Skywatcher Az-GTI and Esprit 80ed

[Jewelbox]

Hi Folks

After a few years of appreciating the night sky with the trusty Skymaster 12x60, I have decided to take the plunge.

Keen to purchase the Skywatcher Az-GTI along with the Skywatcher Esprit 80ed, and wana get some 2-cents on this; whether its an okay decision to match these 2 options together.

I am primarily using this for Visual, though keeping the door open for Astrophotography in the near future. 

Thanks:) 

[joe aguiar]

Esprit is a imaging scope with its 2 extra lens in it, u dont need that part for visual. And your paying alot more for it.

For visual only just get a doublet 53. I bet for same money u can probably get the sky watcher 120 evostar 

Joejaguar 

Edited October 28, 2019 by joe aguiar

[Owmuchonomy]

The Esprit will be too heavy for the AZ Gti. I use a SW ED80 on mine and that’s at the limit. If you are using the scope for visual then there are cheaper and lighter more appropriate choices. The Esprit is designed for imaging. If you intend to image then a more substantial EQ mount will be required.

[Miguel1983]

I have the AZGTI skymax 127 combo, and i really like this combo, also have the ED80 and that works too for low power wide field.

Keep in mind that the AZGTI is not designed for astrophotography, so if your are willing to spend some money on an Esprit 80 you would probably be better to get a beefier mount too.

For the same budget as the AZGTI + Esprit 80, you can get a HEQ5-Pro mount and the SW ED80 DS-Pro outfit and some money to spare.

Yes the mount is less portable but more than adequate for starting with astrophotography, as is the ED80

Good luck

[baggywrinkle]

I gifted my AZ-GTi to my son along with an Altair Astro 70mm Starwave. It is now down under in NZ

Before that I had good use of it. The 70mm was at the top end of the weight range and you could image the Moon easily adding a DSLR and it would still track.. Any deep sky would be limited to around 20 secs exposures as it is an AZ mount.

It was easy to set up and I ran it from its local WIFI on my Samsung mobile. Batteries lasted pretty well too.

It  is very good for grab and go and a quick set up.

 

[Greymouser]

I will add one thing the AZGTi mount can have issues regarding how good it is out of the box. I have had issues and am on my second one, thanks to the great service from FLO, I have not had to give in. I am not the only one to have issues either, I suspect that there are quality control issues from Skywatcher and this mount.

Edited October 29, 2019 by Greymouser

[Jewelbox]

Thanks for the replies!

I looked around and it seems that the Esprit enjoys such rave reviews, and not so much for the Evostar. Thinking of getting a good Apo Ed Refractor once and for all and stick with it, thus more inclined to go with the Esprit. 

If I just use the Esprit 80ED for Visual and therefore will not be attaching the additional equipment such as the camera, will it still be manageable for the AZGTI?  

According to the paper specifications, it seems manageable as the mount can support a payload of 5kg and the tube weight of the 80ed is only 4kg at most, but would like to get an opinion on this:)

 

[banjaxed]

I am using the Skymak 127 on my AZ Gti Mount and it works perfectly. The Esprit 80ED is 1/2 a kilo heavier so I cannot see it being a problem.

[Miguel1983]

don't forget the weight of the 2" diagonal, finderscope and 2" eyepieces (my heaviest is 1,25 kg !)

[Nigella Bryant]

You can add eq to the Az Gti with software update, counterweight bar and counterweight. I'd only use a telephoto lens and dslr or up to 70mm refractor for astrophotography though if that's planned for the future. Capable mount. 

[knobby]

Although the Az-Gti isn't designed for imaging ... It can and indeed does. Taken with SW 72 Ed attached.

Just need to add the Star adventurer wedge / counterweight and update the mount firmware. 

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by knobby
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