ZWO AM5 vs EQ6 or HEQ5

[DSviewer]

Hi all having thoughts around extra spend for AM5 over EQ6 pro or lighter HEQ 5  mounting WO 81 probably not going to go up past 130 in future  I would say in terms of apo so was wondering if worth it as I heard the skywatcher mounts a heavy and though I do not plan on doing loads travel its more about being able to lift and shift as not able to  leave setup anywhere at home in house.

[Moodtastic]

I have the EQ6 pro and a WO GT81. My biggest refractor is 100mm. Good seeing, decent polar alignment and balancing I get sub 0.80 RMS which is good enough for me. Poor nights it runs closer to 1.0rms but with the GT81 that's not an issue. The GT81 can be balanced with a single counterweight and no extension. The 100mm needs 2 counterweights with no extension.

It's very heavy though! Not an issue for me as I don't have far to carry it far and fortunate to have an ok back, but I understand why people struggle with it.

I also have a CEM40 which i use when travelling, or if I want a busy night with two setups. It doesn't seem to perform as well as the EQ6, but I am not sure I've ever got the balancing right.

Can't comment on the AM5. The HEQ5 will struggle with heavier scopes.

 

 

[david_taurus83]

I have the AM5 and though it's a cracking little mount, I'm not sure it would cope with a large scope. I would say your GT81 would be fine if you were imaging at 2 arc seconds per pixel but I think anything finer than this and you would start seeing oblong stars. I use mine with a Redcat 51 and 2600MC so 3" resolution and its fine with this. I use the ASIAir to control and guide it and it usually guides within 1"RMS but I've always thought the Air guiding stats are a bit optimistic.. 

My main setup is an AZEQ6 mount on a pier and it's a great workhorse. I appreciate your concerned about the weight and will be setting up on a tripod each time but for larger kit, you can't beat a tried and trusted EQ6 class equatorial for reliability and performance for the price.

[Stefan73]

I've got the EQ6 pro too which I've been very pleased with.   On decent nights I've had it down to less than 0.3 pixel RMS with an OAG through my 130PDS without any sort of tuning.  Because it's such a ubiquitous mount there are plenty of tuning / strip down guides for it too if you need one.

It is heavy but as long as you're relatively fit and strong it should be fine.  I don't think I'd take it travelling but shifting it around with tripod attached is quite manageable for me.  It really depends on how far you'll need to move it regularly and what possibilities of leaving it setup semi permanently in the garden are (getting a cover for mine made a big difference so I could leave everything setup if there were a few nights in a week I could image with) as to how much of a pain this will turn out in practice.

[The Admiral]

1 hour ago, david_taurus83 said:

guides within 1"RMS but I've always thought the Air guiding stats are a bit optimistic.. 

Me too, with a 400mm fl scope sitting on top, and it does seem to be backed up by PHD2 viewer when looking at the guide log. When I've got decent PA of course.

I've no experience with long fl / heavy scopes, but it's worth looking at the ZWO mount Facebook site if you can.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/zwoasimount/?mibextid=HsNCOg

Quite a few folk are using it with larger scopes.

Ian

Edited January 29, 2023 by The Admiral

[AstroGS]

Well, I used to have a very good EQ6R Pro, which I sold to buy a ZWO AM5. The main reason was that I am travelling a few times a year and I wanted a better (to the AZ-GTi) mount while away but, also one that would be easier to setup during each session. I have done a review on the AM5 vs EQ6R in this section of the forum, in case you wish to read it (https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/404888-zwo-am5-experience-and-lessons-learnt/).

 

 

My EQ6R pro was guiding consistently around 0.6-0.8 almost under any circumstance, carrying both my old WO GT81 and then the Stellamira ED90 Triplet and Redcat51 without issue and was great. BUT! Since, I do not have an obsy, my imaging sessions were becoming less and less frequent as I had to carry the tripod in and out, setup everything, PA and etc. Usually, it would take me 30-40 mins (if everything went well) to start capturing my first sub. That means that during the working week I wouldn’t even try to set it up and the clear skies over the weekend were less and less. As they say the best equipment is the one you use more often.

 

Thus, since I got the AM5 I am imaging almost every evening there is a clear sky. Why? It takes me only 10  in’s from the moment i decide to start imaging until I start acquiring the first light. The mount is on the tripod and it can be carried with one hand (check though my comments on the mount).

 

It can carry with ease both the Redcat 51 and the Stellamira 90 triplet and without any counter+weight. The latter weighs just over 8 kgr, including all equipment on.

 

I love the AM5 and it is one of the best buys for me - have I regretted that I sold the EQ6R? yes, I did as now I can have a semi permanent tripod in my garden and the EQ6 would be perfect fit for it, allowing me to keep the AM5 as a secondary/ versatile/ mobile mount. But, if I wouldn’t have the option for a semi-permanent tripod, I wouldn’t even think to have the EQ6 over the AM5.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by George Sinanis

[Elp]

Eventually I would like a HD mount for the same reason, carrying out, setting up and stripping down and in 40 odd Kg of equipment is no fun.

Edited January 29, 2023 by Elp

[DSviewer]

Many thanks all really appreciate the information I also have to work as well so having something that I can quickly setup is a boon to me especially as my wife would no doubt be very unhappy about me leaving an EQ mount in the house. I have a very secure garage by the house but wasn’t sure about the camp I guess I can put a tarpaulin on. Sorry quick question the HEQ 5 is lighter in believe and would accommodate a WO 81 Air guides open etc but if I wanted I go to something like 120 -130 focal length apo the. Not sure if this would be able to cope with the weight correct?

[AstroGS]

20 hours ago, DSviewer said:

Many thanks all really appreciate the information I also have to work as well so having something that I can quickly setup is a boon to me especially as my wife would no doubt be very unhappy about me leaving an EQ mount in the house. I have a very secure garage by the house but wasn’t sure about the camp I guess I can put a tarpaulin on. Sorry quick question the HEQ 5 is lighter in believe and would accommodate a WO 81 Air guides open etc but if I wanted I go to something like 120 -130 focal length apo the. Not sure if this would be able to cope with the weight correct?

Having owned an AZ-EQ5 myself with the GT81, I can say that the AM5+tripod+no counterweights is significantly lighter than the EQ5+tripod+counterweight. The cost from the other side is significantly higher for the AM5 for sure.

 

Personally I wouldn’t mount a larger than a 100APO to any of those mounts. My current 90APO rig (including guidescope, camera and etc) weighs approx. 8kgr. For something like a 120-130 my base would be an EQ6R at least.

Edited January 31, 2023 by George Sinanis

[Elp]

3 hours ago, George Sinanis said:

Personally I wouldn’t mount a larger than a 100APO to any of those mounts

But you can use a CW with the am5 to increase its payload right if you wanted to?

[AstroGS]

2 hours ago, Elp said:

But you can use a CW with the am5 to increase its payload right if you wanted to?

Yes but, I wouldn’t push it to be honest. Even the length of the tube can be an issue, especially close to zenith. 
 

But 100% I wouldn’t use the AM5 on the carbon tripod for anything longer than 80-90 apo. 

[Elp]

I'm just asking as I may upgrade in future. As the mount has a 3/8 thread in the base, you could technically mount it onto a basic SW extension pier (or buy the costlier proper one) to mitigate the image train hitting the tripod, and mount it onto a sturdier tripod (which I have).