Telescope Reviews: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!!

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7lx200gps
member

Reged: 09/11/08

Loc: Lewisberry, PA

Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!!
#5522114 - 11/15/12 11:27 PM

To all,
I was fumbling around Orion's website and I found the Skywatcher AZ EQ6 is being marketed in the USA under Orion. It's called the Orion Atlas Pro AZ/EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount. I don't know if anyone discovered this, but here it is. Expected ship date is the end of January 2013, but is priced at $2300!!!! The LX80 is amazingly priced to this. But I bet this will be better quality.

http://www.telescope.com/Mounts-Tripods/Altazimuth-Mounts-Tripods/Orion-Atlas...

Post Extras:

7lx200gps
member

Reged: 09/11/08

Loc: Lewisberry, PA

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: 7lx200gps]
#5522117 - 11/15/12 11:30 PM

Three-in-one GoTo mount can operate in GoTo Equatorial mode holding one telescope, or in GoTo Altazimuth mode holding one or two different telescopes
Capable of holding a 44-pound telescope payload -- ideal for any observational or astrophotographic pursuits
Accurate belt-driven stepper motor drive system can locate any of over 42,000 celestial curiosities with tracking precision of 0.1436 arc-second steps
Features closed-loop electronics to maintain alignment even after an inadvertent bump or nudge
Features a dual-width dovetail saddle for use with narrow or wide dovetail plates, a 1" diameter counterweight shaft, a built-in autoguider port, PEC capability, and 9 different slew speeds

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Mkofski
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/19/11

Loc: Greenfield, Indiana, USA

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: 7lx200gps]
#5522180 - 11/16/12 12:49 AM

I hope it is a great mount! At $2300 it is beyond what I could pay so the LX80 would still th only mount like this that is in the running for my money. I'm looking forward to hearing from some early users.

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evilmedic13
member

Reged: 06/23/12

Loc: Chicago,Il

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Mkofski]
#5522417 - 11/16/12 08:21 AM

It definitely has my interest peaked. I was looking to spend some money on a cgem/cgem dx, but with the 3 in 1 package listed here, I'm all ears. Especially with Orion's customer service background. I haven't heard any negative reviews of them, that I can remember. The dual mount would be awesome for outreaches or when my in laws come over.

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ourobouros2k2
sage

Reged: 11/10/11

Loc: okc area, oklahoma

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: evilmedic13]
#5522435 - 11/16/12 08:35 AM

I love it, but it looks like a couple hundred more than I was hoping for. Hopefully it won't be plagued by the growing pains of the LX80. I look forward to hearing folks' first light reports.

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orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: ourobouros2k2]
#5522441 - 11/16/12 08:41 AM

The internal encoders are the big thing here.

They are only 6,000-something tick (so cannot be used for periodic error correction like the AP1600 and 3600). But they aren't $10,800 or $19,000 either.

With the built-in axis encoders, you can declutch and push the mount around, and it won't lose GoTo sync. A pretty handy feature.

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Mike X.
professor emeritus

Reged: 06/28/10

Loc: Greece-Athens and Rome-Italy

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: orlyandico]
#5522525 - 11/16/12 09:44 AM

It is a beautyfull mount,i played with a demo last weekend i was positivelly impressed.

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crow
member

Reged: 07/09/12

Loc: BC, Canada

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Mike X.]
#5522744 - 11/16/12 11:37 AM

I'm looking seriously at this mount. Guess we need some user reports.

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Lee Jay
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 02/27/08

Loc: Westminster, CO

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: crow]
#5522782 - 11/16/12 11:57 AM

I'll wait until I can get an LX800 OTA and reducer, and until this one is under $2000. However, I'm glad Orion brought it in. I had some email exchanges with them when it was announced that indicated they were at least looking into it, and it appears like they were on top of things as usual.

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Lee Jay]
#5522817 - 11/16/12 12:22 PM

I would guess it won't stay at this price too long.

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Lee Jay
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 02/27/08

Loc: Westminster, CO

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5522865 - 11/16/12 12:55 PM

Quote:

I would guess it won't stay at this price too long.

Well, this is only preorder and the deliveries aren't expected until the end of January, so probably for a little while at least.

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greju
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/13/05

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: 7lx200gps]
#5522933 - 11/16/12 01:33 PM

To compare the Skywatcher to the LX-80 is like comparing apples to...rocks. While they may have some of the same features they are completely different mounts and any comparison is unfair to the AZ EQ6. While the price difference does put it in another class than the LX-80 it to me looks to be worth the extra cost in apparent engineering and manufacturing processes though that is yet to be seen. This just might be the mount Meade got me excited about over a year ago as it has the features I am looking for.

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rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: greju]
#5522970 - 11/16/12 02:04 PM

Quote:

To compare the Skywatcher to the LX-80 is like comparing apples to...rocks. While they may have some of the same features they are completely different mounts and any comparison is unfair to the AZ EQ6. While the price difference does put it in another class than the LX-80 it to me looks to be worth the extra cost in apparent engineering and manufacturing processes though that is yet to be seen. This just might be the mount Meade got me excited about over a year ago as it has the features I am looking for.

Same here. Dang that LX80.

Not that it's quite as bad as you would think from some of the postings here. I had a chance to try Jack Huerkamp's 80 recently, and it, I thought, was OK for visual or maybe even video. IF you keep the payload to a C8 or at most a C9.25. 40 pounds? I don' THEEENK so, Lucy.

At its original price, I might still be tempted. At the one grand level? No way. And I would be concerned about continuing support for it if things get worse at Meade.

As for th AZ-EQ6? Time will tell, but I wouldn't pay that much of a premium for just an alt-az mode and some encoders--assuming that performance wise it is similar to the Atlas EQ6. We will see.

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Lee Jay
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 02/27/08

Loc: Westminster, CO

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5523023 - 11/16/12 02:53 PM

Quote:

...I wouldn't pay that much of a premium for just an alt-az mode and some encoders--assuming that performance wise it is similar to the Atlas EQ6. We will see.

There are a few other things listed:

Improved altitude adjustment mechanism, Improved Ra & Dec clutch mechanism, diameter of counterweight shaft 25mm versus 18mm, the weight rating is 44 pounds versus 40 pounds.

What's up with this?

AZ: Height range of mount 29.00 in. - 49.00 in.
Original: Height range of mount 40.00 in. - 61.50 in.
"The height range specification is a measure of the tripod itself - not the eyepiece height. Since telescopes come in all shapes and sizes, the eyepiece height will vary, even when using the same tripod. For an EQ tripod the mount is set up so the counterweight shaft is horizontal, and then the height is measured from the ground to the center of the mounting plate."

They look like the same tripod to me.

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Lee Jay
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 02/27/08

Loc: Westminster, CO

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Lee Jay]
#5523076 - 11/16/12 03:36 PM

Rich at Orion is looking into the above question for me.

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crow
member

Reged: 07/09/12

Loc: BC, Canada

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Lee Jay]
#5523102 - 11/16/12 03:54 PM

51 pounds for both the tripod and head looks good. Especially coming from a DX.

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kwjohnson
super member

Reged: 03/27/11

Loc: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5523451 - 11/16/12 08:53 PM

Quote:

I would guess it won't stay at this price too long.

Rod, are you saying you expect the Orion price to rise or fall over time?

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andysea
sage

Reged: 09/03/10

Loc: Seattle, WA

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: 7lx200gps]
#5523478 - 11/16/12 09:21 PM

Does anyone what the native PE of this mount is?
I also couldn't find anywhere what the diameter of the RA and Dec wheel is.

Andy

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Jack Huerkamp
Vendor - Waning Moon

Reged: 10/13/05

Loc: Louisiana

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: rmollise]
#5523598 - 11/16/12 11:05 PM

Rod,

The LX80 did not do video well in Alt-Az with the 9.25 at 22# with a 22# counterweight. With about 15# and the supplied 11" counterweight the LX80 performed well with my MalinCams at ECVAR. I got up to 75 seconds with a C6 HyperStar while looking at the Helix. I have been busy since returning from DSRSG, but I do hope to test out further the LX80 with my video cameras.

Jack

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johnpd
sage

Reged: 04/13/08

Re: Skywatcher version of the LX80 comes to USA!!!! new

[Re: Jack Huerkamp]
#5523859 - 11/17/12 04:45 AM

There seems to be a power requirements difference between the Skywatcher and the Orion version. Skywatcher indicates that it uses 12V DC 3A, whereas the Orion uses 12-volt DC 5A and they have an "optional" 5-amp AC-to-DC converter for it.

JohnD

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