· 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 mypontiac Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/06/07 Loc: Austin, Tx. Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags       #3104568 - 05/14/09 12:26 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I am considering the Orion SkyView AZ mount for a TV85. I am used to dial controls, but this unit seems pretty sweet. Please advise of your experiences in using viewing at high mag. Wondering how sensitive it is to completely pushing out your object. Thanks, Sean Post Extras:       zjc26138 Loved By All Reged: 02/24/05 Loc: Mingo Junction, Ohio Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags [Re: mypontiac]       #3104581 - 05/14/09 12:33 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   When I owned mine it was no trouble moving around at high powers with my AR5. Post Extras:       mypontiac Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/06/07 Loc: Austin, Tx. Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags [Re: zjc26138]       #3104593 - 05/14/09 12:38 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Just a slight touch??? Sean Post Extras:       zjc26138 Loved By All Reged: 02/24/05 Loc: Mingo Junction, Ohio Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags [Re: mypontiac]       #3104604 - 05/14/09 12:43 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I wouldn't say a slight touch, but it required very little movement. I think for your scope, the TV85, I would go with the Voyager. Can't go wrong with the slo-mo controls. Post Extras:       mypontiac Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/06/07 Loc: Austin, Tx. Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags [Re: zjc26138]       #3104648 - 05/14/09 01:02 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   And Manny's Mounts????? Sean Post Extras:       mypontiac Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/06/07 Loc: Austin, Tx. Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at mags [Re: mypontiac]       #3104652 - 05/14/09 01:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   How about the Vixen Porta II Mount? Looks nice and simple. Sean Post Extras:       Starlighter Post Laureate Reged: 08/03/07 Loc: Sunny California Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: mypontiac]       #3104731 - 05/14/09 01:41 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I'd go with the Porta II. As far as how much effort is needed to slew using the Orion Skyview...the answer is if I balance a scope before using the mount with it, not that much effort. I'm getting to where I can accurately track Saturn by just a slight push on the diagonal. I really like the Orion. They fixed the tension problem plus this is a very stable mount. Far more stable than the Porta or the Voyager. Post Extras:       mypontiac Pooh-Bah Reged: 09/06/07 Loc: Austin, Tx. Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Starlighter]       #3104755 - 05/14/09 01:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Is there any adjustment needed when you go from 1.25" to big 2" EPs? Sean Post Extras:       Starlighter Post Laureate Reged: 08/03/07 Loc: Sunny California Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: mypontiac]       #3104790 - 05/14/09 02:12 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   With the Porta or the Orion? Nothing with the Porta. There's enough stiction to hold the scope in place. The trick is to always make sure the scope is balanced from the start. But switching out say a 1.25" lightweight eyepiece for a two pound 41mm 2" Panoptic has not cased the scope to plummet and does not require me to rebalance. Now with the Orion, If I back off on the tension to where it's pretty much not engaged and I haven't balanced the scope after changing out a lightweight eyepiece for a heavyweight, the scope will drop by the diagonal end. What I do if I change eyepieces is lock down the tension knob, change out the eyepiece, loosen it and then rebalance. Then I can slew effortlessly. Post Extras:       Phil Frederick Pooh-Bah Reged: 12/19/05 Loc: Seattle, WA & La Paz MX Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: mypontiac]       #3105852 - 05/15/09 12:03 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   As I've noted in other posts, my experience with many of these mounts that don't have slo-mo controls is the stiction when starting to pan and the issue of scope flop when changing from light to heavy EPs if you don't have the Alt axis firmly locked down. The Skyview AZ that I checked out at a dealer needed help. hopefully Orion has corrected this as Starlighter has noted they have. I'm still advocating the Tak Teegul-Lapides as a mid weight AZ mount which is superb, especially when linked with a good tripod. Lots of opinions, huh?! Post Extras:       Starlighter Post Laureate Reged: 08/03/07 Loc: Sunny California Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Phil Frederick]       #3105881 - 05/15/09 12:25 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   They've definitely fixed it. In fact, the Orion tech told me that the first batch issued had a faulty part inside that made it near impossible to create enough tension to keep a scope in place when changing out eyepieces. Orion has a retrofit available for free to anyone who bought the older version and kept it. I've used mine for a week now and so far, so good. Once a scope is perfectly balanced, unless it has a large finder mounted on the clamshell which tends to throw off the balance, I can slew with ease. Absolutely no stiction. Just a gentle push of the diagonal and I'm looking at where I want to be. It's sort of spoiled me. I haven't used the Portamount that much since getting the new Orion. Post Extras:       Phil Frederick Pooh-Bah Reged: 12/19/05 Loc: Seattle, WA & La Paz MX Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Starlighter]       #3105897 - 05/15/09 12:46 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thanks Starlighter, Thanks for the report---I'm shure it's of lots of potential value to other buyers and gives me pause as to where I'm going with my next purchase ! Post Extras:       drshr scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 06/09/08 Loc: Darwin, Australia Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Phil Frederick]       #3106000 - 05/15/09 03:28 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have found that the bigger and longer the scope, the easier it is to pan and balance. My 80mm is quite twitchy. My 8"er is perfect with no problem changing EP's. I have two of these mounts and they perform well but the one holding my 8" and 6" works better. My Voyager now is retired. This mount likes some weight. Load it up! Post Extras:       Talonmane member Reged: 04/13/09 Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Phil Frederick]       #3106002 - 05/15/09 03:32 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I've been using the SkyView AZ for a couple weeks with the EON 120 and, as others have said, when I balance it well, movement is very smooth; high power adjustments are not bad, certainly no worse than any other without using manual or electronic slo-mo. I overcompensate a little sometimes, but get used to it after a few minutes.. In order to help a bit with the weight difference when changing eyepieces or adding a PowerMate, i use one of the TeleVue heavy brass 1.25 to 2 adaptors. At the end of the day I still prefer using an equatorial manually over an alt-az, but the alt-az is the only one of the two I have that is light enough to call it grab and go (unless I add the pier extension, then it's just as heavy as the Sirius...but the extension sure is handy and real eye grabber) Edited by Talonmane (05/15/09 03:34 AM) Post Extras:       drshr scholastic sledgehammer Reged: 06/09/08 Loc: Darwin, Australia Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: Talonmane]       #3106021 - 05/15/09 04:09 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I have the same dilemma with the extension. They look great and will give extra comfort and save moving mount around near zenith. On the other hand, weight and wobbles Post Extras:       Nick-Sydney sage Reged: 05/04/08 Loc: Sydney, Australia Re: Is the Orion SkyView AZ difficult to move at [Re: drshr]       #3106540 - 05/15/09 12:01 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Sorry for crashing the thread, but has anyone compared this with the Giro 3 or WO Ez? I'm considering one of these to replace my Voyager. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 30 registered and 41 anonymous users are browsing this forum. 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