What mount would you recommend

[LordLoki]

Hi all,

I am now watching the Sky for a while with my Binos and taken some shots of the night sky and the Moon with my DSLR and would like to get a Telescope soon.

I did some reading in the forum and the rest of the internet what would be a good start for astrofotography and so far i think i will get a "Explore Scientific  ED80"

from what i read i should get a EQ Mount and that the weight plays a big role. Now my question would be what would be a good mount for this telescope and would also have some room in case i want to upgrade to something a bit heavier in the future?

I am not in a hurry and price is not such a big deal for me since i'd rather wait and buy something good and lasting then going with a cheap option

 

i also have looked at Meade Lx85 with an 80/480 Apo Refractor. 

https://www.astroshop.de/teleskope/meade-apochromatischer-refraktor-ap-80-480-series-6000-lx85-goto/p,59581

 

thanks for your input 

Edited May 31, 2019 by LordLoki

[cotak]

Should consider 18 plus Kg mounts. For relatively future proof for most people you can consider:

- EQ6 Pro 

- CEM40

- CEM60

If budget is an issue I'd suggest a CEM25p as a starter mount.

Meade don't usually make most people's list.

 

[Owmuchonomy]

If you wish to go heavier than an ED80 type tube then personally I would go to an AZ EQ 6 GT by Skywatcher.  I use setups that weigh more than 12kg without difficulty on such a mount.

[LordLoki]

Thanks for your input

What do you think about the Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro?

Also is there a benefit to having an AZ EQ instead of just EQ. I am akwaus a bit careful with hybrid things. I think doing one thing really good is usually better then trying to do multiple things OK. 

[Whirlwind]

If you want to get into astrophotography then the mount is the most important aspect of your setup.  With a good mount most telescopes/cameras can give you a good image once you have learnt the processing steps.  But there is a learning curve.

However, they also depend on your circumstances.  Do you have a permanent setup or will you be setting up and stripping down each night?  If this is the case then something less weighty would be useful - the quicker you can setup the more likely you will use it.  Are you technology averse or mechanical averse. Some people like to tinker with the mechanics but don't like a lot of software gismos and vice versa.

If money really is no object and you do want to really get into astrophotography then my suggestion would be to skip the above mounts.  Not that they are bad, but they can still be a challenge to getting working right out of the box sometimes and may need refining.  

If you want a full long term mount and money really is no object then I'd also consider the following (they all have pros and cons):-

Mach2GTO (Astrophysics) , or a Mach1GTO if you can find one used (US based so some issues if there ever is a problem).
10Micron GM1000 HPS
Avalon Instruments M-Uno
Software Bisque MyT

or if you are after something more lightweight then the VIxen SXP2 could also fit the bill.  

Really depends on how much you are willing to spend...

Edited June 2, 2019 by Whirlwind

[LordLoki]

Hi whirlwind,

Thanks for your post lot of good feedback. I would not have a permanent setup but most likely would not strip down completely since I have a lot of space downstairs to store the mount. 

As a developer I would say I am very technology averse and have no problem with mechanics. I tinker a lot with electronics and software. 

I really like that you posted some high end options too. But I think for the beginning I will stick to something in the 2k range since i dont want to big of an argument with the wife

[Ouroboros]

Unless I had a secure place to store my mount near where I set up I would not want to lug my AZ-EQ6 any more that a few steps to where I set up.  It's not a silly weight - about 18kg I think - but it's a clumsy lump to get hold of.  To some extent this will depend on how young and strong you are of course.  I'm slightly older and like to take care of my back. 

I am happy with it as a mount. I only ever use it as an EQ mount. At the time I bought it I felt it was slightly better engineered than the slightly older Skywatcher EQ6 mount. I use it for the telescopes and various bits shown in my sig below for which it seems entirely adequate. 

[PaulR1]

Think ahead , what telescope is ok for my mount is the question

Then when you want a bigger scope upgrading the mount may not be an issue

GL !

[LordLoki]

2 hours ago, Ouroboros said:

Unless I had a secure place to store my mount near where I set up I would not want to lug my AZ-EQ6 any more that a few steps to where I set up.  It's not a silly weight - about 18kg I think - but it's a clumsy lump to get hold of.  To some extent this will depend on how young and strong you are of course.  I'm slightly older and like to take care of my back. 

I am happy with it as a mount. I only ever use it as an EQ mount. At the time I bought it I felt it was slightly better engineered than the slightly older Skywatcher EQ6 mount. I use it for the telescopes and various bits shown in my sig below for which it seems entirely adequate. 

Good point. When i say downstairs in this case is not far from whee i set up. I have a roof terrace and go up through a bit window. its like stairs up and i can store the Mount right below the stairs. so i don't think that would be to much of a problem.

2 hours ago, PaulR1 said:

Think ahead , what telescope is ok for my mount is the question

Then when you want a bigger scope upgrading the mount may not be an issue

GL !

Exactly why i wanted to get some input from experienced Users. Its not that i want you guys to tell me thats what you should buy. But i like to bounce my ideas in here and see what people say to get some information to make a better decision in the end. I feel the EQ6-R Pro is a ood starting point. Price is no to heavy so that my wife will not kill me and with a payload capacity of 44 lbs it should have some room to go up from the Explore Scientific  ED80 wwhich is only 6lbs. When i look at some biggger ones it goes up to 29 lbs which should still be fine for the mount. 

And everything that gets above this would be in a price range that is not within the next couple of years. since i think there will be enough other things to spend money on than a biggger scope 

 

[PaulR1]

The EQ6 should be fine I think unless your going to get into the realms of things like RASA's

[cletrac1922]

Loki

I have a ED80 on EQ5pro mount

Find suits the weight of the ED80

I also use Colorado solar scope on the same mount

Something slightly heavier, then to HEQ5, as bit lighter to lug around, then the HEQ6

Attached pic taken at a recent solar viewing day with my club

Scope behind is an ED80 on a HEQ5 mount

You can now also get WiFi adapter for the EQ mounts, and have one, and takes guess work out of SynScan controller, as the APP loads GPS, date and time direct from your mobile device

John 

[JamesF]

The HEQ5 I find not too bad to lug about.  It's not too heavy and physically not really that big.  From memory, the payload for imaging is about 11kg or 25lb.  The NEQ6 is quite a bit heavier and whilst in absolute terms still not really heavy, moving it around does sometimes feel as though you're wrestling with a large octopus.  It's just awkward.  I'm not sure how the newer models compare.  Owning the NEQ6 was the first point at which I decided "You know, I'm going to find a way to leave that set up outside so I don't have to move it all the time".

James

[cotak]

I'd like to offer a opposite view towards the suggestion to go with some really high end stuff.

There is a lot of reverence for the expensive mounts online. And they are often touted  as the solution to the mount issues that ills. However, before one decides that it is their best choice one should think a bit more about what you are trying to achieve and how much you ultimately want to spend.

There's nothing great about buying a hocking big mount then having only enough for a modest scope. This isn't unheard of, there are people out there with really great mounts who don't come near their states capacity and go around telling everyone to buy one. Now I am not saying there are zero benefits from going for a better mount but the rewards has to be weighted. What I am trying to say is that there are lots of internet wisdom which are really designed for the lowest common denominator, and doesn't apply in all cases.

The biggest reason for getting expensive stuff is that lower cost one is going to be hard to use. It's not entirely untrue this idea. For me this idea is 1) over stressed online, 2) Bit out of date and 3) Often stated as someone's experience in a vacuum. This line gets repeated over and over and after a while many just automatically parrot it without thinking. It is very much true a while back when mounts came with black tar for grease and there are no periodic error specs for reasonably priced mounts, today both of those problems are history. Finally, when someone says that they had a hard time with a lower end mount and an expensive one solved all their issues: Well how much skills they did they gained using the cheap one? Did they started off with the known problem child (applogies for those who like the AVX) like the AVX? Also, what a lot of people don't say is they got an expensive mount to fight the wind. Yes that is often the one most common reason why someone gets a massive thing and put something tiny on it. Odd choice if all they do is image from their backyards as often building an observatory cost less.

BTW there are exactly zero brands that has no problems. There are many people asking for help online for AP, Bisque, Avalon etc. And there are people who have sold off all of those brands because they found the problems they face are too great for the cost of the mounts. And this shouldn't be surprising nothing's perfect.

There are a lot of factors to consider when ti comes to mount performance. Model, focal length of scope, moment arm of scope, imaging scale etc. And what works and doesn't for each person sometimes seems like a mystery but often the reason is hidden in the specifics of the use case. And this applies to any mount so it is not entirely correct to just say pay more and it'll work, it might not due to many reasons.

The ones people recommended such as EQ6 etc are in the mid price ranges and they are used successfully by many people making images I am silently a bit jealous of. They are already really quite good and often people put what for many are end game scopes on them. So before going off and buying the high end stuff consider if you really need it and whether a modest first step could be a better choice.

 

Edited June 3, 2019 by cotak

[LordLoki]

@cotak could not agree more for someone who just starts this hobby it is very difficult to figure out what to go for there is so much to consider that it makes you question every decision. On top its not the cheapest hobby to get into.

And as you pointed out a lot of information out there is old and not entirely accurate anymore. 

I consider starting a thread here to describe my journey from getting the idea of buying a scope to finally buying one. And I can tell you I did a lot of reading up until this point and I am not at a point where I am ready to make the final decision 

[Whirlwind]

On ‎02‎/‎06‎/‎2019 at 16:03, LordLoki said:

Hi whirlwind,

Thanks for your post lot of good feedback. I would not have a permanent setup but most likely would not strip down completely since I have a lot of space downstairs to store the mount. 

As a developer I would say I am very technology averse and have no problem with mechanics. I tinker a lot with electronics and software. 

I really like that you posted some high end options too. But I think for the beginning I will stick to something in the 2k range since i dont want to big of an argument with the wife

That's OK, it's never entirely clear when people say they have no concerns over budget.  

However, based on your description I would be wary about an EQ6.  They are not light, you are looking at 23-24kg for the mount and tripod.  Unless you are a weightlifter you are likely to strain something if you try and carry that out with the telescope/camera/counterweights.  This before you consider that it is not packaged in a conveniently lift-able manner.

It may seem OK during the day on this forum, but try lugging about 25kg in the dark/cold at 3am in the morning.  Too heavy equipment is a big factor for those stripping down and putting up every night especially if the weather is uncertain.  

Given what you have stated are your limits I would suggest you look at the Vixen SXD2.  It is lightweight and very easy to move with what appears decent tracking.  Easily accommodates your scope and should have flexibility to go up to something in size similar to the C925 edge which would be more than enough focal length for most.  It is also in your budget limit.  You are likely to be able to carry out the whole setup in one go.

[LordLoki]

On 03/06/2019 at 20:07, Whirlwind said:

That's OK, it's never entirely clear when people say they have no concerns over budget.  

However, based on your description I would be wary about an EQ6.  They are not light, you are looking at 23-24kg for the mount and tripod.  Unless you are a weightlifter you are likely to strain something if you try and carry that out with the telescope/camera/counterweights.  This before you consider that it is not packaged in a conveniently lift-able manner.

It may seem OK during the day on this forum, but try lugging about 25kg in the dark/cold at 3am in the morning.  Too heavy equipment is a big factor for those stripping down and putting up every night especially if the weather is uncertain.  

Given what you have stated are your limits I would suggest you look at the Vixen SXD2.  It is lightweight and very easy to move with what appears decent tracking.  Easily accommodates your scope and should have flexibility to go up to something in size similar to the C925 edge which would be more than enough focal length for most.  It is also in your budget limit.  You are likely to be able to carry out the whole setup in one go.

Yeah the 25 Kilo on the Eq6 are heavy. I am not sure how much of a problem it would be. It's just 5 stairs and I am on the roof and a bit of a workout would maybe not be the worst for my beerbelly. And I would have to strip down the telescope and camera anyhow since I have 2 kids and a very clumsy wife running around.

Feel like I have to pay a visit to the astronomy shop in Zurich to get a feel for it. 

Thanks again also @cletrac1922 and @JamesFall the info is very much appreciated. 

 

[laser_jock99]

If it helps- I leave an EQ6 outside all year round on a permanent pier. It survives severe mountain conditions under a few layers of plastic bags and BBQ covers....

[Nigella Bryant]

The Cem60 has the lightest mount head for load capacity. 

[kirkster501]

100% go with the EQ6 or preferably the NEQ6.  Get something that has the ability to cater for your possibly increasing aspirations.  The NEQ6 will leave you a lot of runway for these changes in the future and it is a very capable mount and tracks accurately.   I regularly used to image and observe with an ED80 on my NEQ6.  Yes, maybe the NEQ6 was overkill for the ED80 and camera.  But that is never a bad thing.

I second Laser Jock.  NEQ6 (or EQ6) a superb mount and before I had my observatory my previous NEQ6 was out under a BBQ cover for three years without the slightest bother.  Indeed, I am currently building a "Todmorden" type peer and my current NEQ6 will likewise be similarly permanently outdoors.  This will render the issue of taking out and setting up every night irrelevant other than the initial getting it onto the peer in the first place, which is easy enough.

[LordLoki]

Hi all, 

I Think I will settle for the EQ-6R Pro. I was a bit torn since I had a very good gut feeling about the EQ6 already but the weight argument made me reconsider. But seeing the last posts I think I stick with my gut. 

And also as Roosevelt once said. 

Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well

Thanks again to all who are helping me out here