In praise of the AZ4

[Carl Au]

I have used a number of AZ mounts over the years for my refractors and when I owned such things Newtonian refectors too, both on and off Dobsonian mountings. The one mount I have returned to 3 times now (and I am not selling this one) is the humble SW AZ4. I have been using this mount on and off for the past 10 years now so I think I am probaly qualified to review it now. Currently as you can see I have a shortish tube refractor on board and since I have the steel legged version I have a very solid mount for my scope indeed, rock solid as it happens. I also think, and prehaps I am alone here, they look rather cool? I know we have all had a nasty shock with the recent price hikes which have arrived with anything with the name Skywatcher attached to it (I can't help but hear the Genesis track Watcher of the Skies in my head everytime I read the word Skywatcher) have increased the price to £209, but this still is an excellent valus for money mount. Essentally its a teflon ringed Dobsonian mount on a tripod. Currently I use my without the panning handle, but I am thinking of attaching it again as I have a terrible habit of moving the scope around by the sky using the diagonal, I must stop doing that. I don't know what it is with SW and grease like Evostick, but the AZ4 comes with the same gunk, however once stripped and replaced with white grease the mount is buttery smooth. I don't like slo mo controls, I took them off the last mount that had them, I just found they just got in the way. I have used a number of scopes on the AZ 4. I found that ED 100 to also be an excellent fit and also ran a TAL 100RS and a Towa 335 on one for a while too. As much as I loved my TAL, it was just a little too heavy. The long arm action of using such a long heavy scopw were a little too much. The Towa 335, a wonderfully sharp CA free 3 inch fl15 refractor was suprising stable, if a little challenging to use on occassions, that is one long scope. I still beleive that an AZ4 with a SW 150P/150PDS is one of the best outfits on the market for those entering astronomy for the first time. 

If you are looking for a stable good quality mount that provides a rock solid platform for grab and go astronomy, the AZ4 is well worth a look....over and out!

 

[GazOC]

Carl, I do the same thing with the diagonal when moving my AZ4 about. It's a terrible habit that will end up with something being off axis but it's so hard to avoid. I don't like using the handle as it doesn't feel natural when you're looking through the eyepiece 

[John]

Nice write up Carl

I agree that the AZ-4 is a very capable mount for a reasonable price.

I didn't use the panning handle on mine either. I found that I used to knock it in the dark as I put my eye to the eyepiece of my refractor. It nearly gave me a black eye on one occasion !

 

[Carl Au]

So I just unscrewed mine this morning and suprise, suprose it's all change inside. I have always cleaned them up inside before to removr the glue like grease. I know this one felt different (I have had a couple of them before) and now I know why. The large teflon rings have gone and been replaced by barings and there is not a drop of glue like grease in sight. They realy were like a mimi dob mounting iside the cluthes before the re-design. I wonder why they did that, they was nothing wrong with them before. 

[John]

45 minutes ago, Carl Au said:

So I just unscrewed mine this morning and suprise, suprose it's all change inside. I have always cleaned them up inside before to removr the glue like grease. I know this one felt different (I have had a couple of them before) and now I know why. The large teflon rings have gone and been replaced by barings and there is not a drop of glue like grease in sight. They realy were like a mimi dob mounting iside the cluthes before the re-design. I wonder why they did that, they was nothing wrong with them before. 

That's interesting. The ones that I've owned have all used the teflon ring approach. Quite a change if they have moved to using bearings. You would have thought that they might have called it the "Mk II" with a change like that ?

Was yours a new one ?

[Barry-W-Fenner]

This is an interesting read.

I have recently purchased the AZ4 for my refractor. I have only used it twice briefly so far due to the weather. It is a really nice mount and very sturdy. It could do with being a bit smoother though for fine adjustments and I was thinking of greasing the bearings. What grease have you used?

I believe the mount I purchased is an AZ4 "mk2" with the stainless steel legs rather than ally. It also has bearings instead of teflon but I assumed that was just how they have always been produced.

 

Barry

[Peter Drew]

Good as it may be, I wouldn't buy an alt-az mount that didn't have at least manual slow motions.      🙂

[banjaxed]

I agree with Peter, the AZ4 is a good sturdy mount but I prefer the AZ5 because of the slo mo controls.

[Carl Au]

4 hours ago, John said:

That's interesting. The ones that I've owned have all used the teflon ring approach. Quite a change if they have moved to using bearings. You would have thought that they might have called it the "Mk II" with a change like that ?

Was yours a new one ?

Yes, about 12 months old.

[Carl Au]

3 hours ago, Barry-W-Fenner said:

This is an interesting read.

I have recently purchased the AZ4 for my refractor. I have only used it twice briefly so far due to the weather. It is a really nice mount and very sturdy. It could do with being a bit smoother though for fine adjustments and I was thinking of greasing the bearings. What grease have you used?

I believe the mount I purchased is an AZ4 "mk2" with the stainless steel legs rather than ally. It also has bearings instead of teflon but I assumed that was just how they have always been produced.

 

Barry

Nah, it was always avaibale with both types pf legs. I think the head of the ali legged one is different too. I used white grease on mine. 

[Carl Au]

3 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Good as it may be, I wouldn't buy an alt-az mount that didn't have at least manual slow motions.      🙂

Funny though, no one seems to mind not having slow mo with a dob. I find they get in the way. I had a Giro III, no slow mo there either, best mount I ever had. I should get another, I keep looking at the mini ercol, it looks just right for a 5 kg 4 inch fl7 refractor 

[johninderby]

4 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

Good as it may be, I wouldn't buy an alt-az mount that didn't have at least manual slow motions.      🙂

Agree completely. I want a mount that has slo mo controls but that can also be pushed to whatever position you want then track using the slo mo controls and with no need to mess with locking or unlocking clutches. 

Edited March 3, 2021 by johninderby

[John]

This thread is titled "in praise of the AZ-4 mount" - maybe folks who want to knock it should wait for another to come along (or start their own) called "What I don't like about the AZ-4" ?

I'm sure glad that I don't post gear reviews here now

 

 

 

[banjaxed]

23 minutes ago, John said:

This thread is titled "in praise of the AZ-4 mount" - maybe folks who want to knock it should wait for another to come along (or start their own) called "What I don't like about the AZ-4" ?

I'm sure glad that I don't post gear reviews here now

 

 

 

Nobody has said they don’t like the AZ4 , just saying they prefer the AZ5. Are we not entitled to an opinion ?

[CraigT82]

On 28/02/2021 at 19:55, Carl Au said:

 I still beleive that an AZ4 with a SW 150P/150PDS is one of the best outfits on the market for those entering astronomy for the first time. 

Hard agree with this.  That setup could keep you busy for a lifetime.  Or put a Heritage 130p/150p OTA on board and you've got a super capable travel scope

[dobbie]

hi carl  i agree with your thoughts on the az4 i have had one for years , i see we have the same set up az4  and altair starwave 102 ed ,  have you used the alt /alt  setting circles ? i find they are surprisingly accurate  well maybe not the alt one, depends on how it was first put on ?  i use a wixey for the alt . with a mobile phone app i just transfer the cords to the mount and your there with a 32mm ep ,  no goto for me dont need one. and a 150p reflector its like a dob experience  john.

[Carl Au]

On 03/03/2021 at 15:39, dobbie said:

hi carl  i agree with your thoughts on the az4 i have had one for years , i see we have the same set up az4  and altair starwave 102 ed ,  have you used the alt /alt  setting circles ? i find they are surprisingly accurate  well maybe not the alt one, depends on how it was first put on ?  i use a wixey for the alt . with a mobile phone app i just transfer the cords to the mount and your there with a 32mm ep ,  no goto for me dont need one. and a 150p reflector its like a dob experience  john.

Interesting, I have never used the settings, perhaps I should? 

[Moonlit Night]

Just a bump for some else