Losmansy G11 - size shock

[leon]

Allan what is there not to like on the hand paddle it is magic, and only 4 buttons control the lot. once you get used to it it, sweet

Leon

[sejanus (Gavin)]

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

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.

I am sure the tak whips butt, but looking at photos on the web of astro photos taken with the g11 - there are some incredible shots out there. If I can get anywhere near those guys I'll be very happy - So if they can do that with a g11 thats good enough for me.

If the tak was closer in price it'd be interesting even if it did carry a bit less weight, but at just under 8k - without a hand controller - that extra $2700 or so over the g11 is a hard ask. That money could buy quite a few toys.

[sejanus (Gavin)]

Originally Posted by leon

Yep Gavin they are certainly worth to get loved , beautiful I say, mine is now in Perth.

Leon

I saw your ad, a few months too late I think. God damn I'd have bought that all in a blink of an eye if I was browsing this site actively back then

Originally Posted by DavidTrap

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

From memory the scope buggy has something where when it's in the spot you want it you can push down something to make it make firm contact with the ground - memory a bit foggy here! Also there are others like scope roller and jmi. Just a thought, I haven't used any myself.

[leon]

G11 mate.

Leon

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

Originally Posted by sejanus

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.

Of course Claude is going to say the EM-200 is better, and it is, but it is also more expensive than the G-11. The fact that users of the G-11 are turning out good results in the Astrophotography area is testimony to how capable the G-11 is. In the end it comes down to how much you can afford or be willing to expend on a mount. For the record I am a Takahashi fan..virtually everything bit of equipment I own is Takahashi except my APOMAX 130 Refractor...so I should promote the EM-200..but I have owned a G-11 Gemini in the past and it was an excellent mount.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Hans and Gavin,

I think it's a natural progression for most G-11 owners/astrophotographers, to progress up to the EM-200 or EM-400 if funds permit.

I'd like to take the EM-200 route one day, or even straight to a Paramount ME. For now, the G-11 is more than capable of supporting what I'll be taking ownership of and the STL.

H

[Hans Tucker (Hans)]

I just purchased a second hand EM-200 USD II Mount....now that was a size shock ...it's nearly just as big as my NJP....maybe I should have looked for an EM-10/EM-11

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Oh and btw if you think the G11 is large, wait til you see a Titan.

[sejanus (Gavin)]

Originally Posted by Octane

Hans and Gavin,

I think it's a natural progression for most G-11 owners/astrophotographers, to progress up to the EM-200 or EM-400 if funds permit.

I'd like to take the EM-200 route one day, or even straight to a Paramount ME. For now, the G-11 is more than capable of supporting what I'll be taking ownership of and the STL.

H

99.9% sure I'll get a G11 - even spending 5k on a mount makes me recoil in horror a bit, let alone near 8k on a Tak one.

[casstony]

Having owned a variety of 'built to budget' and 'well made' gear, it's a pleasure to use and own the well made gear like Losmandy - machined, high quality metal with a good fit is so much nicer than cheap castings with poorly fitted bearings ands worms.

I still have a cheap but ok EQ5 and a cheap and nasty EQ3C which serve their purpose, but the DM-6 on a G11 tripod is a breath of fresh air in comparison. You never regret owning quality, provided you can afford it.

[White Rabbit]

I'm heading down the G11 path as well, but when I went to pull the pin Bintels told me that the Gemini systems will not be available until after August. Insult to injury you cant buy and pay for the whole thing, take the mount now and wait for the gemini. If you by the mount now you have pay separately for gemini at full retail price not the package price.

What kind of BS is that??? Making me think twice, but I know I'll end up getting one come August.

[wasyoungonce (Brendan)]

To be fair here, Losmandy batch makes mounts & Gemini units and ships them as a whole unit or separate with differing price structures.

If they (Bintel) sell you a mount now this is a stand alone mount (with digital drive) Bintel/you will have to order and pay full "add-on" price for the Gemini which is considerably more than the price you get it for with the mount/Gemini as one.

Best to wait & get the combo..for a cheaper price...if the $Aust holds up that is.

[sejanus (Gavin)]

I'd be surprised if the g11 prices don't go up by the time they arrive

I've had no luck with the 2 x 2nd hand g11's I chased. The nsw guy just doesn't reply full stop. The other guy from south aust sent me some blurry pics and now won't answer email/sms ands his phone goes to voicemail. massive fail all round.

To be honest I'm getting tempted to just get a eq6 with eqmod or a CGEM and worry about the g11 a bit later. Problem is I keep changing my mind every day.

If that g11 at bintel wasn't already sold I'd have been all over it.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Try Matthew Lovell at Telescope-astronomy.com maybe or Peter Ward at Atscope.

[sejanus (Gavin)]

I just left a message for matthew. I think Peter is in the same boat stock wise as bintel.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

The other option is to get it direct from somewhere like Optcorp in the states. The postage is a killer but it should be still cheaper. Unfortunately the downside is its a bugger to send back for repairs if needed

[sejanus (Gavin)]

yeah about $4387 aud including shipping, but not including customs rubbish

optcorp are saying "preorder". What Don @ bintel said was it's a worldwide shortage of gemini units - so the only places you can get them from are places that still have stock. Otherwise you order for an August delivery.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Why not consider the alternative, and that is buy the Digital Drive version, add Losmandy shaft encoders and an Argo Navis? Push-to is just as versatile in many respects, and you can share the Argo between several mounts. You still the have the ability to computer control it all if you need it.

With a Carinasoft SkyFi unit, the Argo can be optionally controlled via 802.11 from your Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod or iPad running Voyager. Fantastic.

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

I did the same as Chris. It was a great option and i could still autoguide to image. Now that I've got the Gemini I've put the encoders on my GM8.

[sejanus (Gavin)]

yeah though I really enjoyed the argo on my old lightbridge, I'd really prefer the full blown goto on this eq mount.