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Berlebach Castor II

iPeace

By iPeace
in Discussions - Mounts

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iPeace

iPeace

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Not quite a review - yet - but more of a just-after-unboxing session. :happy11:

Having ordered a Borg 71FL from our friends at FLO, I was gleefully contemplating using it in tandem with my TV-60. Having passed on both the Ercole and the Ercole Mini, both having honorably served but having been superseded by the Losmandy AZ8, I was left with the AZ8 as the only option which is somewhat less mobile (I know of and respect those of you who have no qualms hauling around much heavier, bulkier mounts, but just bear with me). So, as perhaps something of an implulse buy, the Castor was ordered directly from Berlebach.

Why not another Ercole Mini, you may ask; I think it was to try something perhaps a bit smaller / lighter. Why not a Giro GR-2 Mini, you may then ask; I like the look of that one as well, and it has a discerning following, so I guess it came down to the Castor seeming a bit more substantial. Then why not a....shush already!

But why directly from Berlebach? Well, they offer a version with the non-marring dovetail clamp ("with shoe"), which helps me through my bouts of OCD.

But reviews of this mount are few - none that I've found, actually - and it's only through a response from fellow stargeezer @Stargazer McCabe (thanks Mac) that I managed to track down some actual user info - not positive. It seems that the Ercole Mini is superior when it comes to smoothness. Oops, I thought to myself, with the Castor already winging its way to me from Eastern Germany. Drat, should have sprung for another Ercole Mini. Oh well. I suppose I can return it.

So it arrived today, and surprise: it's the Castor II! It says so on the tin. Even the Berlebach website doesn't mention this at all, so I'm at a loss as to what the difference is between this and the Mark I. But II must be better, right?

First impressions are good. Excellent build quality, indeed a bit lighter and more compact than the Ercole Mini - but not much. Still substantial enough to instill confidence. And the action is...well, it seems just as good as the Ercole Mini was, at least in my memory. So is the Mark II so much better than the Mark I? Who's to say? There's much to attribute to personal preference in such matters and I have yet to use it out under the stars (it was delivered with the customary complimentary cloud cover). But I was in dread of opening the box and immediately having to fill in a return form and that I won't be doing.

To be continued.

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:happy11:

 

 

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Stargazer McCabe

Stargazer McCabe

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Well there you go. Like life it’s all a bit of a roll of the dice. And like your experience with Amici Prisms, a manufacturer can turn out some that delight and some that don’t...

For the money charged, the Ercole Mini is head and shoulders above the Castor in this household. 

But as with all things, it’s about one’s own standards and experiences. 2 reviews. 2 differing experiences....

Of all the Ercole Mini reviews I’ve read I don’t think I’d see it as a 50 / 50 split...

Hope you continue to be as delighted in the coming weeks. Nice to know they can get a smoothie out from time to time...

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iPeace

iPeace

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6 hours ago, Stargazer McCabe said:

Well there you go. Like life it’s all a bit of a roll of the dice. And like your experience with Amici Prisms, a manufacturer can turn out some that delight and some that don’t...

For the money charged, the Ercole Mini is head and shoulders above the Castor in this household. 

But as with all things, it’s about one’s own standards and experiences. 2 reviews. 2 differing experiences....

Of all the Ercole Mini reviews I’ve read I don’t think I’d see it as a 50 / 50 split...

Hope you continue to be as delighted in the coming weeks. Nice to know they can get a smoothie out from time to time...

I'm curious as to whether yours is designated "Mark II". If not, then a possible explanation is that Berlebach have actually improved the design. :icon_scratch:

That would be a more satisfying state of affairs than one in which the quality varies so perceptibly between specimens. You so rightfully mention my experience with amici prism diagonals. In that episode, the manufacturer insisted that the differences between specimens were within established tolerances - but those differences were too great to be tolerated by me. :rolleyes2:

The Ercole Mini has a strong reputation, and deservedly so - we're on solid ground there. That family of products - Ercole, Giro - seems to delight without exception. One is inclined to think that one manufacturer has got it right where another might not.

And yet, I can't help but recall seeing a product called "Giro" (was it the original WR?) that was clearly marked as "made by Berlebach". If this is correct then there may have been some sort of "cross-pollination" going on...

I'm hopeful that an outfit like Berlebach, well known for quality products, has improved this one, and therefore call it the Mark II. I would say that, I suppose, having just bought one, but I like it well enough to keep it and see how I get on with it. Either way, I won't mind sharing. :happy11:

So, is your Castor a "II"?

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iPeace

iPeace

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18 minutes ago, Stargazer McCabe said:

It’s a II bought directly from Berlebach, with whom endless correspondence and video examples have been exchanged. Looks like it’s a case of “some you win, some you lose”...

Well that's pretty clear then... I wonder what you'd think of mine? And I of yours? Both of us really liking / having liked the Ercole Mini, makes me wonder...

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iPeace

iPeace

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Just now, Piero said:

Great little mount and lovely setup for the TV60! I thought about getting a small giro mount for the TV60  for a long time but eventually didn't go for it. Yours looks great! Well done! :thumbsup:

I do like the look of it, but I really only intend to use it for dual-scope observing - with my incoming Borg 71FL  :headbang:

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iPeace

iPeace

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1 minute ago, Ags said:

Wouldn't the Borg and TV be a bit similar to each other?

Yes. Isn't that great?  :icon_biggrin:

Your point is clear and valid. It's not a sensible thing on my part, as would be combining either of the small fracs with a 127 Mak - something I may yet do.

Indeed the Borg should provide only slightly smaller TFOV and higher magnification. The difference in magnification will increase as the eyepiece gets shorter, so to speak, but the Borg will have a slightly larger exit pupil. (I have tried to work this out correctly; if anyone thinks I got this wrong, bring it on.)

Given that I had a 70-76mm itch that needed some premium scratching, and that I still love the TV-60, I found myself looking forward to using them together, the TV-60 for wider field and the Borg for higher magnification. How much higher will depend on the target (Moon or clusters?).

All this assuming an itinerant scenario in which the TV-85 stays at home, but still leaves room for two smaller scopes and a slightly more substantial mount than the carbon fiber tripod with fluid head. A sort of medium setup.

:happy11:

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iPeace

iPeace

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On 11/15/2017 at 13:06, Alan White said:

A shame you two are not in the same country and nearby to see isn't it.

Well...it seems the world is smaller than I thought (and I have been giving this a lot of thought over the years...).

Not only do @Stargazer McCabe and I share an appreciation for the Ercole Mini...but it's the same actual specimen of Ercole Mini. Through machinations not to be discussed here - but undoubtedly involving the basest of human motives :p - my old Ercole Mini has seemingly found its way to Ed.

Given that we both really like the very same Ercole Mini and that Ed doesn't like his Castor and I rather do like mine, this leads me to suspect that Ed would also like my Castor, while I might be equally disappointed with his.

Not quite sure what - if any - consumer advice can be derived from all this :rolleyes2: but given the apparent limited record of experiences with the Castor, I figured any disclosure towards kindred souls may be of value.

First light still pending cloud cover, but indoor load testing is promising...to be continued.

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