Scopetech Zero Mount

[HollyHound]

8 hours ago, HollyHound said:

It is also possible to switch from left to right orientation whilst switching scopes if needed. The AZ5 can only operate in one orientation.

Just to clarify, whilst it is possible to switch from left to right orientation very quickly, it should be noted that of course the slow motion controls would need to be changed over too, otherwise they would be on the wrong side 😬

[Shaun_Astro]

£379 seemed a bit steep, and then am I right that this isn't including the tripod or slow motion control handles?

That's £900 in total! Cripes!

[HollyHound]

7 hours ago, Shaun_Astro said:

£379 seemed a bit steep, and then am I right that this isn't including the tripod or slow motion control handles?

That's £900 in total! Cripes!

You’re right, it’s not cheap, but it is well made and very smooth in operation.

The slow motion handles are £20 and it can be used on any tripod with a 3/8” head, doesn’t have to be Gitzo or Berlebach.

Still cheaper than my iPhone and likely outlast it by a good number of years, but I agree that there are cheaper and arguably better value mounts out there 👍

Edited July 23, 2020 by HollyHound

[Deadlake]

6 hours ago, HollyHound said:

You’re right, it’s not cheap, but it is well made and very smooth in operation.

The slow motion handles are £20 and it can be used on any tripod with a 3/8” head, doesn’t have to be Gitzo or Berlebach.

Still cheaper than my iPhone and likely outlast it by a good number of years, but I agree that there are cheaper and arguably better value mounts out there 👍

I have a Scopetech Zero on order. The only other mount I could find without clutches and with slow motion controls was the Vixen APZ around £530. Vixen APZ is 2 kg heavier but can take 1 kg more payload, so Scopetech Zero weighing 2 kg less won. 

Any other mounts with those features?  

[John]

7 hours ago, Deadlake said:

Any other mounts with those features?  

Vixen Porta II ?

https://www.vixenoptics.co.uk/Pages/porta_II_mount.htm

 

 

 

 

[johninderby]

Wonder what the Artesky Alt-azimuth Mount is like? 

Weight of the mount 1.6 kg - load capacity up to 15 kg

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p11387_Artesky-Alt-azimuth-Mount-with-fine-adjustment-for-instruments-up-to-15-kg.html

 

[Deadlake]

23 minutes ago, johninderby said:

Wonder what the Artesky Alt-azimuth Mount is like? 

Weight of the mount 1.6 kg - load capacity up to 15 kg

https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p11387_Artesky-Alt-azimuth-Mount-with-fine-adjustment-for-instruments-up-to-15-kg.html

 

From the site: "Unclamp the axes and you can reach any point on earth or in the sky with fast pans. As soon as you have set the target, fix the axes with the knurled screws." Looks like a clutch... But yes, looks good...

[Deadlake]

33 minutes ago, John said:

Vixen Porta II ?

https://www.vixenoptics.co.uk/Pages/porta_II_mount.htm

 

 

 

 

Defeated by wobble/nudge test, certainly takes longer to recover in review on YouTube pitted against Scopetech Zero.

[John]

Just now, Deadlake said:

Defeated by wobble/nudge test, certainly takes longer to recover in review on YouTube pitted against Scopetech Zero.

Do you have a link to that ?

I'd be interested to see it

I don't own / use a Vixen Porta II which is why I used the "?"

What scope are you intending to put on your Scopetech Zero ?

[Deadlake]

2 minutes ago, John said:

Do you have a link to that ?

I'd be interested to see it

I don't own / use a Vixen Porta II which is why I used the "?"

What scope are you intending to put on your Scopetech Zero ?

 

I think this has been linked elsewhere, but gives a good overview. In Japanese, but subtitles in English.

A Vixen SD81S, I suspect the Porta II would do, however any heavier...

 

[John]

Thanks for that link. That's what your £120 is buying you with the Scopetech Zero then

The AZ5 has clutches I think so that one is not of interest.

Anyway you have ordered the Zero now and I'm sure you will love it with your little Vixen frac

 

 

 

 

[HollyHound]

Just to clarify... the ScopeTech does have clutches, but they can be tightened easily to the point where it is still possible to freely move the scope around normally and also use the slow motion controls, without having to tighten/loosen the clutches. I've found that even when moderately tight, free motion and slow motion are free and easy, so I just keep it like this and don't touch the clutches again 👍

I believe they use a ball bearing based clutch ?

[Stu]

51 minutes ago, HollyHound said:

Just to clarify... the ScopeTech does have clutches, but they can be tightened easily to the point where it is still possible to freely move the scope around normally and also use the slow motion controls, without having to tighten/loosen the clutches. I've found that even when moderately tight, free motion and slow motion are free and easy, so I just keep it like this and don't touch the clutches again 👍

I believe they use a ball bearing based clutch ?

I was going to say something similar! Saved me the trouble 👍👍

[Deadlake]

Thanks for clearing up around the clutches. I’ll give the ScopeTech Zero a go.

[Deadlake]

The vixen SD81S is not turning up to September, all sold out. However Vixen SD103S are available, from the YouTube video I’m presume SD103S will behave like the Tak-100 as far as balance, etc...

[John]

1 hour ago, Deadlake said:

The vixen SD81S is not turning up to September, all sold out. However Vixen SD103S are available, from the YouTube video I’m presume SD103S will behave like the Tak-100 as far as balance, etc...

@Stu has used his Vixen 102 Fluorite on the Zero mount and it worked OK. I think the SD103S is a similar size and weight, perhaps a touch shorter.

 

 

[paulastro]

Many thanks for your review Stu, an excellent report.  Also thanks to everyone else who has contributed, and made comparisons with other altaz mounts with slow motions.

I use altaz mounts exclusively, and also keep an eye out for anything on the market which might  improve the usability of my three refractors - a SW 72ED, SW 80ED and SW 120ED.

My altaz mounts include a Vixen Super Polaris adjusted for altaz use  ( you'll remember this mount Stu! )  and an AZ5.  Also, without slow motions, an Ercole mount and x2 AZ4s.

I'd really like an altaz with slow motions which will comfortably take the SW 120ED - alas I couldn't afford the Rowan.  The SP is fine, but I'd prefer a mount which doesn't need a counter weight.  I have actually used the 120 on the AZ5 a few times (before I bought the SP from Stu) and it works better than you might think, but not very good at higher powers.

I think what would meet the bill would be a SW AZ6 - a beefed up, larger scale AZ5!  🌝

[John]

2 hours ago, paulastro said:

I think what would meet the bill would be a SW AZ6 - a beefed up, larger scale AZ5!  🌝

I still think there is a niche for a decently made alt-azimuth mount that sits somewhere between the Skytee II / Giro Ercole and the £1K + mounts in capacity and cost. The Bray Tablet used to sit around there as did the Giro XXL but those are long gone now.

I did wonder if the AZ100 might be it but that has ended up in the £1K plus bracket once you have a tripod, clamp, counterweight bar and weight. A wonderfully made mount and I can see why it is priced as it is.

But there is still a yawning gap to be filled IMHO.

 

 

[AdeKing]

15 hours ago, paulastro said:

I think what would meet the bill would be a SW AZ6 - a beefed up, larger scale AZ5!  🌝

I think you're right Paul. I love alt az mounts, but getting one sufficiently beefy to carry my 102 f/11 without it skittering around Avery time I touch the focuser is proving to be a bit of a challenge.

My GP on a pillar mount copes ok, but all of my alt az mounts feel like they're maxed out with it due to the length.

13 hours ago, John said:

But there is still a yawning gap to be filled IMHO.

I'm with you on that @John, I really want an AZ100 and from what I saw at IAS last year, I think it's price is deserved....  But I'd want it with all the bells and whistles which puts it around £1400 plus a new tripod or Berlebach tripod top to fit it to, which is sadly too much for me.

I'm secretly hoping in vain that one will show up used in a year, or two, or ten if I'm very lucky. 

[grjsk]

On 07/07/2020 at 00:08, Stu said:

If it looks even vaguely clear tomorrow morning I shall head up to the local heath which has a good horizon to try to see the comet. I’ve put my 72mm on the Zero Mount which handles it with ease. The scope is surprisingly heavy for such a toddler, mind you the ADM dovetail adds quite a bit to it, must get a lighter weight one.

One thing to note, I wasn’t happy with the stiffness of the Az control so I slightly backed off the locking nuts on one end of the worm gear, then locked them back together again. This has eased it nicely without creating any excessive backlash so was well worth doing. Highlighted in the last image.

I've just received the Zero mount, and I have the same 72mm as you I think. I found it surprisingly hard too balance such a light scope. Sure, it's heavy at the back, but with a barlow, baader zoom and an Iphone in a phone bracket it was impossible to balance it. I tightend the alt locking nut as much as i dared, but the scope still fell backwards.. 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, grjsk said:

I've just received the Zero mount, and I have the same 72mm as you I think. I found it surprisingly hard too balance such a light scope. Sure, it's heavy at the back, but with a barlow, baader zoom and an Iphone in a phone bracket it was impossible to balance it. I tightend the alt locking nut as much as i dared, but the scope still fell backwards.. 

I’ve found that a problem with the 72mm on other mounts, so I have mine on a longer dovetail allowing it to be positioned further forward to gain balance. Works very well then. Will post a picture if I can.

[Second Time Around]

I'm awaiting delivery of a longer dovetail for the same reason as Stu for my 72mm on a Mount Zero.

It was partly due to Stu's review (what a tongue twister!) that I bought a Mount Zero.  I'm very pleased with it, so many thanks for the recommendation.

 

[Second Time Around]

I'd add that my 72mm Altair EDF came secondhand with a 180mm dovetail, but even that isn't long enough with binoviewers. Mind you, mine is an earlier model with a long 97mm drawtube so the main tube is shorter than normal, making it that much harder to balance.  I see that the latest version of the scope has a 75mm drawtube so should be easier to balance, although it means less backfocus.

[HollyHound]

Just to confirm that yes, the ScopeTech Zero is quite sensitive to balance, and you will find that the Alt clutch should be quite tight. Once it's adjusted correctly however, it still remains very smooth to operate even with the clutch quite tight, for both free movement and slow motion.

It's not required, but I have also replaced the standard (screw clamp) saddle with an ADM saddle, as I find it makes it a bit easier when adjusting balance quickly if swapping between light and heavy eyepieces. However, the standard saddle is good quality, lighter and more compact, so it's by no means an essential upgrade.

Edited September 9, 2020 by HollyHound

[stampy10000]

I received my Zero mount last weekend, very happy with it so far, especially now that the slow mo controls have arrived too! I'd like to replace the clamp for something that doesn't chew up the dovetail, any recommendations?