Review: HEQ5-Pro

[iceman (Mike)]

Allan Gould has written a review on the HEQ5-Pro mount.

You can read the review on the IceInSpace Reviews page, or directly by clicking on the link below:

HEQ5-Pro

Thanks to Allan for writing the review!

If anyone else would like to contribute a how-to, article, review or other content for the site, please contact me.

[iceman (Mike)]

Article uploaded.

[casstony]

Thanks for posting the review Allan. Sounds like there needs to be a little more refinement of the mount, but then the same can be said of many mounts. I've been looking at the HEQ5 and Sphinx mounts and still haven't made a decision - the HEQ5 can carry a bigger load but the Sphinx is better engineered. Too many products to choose from.

-Tony

[allan gould]

I guess it depends what you want in a mount. I am quite happy with the engineering etc of the mount and remember I usually use a Losmandy G11. The only area it falls down in is the siftware for the hand controller, principally it doesnt have
1) synch function
2) spiral search
etc (Like autostar), but that may change when the new "rumoured" handset becomes available.
Regards, Allan Gould

[astroboy]

Great review Allan thanks
Looking forward to hearing what the PE is after training as I'm after a mount that can expose for about 3 min's with a 600 mm scope with out any trailing , this mount may fit the bill.
Got to make it easy for the punters .

Thanks again
Zane

[allan gould]

The mount can easily do this once polar aligned and pec enabled

[Carl]

Hi Allan
I have a collegue who is having a lot of success doing prime focus deep sky imaging with a cg5 mount and shooting traditional film. Do you think the heavy duty EQ5 mount ok for deep sky work at prime focus using a Canon 350?

Regards
Carl

[allan gould]

Yes without doubt. I have been using a 350D at prime focus of my 8" SCT. There are some examples on this website if you care to search in the deep space forum.
Allan

[that_guy (Tony)]

hmm have andrews com fixed the problem with the northern hemisphere polar scope?

[duncan]

Hi All,
Very well written article Allan. I really have not had the opportunity to use mine much as the WET SEASON seems to be dragging on forever up here. Thunder rumbling away as i type this. I must say though that on the couple of occasions i have used it , it performed very well.
Many thanks for an excellent read.
Cheers,
Duncan

[that_guy (Tony)]

do yo umind me asking where you got the heq5 from?

[duncan]

Hi Tony,
I got mine from OZScopes, it arrived very promptly to Weipa, well packaged and no damage. Oh and very competitive price.
Cheers,
Duncan

[that_guy (Tony)]

thanks duncan and there was no problem with the polar scopes being designed for nothern hemisphere?

[duncan]

Hi Tony,
The polar scope in mine has both Polaris and the 4 star asterism of Octans. So the polar scope reticule can be used for both northern and southern hemispheres.
Having said all of this the led illumination is to bright so i haven't bothered to try again. Just to cloudy all the time up here at the moment.
Hope this helps you.
Cheers,
Duncan

[that_guy (Tony)]

cheers duncan. that did help alot. im just wondering if andrews com has it cos ozscopes is out of stock

[duncan]

Hey mate i've included a photo of part of the manual.

[that_guy (Tony)]

ahh that clears think up a bit. thanks!

[gordolake (Steve)]

Hi Alan thank you for the review.
Would you recommend this mount for a WO flt-132 and basic dslr AP setup?
Is the goto necessary?
can it be computer controlled (presume goto required)

TIA
Steve

[digby dart]

Excellent review, clear informative thread - thanks everyone. Makes decision making about the heq5pro a snap. Clear sky’s.