EQ3 Pro Go-To vs EQ5 Pro Go-To vs EQM-35 Pro Go-To

[Pitch Black Skies]

It's £679 on FLO but when I add it to the basket it drops to £565. If I was to buy it I would then be hit with hefty customs charges.

Since Brexit it is just too expensive to buy anything from the UK. It's cheaper to have stuff shipped from the EU now.

[ONIKKINEN]

41 minutes ago, Alex Almeida said:

The best price I've found recently is at https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/
https://www.rothervalleyoptics.co.uk/skywatcher-eqm-35-pro-synscan-goto-modular-equatorial-mounting-system.html
 

I saw Nebula Photos' review on this mount and I got a bit confused on the USB connector he specifies at 5'24" in this video below. All of EQM35 PRO I found out there doesnt seem to have this USB connector.

 

While generally i like this channel, i believe this review was far too hasty. The mount is simply not good. It should be compared to the EQ-3 and not the EQ-5. The EQ-5 has competent mechanics and bearings in it, while the EQM-35 only has sliding surfaces and bushings. Backlash is unfixable, there is a very good chance that anyone who buys the mount will end up disliking it. The EQ-5 is only just a tiny bit more expensive but so much better it doesnt make any sense to buy this mount. The EQM-35 PRO is just an EQ3 with a slightly improved RA-axis (not the issue, DEC is the main issue and this is the same as in the EQ3) and an extra counterweight. The improved payload rating is completely made up and is based on nothing at all.

And yes there is a USB connector on both the hand control and the main control box. You can hook up a USB cable to the handcontrol and control the mount with a PC and the handcontrol. Doing this both the hand controller and PC know at all times where the mount is pointing, and both can initiate GO-TOs.

[Alex Almeida]

@ONIKKINEN thanks for your reply. I don't know much about equatorial mounts, just starting to research to get my first one. Does the USB connector mean I would be able to do autoguide the mount from my computer?

Also, I can see on your signature you have 'mount: skywathcer EQM-35 PRO'. I'm confused. Isn't this the mount you just said not worth it?

Cheers

[ONIKKINEN]

6 minutes ago, Alex Almeida said:

@ONIKKINEN thanks for your reply. I don't know much about equatorial mounts, just starting to research to get my first one. Does the USB connector mean I would be able to do autoguide the mount from my computer?

Also, I can see on your signature you have 'mount: skywathcer EQM-35 PRO'. I'm confused. Isn't this the mount you just said not worth it?

Cheers

The USB connector means you don't need the usual EQMOD cable to connect with a PC, so if you have a guide camera in a guidescope you can guide with it. Mounts without USB connectors need a special cable that takes the place of the hand controller - which means you cannot use the hand controller and PC controls at the same time. Most skywatcher mounts come with USB connectors these days, so its not as big of a selling point as it would appear. The EQMOD cable is also not that expensive or difficult to setup/use, so i wouldn't make my purchasing decisions based on that.

Im just trying to make sure as few people as possible make the same mistake as i did of buying the mount based on specs and hearsay. My experiences with the mount are almost entirely negative, so i would not recommend anyone buy it, and if ranting in forums deters even one person from buying it i have done my part. I will be replacing the mount whenever i get the money for it, but for now i have figured out some "hacks" to use it somewhat effectively for my use.

[Alex Almeida]

2 hours ago, ONIKKINEN said:

The USB connector means you don't need the usual EQMOD cable to connect with a PC, so if you have a guide camera in a guidescope you can guide with it. Mounts without USB connectors need a special cable that takes the place of the hand controller - which means you cannot use the hand controller and PC controls at the same time. Most skywatcher mounts come with USB connectors these days, so its not as big of a selling point as it would appear. The EQMOD cable is also not that expensive or difficult to setup/use, so i wouldn't make my purchasing decisions based on that.

Im just trying to make sure as few people as possible make the same mistake as i did of buying the mount based on specs and hearsay. My experiences with the mount are almost entirely negative, so i would not recommend anyone buy it, and if ranting in forums deters even one person from buying it i have done my part. I will be replacing the mount whenever i get the money for it, but for now i have figured out some "hacks" to use it somewhat effectively for my use.

Thank you. I will consider the EQ5 PRO instead. Consider your part done!

[Pitch Black Skies]

I've since sold the Meade. It was sturdy but the electronics were old and fragile. 

I opted for a second hand EQ5 Pro with the intention of progressing to autoguiding thus taking advantage of the ST4 autoguiding port. I have since learning that I can pulse guide with an EQDIR cable.

I can tell you that the Meade was a better mount. It's much heavier, beefier and smoother. It uses a bearing on each axis while the EQ5 Pro only uses one on the RA axis. The Dec axis can become very stiff.

I have now sold the EQ5 Pro and am mountless. My next mount is either going to be the HEQ5 (Rowan mod) or EQ6-R.

There isn't a huge price difference between each of them when the Rowan mod and bearing puller is factored in. The EQ6-R comes with upgraded latitude bolts although a lot of owners seem very unhappy with them.

Any thoughts?

[wimvb]

1 hour ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

Any thoughts?

EQ6-R any day (or night). A friend has one in my obsy where it sits next to my AZ-EQ6.  It consistently gives better guiding, occasionly below 0.35", most of the time below 0.5". But it is heavier, so better placed in an observatory. The altitude bolt is tricky, but can easily be replaced. Again, in an observatory this is a non issue. For a mobile setup, I'd probably recommend replacing it.

Edited December 5, 2021 by wimvb

[Pitch Black Skies]

So an EQ6-R any day or night, provided it's in an observatory. I don't have an observatory unfortunately. However the furthest I would ever be carrying it would be just outside the front door of a bungalow.

Great that your friend is achieving that accuracy but being a mass produced product I think it could vary from example to example.

I'm thinking it would makes sense to pay the extra couple of hundred or so for the higher payload capability.

Edited December 6, 2021 by Pitch Black Skies

[wimvb]

9 hours ago, Pitch Black Skies said:

I'm thinking it would makes sense to pay the extra couple of hundred or so for the higher payload capability

Your back may not agree with you; the EQ6-R is a heavy mount. But it does have a handle for easier lifting.

[Jamgood]

I can't fault my HEQ5Pro. I got it used on this forum. I've since stripped and cleaned it all, replaced the bearings, re-greased and done the Rowan Belt Mod on it and the guiding is solid as a rock. I constantly get between 0.4 and 0.6 all night but more importantly than nice looking graphs and numbers in PHD2.....I get nice round stars.

I also don't have an OBSY so I'm carrying it out every time but don't find it overly heavy to move about. I don't have to take it very far to have it set up though, just out the back door about 15ft. I've also drilled little holes in the patio so the feet are always in the same place when I set up which saves time on polar alignment/balancing, etc. Just a quick tweak of the AZ/DEC bolts while using SharpCap for alignment. 

[Pitch Black Skies]

44 minutes ago, Jamgood said:

I can't fault my HEQ5Pro. I got it used on this forum. I've since stripped and cleaned it all, replaced the bearings, re-greased and done the Rowan Belt Mod on it and the guiding is solid as a rock. I constantly get between 0.4 and 0.6 all night but more importantly than nice looking graphs and numbers in PHD2.....I get nice round stars.

I also don't have an OBSY so I'm carrying it out every time but don't find it overly heavy to move about. I don't have to take it very far to have it set up though, just out the back door about 15ft. I've also drilled little holes in the patio so the feet are always in the same place when I set up which saves time on polar alignment/balancing, etc. Just a quick tweak of the AZ/DEC bolts while using SharpCap for alignment. 

That is actually a great idea to drill holes. I'm using a bit of tape on the ground at the moment. It won't last very long.