Rowan AZ75 Mount

[RobertI]

It looks like the AZ75 will easily handle my usual side-by-side arrangement of the 102ED-R on one side and the C8 on the other, which is good news. Going purely “push to” is a big step though and I am  not too familiar with using the that type of mount for bigger scopes - my biggest worry is the likelihood that the scope will swing down violently when changing a heavy eyepiece or binoviewer - with the SkyTee the axes are locked most of the time as I use the slo mo for my observing, so this is not an issue, but I believe this isn’t the case with push to mounts and I am assuming you have to remember to lock the axis before changing a heavy eyepiece? There does seem to be a lot of adjustment on the AZ75 which I haven’t fully got my head around though. I also suspect that my scopes are  pretty short and possibly less of a problem than I am thinking?

[Stu]

13 minutes ago, RobertI said:

I am assuming you have to remember to lock the axis before changing a heavy eyepiece?

Yes, that’s correct Robert. Stu’s knob as it was christened (aka the Alt lock) clamps the Alt axis so you can change eyepieces without having to adjust the clutch tension. Very handy and will become second nature fairly quickly.

The mount will certainly handle your two scopes with ease. The is not too much to adjust, just the tension in each axis really, and that’s quite easy.

Using Push to is very intuitive and easy. I’ve used it on a 16” dob to very good effect, and the C8 would be great with it. You can get away without using a finder, just push the scope to the target on the screen and there it is in the eyepiece.

[AdeKing]

50 minutes ago, Alan White said:

Can you run your f11 100mm across to me, then you and  I can see how the mount handles it ?
Which I think will be vert well indeed.
I joke of course as its not just round the corner between us after all.

Next time you're in my neck if the woods Alan we can take the AZ75 and f/11 up onto Cranborne Chase and test it out.

Either that or I'll drop in on @Stu as now he's moved he isn't far from my in-laws.

[RobertI]

6 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yes, that’s correct Robert. Stu’s knob as it was christened (aka the Alt lock) clamps the Alt axis so you can change eyepieces without having to adjust the clutch tension. Very handy and will become second nature fairly quickly.

The mount will certainly handle your two scopes with ease. The is not too much to adjust, just the tension in each axis really, and that’s quite easy.

Using Push to is very intuitive and easy. I’ve used it on a 16” dob to very good effect, and the C8 would be great with it. You can get away without using a finder, just push the scope to the target on the screen and there it is in the eyepiece.

Ah, that's what Stu's knob is - a fine invention! I understand what the extra knob is for now and sounds like it helps a lot. 👍

[Alan White]

8 hours ago, RobertI said:

Ah, that's what Stu's knob is - a fine invention! I understand what the extra knob is for now and sounds like it helps a lot. 👍

I am glad that;s out in the open 😉 and pleased that the true name is being used, none of this altitude lock naming

 

[Alan White]

9 hours ago, John said:

I don't think we diverge that much Alan - I've spent much of my observing over the years "nudging" dob mounts or using Giro type mounts so slow motion controls are not essential IMHO. They are nice to have in a number of circumstances but if the motion of the mount is smooth (and becomes familiar) I can and have certainly managed just fine without on many occasions 

Where I do seem to diverge from many is on push-to functionality which just does not interest me. But the AZ75 has the potential for that for those who would like it 

That's good, I know we like very similar in mounts ans AltAz in particular and love our Refractors,
I can say so far the AZ75 is exceedingly smooth in use and playing with it, as you do.

The push-to funtionality is the side show, and can make target finding very easy.
For me it transformed my home observing, blighted by light pollution of biblical proportions, suddenly I can find faint fuzzies from home again,
something lost for the past 12 years of my dear nextdoor light explosion.

On push to my experience is with the Nexus DSC computer and screen, which works well,
But I will set it up with my tablet and a Planetarium software like @Stu does and see what that is like as well,
that however is not really testing of the mount, just a differing method of deployment.

 

[Stephenstargazer]

2 hours ago, Alan White said:

On push to my experience is with the Nexus DSC computer and screen, which works well,
But I will set it up with my tablet and a Planetarium software like @Stu does and see what that is like as well,

I have used both and whilst the UI of say Sky Safari is verging on magic, I found that my Android tablets at some time will show a bright screen, not red night light, and then you lose night adapted vision in a flash for the next 30 mins. The DSC is totally safe in this respect. Maybe good tablets don't? In fact I find even the 'night light' screens give out some bluish light.

Either will be brilliant with push to, the finder gets used for alignment then becomes redundant, so can be pretty basic.

[Deadlake]

17 minutes ago, Stephenstargazer said:

I found that my Android tablets at some time will show a bright screen

In red light mode on iPad not seen a bright screen. 

[Stephenstargazer]

@Deadlake does the screen stay on indefinitely? If you put something close to the screen in darkness do you get any light except red? What type of display screen is it?

(Interested because will be changing tablet some time soon)

[John]

IMHO any illumination, red or otherwise, is unwelcome when trying for really faint targets eg: the Horsehead.

 

 

 

 

[Stu]

45 minutes ago, John said:

IMHO any illumination, red or otherwise, is unwelcome when trying for really faint targets eg: the Horsehead.

 

 

 

 

That’s very true John, but in most instances you can get a phone or tablet screen down to very low levels which don’t affect your eye any more than the surroundings, certainly not even under my now darker skies. I agree that under very dark skies, or if trying for something tough then sitting under an observing hood and not looking at anything will certainly help.

[Alan White]

I see where you all are on varying dark adaption, the DSC unit is very dim-able and work well

The issue for me and will vary for others is it’s so light polluted at home dark adaption  is never full due to the 30+ lights

So the encoders with any front end is highly desirable indeed

At dark skies the Nexus DSC is turned down very low and not an issue

Glad to hear the iPads are ok as that’s what I have, so will try it at a later stage

 

[Concordia000]

May I ask what the full weight with DSC fitted would be and if you know about the pricing?

The lack of slow motion, I assume, means the lack fo ability to add motors down the line. That's probably fine for a mount designed to be used manually, but I can't help but to feel that the niche for the AZ75 is somewhat limited. It is for someone who is looking for a manual mount that holds 8-15kg of equipment and possibly two scopes at the same time; those who want bigger scopes are better served by the AZ100 and those with smaller scopes are better served by the many single arm fork mounts on the market.

[Deadlake]

20 hours ago, Stephenstargazer said:

@Deadlake does the screen stay on indefinitely? If you put something close to the screen in darkness do you get any light except red? What type of display screen is it?

(Interested because will be changing tablet some time soon)

Sky safari has a turn off sleep mode as do the other apps. 
iPad are LED type apart from 12.9 Pro which is micro LED.
To be honest not seen much difference in this use case between LED and OLED on phone.

[Alan White]

10 hours ago, Concordia000 said:

May I ask what the full weight with DSC fitted would be and if you know about the pricing?

The lack of slow motion, I assume, means the lack fo ability to add motors down the line. That's probably fine for a mount designed to be used manually, but I can't help but to feel that the niche for the AZ75 is somewhat limited. It is for someone who is looking for a manual mount that holds 8-15kg of equipment and possibly two scopes at the same time; those who want bigger scopes are better served by the AZ100 and those with smaller scopes are better served by the many single arm fork mounts on the market.

If you read above thread, all your questions are answered.

But.

4.5 KG withencoders and the vixen clamps.
The DSC itself is light, I have not weighed it and its not part of the Rowan build as such.

Slow Motion, is a Marmite thing, some are unable to live without it, others are most happy without it.
As said many years ago, You cannot please them all.

I think the niche at which the AZ75 is aimed is actually less limited that the AZ100 and a wise move by Rowan, but as the say, Your Mileage May Vary.

A single arm mount, perhaps, but then you cannot dual mount things such as Solar scopes and the like.

 

[Alan White]

20 hours ago, John said:

IMHO any illumination, red or otherwise, is unwelcome when trying for really faint targets eg: the Horsehead.

You have done the Horsehead with one of your Refraactors? Wow, thats quite something in my mind @John

[Alan White]

I have pinched one of Stu's Images again, saves mne just doing the same.
The simple controls all just work.
The clutches work exactly the same as the AZ100 and are of the same design, they are very smooth and progressive.
The Altitude lock is very similar to the AZ100 one, I notice @Stu has magnified the 'Stu's Knob'   (Any Psychologists amongst us here?) 😉
All is metal and all is very smooth.

 

 

[Alan White]

A comment on @Stu spin videos:

It has been noted by one of our old SGL friends who now frequesnts CN that the spin test is pointless fresh from the factory.
What we need is one thats done a long time in varying conditions.

I can see the initial point, but unless we have a Time Machine available, then we cannot do that in testing, can we.

I think that the AZ75 will be just as smooth after use than fresh from Rowan,
They greases they use are of aviation quality, so they are not intended to fail in use.

The AZ100 is greased with Aeroshell 33, which is used heavily in the Aviation Industry,
It has wide temp range and is designed for a long service life, its great even at -73 Degrees Celcius, so I think we should be OK 

The same grease was on the assembly area for the AZ75, but it will have far less to lubricate as no worms or internal gears.



 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Alan White

[dweller25]

On 15/10/2021 at 22:45, johninderby said:

There are those that insist on having slo-mo controls and those that aren’t bothered so now they have a choice which can’t be a bad thing. 👍🏻

Not quite John - it would be nice to have the choice of slo-mo control on the lighter mount 👍

[Alan White]

1 minute ago, dweller25 said:

Not quite John - it would be nice to have the choice of slo-mo control on the lighter mount 👍

But then it would not be the 'Lighter Mount' as it would have the worms, additional controls etc. It would then be a 25mm smaller AZ100.

I do see where you are coming from, but this is an Apples and Pears thing;
if you want Apples, buy Apples, If you want Pears buy Pears.

 

[johninderby]

Having owned an AZ100 since 2019 I find it hasn’t altered in smoothness one tiny little bit. Still as perfect as when it first arrived. When a bit of astro kit is built using the best materials and machined to perfection wear isn’t going to be a problem. As they say you get what ypu pay for. 👍🏻

Edited October 18, 2021 by johninderby

[dweller25]

4 minutes ago, Alan White said:

But then it would not be the 'Lighter Mount' as it would have the worms, additional controls etc. It would then be a 25mm smaller AZ100.

I do see where you are coming from, but this is an Apples and Pears thing;
if you want Apples, buy Apples, If you want Pears buy Pears.

 

Well, theres no harm in asking whilst it’s in development…..

Apples and pears go well together 🙂

Sadly the AZ100 is too heavy for me 🙁

Edited October 18, 2021 by dweller25

[John]

9 minutes ago, Alan White said:

But then it would not be the 'Lighter Mount' as it would have the worms, additional controls etc. It would then be a 25mm smaller AZ100.




 

Unless another manufacturer made it ?

Rowan make superb mounts and I can see where they have gone with the AZ75.

Another manufacturer might be able to provide something with slow motion controls, similar build (not exactly the same, but still very good), similar weight and at a similar price.

Then we consumers will have even more choice

 

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by John

[johninderby]

I think Rowan realise there is a demand for a lighter mount with slo-mo so who knows what  might come out of their workshop in the future. 🤔

[Alan White]

16 minutes ago, johninderby said:

I think Rowan realise there is a demand for a lighter mount with slo-mo so who knows what  might come out of their workshop in the future. 🤔

Indeed I think they do....
And who knows what might be on the CAD files, the Neuralyzer may be blocking my thoughts 🤣