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Need help choosing a mount


andy435

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Hi! I'm in the market for a mount that can handle everything from a 90mm MAK to 80ED or a 130 newtonian (I haven't settled on scope just yet). It should be easy to set up (grab and go alike). There are so many options and I'm having a really hard time choosing a mount. Initially I wanted a alt-az for ease of use but many of the cheaper ones has got mixed reviews. I want a mount with slow motion controls and I've narrowed it down to a Vixen Porta II - or.... just go with a EQ5 mount. The EQ mount is maybe a little bit more time consuming to set up but it looks like it can handle pretty much any scope up to 150mm newtonian.

Thank you :)

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I have an AZ3 mount which I use for grab and go with the following scopes and it copes very well with them; ST 80ED DS-Pro frac, Celestron Nexstar 4SE 101mm Mak, ST120 frac. I did add a weigh to the mount to cope with the ST120 when near to zenith, but it copes OK with no weight on the other two scopes. I also have an AZ4 mount too, but miss the slow mo controls of the AZ3.

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1 hour ago, Knighty2112 said:

I have an AZ3 mount which I use for grab and go with the following scopes and it copes very well with them; ST 80ED DS-Pro frac, Celestron Nexstar 4SE 101mm Mak, ST120 frac. I did add a weigh to the mount to cope with the ST120 when near to zenith, but it copes OK with no weight on the other two scopes. I also have an AZ4 mount too, but miss the slow mo controls of the AZ3.

Thank you. I don't know about the AZ3 for a 90 MAK maybe but anything bigger I don't know. I've rather have a oversized mount on a small scope than vice versa...

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An AZ4 would handle all those scopes well but doesn't have the slomo controls. 365 Astronomy do an AZ5 that does:

http://www.365astronomy.com/365Astronomy-AZ5-Versatile-Vari-angle-Micro-Motion-Alt-Azimuth-Telescope-Mount-with-Stainless-Steel-Tripod.html

This is, I think, very similar to the one that TS Optics do. One thought though is that if you opt for the 90Mak or even the 102Mak, the AZ4 or AZ5 is a bit of an overkill. Both those scopes are small and very compact and it would seem a shame to have to lug an AZ4/AZ5 out when an AZ3 or an EQ2 would compliment them better in terms of keeping the whole plot usefully portable.

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1 hour ago, andy435 said:

Thanks. With 90 MAK it's overkill but I'll rather have a oversized mount right away incase I want to upgrade to bigger scope later.

 

GSO ATZ looks like a good mount also.

If you decide to go with a 90 mak and an Alt/Az mount but also want a lightweight setup, the 90Mak will go on a photo tripod with a Pan/Tilt head and although it needs to be reasonably sturdy it need not cost too much. Regarding the GSO, thats the one I was thinking of when I mentioned TS Optics.

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Thanks. 90 MAK on a photo tripod woulb be a very portable setup. I was looking at the Altair mini-az mount. Should pair nicely with a photo tripod but no slow motion controls though and it's limited to small scopes.

But for the price it seems like nothing beats the EQ5. Yeah, it's a EQ and its big, heavy and cumbersome...

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