Telescope Reviews: Just purchased a CG-4 mount

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Equipment Discussions >> Mounts

Pages: 1

Brent Campbell
sage

Reged: 02/09/10

Loc: Olympia, WA

Just purchased a CG-4 mount
#5664936 - 02/06/13 10:29 AM Attachment (30 downloads)

I just received a CG-4 mount that I purchased off cloudy nights for $125.00. I will be using it for visual with an Orion Express 80 short tube refractor.

All I can say is that this mount is under-appreciated. It is not an astro-photography dream, but for visual it is more than steady enough. I was originally going to convert the mount to Alt Atz mode but after setting it up I think I will use it like it is for now!

This is allot of value in a mount that cost me $125.00! I had one small adjustment, to mount a vixen dovetail on the thing. I took the dovetail from my old non-wroking Nexstar mount and with $5.45 worth of wood and bolts made an adapter to marry the two. Photos attached.

Post Extras:

Brent Campbell
sage

Reged: 02/09/10

Loc: Olympia, WA

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Brent Campbell]
#5664943 - 02/06/13 10:34 AM Attachment (26 downloads)

And another picture.. C8 Ultima in the background. Can't wait to get this under the stars! Aluminum tripod legs are cropped and not shown in the picture.

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csrlice12
Postmaster

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Brent Campbell]
#5665296 - 02/06/13 01:43 PM

The CG4 is a good visual mount. Motorized, you can do limited AP (Maybe a few 10 Sec exposures and stacked, but I'm not an AP person). +1 on leaving it in the EQ mode as this was the way the mount was intended to be used. I know when mine had the manual RA knob, once I had the object in view, the RA knob was the only one I had to turn, and it created NO shaking. To be truthful though, I didn't put my mount together or install the motors....the scope shop did...and since I'm not a techie person...it was worth it.

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mjt24073
super member

Reged: 02/29/08

Loc: Virginia

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5665838 - 02/06/13 06:50 PM

I agree it is certainly a great mount for small scopes. I use its close cousin the EQ3 (also with a spare parts/wood block vixen dovetail modification) regularly with my TV85. I have the RA drive, which I highly recommend for any high power viewing you plan to do.

Congratulations on the great deal,

Mike

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Gary Riley
sage

Reged: 12/01/11

Loc: White Bluff, TN

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: mjt24073]
#5665855 - 02/06/13 07:06 PM

I too have the CG-4 mount and tripod (1.75 inch SS legs). I have a 4 inch Omni f/9.8 refractor mounted on it and it gives good stability with it. Good system for the price IMO.

Gary

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oldtimer
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 11/13/08

Loc: Lake County Illinois

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Brent Campbell]
#5665888 - 02/06/13 07:25 PM

Another 'thumbs up' for the CG4 mount. I had my hand paddle fitted with a st4 port for autoguiding.

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SeptemberEquinox
sage

Reged: 01/29/12

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: oldtimer]
#5665935 - 02/06/13 07:59 PM

My scope is a short fatty tube, but cg4 works smoothly. If I accidently hit the mount while observing at a high magnification, it gets disoriented for a split second. It is an awesome mount.

Would I be pushing my scope's limit if I install dual axis motor drive? All I wanna do is observe and maybe take 4 seconds exposure, and do a lot of recording.

Edited by SeptemberEquinox (02/06/13 08:03 PM)

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Goodchild
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 12/31/08

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: SeptemberEquinox]
#5666074 - 02/06/13 09:42 PM

I also just picked one up yesterday and am also impressed. Much beefier than I expected (solid, not heavy). Nice mount.

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Gary Riley
sage

Reged: 12/01/11

Loc: White Bluff, TN

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Goodchild]
#5666211 - 02/06/13 11:03 PM

@ September, I wouldn't think so. It's designed to be used with a dual axis drive if desired. For visual only the RA drive is usually all that is needed for those desiring to not have to use the RA hand knob to keep the object in view.

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Gary Riley
sage

Reged: 12/01/11

Loc: White Bluff, TN

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Gary Riley]
#5666219 - 02/06/13 11:10 PM

September,

Doing some more thinking, from what I have read from those who have your scope on the CG-4 seem to indicate that the CG-4 may be under mounted for the 6 inch refractor. For visual, it might not be too bad. But for photography it might not be so good. Guess you will just have to give it a try and see how it does with you.

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SeptemberEquinox
sage

Reged: 01/29/12

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Gary Riley]
#5666978 - 02/07/13 12:10 PM

Quote:

September,

Doing some more thinking, from what I have read from those who have your scope on the CG-4 seem to indicate that the CG-4 may be under mounted for the 6 inch refractor. For visual, it might not be too bad. But for photography it might not be so good. Guess you will just have to give it a try and see how it does with you.

I took this last night with my smartphone, tracking the object for 4 seconds manually. I wonder if motor drive would make things look sharper.

Edited by SeptemberEquinox (02/07/13 12:25 PM)

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mpgxsvcd
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 12/21/11

Loc: Raleigh, North Carolina

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: SeptemberEquinox]
#5667018 - 02/07/13 12:36 PM

Quote:

Quote:

September,

Doing some more thinking, from what I have read from those who have your scope on the CG-4 seem to indicate that the CG-4 may be under mounted for the 6 inch refractor. For visual, it might not be too bad. But for photography it might not be so good. Guess you will just have to give it a try and see how it does with you.

I took this last night with my smartphone, tracking the object for 4 seconds manually. I wonder if motor drive would make things look sharper.

How did you get your smart phone to do a 4 second exposure?

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SeptemberEquinox
sage

Reged: 01/29/12

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: mpgxsvcd]
#5667029 - 02/07/13 12:43 PM

It's a windows phone app call ProShot that allows manual mode which you have a control over ISO up to 800 and maximum exposure time upto 4 seconds.

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pambas
member

Reged: 11/27/12

Loc: Maryland

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: SeptemberEquinox]
#5667719 - 02/07/13 07:32 PM

I have a CG4 and use it for AP right now. With the motor drive and good polar alignment I can get up to 2 minute exposures without trailing, though with a light 72mm scope.

Edited by pambas (02/07/13 07:35 PM)

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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: pambas]
#5668022 - 02/07/13 10:47 PM Attachment (6 downloads)

I have an EQ-3 which is basically the same mount as the older CG-4. To describe the motor drives as sluggish is kind, I disconnected the Dec drive and just use the RA drive use the slow motion control for the declination. I have done a bit of casual astrophotography with 130mm F/5 Newt...

Jon

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jacobmarchio
super member

Reged: 08/30/12

Loc: Alabama

Re: Just purchased a CG-4 mount new

[Re: Jon Isaacs]
#5673723 - 02/11/13 10:00 AM

I have an Orion AstroView, which seems to be almost the same mount. I did some widefield astrophotos, manually tracking/guiding through 6"F/5 Newt. DSLR piggybacked on the scope, at 18mm, have got round stars with exposures exceeding 5 minutes.

4.8 minute Milky Way manually tracked AstroView

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