Telescope Reviews: Celestron VX mount

· 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

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | >> (show all)

Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: FoxTrot]
#5636649 - 01/22/13 11:03 AM

I never had a lot of experience with my CG5ASGT. I mean, I had one but only used it a few times with my 80mm refractor. I will say that this Vx mount seems to handle the wind very nice even under heavy load. I've spent the last two nights, with wind, imaging with my dslr and having a pretty good time of it. However I am splitting my time between that mount and another so I haven't been able to do everything yet. I have a bunch of unprocessed raw images I still need to transfer off my laptop and onto my main computer for an easier time with them. I was hoping to be able to post some examples soon but I haven't had the extra time.

I am pleased with the quiet motors, I am pleased with how smooth it seems to operate. The tracking seems to be doing well so far. I am using a guide scope using the ST-4 connection and haven't had any issues. I'd say, based on just a few nights with it, we have a winner here.

Post Extras:

EFT
Vendor - Deep Space Products

Reged: 05/07/07

Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5636713 - 01/22/13 11:43 AM

Quote:

I never had a lot of experience with my CG5ASGT. I mean, I had one but only used it a few times with my 80mm refractor. I will say that this Vx mount seems to handle the wind very nice even under heavy load. I've spent the last two nights, with wind, imaging with my dslr and having a pretty good time of it. However I am splitting my time between that mount and another so I haven't been able to do everything yet. I have a bunch of unprocessed raw images I still need to transfer off my laptop and onto my main computer for an easier time with them. I was hoping to be able to post some examples soon but I haven't had the extra time.

I am pleased with the quiet motors, I am pleased with how smooth it seems to operate. The tracking seems to be doing well so far. I am using a guide scope using the ST-4 connection and haven't had any issues. I'd say, based on just a few nights with it, we have a winner here.

How freely do the axes turn with the clutches released?

Post Extras:

dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: FoxTrot]
#5636770 - 01/22/13 12:15 PM

Quote:

Mike, DrWho, see my previous post, but may I ask - do you think the VX's stiffness and load carrying capacity is cut above the old CG5 ? Also, whilst I wouldn't expect you to have pulled the motors apart (... yet), would you say the motor housing and their attachment is better than the LXD75? Thanks, Fox!

As to the first part... Yes. By about 5 lbs IME. As in for AP you could go to 18-20 lbs on the mount which would put you in the 60-65% rated weight vs. the 50% that is normally recommended.

For Visual I think it will handle a higher load easier. For example I would regularly use my C11 with the CG5. All up it came in at about 33-34 lbs with the bigger EP's on it and the CG5 would handle it but strain a bit. Based on what I see with the VX it will handle it without strain.

I have never seen an LDX75 so I can't comment on the comparison. What I can say is that this mount has a better... "finish" to how it's put together than the CG5 in terms of housing.

Post Extras:

dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Adam Taylor]
#5636775 - 01/22/13 12:20 PM

Quote:

Can the VX take a 3" Losmandy type dovetail? If not, can the saddle be changed for one that can?

No. It's Vixen. And I emailed ADM last night about a similar issue and the response I got from Anthony was the mount head is different than the CG5 ergo it would not. I am sure that he will be getting something rapidly to market since this is supposed to replace the CG5.

Post Extras:

dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: EFT]
#5636783 - 01/22/13 12:22 PM

Quote:

How freely do the axes turn with the clutches released?

Mine was a bit stiff in Dec but it has smoothed out with a bit of use.

Post Extras:

Adam Taylor
insignificant bystander

Reged: 11/11/10

Loc: Arizona

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: dr.who]
#5637340 - 01/22/13 04:59 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Can the VX take a 3" Losmandy type dovetail? If not, can the saddle be changed for one that can?

No. It's Vixen. And I emailed ADM last night about a similar issue and the response I got from Anthony was the mount head is different than the CG5 ergo it would not. I am sure that he will be getting something rapidly to market since this is supposed to replace the CG5.

If not, this is a deal breaker for me.

Post Extras:

cn register 5
sage

Reged: 12/26/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Adam Taylor]
#5637357 - 01/22/13 05:09 PM

As Dr Who says it's Vixen only. The top seems to be held on with four socket screws and I expect that there will be after market adaptations before long.

Chris

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Adam Taylor]
#5637579 - 01/22/13 07:19 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Can the VX take a 3" Losmandy type dovetail? If not, can the saddle be changed for one that can?

No. It's Vixen. And I emailed ADM last night about a similar issue and the response I got from Anthony was the mount head is different than the CG5 ergo it would not. I am sure that he will be getting something rapidly to market since this is supposed to replace the CG5.

If not, this is a deal breaker for me.

I can tell you it's not, so your deal is broken.

Which is not to say that ADM or somebody else won't come out with a replacement saddle...AND there are Vixen - Losmandy adapters out there already that will work.

Post Extras:

Ken Hutchinson
sage

Reged: 04/24/03

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5637783 - 01/22/13 09:15 PM

Quote:

AND there are Vixen - Losmandy adapters out there already that will work.

In fact I had enough bits and pieces laying about to put one together without ordering anything! A Losmandy only design would probably be inappropriate for a mount in this size class but a dual Vixen/Losmandy design would have been one way to make a great mount even greater.

Ken

Post Extras:

zehnmm
member

Reged: 12/24/07

Loc: Alto, New Mexico

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Ken Hutchinson]
#5638839 - 01/23/13 12:31 PM

I see that some dealers have this with the 11" OTA. For a totally visual application, do you think this mount can handle the 11" reasonably?

Thanks!

Post Extras:

orlyandico
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 08/10/09

Loc: Singapore

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: zehnmm]
#5638915 - 01/23/13 01:11 PM

i hear of people putting the C11 on a CG-5.. so i guess anything is possible. depends on your definition of reasonable..

personally my C9.25 on CGEM is barely tolerable for visual. Shakes take a couple seconds to damp out after focusing. A motor focuser would be a big help.

Post Extras:

Whichwayisnorth
professor emeritus

Reged: 07/04/11

Loc: Southern California

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5639055 - 01/23/13 02:58 PM

For what they are worth...

Link to the mount sorta disassembled. At least as much as I could with the tools I had. I need a better spanner wrench.

Click here

Post Extras:

Joe Cipriano
Entropy Personified

Reged: 09/03/05

Loc: Uh... anyone have a GPS?

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5639072 - 01/23/13 03:12 PM

Are there any worm adjustment screws? From what little I can see of the worm block in your pics, there aren't any. Same basic design as the CGE - and one of my gripes when I owned one; gapping the worm was a hassle.

Post Extras:

EFT
Vendor - Deep Space Products

Reged: 05/07/07

Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Whichwayisnorth]
#5639155 - 01/23/13 04:06 PM

Quote:

For what they are worth...

Link to the mount sorta disassembled. At least as much as I could with the tools I had. I need a better spanner wrench.

Click here

From the pics I would say that it is the same motor but a differnt gearbox, which makes sence with what they are saying. Definitely a different spur gear differential. Unfortunately, they went with more course toothed spur gears similar to what they did in the CGE Pro. There are some advantages to the older fine-toothed spur gears in the CG-5 and CGE mounts but are probably more noticeable in the CGE Pro than in this mount. These courser gears are undoubtably cheaper to manufacture. New motor/worm housings which I suspect have the same 3-bolt adjustment setup as the CG-5 (the CGE was the only mount that had no real means of adjustment). Unfortunately, that motor worm housing is almost certainly cast rather than machined like the old one and that can be problematic. Hopefully the worms stiff have ball bearings. Obviously, the detector for the PEC has been added to the RA motor.

Will have to drill down further to see ring gears and bearings.

Post Extras:

Pak
member

Reged: 09/15/12

Loc: The Great Arc

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: EFT]
#5639192 - 01/23/13 04:22 PM

Quote:

Quote:

For what they are worth...

Link to the mount sorta disassembled. At least as much as I could with the tools I had. I need a better spanner wrench.

Click here

From the pics I would say that it is the same motor but a differnt gearbox, which makes sence with what they are saying. Definitely a different spur gear differential. Unfortunately, they went with more course toothed spur gears similar to what they did in the CGE Pro. There are some advantages to the older fine-toothed spur gears in the CG-5 and CGE mounts but are probably more noticeable in the CGE Pro than in this mount. These courser gears are undoubtably cheaper to manufacture. New motor/worm housings which I suspect have the same 3-bolt adjustment setup as the CG-5 (the CGE was the only mount that had no real means of adjustment). Unfortunately, that motor worm housing is almost certainly cast rather than machined like the old one and that can be problematic. Hopefully the worms stiff have ball bearings. Obviously, the detector for the PEC has been added to the RA motor.

Will have to drill down further to see ring gears and bearings.

Well hey, compared with the cheapy plastic slack gap *rap gears we saw in the LX80 for the same price point, I think I'll take this one.

Post Extras:

EFT
Vendor - Deep Space Products

Reged: 05/07/07

Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: Pak]
#5639207 - 01/23/13 04:32 PM

Quote:

Well hey, compared with the cheapy plastic slack gap *rap gears we saw in the LX80 for the same price point, I think I'll take this one.

No contest there in my opinion.

Post Extras:

zehnmm
member

Reged: 12/24/07

Loc: Alto, New Mexico

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: orlyandico]
#5639247 - 01/23/13 05:05 PM

Quote:

i hear of people putting the C11 on a CG-5.. so i guess anything is possible. depends on your definition of reasonable..

personally my C9.25 on CGEM is barely tolerable for visual. Shakes take a couple seconds to damp out after focusing. A motor focuser would be a big help.

Thanks. Unless someone advises me otherwise, I am considering a C11 to be too much for this mount nevermind that Celestron is offering such a product.

Post Extras:

rmollise
Postmaster

Reged: 07/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: zehnmm]
#5639328 - 01/23/13 06:02 PM

Quote:

Quote:

i hear of people putting the C11 on a CG-5.. so i guess anything is possible. depends on your definition of reasonable..

personally my C9.25 on CGEM is barely tolerable for visual. Shakes take a couple seconds to damp out after focusing. A motor focuser would be a big help.

Thanks. Unless someone advises me otherwise, I am considering a C11 to be too much for this mount nevermind that Celestron is offering such a product.

Depends on your needs. For visual, the C11 is not too much with the CG5 and likely won't be too much for this mount.

Post Extras:

tjugo
professor emeritus

Reged: 11/06/07

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: rmollise]
#5639402 - 01/23/13 06:42 PM

I've done it, C11 on a CG5, with good balance and with no wind it works OK for visual. So if the VX is as strong as the old CG5 it will work.

Cheers,

Jose

Post Extras:

dr.who
sage

Reged: 01/05/12

Re: Celestron VX mount [Re: zehnmm]
#5639460 - 01/23/13 07:30 PM

Yes. Get anti vibration pads though and be prepared for some shaking if you have a standard focuser. I ran a C11 on my CG5 without problem but on a hard surface like my driveway I did get a second or so of vibration when I touched the focuser.

Post Extras:

Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | >> (show all)

Extra information

15 registered and 32 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator: Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze

Print Thread

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Thread views: 41744

Jump to

CN Forums

Home

Cloudy Nights LLC
Cloudy Nights Sponsor: Astronomics