous campaign of changing my mind every few days, but I have narrowed down the gear to a few final choices :p

The size of the G11 blew me away

- Is this something you'd get used to over time? i.e. I imagine moving it around would be a pain in the butt but is it not too bad once you are used to it?

Putting it on wheels might be an idea? (i.e. scopebuggy)

My old eq6 I could have going in a few mins, it's heavy but not outrageous heavy.

cheers

Gav

Octane (Humayun) · #2 10-06-2010, 12:05 PM

You get used to it.

I got a roadie case from Jaycar, after having seen Chris' (Omaroo). The head fits in snugly with enough room for the counterweight bar, cables, Gemini, and motors.

I need to get a sports bag or something similar for the legs, though.

H

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 10-06-2010, 02:29 PM

Its a damn fine piece of machinery that for sure Gavin, but yes you do get used to having to move it around.

multiweb (Marc) · #4 10-06-2010, 03:05 PM

It's a love/hate relationship. Love him when it tracks without a glitch... and teach him some new French vocabulary when I need to haul it around. But it's a great piece of engineering. No doubt. Highly recommend.

sejanus (Gavin) · #5 10-06-2010, 05:37 PM

thanks guys.

allan gould · #6 10-06-2010, 06:10 PM

All of the above. Love mine and will never sell (I think) as it does track and find objects brilliantly. I think the head is in the same weight ball park as the eq6.

sejanus (Gavin) · #7 10-06-2010, 06:24 PM

I know it can hold more than the eq6 - but that aside do the newer eq6's and the new cgem mounts compare in any way in accuracy & so on to the g8/g11? Or does the g11 still destroy them?

I don't mind spending the $5,000 odd on the g11 if it really does whip the butt of the eq6/cgem and I don't have any urge do the whole sell/upgrade thing down the track.

I know the gemini interface is prob not as slick/user friendly as the celestron but that doesn't bother me.

multiweb (Marc) · #8 10-06-2010, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejanus

I don't mind spending the $5,000 odd on the g11 if it really does whip the butt of the eq6/cgem and I don't have any urge do the whole sell/upgrade thing down the track.

You can't go wrong with a G11 IMO. It's well designed and built like a tank. Have a look around on the web at pictures you really like and compare the ones taken on a G11, CGEM and EQ6. That's what I did.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #9 10-06-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejanus

.. Or does the g11 still destroy them?
.

Yes...mine is around 7 arc sec's PP PE straight from box, (No PEC) (post #3637063). It was a little better with my ED80, around 5 arc sec's PP. This is typical of G11s these days. With a little fiddling I could probably get this better but ATM it's not an issue at all.

Factor in if you use the Ovision or New Losmandy one piece worm block...you are looking at between 3~5 arc sec's PP (PE) as a typical max value. These is outstanding values for the any mount in this class.

Anyway have a look here for typical values recorded by many users & their mounts.

edit:
I just noticed on the bottom of the page for the last link above, has a link back to the IIS pages about a post from g__day (Mathew), back in 2006.

sejanus (Gavin) · #10 10-06-2010, 06:54 PM

cool, thanks for the info. reading all now

cheers

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #11 10-06-2010, 06:56 PM

Sorry forgot to also say...the cloudy nights forum can get a little... one eyed defensive especially wrt anything made in USA such as Losmandy!

No offence to our American members

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #12 10-06-2010, 07:16 PM

Oh and one last snippet.

From Losmandy...I can buy every last nut, bolt/screw, dovetail, bearing or cct board & accessories from Losmandy, if I have the inclination to, for reasonable prices.

This is very important to me (in far far away land) as I don't have to send the mount back for fixing..aka Celestron!

sejanus (Gavin) · #13 10-06-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

This is very important to me (in far far away land) as I don't have to send the mount back for fixing..aka Celestron!

or takahashi I presume

el_draco (Rom) · #14 10-06-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejanus

Hey Guys

Dropped into Bintel to look at the G11 up close as I continue my ridiculous campaign of changing my mind every few days, but I have narrowed down the gear to a few final choices :p

The size of the G11 blew me away

- Is this something you'd get used to over time? i.e. I imagine moving it around would be a pain in the butt but is it not too bad once you are used to it?

Putting it on wheels might be an idea? (i.e. scopebuggy)

My old eq6 I could have going in a few mins, it's heavy but not outrageous heavy.

cheers

Gav

Hi Gav,
You are tracking my experience exactly. I had an EQ6 and moved on to the G11. I got the folding field tripod and added keyless bolts pretty soon after. The size is impressive but once the head is off, the components are easy enough to manouvre.

G11 is a beautiful mount, but I hate the hand paddle. Use a Laptop if you can.
Apart from that, you will love the thing to death, as long as you are prepared to tinker a bit now and then.

The beauty of the mount, its versatility/upgradeability is also its one drawback, it needs TLC now and then. Things get out of whack, especially if you move it around.

I have had mine for a year, and have not regretted the purchase for a second.
NOTE: There are a couple on the second hand maket at the moment at kick arse prices! Grab one...

sejanus (Gavin) · #15 10-06-2010, 07:48 PM

btw i spoke to claude earlier and I mentioned to him I was going to get a G11 - he pointed me to the tak em-200 mount saying it is a lot better for astrophotography. A bit of googling seems to confirm this but the $$$ are just too wild to contemplate.

sejanus (Gavin) · #16 10-06-2010, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_draco

NOTE: There are a couple on the second hand maket at the moment at kick arse prices! Grab one...

got any links?

leon · #17 10-06-2010, 08:27 PM

Yep Gavin they are certainly worth to get loved

, beautiful I say,

mine is now in Perth.

Leon

DavidTrap (David) · #18 10-06-2010, 08:28 PM

While I don't have a G-11, my mount is in a similar weight category. I'm not sure that putting one on a scopebuggy would do it justice?? Firm contact with terra-firma would be preferable I think.

DT

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #19 10-06-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sejanus

...he pointed me to the tak em-200 mount saying it is a lot better for astrophotography. ...

Well what can you say...there is not a bad word about the Taks spoken...except possibly the price.

If I had the mulla...I'd have one but ATM the G11 for me is more than good enough for the likes of me.

Although I am eyeing either the Ovision or Losmandy one piece worm block upgrades...one day...maybe.

allan gould · #20 10-06-2010, 09:29 PM

If you don't like the Gemini hand paddle and like eqmod then have a looke at the new ascom losmandy driver for the laptop. All the goodies of the eqmod including pulseguiding. This made me really happy.