NEW Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Wi-Fi Alt-Azimuth mount

[SteveNickolls]

4 hours ago, Lockie said:

but it strikes me more as a grab and go mount for visual and short exposure imaging of planets, moon, and Sun rather than a deep sky AP mount

But it would be very encouraging if some enterprising soul did have a stab at imaging DSO's with it.  An Alt-Az mount, 30-60 seconds exposures coupled with a fast f/2 lens could pull off wonders...

Cheers,
Steve

[Chris]

24 minutes ago, SteveNickolls said:

But it would be very encouraging if some enterprising soul did have a stab at imaging DSO's with it.  An Alt-Az mount, 30-60 seconds exposures coupled with a fast f/2 lens could pull off wonders...

Cheers,
Steve

Absolutely, if people want to do this with a very fast f/2 lens, indeed why not, might be interesting  

Edit: just thought, there aren't many very fast lenses around that you can have wide open at f/2 without big issues with star shapes off axis. That could be a problem. I have some very nice prime lenses, but when imaging I stop down to about f/5.6 to get good corner stars.

Edited July 30, 2017 by Lockie

[happy-kat]

Apparently that 135mm Samyang is good wide open at f2 reading posts.

[Chris]

13 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

Apparently that 135mm Samyang is good wide open at f2 reading posts.

I might have to give that one a bit of a Google!  

You'll need a decent LP filter at f/2 unless at a dark site.

We're veering off topic I've just realised, sorry, back to the AZ-GTI   

Edited July 30, 2017 by Lockie

[happy-kat]

21 minutes ago, Lockie said:

 have some very nice prime lenses, but when imaging I stop down to about f/5.6 to get good corner stars.

If you focus on one of the green 1/3 intersection rather than the middle do you still need to stop i them down? 

[Chris]

2 minutes ago, happy-kat said:

If you focus on one of the green 1/3 intersection rather than the middle do you still need to stop i them down? 

 

Hmm? I honestly don't know, I just set my camera and lens to manual and focus to infinity on bulb mode and ISO800. It's been a while now though.

[happy-kat]

I learnt that from this site and it's about minimising the influence of centre focusing at the detriment of evened out focus across the frame and improving overall star shape.

Though just had a thought that as one has to crop field rotation out with altaz imaging is the crop big enough to out weigh the benefit of 1/3ds focusing.

Edited July 30, 2017 by happy-kat

[SteveNickolls]

9 hours ago, Lockie said:

Edit: just thought, there aren't many very fast lenses around that you can have wide open at f/2 without big issues with star shapes off axis. That could be a problem. I have some very nice prime lenses, but when imaging I stop down to about f/5.6 to get good corner stars.

No, but at 135mm the Samyang f/2.0 ED UMC is a great lens at f/2 with a cropped frame DSLR-http://www.lenstip.com/442.11-Lens_review-Samyang_135_mm_f_2.0_ED_UMC_Summary.html. It would be an excellent lens to use with the new SW AZ-GTi wi-fi model provided the mount can allow 30-60 second exposures or better (as can my existing Synscan Alt-Az model) since when compared to imaging at f/5.6 with f/2 you are hoovering up x8 more photons and can be almost as effective as 4-8 minute sub exposures. The new mount would be a great low cost, portable introduction to imaging with go-to and wireless remote control.

Cheers,
Steve

Edited July 31, 2017 by SteveNickolls

[FLO]

On 28/07/2017 at 16:56, FLO said:

we will add it to our website Monday

Done  

The Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Wi-Fi Alt-Azimuth mount is now available to buy from our website. 

[GavStar]

Looks very interesting for grab and go. I've ordered one to try out with my tv85 and Tak FC100DF. I will be interested to see how the tripod works out. I'm visual only but don't like much vibration so may look to upgrade to a good photo tripod in due course.

Edited July 31, 2017 by GavStar

[DRT]

I noticed on another retailer's website that those AZ5 pillars are not expensive.

I wonder if it would be possible to just tap an M10 female thread into the base (obliterating/replacing the 3/8th thread) and then use the mount and pillar on an EQ5/HEQ5 tripod?

[FLO]

4 minutes ago, DRT said:

I noticed on another retailer's website that those AZ5 pillars are not expensive.

At ours they are £24, have you seen it costing less elsewhere?  

Extension Tube for AZ5

[DRT]

Just now, FLO said:

At ours they are £24, have you seen it costing less elsewhere?  

Extension Tube for AZ5

No, same price, which I don't think is expensive given that the M10 to 3/8th adapters seem to be twice that price  

[DRT]

Another solution would be to stick a long 3/8ths bolt through the top connector on an EQ5 pillar extension.

[Helen]

12 minutes ago, DRT said:

I noticed on another retailer's website that those AZ5 pillars are not expensive.

I wonder if it would be possible to just tap an M10 female thread into the base (obliterating/replacing the 3/8th thread) and then use the mount and pillar on an EQ5/HEQ5 tripod?

 

Just had a look with the pillar and an EQ3 tripod.  It doesn't look possible as the base of the pillar is wider than the indent on the tripod and the peg gets in the way 

Helen

[FLO]

6 minutes ago, DRT said:

... the M10 to 3/8th adapters seem to be twice that price  

We will be offering Berlebach ones, if you find a cheaper (well made) option please say  

[Chris]

2 hours ago, FLO said:

Done  

The Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Wi-Fi Alt-Azimuth mount is now available to buy from our website. 

It will be interesting to see which scopes  appear on these mounts. I'm certainly more than tempted by a couple of recent releases including this one, but I'm sitting on my money for a week or two to make absolutely sure. Are @FLO going to keep the AZ-GTI as a mount option only? or bundle it with different OTA's as with other AZ goto's?

It would be interesting to hear what OTA's people think would suit this mount? Even if the scope was a separate purchase.  

I've been following the Wifi tech for some time, but was priced out with the Celestron Evo, heard not so great things regarding the Celestron Astro Fi but it was my kind of price bracket (was very close to buying one of these), now here is Skywatchers version at an affordable price also. I really hope the Wifi is stable, and there are no/or few sticking/un-responsive/miss behaving app issues, as I (as I'm sure a lot of people) really want this tech to succeed, fingers crossed!   

Edited July 31, 2017 by Lockie

[FLO]

1 minute ago, Lockie said:

Are @FLO going to keep the AZ-GTI as a mount option only? or bundle it with different OTA's as with other AZ goto's?

So far Sky-Watcher are offering it bundled with the Skymax-102 (likely £385), Skymax-127 (£495) Maksutovs and the 130Ps Newtonian (£365). They will be added to our website soon  

We were first to announce the AZ Pronto and AZ5 but the AZ GTi was released Friday while we were all in the warehouse stock-taking.

Today is Monday so we are focused on clearing the backlog of weekend orders but I have managed to add the mount to our website, will probably add the bundles tomorrow. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[Stu]

When will you have stock of the AZ-GTi mounts Steve?

[FLO]

11 minutes ago, Stu said:

When will you have stock of the AZ-GTi mounts Steve?

The AZ GTi mount was revealed Friday, we have ordered several so are expecting a delivery tomorrow/Wednesday but we are also having them drop-shipped direct to customers from Sky-Watcher's UK warehouse so those who have already placed their order will receive them Wednesday.  

From Wednesday onwards they will be in our warehouse so available for overnight delivery. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Some advice about this new mount please. I have never owned a goto mount nor do I have any real experience with them. I have used my little tablet (Android) and I think I have downloaded the correct App - picture below. Tell me if this is the wrong App.

So if I purchase one of these mounts I assume I use the settings on the tablet to connect to the wifi on the mount? Once connected I use the tablet to pick a star for alignment? Then I can open up the DSO list and let the scope goto the object?

As regards power supply I just wonder how long the 8 AA batteries will last? If I take the mount to the United States I don't want to take a large power supply hence the info on 8 AA batteries.

[Chris]

23 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Some advice about this new mount please. I have never owned a goto mount nor do I have any real experience with them. I have used my little tablet (Android) and I think I have downloaded the correct App - picture below. Tell me if this is the wrong App.

So if I purchase one of these mounts I assume I use the settings on the tablet to connect to the wifi on the mount? Once connected I use the tablet to pick a star for alignment? Then I can open up the DSO list and let the scope goto the object?

As regards power supply I just wonder how long the 8 AA batteries will last? If I take the mount to the United States I don't want to take a large power supply hence the info on 8 AA batteries.

 

Hi Mark, that sounds about right to me, other than you might need two or three alignment stars for accurate Goto's. (I say this as someone who's used Goto's, but not a Wifi app controlled goto)

Edited July 31, 2017 by Lockie

[alanjgreen]

1 hour ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Some advice about this new mount please. I have never owned a goto mount nor do I have any real experience with them. I have used my little tablet (Android) and I think I have downloaded the correct App - picture below. Tell me if this is the wrong App.

So if I purchase one of these mounts I assume I use the settings on the tablet to connect to the wifi on the mount? Once connected I use the tablet to pick a star for alignment? Then I can open up the DSO list and let the scope goto the object?

As regards power supply I just wonder how long the 8 AA batteries will last? If I take the mount to the United States I don't want to take a large power supply hence the info on 8 AA batteries.

 

Nearly correct. Here are the steps with Nexus... (on my dob)

Search for wifi signal with phone/ipad and connect to it (in the settings menu on the ipad for example) - hopefully it has no password needed.

You will need at least a 2 star alignment I would expect if you want decent accuracy. So, select your chosen 1st alignment star in the app & manualy align the scope to the star (in finder then in eyepiece - use mid to high power EP for better accuracy). Choose a star above 60 degrees.

Click "align" in the app once the 1st star is centered in the EP.

Move the scope to the 2nd star (at least 90 degrees away from the 1st and above 60 degrees) - Maybe you can goto the 2nd star and then just manually adjust (celestron auto-2 star is auto on the 2nd star - I have never used skywatcher)

Select the star in the app (the app may have tracked the manual movement and be close to the 2nd star anyway (Nexus does this))

Center in the finder and EP once again

Click "align" in the app once you have it centered in the EP.

You should now be ready, test out the alignment by goto an object.

HTH,

Alan

[Mark at Beaufort]

20 minutes ago, alanjgreen said:

Nearly correct. Here are the steps with Nexus... (on my dob)

Search for wifi signal with phone/ipad and connect to it (in the settings menu on the ipad for example) - hopefully it has no password needed.

You will need at least a 2 star alignment I would expect if you want decent accuracy. So, select your chosen 1st alignment star in the app & manualy align the scope to the star (in finder then in eyepiece - use mid to high power EP for better accuracy). Choose a star above 60 degrees.

Click "align" in the app once the 1st star is centered in the EP.

Move the scope to the 2nd star (at least 90 degrees away from the 1st and above 60 degrees) - Maybe you can goto the 2nd star and then just manually adjust (celestron auto-2 star is auto on the 2nd star - I have never used skywatcher)

Select the star in the app (the app may have tracked the manual movement and be close to the 2nd star anyway (Nexus does this))

Center in the finder and EP once again

Click "align" in the app once you have it centered in the EP.

You should now be ready, test out the alignment by goto an object.

HTH,

Alan

Thanks Alan. Having star hopped to DSOs for many, many years I thought a small GoTo would be handy for travel. I am hoping to use the Skywatcher Heritage 130P for the purpose.

[FLO]

On 30/07/2017 at 10:03, oobydooby said:

The first time I tried the Star Adventurer with a power pack to USB the socket disappeared into the works and when I tried releasing the cables the socket came out with it. 

Star Adventurers aren't supposed to do that, did you purchase it from FLO?