Telescope Reviews: iOptron MiniTower Mini Review.

I have only had my MiniTower for a short while so there are several things a normal review would address that I simply can not comment on; especially topics about durability.

Never the less I hope this review will help others assess this rather new mount.

First off the mount itself comes in a nice padded metal case that can be locked. As with many newer products the manual is on a mini CD instead of a small printed manual. I was pleased that the mount could run on AA batteries, off a 12v cigarette lighter, or the included 120v system included in the case. The tripod was in a separate cardboard box.

It was fairly straight forward to attach the mount to the tripod. I then plugged in the power supply and tested basic scope functionality, and could not find any obvious problems.

Because I have several other OTAs and mounts my reasons for getting the iOptron were rather specialized. I am a solar observer and have two HA OTAs, a CaK OTA, and several OTAs I can use white light filters on. My idea was to attach a ED80 with DS SM40 HA filters on one side and a Lunt 60 CaK on the other side so I could easily observe the sun in two different wave lengths.

Keep in mind most solar observers use rather small and light OTAs compared to night time observers, in my case a 600mm ED80 and 500mm Lunt 60mm CaK.

Both of my OTAs were well within the weight limit of this mount and were easily mounted. My first test was with the DS SM40 ED80 alone. Because the manual was on a CD I ignored it and tried to set it up by the seat of my pants.

It is a little confusing to try and align an OTA in daylight by turning the mount so the arrow on it points South, especially if you are use to a GEM with a polar finder. Never the less I pointed the arrow South, turned it on, and stumbled thru the menu system and set up the sun as a user defined object and synced to it.

Despite my best effort to screw things up this thing tracked like a dream. And despite clouds and tree limbs I was able to see proms and solar structure.

I finally read the manual; to make a long story short there is a much easier way to do things. I have now started using slew to park and park and putting the tripod in close to the same place on my porch. Not to mention following the manuals directions about tracking the sun.

Bottom line I now store the assembled tripod and mount with two OTAs attached close to patio door. I can open the door, carry the whole mess outside, plug it in, select slew to object, select sun and in 30 seconds the sun is in the FOV. When I am finished I slew to park, park the scope, turn it off and carry the mess back inside. It works for me.

Keep in mind I also have an Atlas mount for my Newt and 5in refractor. No question the Atlas is more stable and probably tracks better for long exposure photography. I have not tired it yet but Ill bet I could pick up the iOptron and my small OTAs with one hand; try that with an Atlas.

Overall my first impressions of the iOptron MiniTower are very positive. I have also used it at an outreach event with my ED80 for lunar observing. Setting up at a local park with less than perfect point the arrow to South and no leveling I was easily able to track the moon, slew to M42 with a 40mm EP, and slew back to the moon with no problems.

I still need to test this mount for harder to find objects; but for me the iOptron is a keeper.