jbrand
super member
Reged: 11/13/04
Posts: 184
Loc: IL, USA
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I've had an ST80 for some time. I'm fairly pleased with it. I have a couple of larger scopes (dobs), but this is my quick look/travel scope.
I'm still trying to find a satisfactory way to mount it. I've put it on a eq mount that used to hold a 4.5" reflector works quite well, very solid, like the slomo controls etc. It is just not too portable.
I've also got a table top tripod that fits in the case with it. Works well for what it is - assuming of course you have a table handy.
I've decided I need a "standard" alt/az tripod that is is fairly solid, and fairly portable. I am finding it very hard to buy one of these sight unseen. I get lost in the alphabet soup of model numbers for bogen and mafrotto tropods and heads.
I like the idea of a fluid head based on what I've read, but beyound that I am wide open. Actually, even that is open. What is everyone else using, and how do you like it for you small scope? Do you mount using the 1/4-20 screw or via rings?
I'd like to keep this under a few hundred dollars. There is also a chance that it might hold a small mak someday.
welcome any and all thoughts.
Jim 
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Jim Brand
10" GS Reflector (customized)
127mm SVP Mak
80mm ST-80
AT 66ed
PST
ATM Refractor
Pentax & Burgess/TMB EPs
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rustynpp
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 1011
Loc: Rye, NY
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I plan to use my Slik Pro 700DX in the future if/when I get an ST80, but since you mention you might want it to hold a small mak someday I know a lot of people use the unistar mounts. I use my PST on my Slik which is pretty solid, and it's a similar weight to the ST80 so you shouldnt have a problem there.
http://www.buytelescopes.com/product_list.asp?m=66&t=14
Someone else should be able to give you their homepage, I forget what it is. They're a little expensive but some people put 8" scts on them, so they're obviously strong. And I'm sure lots of people here have them, so you shouldnt have a hard time finding a review.
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Nick P
N8i
Nikon 10x50
PST-SM40
Rye, NY
Edited by rustynpp (01/01/05 09:35 PM)
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Silvio
super member
Reged: 04/26/03
Posts: 166
Loc: Gilbert, Arizona.
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Jim,
FWIW, I have a TV 85mm with a binocular viewer that sits on a Giro Deluxe mount atop a Bogen tripod.
I had some initial teething problems at first (balancing issues, how to lubricate the bearings) but after going through that learning curve I find the set up excellent. Very smooth motions and minimal damping times.
The downsides are the price (Giro $200 used, tripod $125 used) and the fact that it has a counterweight (= more weight to lug around).
But I really like this set-up now that it has broken me in!!!
Good luck,
Silvio.
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TMB 115 LW Refractor
APM 80/480 CNC Refractor
8" F7 Reflector
Kowa 32x82 Highlander Fluorite Binoculars
Canon 18x50 IS Binoculars
Canon 12x36 IS Binoculars
Tasco 7x35 Widefield Binoculars
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CollinofAlabama
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/24/03
Posts: 920
Loc: Lubbock, Texas, USA
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Jim,
I agree that the EQ-1 or -2 mounts are kind of large for the ST-80. Unfortunately, I've not seen any mount that adequately addresses the problem without adding BEAUCOUP bucks to the process. I'm amazed that the Pacific Rim nations haven't assaulted this market, but so far, no one but high end people are doing it. EVERY good Alt-Az telescopic mount I've seen (other than dobsonian) is VERY expensive, or, if not, ineffectual and camera oriented.
When a telescope costs $150, you can't expect someone to pay $500 to mount it simply, lightly, and effectively. That's just plain ridiculous, but that's the lie of the land, at the moment.
The best alternative I've seen so far is here ...
http://www.cloudynights.com/mounts2/az3.htm
This, of course, is a home-made jobby that still requires the addition of a metal fabricator for the counterweight, unless you are a blacksmith yourself. The essence of what he writes is perfectly true, however. It's a shame there's not a commercial, mass produced version of this. It would only take very slight modifications by Synta to "fix" the AZ-3, but so far, no go.
I have made my peace with EQ mounts, but would be the first to admit that they unnecessarily encumber simple visual enjoyment in smaller aperture instruments. I've NEVER used my setting circles to find anything. In fact, I've never even set up my setting circles. I just want to look at NGC 253 -- couldn't care less what its coordinates are. BTW, I've been to Cancún, too. Didn't know what its coordinates were either, but man, was it nice.
CDS
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Coelum Serendum
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magnus
super member
Reged: 03/17/04
Posts: 101
Loc: Sweden
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Jim!
I also have my ST80 mounted on an EQ, which earlier held a 4"Newton. I´ve removed the counterweight and "made it altaz"; this works quite ok.If you later get a small Mak. just put the counterweight back and remake the mount an EQ
If this way is not your cup of tea, I say you can`t go wrong with the AZ3!!
Good Luck!
/Magnus
Cave8"
ST80
ED80 soon?!
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mantrogo
member
Reged: 04/23/04
Posts: 70
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Have a Megrez 80. Mount is the Microstar from Universal Astronomics (recently got Hot PRoduct from S&T) which was $224. Tripod is the Gitzo 1226 ( www.gitzo.com/ )which is probably the ultimate travel tripod for this sort of aperture (can carry 6kg / 13.3 lbs). I have no idea, I'm afraid, how much this would be in the US but in the UK (ex VAT) it's £160, so maybe around $275?
re. the mount - I had a video fluid head (Manfrotto / Bogen) before with a Tak FS60C but I did NOT get on with it very well, it simply didn't work very well in altitude - no matter what I tried I simply couldn't get it to balance satisfactorily so it would give prefect 'stiction'. Not a prob with the Microstar - very happy with it.
OK, I've gone (way?) above your price limit, but this is a very portable set up and is absolutely first class. Hope that's helpful!
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Craig Simmons
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 12/10/03
Posts: 1502
Loc: Falls Church, VA
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I mount my Stellarvue AT1010 on a Universal Astronomics Microstar Basic (2 lbs.) and surveyor's tripod. Hand guided motions are very smooth, dampening time is about 1 second or less. Exceptionally solid. The Microstar is designed for photo tripods primarily, but can be mounted on must about anything. The Basic model is designed for ring mounting and the Deluxe is for clamshell or 1/4-20 block mounting. Another good mount for ST80s is the Unistar Light Basic or Stellarvue M3.
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Craig Simmons
Oberwerk 8x56, 20x90
Nikon Action IV 10x50
Barska 15x70
Galileo 20x60
Stellarvue 15x63, 20x85
Orion XT10 pre-Classic
Antares 10
Stellarvue AT1010
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matt
Vendor (Scopemania)
Reged: 07/28/03
Posts: 10022
Loc: Chaville, France
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for a couple hundred bucks, you could buy a celstron nexstar 80GT and sell the "spare" OTA and eyepieces. You would have a goto mount, and to boot one that is very lightweight and adapted to the scope.
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Matt
CI700 mount with various scopes on top.
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jdickson
professor emeritus
Reged: 04/26/04
Posts: 685
Loc: Desert Hot Springs, Ca
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I'm thinking of putting a st80 on a parallelogram mount. Anyone tried this?
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Joe
10" f5 ATM dob, 20x80 p-mount binos.
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gettr
professor emeritus
Reged: 10/20/04
Posts: 505
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I used a camera tripod from Best Buy. Sunpak Platinum 7500 Pro. I liked this mount as it would extend to almost 75 inches from it's lowest point at 30 inches. At it's tallest height from extending the legs, the center can be extended out with a roll handle. No more stooping over to look in the eyepiece. I got to messing around with the table top EQ mount and was able to mount that on top of the tripod section.
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Averted
professor emeritus
Reged: 01/26/05
Posts: 517
Loc: San Francisco
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I have mine on a Bogen 3001 and a (3130?) video pan head. Got the whole set-up on Ebay for $105. I like the set-up because its relatively light, cheap and sturdy--it feels consistent to me with the goals I had in mind when buying the ST80. The 2 way video head is a pretty good "photo" mount solution--much better IMO than a 3-way or swivel. I agree with the post above that the center column is a nice feature for wide-field refractor viewing.
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Dave
------
-'lil Ranger, Orion ST80
-Criterion RV-6, Criterion 4"
-Intes M503
-Homebrewed 12.5 needing an OTA
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jbrand
super member
Reged: 11/13/04
Posts: 184
Loc: IL, USA
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Thank for the thoughts.
I've been looking recently at the bogen 3130 micro fluid head, and the 501 fluid head - I'm almost sold.
The microstar sounds great - I'd like to know a bit more about it. Does anyone have a good source or a review?
Thanks
jim
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Jim Brand
10" GS Reflector (customized)
127mm SVP Mak
80mm ST-80
AT 66ed
PST
ATM Refractor
Pentax & Burgess/TMB EPs
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HughBoy
sage
Reged: 09/08/04
Posts: 427
Loc: Durham, NC
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I have mine on a Bogen 3011 tripod and Bogen 401 geared head.
It won't do pan'n'scan like a fluid head, but the fine control of a geared head is nice to have.
The parts cost a bundle new, but I got mine on eBay for ~$200 ($75 for tripod, $125 for head). I also have a NexStar/Baader Bracket setup for GOTO.
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Hughboy
- Coronado PST ("Goldeneye")
- WO ZS66 SD APO ("The Pocket Rocket")
- Celestron C80ED APO ("The Sleek Black Beauty")
- Celestron C8 SB-XLT ("The Pony Keg")
-- WO binoviewers
-- Imaging: Canon DSLR, Nikon Coolpix 4500 w/Scopetronix EP, Meade LPI
> ASGT, NexStar GT/BaaderBracket, SVP, EQ-1, Bogen 3001D/410 geared-head
(and too many old POS scopes to mention...)
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mantrogo
member
Reged: 04/23/04
Posts: 70
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Microstar was recently reviewed in S&T and got 2005 Hot Product. It's sister, the Unistar, is reviewed in CN. There's also a healthy ... debate ... in the mount section in these forums about the relative merits of the Microstar, the Hercules, the Telepod and various other alt-az solutions. For what it's worth I reckon the Microstar is waaayyyy better than the camera head I used before.
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Tom D.
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 11/29/04
Posts: 1609
Loc: Boca Raton, FL
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In searching for another mount, I found this Orion Alt-Az 3 mount for $90 at Astromart. Its the same as the one shown here.
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Orion ShortTube 80 (f/5.0)
Stellarvue SV105 (TMB/LZOS f/6.2)
DiscMounts DM-4/Sky Commander XP4
"Aerodynamics are for people who cannot build engines"......Enzo Ferrari
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hello
I have the deluxe version, but the standard is excellent as well. This mount is the best Alt-Az solution for quick setup use on a photo tripod.
It is as smooth as silk and you will get a lifetime of use out of it. I bring it on out-doors trips and use it for grab and go.
The link is
http://www.universalastronomics.com/
You can email them with enquiries, and they are freindly and responsive.
Equatorial mounts are great, but there is nothing to beat the convenience, ease of use and speed of set-up of a mount like this.
This is MUCH better than any pan/tilt photo head, no matter how well made or expensive. It will also accomodate larger scopes if you expand your hobby later. I use a 6 inch mak with this as well as my small scope. UA say it can handle an 8" SCT. Yet you can throw it in a bag.
Liam
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