AZ4 vs TeleVue Gibraltar

[A McEwan]

Just thought I'd throw that question out and see if anything happens...

For example... with a long focal length 90mm or 100mm refractor.

Ant

[Moonshane]

not used one but my mate swears by the gibraltar.

BTW

check this out - Mounts

he had one and said it was just as good.

[A McEwan]

Interesting link! Interesting site too!

Ant

[John]

I've owned both and prefer the AZ-4. The friction adjustment on the altitude axis makes it much easier to balance the scope as you switch eyepieces that vary greatly in weight. The Gibraltar was very nicely made but maintaining balance was not easy.

I have to be honest and say that the Gibraltar mount was the only Tele Vue product that I've owned that I simply could not get on with

The scope I was using was my Vixen ED102 F/6.5. I tried an Evostar 120 on the Gibraltar and it was hopeless wheras the AZ-4 could cope with it reasonably well for a short session.

[andrew63]

I had a AZ4 to use on a 4" F9 ref. not especially long but i always felt that the tripods on these or the GEM are just not tall enough to give enough height - unless you are happy to sit on your bum! I have a F7 now and works much better.

andrew

[E621Keith]

If your budget can stretch to a Gibraltar, is there any reason why you are not considering the SW Skytee 2

First Light Optics - Skywatcher SkyTee-2 Alt-azimuth mount

[ollypenrice]

I have a Gibraltar and can't say I think it all that marvellous. It is nice and simple and gets left outside, used a lot and has nothing whatever to go wrong. However, the screw on tray makes it slow to fold, there are no slo-mo controls, balance is not easy and it maxes out with a 4 inch at about 200x. It's quite a nice thing to use at low powers on DS but it doesn't do much else. Like John I'd call it the least impressive TV product I've had.

But then again, it does get used a lot so am I being harsh?

Olly

[twotter]

I suppose the acid test would be if you needed to buy another alt az mount, would you buy another Gibraltar?

[A McEwan]

If your budget can stretch to a Gibraltar, is there any reason why you are not considering the SW Skytee 2?

Because I don't intend to buy new - am resolved to buy as much used in future as possible Used Gibraltars seem to be quite affordable - but the AZ4 even more so. And the AZ4 is getting a lot of love on here, whereas the Gib is getting a lot of "meh" comments.

Verrry interestink... and a tad unexpected.

Ant

[ollypenrice]

Heh heh, 'Meh' comments... Yes, I can guess what you mean. I feel kind of guilty about bad mouthing a mount I've been using almost daily for years. Maybe it's a victim of its own success. Mine was second hand and, in view of the deal, really does owe me nothing at all.

I tried a Vixen Alt Az once as well. Can't remember the name but it was a rum thing which did have slow mo but worked on a rather inconclusive sort of friction as well. I didn't keep it and can hardly remember it TBH.

Olly