EQ8 or LX850

[baggywrinkle]

I am considering a serious upgrade of my mount.

I currently use an EQ-AZ6 on mr ROR obsy, great mount but limited to 20Kg payload.

The run off is between the EQ8 and LX850 the price difference is not the main issue.

I like Skywatcher and this mount seems to be widely used and have good reviews. The Meade LX850 has the tracking feateres and an 80mm tracking scope integrated into the mount, less cables all round to come apart.

Both can support 50Kg payloads.

EQ8 has seemingly good documentation but then I need to add guiding cameras, plus a lot of cables.

I have the pier already with the EQ-AZ on it so it is a matter of suitable adapters for that pier, both types are available.

Do any of our members on this site have hands on experiance on the LX850?

[Tim]

Can the Meade support EQMod?

[swag72]

What scopes are you planning to use and at what imaging scale?

 

[baggywrinkle]

The Meade does support EQMod

I'll be using a 9.25SCT, Altair 152mms frac or the Altair 102mm. For the camera an Altair 183C for deep sky or the 178C for planetary

[swag72]

I can only speak from a DSO point of view...... you'd be imaging at less than 1" per pixel I think?

[pete_l]

On 29/06/2018 at 08:28, baggywrinkle said:

Do any of our members on this site have hands on experiance on the LX850?

I will follow this thread with interest. The LX850 has been an "object of interest" to me for some time. The american websites seem to have many happy users, but there don't appear to be many in Europe. Since my hobby is astronomy, not tinkering, this is probably the closest there is to what I want.

[Davey-T]

Having shot themselves in the foot so often folk are wary of buying Meade especially outside the USA.

I'd be more concerned about the repair policy if anything goes wrong with it, like where it has to go to be fixed, who pays the postage charges, how long will it take and will it actually get fixed or just returned in the same condition.

I have nothing against Meade having a Meade 10"SCT for many years but when I purchased it, from Telescope House, the then UK agents, there was excellent support from them no idea what the situation is now.

Dave