Which Alt-Az mount?

[FLO]

Hi all,

My quest for a Grab & Go short-tube refractor is well underway now that I have a Revelation 80 Semi APO to test.  But, the scope uses a standard camera tripod type fitting instead of the usual rings.  No problem, I thought, until I actually tried it on a tripod fitted with a conventional video/birding head.  It is far from ideal and when pointing the scope directly up it gets trapped between the tripod legs!

So, I Googled for a proper Alt-Az mount and came across this Astro-Engineering AZTech Manhattan, which sells for £129 on a wooden tripod.  (By coincidence, the pic shows it holding a Revelation 80).

Any thoughts or advice on this, or any other Alt-Az mount?

Thanks,

Steve

[OXO]

Looks a nice Mount Steve if a little pricey for my likeing maybe think of a cheaper Eq Mount like the eq1 or 2? http://www.sherwoods-photo.com/sky_watcher/skywatcher_fs.html there both light and easy to setup..

James

[The Warthog]

The Skywatcher AZ3 mount should be more than adequate for that scope. Skywatcher sells heavier fracs on it. The wood tripod is less jiggly, and, I believe, less expensive. This is a Canadian site, but you should be able to find the product in England. A Canadian dollar is about 50P just now.

[FLO]

The Skywatcher AZ3 mount should be more than adequate for that scope.

Hhmmm, I have one of those to hand ... bout time I put it thru 'Quality Control' 8)

Steve

[PrivateWiddle]

The AZ3 is too bulky for grab/go. It also runs out of travel after 30 degrees.

Consider the Microstar from Universal Astronomics

http://www.universalastronomics.com/MicroStarOverview.html

or their Unistar light

http://www.bigbinoculars.com/unistarl.htm

The Microstar will allow you to mount a small refractor or Mak on a photo tripod for true backpacking astronomy.

The Unistar Light is similar but has an extended clearance for longer tubes. They can actually carry 8 inch SCTs (given the right tripod) but are small enough to throw in a bag.

I use my Microstar when I can't be bothered setting up the equatorial, and away from home. It can easily cope

with myOMC140 but not on the photo tripod. You may find the Unistar light more convenient on a shorter photo tripod or if you need to use a longer refractor.

[FLO]

Consider the Microstar from Universal Astronomics

http://www.universalastronomics.com/MicroStarOverview.html

Thanks Widdle,

The Microstar looks interesting; does anyone know of a UK distributor/dealer?

Steve

[PrivateWiddle]

Universal Astronomics mounts have won several S&T 'Hot Product' Awards, including 2005. There is a comparison review here

http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=31

There are more reviews on that site as well.

The Microstar was used by NASA

http://universalastronomics.com/Genesis.html

so its not too shoddy!

I don't know of anyone in the UK, there is a German dealer Intercon Spacetec

http://www.intercon-spacetec.de/index.html

don't know if they speak English.

Universal Astronomics sell direct to the public, and do scope/mount packages, eg a Microstar/Stellarvue Nighthawk package. Sending a tripod overseas is prohibitive, but a scope and small mount might be doable. The mount on its own weighs very little.

The Microstar and Unistar Light can handle binos with the appropriate adapter which UA can provide. Mine uses the Vixen dovetail method with rings for my scopes apart from the OMC140 which has its own dovetail bar. There seem to be a lot of adapters. They were very friendly when I ordered my bino adapter.

They have several US dealers as well, I can thoroughly recommend them, my mount is small, light and backlash free(Teflon bearings). It works round 360 degrees and is very smooth, the OMC140 with gizmos and ep's can weigh 6kg. the mount takes this easily. My photo tripod uses the wider 3/8th screw, if you have a 1/4 inch then a simple adapter will do the job. The mounts take just as well to 'proper' astro tripods and surveyors tripods (which big bino users seem to like)

Their web site is clunky at the moment because they are moving over to full e-commerce job.

Hope this helps

ps

Anyone considering the Stellarvue Nighthawk should bear in mind that its built like a tank. nearly 3kg for an 80mm scope is a lot. Back yard-yes, backpacking-doubtful. There is a new Nighthawk II which is less heavy, but not as light as some other gigh quality refractors of similar aperture, very good optics and machining though.

[FLO]

Hope this helps

It does

Thanks for such a detailed response PW, its good to have you onboard.

Steve

[The Warthog]

Hhmmm, I have one of those to hand ... bout time I put it thru 'Quality Control' 8)

Steve

I have seen a review of the AZ3. The reviewer liked it, but felt it should have a counterweight, espeicially for viewing above 70 degrees. Not a rave review but a good one.

I think I'm sticking with EQ mounts. Except for Dobs.

[PrivateWiddle]

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I was poo-pooing your comments on the AZ3. Actually I think its a good mount, and good value. I thought that it might not be best suited to grab and go. Its certainly portable, and easy to use. It has slo-mo controls which the UA and telepods dont have. I found the 30 degree limit frustrating until I got used to it.

The unusual thing about it is the counterweight issue. It has a handle that screws into the side of the head, this weighs something like three kilos, so best not drop it on your foot in the dark! I used to screw it in with both hands after it fell on the floor with a concrete cracking smash. This made gentle adjustments in azimuth very easy.

If the mount is going in the back of a car, there is no problem with the AZ3, its simple, solid and good value. There is a Vixen alt-az mount available now, I don't know if its on the Vixen USA or Orion Optics site. Its an integrated tripod mount (i think) don't know about cost or operation (Vixen don't make rubbish) but it might be worth checking out.

[PrivateWiddle]

The new vixen alt-az mount/tripod combo is up on the orion site

http://www.orionoptics.co.uk/acatalog/porta.html

Looks nice, not cheap!

[FLO]

Looks nice, not cheap!

Hhmmm, thanks for all the pointers chaps; I had no idea there was such a choice! 

I shall try to like the AZ3; its more in keeping with my budget

Steve

[The Warthog]

I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I was poo-pooing your comments on the AZ3.

S'OK, I'm not that sensitive.

I thought about whether I should go with an alt-az or EQ mount next time I get a scope, and finally decided that I need a motor driven EQ mount, because that will allow me to watch things like shadow transits, or sketch things, or stand there with my hands in my pockets while I watch or sketch. I had decided that I should go with a Skywatcher long 102 on the Alt-az mount, but then reconsidered it.

I have quite a while to make up my mind because Mrs. Warthog isn't likely to let me buy another scope soon. In fact, I think it might not be until next winter, as she muttered something about "a cold day" last time I broached the subject.

[Wayne]

If you are still looking, please consider the Skywatcher ED80 OTA. If you're buying from Telescopehouse, it's only another £30, and there is no colour fringing at all that I can detect. The build can be a bit shoddy, but its the optics that are important, and for this price, the optics are unbeatable.

As for the mount, I've got one of the Manhattan's on back order. I've seen one, and for grab and go, point and shoot astronomy, it seems the best thing on the market for the price that I can find. It's a clone of Televue's Gibraltar mount, but is a fraction of the cost.

Good luck.

[orion f6.3]

hi steve had a chance to try the mount in your pic @ telescope house some plastic parts don't look long term! sherwoods sell this

SKYWATCHER MERCURY-705

70mm (2.75") f/500 REFRACTOR

£90

Magnifications (with eyepieces supplied): x20 & x50

Highest Practical Power (Potential): x140

Objective Lens Diameter: 70mm

Telescope Focal Length: 500mm (f/7.14)

Eyepieces Supplied (1.25"): 10mm & 25mm

Red Dot Finder

90º Star Diagonal 1.25"

AZ3 Deluxe Alt-Azimuth Mount

Aluminium Tripod with Accessory Tray

Tube material: Aluminium

36% more Light Gathering than 60mm

so me thinks i will buy and sell on the OTA ! i have seen a full clutch head to go on a manfrotto but that is £220 making my grab "n" go £550 plus!

orion

[Wayne]

Orion, what Manfotto clutch geared head were you looking at? I've looked at a few and they are all really solid and smooth, but they were all designed for photography/video and have 90 degs forward tilt but only 30 degs back tilt. I could reverse the orientation of the scope to get a full 90 degs back tilt, but then the one of the clutches ends up at the rear of the tripod and is awkward to get at comfortably with scope attached. If I could get one which is designed with with a 90deg back tilt I'd get one.

[orion f6.3]

AC655 AzTech Trakker & Tripod

http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?theLang=001lngdef&pointerid=14592BwQztXD6uuBW2M98eiETk6jYcjm

£219.99

  AZTech Trakker - the ultimate in lightweight altazimuth telescope mounting with heavy weight performance. Featuring extended slow-motion controls, spring loaded clutches and an ultra quick-release attachment system

If your passion is grab-and-go astronomy, the AE AZTech Trakker may be the only telescope mount you?ll ever need. The AZTech Trakker is an amazingly compact aluminium head with high-precision worm and gear manual drives on both the azimuth and altitude axis. Both motions have identical spring return clutches that enable the slow-motions to be instantly disengaged and the scope swung to a new target. The mount is equipped with convenient flexible slow-motion extension knobs that can be easily removed for storage. Included is a lightweight tripod.

form telescopehouse ! but if i spend this amount i may as well put it towards the heq5 pro i wont, at least then the 10" can have a go at being driven!  orion

[FLO]

Wayne, Orion,

Thanks for your comments; much appreciated. I have learnt quite a lot about the types and variety of AltAz mounts available since starting this thread.

However, my latest line of thought is to use a EQ3-2 with drive .... still grab & go ... ish!

Steve

[FLO]

Oh yes,

Wayne, welcome aboard

[Stardust]

Thought I'd bung my 2p's worth in, don't have a lot of knowledge, but a little experience that might help.

I've got one of the Porta mounts and I really like it. So simple to use and the slow mo's are well placed and have continuous travel.

It is bulkier than I'd thought it would be and not the smallest, but it's very sturdy and packs down for the boot. It's well finished and gives the impression of a quality bit of kit. I like the dovetail plate, fixing the scope takes a few seconds.

cheers

DAve