EQ5/Deluxe/Pro - What's the difference?

[Stargazer33]

I hope someone can shed some light on a problem I am having with mounts!

What is the difference between the EQ5, EQ5 Deluxe Heavy Duty (not the HEQ5) and the EQ5 Pro?

I think that the EQ5 and EQ5 "Deluxe Heavy Duty Mount" may be the same thing - just the various outlets describing them in a different way.

Is the EQ5 Pro just a driven version of the EQ5?

I am asking because I am thinking of upgrading to a Skymax 150 Pro or possibly a 180 Pro and I will need a heavier duty mount. I was hoping that I could get away with the EQ5 rather than having to go to the expense of teh HEQ5 or EQ5 Pro.

The Skywatcher site isn't that forthcoming with information about their scopes - especially their carry capacity. I believe the EQ5 will take 9 kg and the 180 is 7.8 kg so it would be pushing it a bit.

Bryan

[Black Knight]

EQ5 Pro is Synscan, not just driven. No idea about EQ5 Deluxe Heavy Duty, I've not come across it labelled like that.

[Stargazer33]

So basically the same mount then? It hasn't got better gearing or gold plated knobs or something?

[ollypenrice]

Don't get fixated on weight. Tube length and focal length are also important. The Mak is easier on the mount in so far as it's physically short (low polar inertia) but demanding since it will tempt you to very high powers for planetary observing. Don't spoil the ship for a hap'orth of tar. Well, a bit more tha a hap'orth, I know!

Olly

[Black Knight]

So basically the same mount then? It hasn't got better gearing or gold plated knobs or something?

Basically the same mount yes, as long as they are actually EQ5s. Have you got a link for where it is described as EQ5 Deluxe Heavy Duty? BTW, Olly makes a good point that's worth bearing in mind.

NB: Just thought I'd better make it clear that an EQ5 with dual axis motors is not the same as the EQ5 Synscan Pro. The EQ5 Synscan Pro has a guide port and allows guiding at various rates. I think I'm right in saying that an EQ5 with dual axis motors will only track sidereally, and obviously no GOTO either.

[Stargazer33]

Hi,

I'm not too sure what you mean by your post Olly! Sorry. I get that the shorter length of the Maks means that the strain on the mount is lower compared with a much longer newt, where the weight of the primary mirror will be much further out from the balance point. But I am not too sure about the 'tempt me to high powers' and what I will spoil and why I would want to cover my scope in tar!

Andy, I have a couple of links to descriptions of the EQ5 mount. The first one is FLO which calls it a 'Deluxe': http://www.firstligh...eq5-deluxe.html

The next one is for Sherwoods that calls it a 'Deluxe Heavy Duty Equitorial Mount' http://www.sherwoods..._motors_fs.html (you have to scroll about a third of the way down the page to get to the EQ5).

Then there is Rother Valley Optics that just calls it an 'EQ5 Mount' http://www.rotherval...-dvd_d3653.html With free DVD mind!

Can you see why I am confused? I think this is the same mount - they all look the same to me anyway - but it is described as different things with different venders.

If I understand you correctly Andy, I couldn't add a syntrek or synscan unit to the EQ5 and I couldn't guide it with a guide scope but I could guide the EQ5 Pro as it has the auto guider port built in.

Mind you I'm only looking at clouds at the moment and have been for months! I think I've only had 4 or 5 clear nights in the last couple of months.

Bryan

[Black Knight]

The mount at FLO is a basic unmotorized EQ5, and so is the one you link to at RVO. The Heavy Duty EQ5 you linked to at Sherwoods is what I would have called an EQ5 Synscan Pro as shown here http://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/skywatcher-eq5-pro-synscan-goto.html.

Edit: Actually I'm not sure if the Sherwoods mount you are referring to is the black Synscan model, or the white model below it. If it is the white model then, it is identical to both the mounts you linked to from FLO and RVO.

Your upgrade options for a basic EQ5 would be to:

- install an RA and Dec drive motors either separately or together.

- install the GOTO upgrade kit including the ST4 guide port, which would provide you with exactly the same functionality as the retail Synscan GOTO mounts.

HTH,

[Stargazer33]

Hi Andy,

Yes that does help!

I did mean the white EQ5 model on the Sherwoods site - so basically they are all the same mount with different descriptions!

As I can best make out from a quick look I can get an EQ5 for about £240 new and then its a Synscan upgrade kit for about £319, total £569 new. About £54.00 more than I can buy the EQ5 Pro Synscan GOTO from FLO!

Doing a build up from the basic mount just means that I don't have to lay out so much money all at once.

Now I really have something to think about!

Thanks again for your help.

Bryan

[Black Knight]

No problem, glad I was able to help

[Black Knight]

As I can best make out from a quick look I can get an EQ5 for about £240 new and then its a Synscan upgrade kit for about £319, total £569 new. About £54.00 more than I can buy the EQ5 Pro Synscan GOTO from FLO!

I don't really want to make your choice even harder, but it is possible to grab a used HEQ5 Synscan Pro for around £500-£550, either from ABS or indeed from here now that SGL has Classifieds. For that price, you would get a much more capable mount than the EQ5, with the same gearing as an EQ6. It depends to some extent on what scope(s) you intend to put on it, but it does give you a degree of future-proofing from the off.

I started with a 200P on an EQ5. It's a hard choice, but if I were doing it all again I think I'd go second-hand and grab an HEQ5.

[Stargazer33]

Hi Andy,

Yes, I was actually going to look at the second hand market. I got my Skymax 102 and then the EQ3-2 from E-bay and UKABS respectively and I have been really happy with both.

All I need now is for someone to be selling their Skymax 180 Pro on an HEQ5 Synscan Pro at a very reasonable price! And for it to happen before the next Stargazing Live gets the world and his wife out buying telescopes and artificially inflating the prices!

Bryan

[Black Knight]

Hi Andy,

Yes, I was actually going to look at the second hand market. I got my Skymax 102 and then the EQ3-2 from E-bay and UKABS respectively and I have been really happy with both.

All I need now is for someone to be selling their Skymax 180 Pro on an HEQ5 Synscan Pro at a very reasonable price! And for it to happen before the next Stargazing Live gets the world and his wife out buying telescopes and artificially inflating the prices!

Bryan

Sounds like a plan!

[nightfisher]

I have the 180 pro mak on an EQ5 it just about coped with it, BUT i have upgraded the tripod to CG5 2" legs and i have fitted orion tube rings and dove tail bar to the OTA, this set up is pretty stable, ollys comments about going for higher mag- with a big mak due to really long focal length, you can push the magnification a lot higher, but if the mount is going to struggle with a large OTA it will show up at high mags. If i were buying again i would happily get the 150 mak on the EQ5, this makes a pretty good set up

[Stargazer33]

Ahh! Thanks Jules. I get it now!

Like in so many things, it's not always what you think that makes the difference between just good, and excellent.

Bryan

[Aenima]

I have the 180 pro mak on an EQ5 it just about coped with it, BUT i have upgraded the tripod to CG5 2" legs and i have fitted orion tube rings and dove tail bar to the OTA, this set up is pretty stable, ollys comments about going for higher mag- with a big mak due to really long focal length, you can push the magnification a lot higher, but if the mount is going to struggle with a large OTA it will show up at high mags. If i were buying again i would happily get the 150 mak on the EQ5, this makes a pretty good set up

Hi,

Sorry to leap on the end of this discussion, its just your upgrades on the EQ5 sound very interesting. My EQ5 struggles with my 200p and I am looking for ways to bolster it up for long exp AP, can I ask how easy it was to mod and the rough cost of the extras?

Thanks

Regards

Aenima