More info on the EQ7.

[mill (Martin)]

People, speculation and nice mathworks don't work if you don't know much else yet
I have been reading somewhere else that the EQ7 would have servo motors and not stepper motors, so it looks like we just have to wait for a bit more info on this.

[robz (Robert)]

Originally Posted by mick pinner

it will be way more expensive than a G11.

Agree.
We went over this a while back on another thread..................over $8,000 U.S.(equivalent to Ioptron IEQ7 version).

[Kal (Andrew)]

I think it will be cheaper than US$8000.

Synta, the parent company, owns skywatcher and celestron, and the closest mount to this is the celestron cge pro which has a 90lb capacity and sells closer to the US$5000 mark. It wouldn't make sense for them to bring this mount in at a higher price point than that.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by Kal

I think it will be cheaper than US$8000.

Synta, the parent company, owns skywatcher and celestron, and the closest mount to this is the celestron cge pro which has a 90lb capacity and sells closer to the US$5000 mark. It wouldn't make sense for them to bring this mount in at a higher price point than that.

well its the AUS dollar price that is of real interest as the CGEpro is upwards of 9K , which given the exchange rate, freight and taxes import duty, middlemen ,and then shop profit puts it into a no buy range for many. they have seen the uptake of the eq6 - wonder if they will price to suit the "emerging" market

[Kal (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

well its the AUS dollar price that is of real interest as the CGEpro is upwards of 9K , which given the exchange rate, freight and taxes import duty, middlemen ,and then shop profit puts it into a no buy range for many. they have seen the uptake of the eq6 - wonder if they will price to suit the "emerging" market

I'm hoping (I'm sure we all are!) that it will be cheaper than the celestron equivalent, on par with the current skywatcher pricing in Australia:

Australia
celestron CGEM - AU$2500
skywatcher EQ6 - AU$1550

USA
celestron CGEM - US$1400
atlas EQG (EQ6 rebranded) - US$1250

[Kal (Andrew)]

Given the above data I would expect the $US price to be around US$4500 (just a tad below the CGE pro) which given the skywatcher pricing difference between US and AUS equates to around an AU$5500-$6000 price.

[mill (Martin)]

$5500 - $6000 would be good, lower even better
Waiting waiting waiting

[RobF (Rob)]

I can't wait to hear a report from someone here when they get their mitts on one. Are the prices being bandied around here inclusive of tripod do you think?

[mill (Martin)]

Hehe i would be happy to beta test one
Skywatcher normally have the tripod with the mounthead (unlike some).

[TrevorW]

Talk to Lee he should have some idea considering he's already advertising it

http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-co...skywatcher.htm

[TrevorW]

Well I asked the question and Lee come back stating he has not further details about the EQ7 (Synta being tight lipped) expect late next year, bit preemptive advertising it I think ??

[robz (Robert)]

Late next year?

If that's the case, we may :

1. never see it here in Australia?

2. be UNpleasantly surprised at the price?

3. have a mount that looks completely different and have different specifications to what we've heard so far?

4.have to import it from the U.S.............what will the AUS dollar be worth then?

5 have to pay a premium to purchase it here in Australia if the dollar does drop to ''80 something cents''?..........again

[Octane (Humayun)]

I wonder what comes out first, the Synta EQ7 or the Paramount MX? : D

I'm putting a little aside for the MX...

H

[Kal (Andrew)]

"expect late next year" in astronomy terms often means in about two years time...

[RobF (Rob)]

Groan. Its vaporEQ then.....

[robz (Robert)]

''Synta being tight lipped'' smells of ''we don't have nothin' '' to me
A prototype..........yes............. commercially available unit?.........NADA

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

By the end of next year!!! We could've built our own in the shed at home by then!

Yeah, smells of Vapourware to me.

[brightstar]

I have just received an email from Tasco stating that Skywatcher has terminated production of the proposed EQ7 Mount. No reason is given but they also state that an EQ8 Mount is in design and further details will be released as soon as possible.

Ron - Sirius Optics

[mill (Martin)]

Well Bintel is also advertising the EQ7 in AS&T as "The amazing eq7 coming soon".
This is from the AS&T January 2011 i got today.

[Steffen]

This reminds me of the "digital film" that was always coming "real soon now" until it was made irrelevant by the advent of affordable digital SLRs…

Cheers
Steffen.