Incoming: Losmandy AZ8

[Stu]

10 minutes ago, John said:

T-Rex in capacity terms. 

Having seen and used a T-Rex last night with the TEC140, I know what the fuss is about now. Lovely, solid and with slo mo controls is could actually get on with!

[John]

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

Having seen and used a T-Rex last night with the TEC140, I know what the fuss is about now. Lovely, solid and with slo mo controls is could actually get on with!

Unfortunately I believe they won't be making any more T-Rex's

I can't imagine that they come on the used market much.

[iPeace]

17 minutes ago, John said:

Thats very useful "rule of thumb" advice Mike

My 130mm F/9 triplet is into GM11 territory I reckon

I still think there is a niche for a manual alt-az that is somewhere between the Ercole / Skytee II / AZ8 and the DM6 / APM AzMaxLoad / T-Rex in capacity terms. 

 

Yep. An AZ11. 

[John]

7 minutes ago, iPeace said:

Yep. An AZ11. 

There might be something in that

 

[GavStar]

On 26/05/2017 at 23:11, John said:

Unfortunately I believe they won't be making any more T-Rex's

I can't imagine that they come on the used market much.

Yep I think it's probably the last bit of Astro kit I would sell! Really really nice

[iPeace]

It's now been SUPER SIZED...

[John]

What's going onto there Mike ?

[iPeace]

2 minutes ago, John said:

What's going onto there Mike ?

It's configurable, of course - I can play with the max. height by removing / adding the two auxiliary risers. Fewer risers will probably mean less vibration / (even) more stability. So max. height for zenith observing with (current and future) fracs. (I'm tall enough to appreciate this.) Less height and more stability for lunar and planetary - which is what the slo-mo is for, anyway.

I do foresee a very probable Mak 150. Possibly a Mak 180 instead, but that one's weight and bulk *might(?)* not be worth the extra aperture on the AZ8 (just how much mount you need for visual with a Mak 180 is not entirely clear to me...). So maybe have a go with a Mak 150 and depending on how much "head room" I perceive to have, see about a Mak 180. Or not. Don't know yet. We'll see.

It's a lunar thing, you see.

[Alan White]

So as an unashamed thread revival Mike @iPeace,

After some years ownership, I know you still have this mount, how is it doing?

Edited January 5, 2019 by Alan White
added link to iPeace

[iPeace]

5 hours ago, Alan White said:

After some years ownership, I know you still have this mount, how is it doing?

Hi Alan.

Love it. It takes my 8" f/6 newt without issues, thus letting me slo-mo the Moon on those rare good nights.

I don't see them often mentioned; the retail price might nudge otherwise interested parties towards the SkyTee.

The only used one I ever saw listed was quickly snapped up by some guy who already owned one but wanted a spare.

Me.

[Alan White]

Hi Mike, Happy New Year to you.

Thanks for the answer above.
One more question, does it settle quickly and how does it cope with high magnifications?

[iPeace]

11 minutes ago, Alan White said:

One more question, does it settle quickly and how does it cope with high magnifications?

That's two.

There's always that subjective bit - one man's quick-to-settle is another's...well, something else. But that being said, I like it, it works very well for me. (I have never been inclined to determine just how quick it actually is - I myself take this as a good sign.) After gently scrolling the lunar surface in slo-mo, there's no real sensation of having to wait for the view to settle.

The main reason I have the newt is for high-mag lunar (and for when the odd planet slips out from behind a chimney). And on the AZ8, it does great.

The whole setup is, of course, only as good as the weakest link. I suspect the PLANET tripod is giving me an edge here. I wasn't as satisfied with the focusing wobbles when using a SW 120ED with the AZ8 on its own tripod - something I put down to me not getting on with bigger fracs. I feel it would have been better with the PLANET (the 120ED moved on before the PLANET arrived) but whether it would have seen me keeping the 120ED, I don't know.

So if the above means I'm not all that easy to please - and am still very happy with the performance of the AZ8 / Berlebach combination at high mags - at least, with a decent-sized newt - does this help?

 

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, iPeace said:

That's two.

Does this help?

 

Got me one point 1, yes it was 2 questions.    

Yes it does help and does not at the same time, makes me hanker after one but I will have to sell a Kidney first,
or my 10" Dob, might be less painless!

So who sell these in UK or Europe?

[iPeace]

7 minutes ago, Alan White said:

So who sell these in UK or Europe? 

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p7967_Losmandy-AZ8-Alt-azimuth-Mount---fine-adjustment---mount-head.html

There may be others.

[Alan White]

I can see why it's such a fine quality mount now.

[iPeace]

11 minutes ago, Alan White said:

I can see why it's such a fine quality mount now.

Bits won't fall off. Which is good. And puts one's mind at rest.

You can try a few SkyTees for the cost. Which makes one think. And think some more.

We've previously discussed how, surely, the market could accomodate something in between...

[JeremyS]

21 minutes ago, iPeace said:

We've previously discussed how, surely, the market could accomodate something in between...

If only...... ?

 

[Alan White]

1 hour ago, JeremyS said:

If only...... ?

 

Indeed,if only ........ 

[robbymain]

Thankyou very much indeed for the comprehensive overview of this mount - I may just have treated myself and ordered one plus the Weight System. Like you I was looking for something a cut above the Skytee-2 but I didn't want to spend as much as the AZ100 plus plate, counterweight kit , a Uni-28 tripod etc.

Should suit the CT8 beautifully and I can add the Nexus DSC and encoders at a later date if so desired...! 

Edited September 13, 2020 by robbymain
Too many 'very's

[robbymain]

Post deleted

Edited September 13, 2020 by robbymain
Test post only

[robbymain]

It’s arrived =O Hollywood General Machining’s finest engineering all the way from Burbank California! Just awaiting the Weight System now...

[robbymain]

On 25/10/2020 at 09:14, robbymain said:

It’s arrived =O Hollywood General Machining’s finest engineering all the way from Burbank California! Just awaiting the Weight System now...

Very late update now but it got returned unfortunately. It was very shaky with my 10.5kg CT8 (worse than a GP-E) and wouldn't settle at all even at lowest magnification with significant lack of required stiffness in the vertical axis. I suspect the head would be better on a Berlebach tripod. I have heard some surprise at my experience from other AZ8 owners but it didn't work for me.

It also taught me that a Newtonian on an altaz mount won't work due to the OTA completely blocking the azimuth slow motion control =(

What a shame as its a nicely made mount.

[markse68]

On 16/08/2022 at 19:58, robbymain said:

Very late update now but it got returned unfortunately. It was very shaky with my 10.5kg CT8 (worse than a GP-E) and wouldn't settle at all even at lowest magnification with significant lack of required stiffness in the vertical axis. I suspect the head would be better on a Berlebach tripod. I have heard some surprise at my experience from other AZ8 owners but it didn't work for me.

It also taught me that a Newtonian on an altaz mount won't work due to the OTA completely blocking the azimuth slow motion control =(

What a shame as its a nicely made mount.

Was the lack of stiffness in the vertical axis in the slo- mo or in the physical azimuth axis Robbymain? Seems strange as it’s based on the GM8 isn’t it? I had my 8kg 8” f8 on my GM8 when i first started imaging and barring wind gusts it was pretty stable.

Mark

Edited August 21, 2022 by markse68