· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Jim langley super member Reged: 07/02/11 Loc: New Holland, PA Re: Another "which mount" thread... [Re: andysea]       #5590817 - 12/27/12 08:16 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks guys. I am now trying to decide which SCT to put on it. There is not a ton of difference for casual viewing between my C8 and C11. Ths CPC goto was always better, but now this will not be the case as I will be using the iOptron mount. C11, or C8? If the iOptron is light enough, for grab and go, I will keep the C8 and sell my CPC 11 to fund other equipment. Post Extras:       Midnight Dan Postmaster Reged: 01/23/08 Loc: Hilton, NY, Yellow Zone (Bortl... Re: Another "which mount" thread... [Re: Jim langley]       #5590940 - 12/27/12 10:28 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hi Jim: Congrats on the purchase of the iEQ45! I think you'll love it. BUT ... I wouldn't classify it as a grab and go. I leave my 8SE set up fully assembled on the tripod. I can easily pick the whole thing up and take it outside, plop it down and be ready to go. Aside, from the cool-down time, I would call that a "kinda" grab and go. The iEQ45 is very lightweight for its carrying capacity. Much lighter than an Atlas or CGEM. The mount head itself is only 25 pounds so it's very easy to handle. But the tripod is much more substantial than the 8SE, so it weighs more as well. And of course there's the counterweights. When the whole thing is set up with the scope on it, I can lift it but not easily. I wouldn't want to try and carry it anywhere and would definitely not call it a grab and go. Like any GEM in this load capacity range, you'll probably want to carry it outside in pieces and assemble it by setting up the tripod first, putting the mount head on it, attaching the counterweights, and attaching the scope. As for the C8 vs. the C11, I'm surprised that you say there isn't much difference between the two for casual visual use. If that's really true, then by all means the C8 will be a lot easier to handle so I'd go with it. Plus, I don't think you can easily de-fork the 11" SCT from the CPC mount to put it on the iEQ45. -Dan Post Extras:       Jim langley super member Reged: 07/02/11 Loc: New Holland, PA Re: Another "which mount" thread... [Re: Midnight Dan]       #5591056 - 12/27/12 11:48 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Dan. Maybe I should clarify myself when I am comparing the C8 and C11. The difference in light gathering capabilities may not be worth double the weight. I have been thinking this over a lot and for what I am doing, (picking up the mount with a C8 on it, and moving it 10 feet outside my garage, the IEQ45 with the C8 on it seems to be the way to go. I got the ioptron case with the mount, and I have a RC wing bag that will do nicely for carrying the legs. The counter weight will be the battery setup that they have. Any other traveling with the setup will be broken down into three parts, head, (in case), Legs and battery, (in carry bag), and Scope, (in case). As far as grab and go, I have been doing the same thing with the CPC1100 and I know that the CPC mount with the 11" telescope weighs a bit more than the new setup. Thanks for the good points. Post Extras:       Jim langley super member Reged: 07/02/11 Loc: New Holland, PA Re: Another "which mount" thread... [Re: Jim langley]       #5595056 - 12/29/12 08:02 PM Attachment (9 downloads) Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Just to let everyone know, the IEQ45 came this week and I am setting it up in the garage. I charged the counterweight battery, and will report back on my opinion in setting it up. I just setup the tripod and mount and it was very easy to do. I wanted to do this so that I could carry the mount with the battery power counterweight to the other side of the garage. Pretty light, yet more than robust enough for my C8. The NextStar mount is in the background, and the battery is mounted on the counterweight shaft. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 | 2 | (show all) Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 26 registered and 26 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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