AZ4 mount.

[Guest]

I am looking for a managable but sturdyish mount to go with my Skywatcher 80mm ED refractor. I have in the past owned steel legged AZ4 mounts. They were very capable units, but heavy and not lending themselves for grab and go use. I am wondering if the aluminium legged version of the AZ4 would be lighter, while still being sturdy 

Currently mounting the 80mm on a Manfrotto photographic tripod. This allows too much shake and instability.

[Alan White]

The AZ4 steel leg is a light mount, it's if you add a riser that it gets heavier.

AZ4 steel leg is fairly solid, depends upon the scope hanging off it of course!

[Alfian]

I have the AZ4 and had it mounted on the 1.75" steel legged tripod and it makes for a sturdy mount. I also have an EQ3/EQ5 type aluminium tripod. It still makes a good combination and indeed lighter one. It suits my TS80 (F7.5) pretty well but its too light for the ED100. I think the ED80 will be heavier than the TS80 (although I have put a heavier 2" focuser on it) so its a possibility. 

[Dave In Vermont]

A good trick to have up-your-sleeve with this (and other rather lightweight mounts) to help with cutting vibrations is to hang a heavy weight (even if it goes over the load-capacity suggested) from as close to the center of the mount itself. I use a thin-cord about 18" long from the center-bolt, attached to a 10lb. weight from a weight-set. The weight can be from anything. A small TV-set maybe? Though it seems counter-intuitive, the vibrations added from the secondary weight competes for the vibration of the regular mount itself. And this absorbs the vibrations from both!

Strange but true Physics 202.....

Dave - who knows this doesn't help lessen the chore for a 'grab & go' weight-wise.

[Guest]

Thanks Dave for the suggestion. I think that in the end the extra weight would preclude this as a grab and go travel setup. I have seen people use it though, even for photography.

[Moonshane]

I doubt there's a huge difference in weight between the steel and ali legs. There's certainly not a size difference. For the additional stability, I'd definitely recommend the steel one. You occasionally see the ali legs for sale though and maybe you could buy an additional tripod and leave this at your holiday home and just take the head when you go?

[Dave In Vermont]

Recently found out you have much wider steel-legs supplied on the AZ4's over there, if you get the steel over the Aluminum-legs. The steel-legged option we have here are much thinner and wobbled terribly. The Al-legs were better, but not up-to-task in my opinion. Hence I use the weight-on-a-cord.

Now I have a Vixen Porta II, which is much better in my opinion than the AZ4 was sans weight-on-cord. Have yet to use the weight-cord on the Porta II, but it should be the ideal of the collection. But none of them are my pick for a 'grab & go' set-up. I have an entirely different beast for that.

Watching news. May have Aurora Borealis tonight! Must set-up.....

Dave

 

[Guest]

Thanks Dave for the suggestion. I think that in the end the extra weight would preclude this as a grab and go travel setup. I have seen people use it though, even for photography.

Interested to know what your grab and go is.

[Paz]

I've got an aluminium legged az4 and have used it with an st80, st120, and 127mm maksutov and it has been solid enough for me. The head and legs are easy to carry around all in one piece.

I've got steel legs but they are a lot heavier and I only use them with an eq5.

 

[Ben the Ignorant]

My alu AZ-4 was a bit too lightweight for my taste, carrying an 80/600 achromat, making me decide to fill the hollow legs with sand. It now has a comforting heft while observing but I have to admit it is not as grab-and-go as it used to be, the increase in weight is in the order of three kilos, I guess.

Edit: I never used the steel version, can't compare.