EQ1 Mount and Tripod, is it worth £34?

[wrinkly]

Looking for a SkyWatcher ST80 and noticed that they are available on an EQ1 Mount and Tripod for a knockdown extra thirty-four quid.

Since a SynScan mount and tripod is already owned, in your far more informed opinions, is it worth paying the extra for the mount and 'pod or is the loot better spent on other things?

This will be financed from a Serps enhanced Old Age Pension unless Camelot pay out.

Thanking you in anticipation of the usual, witty and informative replies.

[Adamski]

I haven't seen an eq1 but i suspect it would be pretty naff. Personally i'd keep the money for a new ep or something. If you already have a synscan is there a need for a second mount?

[Parus major]

Sometimes you can fall lucky for an EQ3-2 for £70-ish I'd leave it.

[CuriousAmateur]

Wrinkly,

I've just received the setup you're looking at (ST-80 + EQ-1).

Whilst I can't comment on how good other mounts are (this is my first 'scope), I can tell you that if you can use your Syn-Scan mount with the ST-80 (i.e. you don't have another 'scope to attach to it) then I'd recommend buying the scope without the mount.

For a first 'scope and a first EQ mount it's great for learning (yes I'm finding it frustrating, but getting there) but from the reviews I read prior to purchase, it's probably not the ideal mount of choice.

If, however, you still have another 'scope on the old mount, were hoping to keep using that and have the ST-80 set up separately (say the wife/grandkids want to join you) then it's a good, cheap, mount (emphasis on cheap... it is... in every way!).

I've only had the setup for 10 days and only had it out on 3 occasions, so I'm not necessarily the ideal guy to give advice. I absolutely love my little setup, and suspect I'll keep the 'scope when I eventually succum to aperature envy (maybe as a guidescope for a big newt:cool:), but come that day the EQ-1 will sit lonely and abandonned in a cupboard. Until the wife wants to look at something else, that is.

As to being worth £34, I'd say it probably is. The mount itself is really quite lovely from a basic engineering point of view. Easy to setup and use. The extended cables occasionally get in the way of each other (ok... I may not have set it up perfectly that first night), but it's pretty good. The tripod, however, is massively cheap and light. I read a review of the setup on here which seemed to fear the operator suffering from white-finger owing to the vibrations. That pretty much says it all.

Hope you have fun, and I really can't recommend the scope itself highly enough.

[Ant]

I've just bought an EQ1, I would say that it is well worth it for £34.

I plan to use mine as a driven camera platform - for that you only need to add the basics drives and away you go.

Ant

[Psychobilly]

I've just bought an EQ1, I would say that it is well worth it for £34.

I plan to use mine as a driven camera platform - for that you only need to add the basics drives and away you go.

Ant

Ideal for that...especially with wideangle lenses...

There is choice of drives for it a more acurate Quartz controlled drive Or the basic adjustable one....

[blackparticle]

While the budget £30 drives for the EQ1 or 2 work.. They are quite frustrating as the potentiometer that controls the speed doesn't have a notch for x1 tracking speed.

I was finding that I had to spend about 15 - 20 mins with a 4mm eyepiece making micro adjustments to get the speed 'right'. They are ok for tracking objects while viewing but a bit too unreliable with their speed control for imaging with a scope. Short focal length camera lenses (18mm - 50mm) worked ok but still in the sub-1-minute exposure range.

The quartz controlled motor with handset at about £65 looks a far better option.

[AlphaRob]

I think if you just buy the ST80 OTA, it has an adapter so you can mount it on a normal camera tripod, which is fine if you dont mind not being able to track. I was looking at getting one as a travel scope, and just using my camera 'pod so I didn't need to take a separate mount on holiday

[wrinkly]

Thank you for your input so far but just to add another piece to the puzzle, our good friends FLO offer the OTA with a 45 degree Erect Image Diagonal as opposed to the 90 degree already possessed. Also noticed that the 45 degree is specified on the Startravel 102 in OTA and Mounted forms.

Good folks, which is preferable, two 'scopes, 45 and 90 degree diagonals with one GoTo mount or both separately mounted?

[brantuk]

If it's for dual use daytime and night time use then the 45 degree will come in useful. Night time only though you'll be mostly pointing upward to the sky so 90 degrees will be more appropriate. (or you could just get both lol)