Advance VX or HEQ5 Pro

[Brew84]

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out which mount I should get for a C8 Edge HD, the Advance VX or the HEQ5. I'm particularly interested in the capabilities for astro photography.

Cheers for any advice.

[Gazabone]

Purely personal view here. I have an AVX and a SW EQ6 pro syntrek (meaning that the SW is not a GoTo). I prefer the SW as that has setting circles whereas with the AVX the only way to see the coordinates is on the handset. I have yet to get the AVX to work accurately enough to cope with my C8 SCT (2038mm focal length) but I use it on the EQ6 finding my targets manually with setting circles very happily. Both will work with a guide scope and both are good mounts but I guess from the above you can guess what my choice would be. However I'm sure there will be other posts appear in this thread with the opposite point of view, to a large extent, it's quite a subjective question to answer. Whichever you go with, hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it.

[Brew84]

I am leaning more towards the HEQ5 as I just think it looks more sturdy for astro photography.

[Thalestris24]

Hi

I have both mounts and both are good for imaging at short/medium focal lengths. I think if I was to try to image with a C8 I'd probably want to go to something more solid that can easily handle the payload and long fl - maybe an NEQ6 Pro. This is just my intuition. Any reason why you fancy a C8 over a much more manageable fl e.g. 80mm frac, 130pds? I wouldn't personally begin imaging with a C8!

Louise

[Brew84]

Hi Louise,

I currently have a 90mm evostar and I enjoy both visual and imaging which is why I'm looking at an 8inch scope.

Cheers for the advice on the mounts, good to hear from somebody who has both. Unfortunately I don't think I can push my budget to a NEQ6 not unless the AVX or HEQ5 will be utter pants when it comes to imaging?

Paul

[iamjulian]

Looked at both those mounts, although for a different telescope, and not much between them. Went for heq5 in the end and do love it, though suspect I'd have loved the VX too. Skywatcher better supported in terms of mods etc though that may have changed now. Sorry, not much help.

[Thalestris24]

Hi Louise,

I currently have a 90mm evostar and I enjoy both visual and imaging which is why I'm looking at an 8inch scope.

Cheers for the advice on the mounts, good to hear from somebody who has both. Unfortunately I don't think I can push my budget to a NEQ6 not unless the AVX or HEQ5 will be utter pants when it comes to imaging?

Paul

Hi Paul

Maybe the best thing would be to search on here (or via Google) for users with C8 Edges to see what mounts they have. They say the mount is the most important part of an imaging system. It seems to me that if you're spending  ~£1000 on a scope + ~£260 for a reducer, then the extra £60 for an eq6 Syntrek or extra £220 for an Neq6 pro over an Heq5 pro, is a no brainer, but it's up to you!

Cheers

Louise

[Spoon]

Hi mate,

I would go for the HEQ5, I had one before the NEQ6 (awesome mount is the NEQ6) and it was magic, I had it regreased and whatever too though. My mate had the AVX with Edge 8 and payload wise the HEQ5 trumped it hands down, just a much sturdier system. He soon upgraded to an NEQ6 and he says he'll never go back! I would say Louise has a great point, starting imaging with an 8" SCT, you're mad! Maybe a nice little William Optics + FF/FR would serve you better. I have the GT81 with the reducer flattener and it's a great piece of kit. If you are buying new I'd suggest the EQ6 Syntrek then get EQMOD, as an extra £70 or so would go a hell of a long way, as the payload limit would allow you to use the EdgeHD 8 plus guide scope and cameras plus whatever else you needed! Hope that helps with your decision!

Cam