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Mount upgrade


dark knight

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OK my old neq6 mount is getting a bit tired and I'm looking to upgrade, looking to spend around the 2k mark. I want something that should just slot straight back into my set up which is as follows. Esprit 120 main scope, ed50 guide scope, canon 6d main camera. All this is controlled via a pi4 running ekos/kstars at the mount (existing mount uses a Bluetooth connection to pi4) and I vnc into it from main pc in the house. I think my choices are eq6r, alt az eq6gt (really like the elevation adjuster on this), or one of the ioptron options, thoughts please

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Hey Carl, I love my iOptron CEM60 mounts, and I'd say go for a CEM70 but it's over your budget and that's without a tripod, it'd be a mount for life though.  You may get away with a CEM40 or a GEM45 but the Esprit 120 is a big, long, lump and I'd want to find someone to speak to who's successfully using that combo before buying one.

This is 17KGs, I still can't image in wind but when it's calm it performs amazingly.

PXL_20220928_174141060.thumb.jpg.b618057621b14ecaeafee0344f37e206.jpg

Screenshot_20220113_205753_com.teamviewer.teamviewer.market.mobile.thumb.jpg.4a7a6444e405618a59830fe8a7ff09df.jpg

Cheers, Ian

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Hi

Whilst sw's quality control isn't perhaps the best, if you have the skill and patience needed to bring an eq6-r up to the required standard, that would be my recommendation.  And hey, you may just get lucky and get an example which guides out of the box. 

If you've ever pulled your neq6 apart, you'll be on familiar territory with the 6-r.

Cheers 

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I've ruled out the AM5 now, it just starts getting ridiculously expensesive when adding tripod, weights and counter balance bar etc! I like the ioptron gem45 but need some feed back on how easy to get it talking to the pi4 kstars/ekos if anyone has that combo? The new sywatcher mount might be an option but since it's new I'd like more user reviews from anyone with this mount also. So looks like a choice from 3 at moment. Az/eq6 gt, ioptron gem 45 or skywatcher cq350. This is worse than buying a house or car!!

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Yup I understand what your saying Scotty, however there are also other things I don't like about that mount like the altitude adjustment which looks same as old neq6, very difficult to set exactly due to the mount lug the adjuster knob pushes against resulting in bent bolt. Yes I know you can get stronger after market ones but you shouldn't have to.

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11 hours ago, alacant said:

Hi

Whilst sw's quality control isn't perhaps the best, if you have the skill and patience needed to bring an eq6-r up to the required standard, that would be my recommendation.  And hey, you may just get lucky and get an example which guides out of the box. 

If you've ever pulled your neq6 apart, you'll be on familiar territory with the 6-r.

Cheers 

I really don't understand why people put up with this abysmal quality control from Skywatcher? Why should an owner take a lottery ticket on whether they have to sort out a new mount? 

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11 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Just an observation but I wouldn't rule out the EQ6-R, in fact any mount, just because one person told you they'd had a problem..... I have an AZ-EQ6 and it's been faultless so there you go balance addressed 😃

The AZ eq6 gt is still on my list 

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1 minute ago, 900SL said:

I really don't understand why people put up with this abysmal quality control from Skywatcher? Why should an owner take a lottery ticket on whether they have to sort out a new mount? 

Exactly my point about the eq6r, I shouldn't have to fix the thing by installing an after market rail kit and new bolts, they should of learnt from the neq6 and addressed it

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We've had three iOptrons arrive here. Two dead on arrival (one with spares out of stock) and one which went soft on the tracking within a year. You'll forgive me for not being interested in any more!

I'd go for one of the EQ sixes. They don't change spec every five minutes so you can always get the bits and the online help.

Olly

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I have both AZEQ6 and AM5. The AM5 would not be a good mount for an Esprit 120. I wouldn't put much faith in its guided performance beyond 500mm but for a small compact setup it is excellent though expensive.

The AZEQ6 is my second one. I sold the first a few years ago in a mad fit of downsize fever, regretted it and bought another when we moved house. Works great with my Esprit 100 and now have a 200P on it. I would say that 1000mm focal length is probably on the limit of its capabilities but overall, a solid performer.

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17 hours ago, Starflyer said:

Hey Carl, I love my iOptron CEM60 mounts, and I'd say go for a CEM70 but it's over your budget and that's without a tripod, it'd be a mount for life though.  You may get away with a CEM40 or a GEM45 but the Esprit 120 is a big, long, lump and I'd want to find someone to speak to who's successfully using that combo before buying one.

This is 17KGs, I still can't image in wind but when it's calm it performs amazingly.

PXL_20220928_174141060.thumb.jpg.b618057621b14ecaeafee0344f37e206.jpg

Screenshot_20220113_205753_com.teamviewer.teamviewer.market.mobile.thumb.jpg.4a7a6444e405618a59830fe8a7ff09df.jpg

Cheers, Ian

I have the same mount, looked astonished on your guiding as mine doesn't guide like that but then I see you're on pixels...which could be absolutely anything 

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I’ve had an Esprit 150 on an EQR-6 pro and it performed admirably, 0.6” total RMS guiding error.
I wouldn’t base your decision on one negative experience post. I know of at least one person who wouldn’t go near a Mesu 200…

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My experience has all been with iOptron mounts. I hear a lot of great things about the EQ6R, to be sure. As for controlling with KStars, both my CEM 25P and my CEM 70 worked with INDI right out of the box, no problem.

As Olly points out, iOptron is hardly immune to QA problems, though my mounts were great when I got them. Buy from a reputable vendor who will offer you refund or exchange is my advice, regardless of brand.

WRT the mount itself, if you go with either the CEM 40 or the GEM 45 you will like that through mount cabling. I can't comment on the polar alignment adjustments for the 45; the 25P was usable but the altitude adjustment had a fair bit of backlash, I had to be pretty careful. The 70 is just a dream, the controls are large, smooth, and offer very little backlash. So maybe the 45 is in between the two? 🙂

Edited by rickwayne
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9 hours ago, newbie alert said:

I have the same mount, looked astonished on your guiding as mine doesn't guide like that but then I see you're on pixels...which could be absolutely anything 

It's in arc seconds.

Screenshot_20230209_221335_com.android.chrome_1.thumb.jpg.9a1f9c9b777ec61a965fa099c4e084a6.jpg

Edited by Starflyer
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10 hours ago, Starflyer said:

It's in arc seconds.

Screenshot_20230209_221335_com.android.chrome_1.thumb.jpg.9a1f9c9b777ec61a965fa099c4e084a6.jpg

So your arc secs per pixel is the same as your pixel per pixel is it? 🤔

If it gudes at .2  arc secs per pixel then  fabulous.. no point ever upgrading

PXL_20230115_192736111_MP.thumb.jpg.be80f6623a16ce076041af320b02a862.jpg

Edited by newbie alert
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Firstly thank you all for the words of wisdom and input, much valued. I now think I'm going to be a little more patient and save for a cem70 and portable tri pier/tripod which will be around £3700 (gulp), its obviously not the budget I initially set out to spend, however I just don't want to restrict my future options and feel my esprit 120 deserves a mount of equal quality, that will enhance it even. I'm a strong believer in it all starts with a good foundation and for me that means a good solid mount, I've made mistakes before putting heavy loads on unsuitable mounts which just led to frustration. Hopefully this mount will be the last I have to buy.

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