EQ5 Pro Goto or HEQ5 no Goto

[Cableguy]

What do you think would be the best choice between an EQ5 Pro Goto mount or, for £5 more, an HEQ5 (without the Goto)?

Cableguy

[Black Knight]

For visual? What scope(s) are you planning on mounting on it?

Sent from my mobile using Tapatalk, so please excuse the speeling and granma!

[JamesM]

I believe the 'H' is for heavy, meaning that it has a greater load capacity. There maybe even be a slight difference in the quality of the motors themselves between the 'add on kit' that attaches to the EQ5 and those that are already contained within the HEQ5. I don't own either mount so perhaps somebody who does might confirm if what I've read is true.

James

[Cableguy]

Would be for a SW150 PDS. Visual initially but with some photography with a DSLR later.

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[Steve 1962]

Would be for a SW150 PDS. Visual initially but with some photography with a DSLR later.

In that case - I'd go for the HEQ5 Pro. If you go for the non goto Syntrek you'll save a few quid, then if you want goto capability later you can control the mount using EQMOD and CdC or Stellarium

[Stephen]

Depends on what your criteria are really

GOTO is a nice extra, however the HEQ5 is the "better" mount for load and tracking.

[Cableguy]

Depends on what your criteria are really

GOTO is a nice extra, however the HEQ5 is the "better" mount for load and tracking.

I have a feeling the Goto might actually stop me learning to navigate my way round - so while it might be painful at first I am willing to live without it.

Cableguy

[malc-c]

Not sure where you got your pricing from but there is more than a fivers difference in the prices between the two mounts stated. It's also confusing as recently the Syntrek version of the HEQ5 had been withdrawn from sale so you only had the two options of the basic mount with standard motors, or the full goto with the upgraded motors and hand controller. Yet all three versions of the HEQ5 are shown on FLO's website.

The EQ5 Pro goto on FLO's site is £515, the basic HEQ5 is £550, some £35 extra. For visual with a 150P both will do the job well, with the HEQ5 providing naturally better stability as it can handle around twice the payload. The advantage of the HEQ5 Syntrek is that it contains the same uprated control board and precision motors as the Goto but for £125 less, which, if you use a laptop with EQMod and CdC to navigate isn't a problem, and if you do venture into imaging chances are you will be running everything from a PC / Laptop anyway, so wouldn't need the handset anyway

[malc-c]

I have a feeling the Goto might actually stop me learning to navigate my way round - so while it might be painful at first I am willing to live without it.

Cableguy

Have to disagree. For me anyway, having the ability of the scope pointing out where objects are helps me learn my way around the sky.

[obscura]

HEQ5 Pro (GoTo). If using CduC/Eqmod the GoTo isn't strictly necessary - I haven't used GoTo almost from the day I started - just laptop and software.

HEQ5 can carry up to 18kgs

Eq5 I believe is 9kgs

I prefer to load my HEQ5 Pro GoTo to a max of 1/2 to 2/3 of load capacity (9-12kgs).

[jflowers]

Have to disagree. For me anyway, having the ability of the scope pointing out where objects are helps me learn my way around the sky.

^ This for me too

[Steve 1962]

By sheer coincidence...

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=188244

[Davie]

I might be wrong but the cheapest HEQ5 is closest in price to a EQ5 Pro and doesn't have the right kind of motors etc. for tracking and needs the full upgrade kit. The HEQ5 SynTrek is about £120 more expensive but has all the right gubbins apart from the handset.

Willing to be corrected as always

[Keiran]

If you could save the extra i would go for the HEQ 5 Syntrek, and then when you have a little spare money you can buy the GOTO controller second hand and plug it in or use EQ MOD and run it via your PC

[jgs001]

I'd agree with Kieran, if you can, get the HEQ5 Syntrek... it has a basic handset which is ok for getting around. I've linked mine up to a PC and use EQMOD with CdC and that gives me the goto and a number of other things for imaging.