iOptron Mounts at FLO

[SyedT]

The CEM60 has been a dream mount so far for me. Light weight, quiet, tracks well. I tested it out with my Edge HD 800 which I just got a few days ago and I was getting an RMS of 0.59 using an Evoguide without any major tinkering in PHD2. With my FSQ85 it easily gets sub 0.5 RMS. The USB hub is a big bonus. I'm glad you guys are stocking, it'll be much easier to pick up accessories!

[Saj_37uk]

Just bought a CEM60, so glad FLO will be stocking these, need to buy a tri-pier.

[jimjam11]

10 hours ago, SyedT said:

The CEM60 has been a dream mount so far for me. Light weight, quiet, tracks well. I tested it out with my Edge HD 800 which I just got a few days ago and I was getting an RMS of 0.59 using an Evoguide without any major tinkering in PHD2. With my FSQ85 it easily gets sub 0.5 RMS. The USB hub is a big bonus. I'm glad you guys are stocking, it'll be much easier to pick up accessories!

Likewise, it just works and easily tracks <0.5" if the sky allows. I love running the phd guiding assistant and it telling me there is no backlash to compensate for! The magnetic clutches are different to other mounts and need to be learned but they make balancing far more precise and it clearly works...

[The Admiral]

On 28/02/2019 at 19:07, JimothyC said:

This is great news. I’ve got a CEM25 which is great but I’m running out of payload and the non existent CEM40 looks perfect. I’d much rather buy from you than the, previously only, other option in the uk. 

Well, to be fair, Tring Astro used to sell iOptron mounts as well, but I note that they list very few on their website now.

Ian

[SamAndrew]

Spec on the CEM60 EC does look good; is there any evidence that it really does deliver better than 0.3" RMS on the RA axis? seems useful reviews are thin on the ground.

[FLO]

On 02/03/2019 at 12:13, SamAndrew said:

... seems useful reviews are thin on the ground.

Hopefully we will be able to change that ? 

[Jkulin]

On 02/03/2019 at 12:13, SamAndrew said:

Spec on the CEM60 EC does look good; is there any evidence that it really does deliver better than 0.3" RMS on the RA axis? seems useful reviews are thin on the ground.

I bought mine from Altair and on good seeing nights it was below .2"RMS, but I would say it average between 0.3" and 0.4"

I've now upgraded to the 120EC and am hopeful of even bitter guiding.

[GraemeC]

Well done FLO, I think you are taking on a very successful product range.  I am very pleased with my CEM60EC.

Graeme

[fwm891]

Just bought a CEM60 standard and tri-pier (where's that postman...) ?

[FLO]

4 hours ago, fwm891 said:

Just bought a CEM60 standard and tri-pier (where's that postman...) ?

Thank-you for your order ? 

On 27/02/2019 at 11:17, FLO said:

We don't yet have firsthand experience of iOptron's lead times but we are estimating 1-2 weeks. 

We have learned that ETA was optimistic. Normally we would bring them in via sea freight (costs less) but that would take several weeks so we are using the more expensive air-freight option. But, due to the large size of our initial stock order, even using air freight it will be around 3-4 weeks. 

When our first delivery arrives we will then have stock of the most popular models in our warehouse. We will endeavour then to keep them in stock so most orders can be dispatched same-day. 

Thank-you for your patience. 

Steve 

[SamAndrew]

Seems there is useful recent data here on the CEM-60 - the last couple of pages

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/618736-got-my-new-cem60-today/page-7

In summary, it seems the non EC version will guide between 0.3-0.5" RMS total; which makes the benefit of the EC version very questionable. For £1650 I'm very tempted  

[x6gas]

I've had my CEM60-EC since 2014 and I've been delighted with it.  In fact the first three images I captured using it were published in S@N magazine / Astronomy Now.  I've recently updated the review on my website if anyone is interested as I believe pretty much all my minor quibbles have now been addressed.  After some early firmware issues the encoder now works extremely well and I would thoroughly recommend this mount.

[FLO]

All iOptron mounts are now listed at our website ? 

It is early days (our first stock delivery is incoming) but looking at sales so far the regular iOptron CEM60 is most popular, followed by the iOptron CEM25P. But we only recently added the portable iOptron SkyGuider Pro bundle so that might change. 

We will also be stocking the new iOptron CEM40. It will be debuted at NEAF next month and shipping to retailers will begin around mid-late April. They say supply of this new mount "will be tight". 

We checked competitors' CEM40 prices before setting ours and will continue to monitor them to ensure we remain competitive. 

 

[alexbb]

17 minutes ago, FLO said:

All iOptron mounts are now listed at our website ? 

It is early days (our first stock delivery is incoming) but looking at sales so far the regular iOptron CEM60 is most popular, followed by the iOptron CEM25P. But we only recently added the portable iOptron SkyGuiderTM Pro bundle so that might change. 

We will also be stocking the new iOptron CEM40. It will be debuted at NEAF next month and shipping to retailers will begin around mid-late April. They say supply of this new mount "will be tight". 

We checked competitors' CEM40 prices before setting ours and will continue to monitor them to ensure we remain competitive. 

 

I spotted this before I saw your announcement. Is the CEM40 in the link the non EC version? Its price is just a tad lower than the CEM60's (without tripod). I hoped for something in the middle between the CEM25P and CEM60. ?

Edited March 15, 2019 by alexbb

[FLO]

44 minutes ago, alexbb said:

I spotted this before I saw your announcement. Is the CEM40 in the link the non EC version? Its price is just a tad lower than the CEM60's. I hoped for something in the middle between the CEM25P and CEM60. ?

Yes. We haven't yet listed the iOptron CEM40 EC model (the one with RA encoder) but we will. Looking today at competitor's prices the EC version will likely sell for around £2,370. 

Currently UK/EU prices (allowing for Duty & VAT) are lower than iOptron's own US $ price. This is unusual and probably caused by retailers jostling for attention for a mount they are confident (rightly so) will be popular. We will continue to monitor prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[alexbb]

1 minute ago, FLO said:

Yes. We haven't yet listed the iOptron CEM40 EC model (the one with encoders) but we will. Looking today at competitor's prices the EC version will likely sell for around £2,370. 

Currently UK/EU prices (allowing for Duty & VAT) are lower than iOptron's own US $ price. This is unusual and probably caused by retailers jostling for attention for a mount they are confident (rightly so) will be popular. We will continue to monitor prices. 

HTH, 

Steve 

One could hope hoped. The picture displayed red lockers, symbol for the EC versions.

Perhaps the new iPolar adds significant to the cost and you also pay more for the portability. The CEM60 + a Berlebach tripod becomes more appealing.

Back to the drawing board.

[FLO]

10 minutes ago, alexbb said:

The picture displayed red lockers, symbol for the EC versions.

Until the mount is released, those are the only photos available to us.

When we receive our first delivery we will be able to make our own photos ? 

Steve 

[FLO]

31 minutes ago, FLO said:

We haven't yet listed the iOptron CEM40 EC model (the one with RA encoder) but we will.

The iOptron CEM40-EC with RA encoder is now also listed ? 

[FLO]

45 minutes ago, alexbb said:

The picture displayed red lockers, symbol for the EC versions.

 

33 minutes ago, FLO said:

Until the mount is released, those are the only photos available to us.

We have updated our photos for the regular CEM40 page. After a little photoshopping they now have black lever locks ? 

We will make our own photos when the mount arrives. 

 

[Anne S]

38 minutes ago, FLO said:

 

We have updated our photos for the regular CEM40 page. After a little photoshopping they now have black lever locks ? 

We will make our own photos when the mount arrives. 

 

Can you Photoshop some clea skies for us!

[The Admiral]

Just to be clear Steve, do they come with the iPolar integrated into the mount?

IIRC, there was talk of the version offered in the States having an optional iPolar, as I guess there are those who either have a Polemaster or who will align with a polar scope. Is that planned for the UK do you know?

Cheers, Ian

[FLO]

17 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Just to be clear Steve, do they come with the iPolar integrated into the mount?

IIRC, there was talk of the version offered in the States having an optional iPolar, as I guess there are those who either have a Polemaster or who will align with a polar scope. Is that planned for the UK do you know?

We are not aware of a version without the iPolar. If it is planned then they haven't told us. I am guessing it is only speculation. 

HTH, 

Steve 

[FLO]

2 hours ago, FLO said:

All iOptron mounts are now listed at our website ? 

I forgot to say we will be adding iOptron accessories next.

If there is something you want that isn't already listed please contact us for a price & ETA. 

[A40farinagolf]

Great news - I'd recommend both my minitower Pro and IEQ45 Pro mounts without hesitation, a skyguider pro is likely to be my next purchase.

[blinky]

Silly question but as somebody who has only ever used skywatcher what's the equivalent version to the eq6? Also I assume these can be controlled from a PC,but I take it you dont use eqmod,is there an ascom driver?