Minitower Pro - opinions please

[osbourne one-nil]

Last night was the first time I've really turned my Tak on to the Moon and it was absolutely magnificent. I've never had views like that and even at x200, the view kept on revealing things I only think i'd seen before. It was also so clear and the atmosphere so still that Jupiter was magnificent too at x200 (ish...it was my Nagler 9mm with a x2.5 Televue Powermate). 

The one snag was my Portamount doesn't track - yes I can use the slow motion controls quite easily but at high powers it does introduce vibration. 

A Minitower v2.0 or a Minitower Pro do, on the face of it, look great. The fact that I could even mount a fast f8 Newtonian on one is very appealing. But reading about they do seem to suffer from glitches and quality control issues. Has anyone used one and got on well with it?

Another option is something like the Nexstar mount - they're less versatile but proven and a lot cheaper. 

I don't think I need to think about a GEM for purely visual?

[osbourne one-nil]

I'm guessing the lack of replies relates to the lack of ownership - which tells me what I feared I think. 

Quite tempted by the AZ EQ5 GT as it allows manual slewing about. I shall ponder. 

[ronin]

I just don't think there are many of them in use.

Possibly just an "odd" shape for a mount, and maybe people are too conservative.

Think they had problems at the start, I suspect they were a little optimistic on the load and they used plastic gears. However this seems to occur to just about every mount aimed at the amateur market. So to an extent nothing unusual there.

They then changed to metal gears. If I recall they even issued the metal gear kit as a free item for retro fitting. If they did then they did not necessarily leave people in the lurch. Can you see Synta issuing better Alt and Az bolts to users ?

There is a group on them somewhere try Yahoo. May be worth searching out.

Still suspect the load capacity is a bit optimistic, the iOptron SmartEQ has a specified load of 5Kg, I really would not like to put my 3.5Kg ED on it.

One person had a problem, however not sure where the problem lay - person or mount. :eek:

I suspect you will have to locate the User Group and have a read, or search elsewhere - CN perhaps, equally it is does not seem a common mount over in the US either. One aspect of the user group is that I think iOptron are part of it and do respond.

[D4N]

To be fair the Smart EQ Pro does work at its rated limit for imaging. It's stated capacity is 5kg excluding the counter weight which is 1kg.

I have used it with a SW130P (3.7kg) plus camera.

I also use it with my TSED70Q (2.5kg) plus imaging rig that brings it right up to its limit but I can still do ten minute guided subs without any problems.

TSED70Q, iOptron Smart EQ pro, ASI-120MM, Finepix S5 pro.

[osbourne one-nil]

Thanks both - well I ordered the AZ EQ5 GT today from Green Witch. I like the sound of being able to shift the scope about by hand if I want while the mount retains its alignment, and it's actually lighter than my current Berlebach/Porta combination, which I'm moving to another location so it's always available if I want to observe there. Plus it offers the opportunity of at least some sort of long-exposure photography if I wanted to dabble - my Tak only weights 2.5kg so should be fine!

Do I need to worry about these infamous bolts?!

[trazor]

Do I need to worry about these infamous bolts?!

When adjusting with these bolts always slacken off the bolt in the direction you wish to go.

Then push the mount up to the slackened off bolt with your hand.

Then follow up with the second bolt, to lock in position, do not over tighten.

The idea is, not to use the bolts as jacking screws, this is how they get bent.

[osbourne one-nil]

Thanks!