49 replies to this topic

[KOstar]

Looking at the mount forums, I don't often see Losmandy mounts mentioned.  At least not with the frequency of other mount brands.

I wonder why this is so.

Is it because Losmandy owners are a smaller part of the astronomical mount community?

Is it because owners don't experience many problems and have no reason to post in this forum.

Do they primarily post in a different forum for their problems?

Or other reasons?

 

I have been considering a Losmandy G11 for my observatory.  I usually have a 107mm refractor in the dome but occasionally I put a C8 or C11 SCT out there. 

I primarily do astrophotography and often run everything remotely from the house.

So, I'm looking for a good mount (better than my Celestron CGEM DX) that is capable of carrying a 2800 mm focal length scope.  I'm not really willing to spend $5,000 plus for a mount.  

 

I am also looking at a few other mounts but for the sake of this discussion, I am just talking about the Losmandy.

 

Comments?

 

KO

[Jay_Reynolds_Freeman]

I do visual work, and have had a G-11 for almost 30 years, always set up in the field, never as a permanent installation. I like it a lot, and I use it a lot. It has held, among other things, a Celestron 14 and a 6-inch f/8 triplet refractor (not at the same time). I suspect it might not do for imaging with the 14 -- with counterweights, the total mounted load is about 100 pounds, and low-frequency jiggles take a fair amount of time to settle. They are mostly caused by wind, and might be less of a problem inside a dome. I believe that the "11" in the mount's name indicates that it was designed with the C-11 in mind.

 

The G-11 operates smoothly -- it slews easily by hand and the slow-motions work well. It has also been very reliable. I have had to clean and re-lube the bearings about once a decade, which is a straightforward procedure that is well documented on the Internet.

 

Losmandy makes lots of useful accessories for it -- stuff like folding tripods, adapters to make it break down into smaller pieces for transportation, a bracket with two dovetail clamps side by side, and so on.

 

Clear sky ...

[Larry Geary]

The Groups.io Losmandy Users Group is a good place.

[photoracer18]

I have owned 4 Losmandy mounts including a G-9 and 3 G-11s, only the one I have left is a Gemini 1 go-to. They are my second favorite brand after Astro-Physics. They always get the job done and never had any issues.

[weis14]

The Groups.io Losmandy Users Group is a good place.

I second this.  It is where a lot of the real Losmandy gurus hang out.  

 

As a visual user, I'm done with equatorial mounts unless I get a truly gigantic scope.  However, my Losmandy GM811 was the best equatorial mount I ever had by a wide margin.

[Orion68]

I have three Losmandy mounts, all bought used. G11. GM8, AZ8. Love them all. They are robust, work well and nice to look at. One of the few mounts left that include usable setting circles. Setting circles are old school for sure but really cool and indispensable when the electronics fail.

 

My mounts use the 492 digital control panel with encoders, not goto but to me even better - push to. An awesome way to navigate. Don't hesitate to buy a Losmandy.

 

[rfcooley]

Looking at the mount forums, I don't often see Losmandy mounts mentioned.  At least not with the frequency of other mount brands.

I wonder why this is so.

Is it because Losmandy owners are a smaller part of the astronomical mount community?

Is it because owners don't experience many problems and have no reason to post in this forum.

Do they primarily post in a different forum for their problems?

Or other reasons?

 

I have been considering a Losmandy G11 for my observatory.  I usually have a 107mm refractor in the dome but occasionally I put a C8 or C11 SCT out there. 

I primarily do astrophotography and often run everything remotely from the house.

So, I'm looking for a good mount (better than my Celestron CGEM DX) that is capable of carrying a 2800 mm focal length scope.  I'm not really willing to spend $5,000 plus for a mount.  

 

I am also looking at a few other mounts but for the sake of this discussion, I am just talking about the Losmandy.

 

Comments?

 

KO

Love my Losmandy mounts G8, G11g.!!!!!  What else can I say?  Scott and Tanya are great. Customer service wonderful. If you have questions and Tanya doesn't have an answer, which is very rare, She'll get Scott to answer the question. I know, both of them have been very helpful to me. They return phone calls and emails usually in a day or two. Sometimes they get really busy and it might take an extra day.  But not to worry. Feel free to call them back. Both of them work real hard at taking care of things,

 

Outreaching and Teaching for those that are Seeking.

 

Clear Skies, Never Lose the Wonder

 

RF

[Charlie B]

Love my Losmandy mounts G8, G11g.!!!!!  What else can I say?  Scott and Tanya are great. Customer service wonderful. If you have questions and Tanya doesn't have an answer, which is very rare, She'll get Scott to answer the question. I know, both of them have been very helpful to me. They return phone calls and emails usually in a day or two. Sometimes they get really busy and it might take an extra day.  But not to worry. Feel free to call them back. Both of them work real hard at taking care of things,

 

Outreaching and Teaching for those that are Seeking.

 

Clear Skies, Never Lose the Wonder

 

RF

+1

Regards,

Charlie B

[BKMaynard]

Losmandy mounts are work horses. Not the best as far as hi precision work but they are reliable and easy to work on if any adjustments are needed

[luxo II]

OP - it is because there is an active forum for Losmandy users at https://groups.io/g/Losmandy_users/

... so they dont use CN much.

 

FWIW I had a Losmandy G11 and spent a year struggling with imaging using my 10" f/12 on it. OK for smaller scopes but it wasn't a match for what the 10" can do.

 

Got to the point of considering stripping it, replacing the motors with steppers and going to OnStepX but in the end decided life is too short to continue that struggle so swapped it for a CQ350, which is a much better mount. And under your price limit.

Edited by luxo II, 06 February 2025 - 07:28 PM.

[CHASLX200]

Had 7 of their mounts.

[Wildetelescope]

There is actually a TON of posts about Losmandy mounts on CN if you do a search.   However, the Strain wave mounts are the hot topic these days and are garnering most of the attention.  The Losmandy group cited above is where most of the users talk about their mounts.   

 

Here on CN, folks tend to fall into two camps where Losmandy is concerned.  Those of us who really like Losmandy mounts for their build quality, performance and ease of maintenance, and those who feel that they are an outdated and have not kept up with modern electronics etc..  I have 3 Losmandy mounts that I really like.  A GM8 with a digital drive, a G11T with Gemini II and an AZ8 manual drive.  The mounts have some features, like the Slip clutch, that some folks find a bit irritating and others really like.  The Gemini II control system is very powerful and i find reliable, but it has a complex menu system in its hand controller that takes a bit of learning to figure out where everything is.  Once you do, I find it to be VERY reliable.   One of Scott’s guiding principles it to maintain backward compatibility with his mounts with any new innovation they add, like spring loaded gears, and the new Gemini II and servo motor controller firmware.   If you are buying new, that all comes with it, but If I wanted to upgrade my 1990’s version GM8, I could.  

 

When I started 20 years ago, the Losmandy mounts were the only mid tier mounts around.  If you wanted somthing that could carry 40 lbs or more, your options were some version of an EQ6, Losmandy, or the Tak, AP, Paramount class of mounts.  And the EQ 6 from that era is a long way away from the sky watcher mounts today in terms of performance and QC.   Today there are a lot of good options to consider in the GM8 and G11 weight class.  I really like my Losmandy mounts. They perform well for me and are easy to maintain and work on, which is somthing I value.  I like that I can remove the electronics and bring them inside while leaving the mount under a 365 cover on my pier.  In the end, it really depends on what you want out of your experience with the mount.  There are a lot of good options, and every brand of mount has their plus and minuses.   Hope this helps.  

 

Cheers!

JMD

[KOstar]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.  I appreciate your insight and the time you shared giving your well thought out comments.

KO

[Patrick]

There is actually a TON of posts about Losmandy mounts on CN if you do a search.   However, the Strain wave mounts are the hot topic these days and are garnering most of the attention.  The Losmandy group cited above is where most of the users talk about their mounts.   

 

Here on CN, folks tend to fall into two camps where Losmandy is concerned.  Those of us who really like Losmandy mounts for their build quality, performance and ease of maintenance, and those who feel that they are an outdated and have not kept up with modern electronics etc..  I have 3 Losmandy mounts that I really like.  A GM8 with a digital drive, a G11T with Gemini II and an AZ8 manual drive.  The mounts have some features, like the Slip clutch, that some folks find a bit irritating and others really like.  The Gemini II control system is very powerful and i find reliable, but it has a complex menu system in its hand controller that takes a bit of learning to figure out where everything is.  Once you do, I find it to be VERY reliable.   One of Scott’s guiding principles it to maintain backward compatibility with his mounts with any new innovation they add, like spring loaded gears, and the new Gemini II and servo motor controller firmware.   If you are buying new, that all comes with it, but If I wanted to upgrade my 1990’s version GM8, I could.  

 

When I started 20 years ago, the Losmandy mounts were the only mid tier mounts around.  If you wanted somthing that could carry 40 lbs or more, your options were some version of an EQ6, Losmandy, or the Tak, AP, Paramount class of mounts.  And the EQ 6 from that era is a long way away from the sky watcher mounts today in terms of performance and QC.   Today there are a lot of good options to consider in the GM8 and G11 weight class.  I really like my Losmandy mounts. They perform well for me and are easy to maintain and work on, which is somthing I value.  I like that I can remove the electronics and bring them inside while leaving the mount under a 365 cover on my pier.  In the end, it really depends on what you want out of your experience with the mount.  There are a lot of good options, and every brand of mount has their plus and minuses.   Hope this helps.  

 

Cheers!

JMD

I agree with everything you said!

 

You mentioned you keep your mount under a 365 cover which is something I may end up doing at some point.  Removing the electronics sounds like a good thing to do.  I was wondering if you've ever thought about using a desiccant bag or two (large reusable ones) to help control humidity under the cover?

 

Patrick

[rfcooley]

As to other mounts. I have recently purchased a ZWO AM5N and I am still working with it. It is much lighter and easier move and transport. It will handle all of my OTAs.  For AP whether it is has good as my G11 remains to be seen and tested. 

 

My AM5N was purchased to take the place of my Celestron ADVGT.  My ADVGT was purchased around 20 years ago and hyper tuned by Deep Space Products. It still works and I use it for visual at weekly outreach events. It has an RMS 1 to 1.5 arc seconds if I use it for light AP work. It is not has good as my G11 which usually guides around .3 to.5 arc seconds with my C11 which weighs about 45 Lbs when fully loaded.  The RMS remains about the same with my other OTAs that I use for AP.  We will see how the AM5N stacks up. ZWO says it will and reviews by users say it will.

 

It all depends on what you want to do.  Your better off to buy a mount that is more than you think you will need.  However, contrary to what some say there is such thing as over mounting. Try AT72EDii or a ETX90 on a G11T.  I purchased the ADVGT 20 years ago figuring I would never need more the 35 Lbs payload.  That changed in a hurry.  I bought some heavier Celestron mounts all of which were pretty disappointing.  Bought a CGE and it worked for a couple of years and then it didn't. Celestron didn't service them nor were parts available for them. Celestron answer was to buy a new and improved version of the same mount that worked until it didn't.  After spending a lot of $$ on various heavier mounts and having a shop full of mounts that worked until they didn't. I finally gave up and just purchased equipment that would work on my ADVGT which after being super tuned by Deep Space Products kept chugging along and still does today. Was it the best? No, but it worked. Was it noisy? Yes, but it worked. Was it good for serious AP? No, but it worked. I did some good pics with a DSLR and short exposure AP and..... It worked. 

 

Long story short I picked up a Losmandy GM8 that worked for a "couldn't pass up deal" it was 10 yrs or so old.  It tracked better than the ADVGT.  It slewed smoother and it didn't sound like it was about to spit out coffee grounds (the metal type). I discovered that you could update this mount for the cost of a new Celestron, which I was hesitant to buy.  I contacted Losmandy to see what I needed to do to have it updated. Losmandy had a kit that included everything I needed, I could do the updates myself and all parts were interchangeable with what I had.  I could ship it to them and they would update mount for a reasonable cost if I wanted.  However, Losmandy was designed to be update-able by the user with a modicum of technical ability.  Having been a mechanic for most of my career. Why not?   The new updated parts would bolt right on to what I had. Make some adjustments, check some clearances and play and have an updated mount. It worked great!  It still works great. If something should go wrong?  I can get the parts even though the mount is 20 to 25 years old!  So when I decided to get a heavier mount to expand my flexibility guess what I bought?... A G11.  I never regretted my decision and still don't.  However, I am approaching the big 70 and things are getting done a little slower. It is a little harder to move heavy objects. I have learned in my 6 decades in this hobby to work smarter not harder and there are always much younger men and women in the club that will help me if I need it.  The Losmandys are solid mounts and a work of art and look so cool with a C11 or AT130EDT in full regalia atop of it. The G11 is my standard candle when it comes to mounts.  Is it a Astro Physics? No, but it is affordably close.  Is it a 10 Micron 4000 HPS? No, but it is about 40K less expensive.  Will the ZWO AM5N perform as well? Other than the advantage of being easier to transport and set up.  I'll see.

 

Clear Skies, Never Lose the Wonder

 

RF

Edited by rfcooley, 07 February 2025 - 01:20 AM.

[Traveler]

Losmandy mounts are great, they fade into the background because they just work.

[mrlovt]

The Losmandy and Gemini 2 user forums are where the bulk of the Losmandy conversations take place.

 

I have two G11G mounts, both purchased used, both excellent. My perspective is that these are the best "bang for your buck" imaging mounts around.  That's for my use (and budget) - astrophotography and visual in my backyard observatory with a C11 and 120mm refractor.  If I were setting up and taking down every session, I'd probably go for a lighter setup all around and pick up a strainwave mount and smaller OTAs.  But an observatory needs a better mount, and the G11G hits the sweet spot for me.

 

Pros:  My G11Gs consistently guide below 0.4" error, are easily user-serviceable, and I can control and monitor them them via ethernet from inside my home or NINA, ASIair, etc.  They're robust, reliable, and precision machined.  Losmandy support is excellent whether you get your mount new or used.  Configurable: Losmandy mounts are designed so that you can increase capacity if desired. Upgradable: hardware, software, firmware improvements have been backwards compatible with Losmandy mounts. 

 

Cons: No options for absolute encoders.  No homing switches (my understanding is the gemini 2 is supposed to be able to accept these but the hardware was never implemented). No through the mount cabling.  (um, I know how to route my cables - not a big deal.)  Some folks find the Gemini software when using the hand controller cumbersome. It probably is, but I'm used to it so I don't notice it as much.  (I also rarely touch the hand controller - I generally interface through the computer running ASIair, Stellarium, NINA, etc.)

 

The only con that bugs me is the lack of homing switches.  I rarely have any issues, but if there's a power outage or some other glitch that causes the mount to lose track of where it is, the easiest solution is to physically go out to the mount and put it in its home position.  That's really no big deal when the observatory is in your back yard.  If it were miles away, that would be another story.  As for absolute encoders - super cool and when an A-P mount is in the budget maybe I'll splurge for them too.  But seeing is my limiting factor here in the Nashville TN area, so I'm not worried about missing out on that luxury for now.

 

Anyways, you asked about why you don't see many Losmandy posts.  Well...  Yes, they're a smaller group compared to the Synta mounts and other popular brands.  They're well made, reliable, and user serviceable.  That's a two-edged sword, as some folks seem inclined to tinker with them without knowing what they're doing.  Of course every mount has problems - but the better the mount, the more likely the problems are heavily influenced by user error.  The real support happens on the user forums linked above.

[Wildetelescope]

I agree with everything you said!

 

You mentioned you keep your mount under a 365 cover which is something I may end up doing at some point.  Removing the electronics sounds like a good thing to do.  I was wondering if you've ever thought about using a desiccant bag or two (large reusable ones) to help control humidity under the cover?

 

Patrick

I live in Maryland at the top of the Chesapeake.   I would have to change out and recharge desiccant every other day in the summer:-).  Have thought about one of those gun cabinet heater things to keep the inside dry, but just never moved on it.  I double bag the mount head with a trash bag and the 365 cover.  Been doing that for over a decade with this mount and my eq6 before that with no real issues.  Both mounts still run great.  I take the G11T in every year or so to re grease and remesh the gears.   

 

JMD

[weis14]

I have three Losmandy mounts, all bought used. G11. GM8, AZ8. Love them all. They are robust, work well and nice to look at. One of the few mounts left that include usable setting circles. Setting circles are old school for sure but really cool and indispensable when the electronics fail.

 

My mounts use the 492 digital control panel with encoders, not goto but to me even better - push to. An awesome way to navigate. Don't hesitate to buy a Losmandy.

 

March 19 2024.jpg

The 492 with encoders and push-to was the best visual mount setup with tracking there was until the Rowan AZ100 came along.  GEM design for visual really peaked with that in my opinion.  

[wrvond]

The 492 with encoders and push-to was the best visual mount setup with tracking there was until the Rowan AZ100 came along.  GEM design for visual really peaked with that in my opinion.  

It’s my preferred setup. 
 

 

I do have a GM-8 with Gemini I sitting idle with no scope for it. I’ll probably end up selling it at some point. 

Edited by wrvond, 07 February 2025 - 08:34 AM.

[Patrick]

I live in Maryland at the top of the Chesapeake.   I would have to change out and recharge desiccant every other day in the summer:-).  Have thought about one of those gun cabinet heater things to keep the inside dry, but just never moved on it.  I double bag the mount head with a trash bag and the 365 cover.  Been doing that for over a decade with this mount and my eq6 before that with no real issues.  Both mounts still run great.  I take the G11T in every year or so to re grease and remesh the gears.   

 

JMD

Double bagging sounds like a good idea! 

 

Patrick

[urbanMark]

Losmandy hands down makes the best bang per buck mounts out there. Workmanship is miles beyond the import mounts, and performance is as close as you can get to the big name mounts without spending big name dollars.

 

Another plus to Losmandy mounts, esp the G11 series - there are ton of them out there, and even the oldest ones can be upgraded to the latest specs. They are easy to work on, and old inexpensive ones come up frequently for sale. Support from Losmandy is excellent as well.

 

I owned a G11 for many years, used it for imaging with a 110mm F/7 refractor and visual with a 152mm F/9 refractor, no problems. I eventually sold it and moved on to Paramount and AP mounts, but I still use the Losmandy HD tripod. 

 

And finally, if the company ever vanished, there are no physical parts on that mount that a decent machine shop couldn't replicate if needed. And since all the motors and electronics are external, retrofitting the mount to use OnStep or some other system would be easy. The G11 will be viable as long as amateur astronomy exists. I can't say that for a lot of other mounts.

[luxo II]

... retrofitting the mount to use OnStep or some other system would be easy...

In theory. I thoroughly explored that idea when I had an old G11, 18 months ago. But reality dawned on what it all really involved - I didn't want to spend another two years tinkering, and having parts machined, and I bought a different mount.

 

Maybe OK if you have a man-cave kitted out as an electronics lab with decent lathe and a mill. 

Edited by luxo II, 20 February 2025 - 04:20 AM.

[Patrick]

In theory. I thoroughly explored that idea when I had an old G11, 18 months ago. But reality dawned on what it all really involved - I didn't want to spend another two years tinkering, and having parts machined, and I bought a different mount.

 

Maybe OK if you have a man-cave kitted out as an electronics lab with decent lathe and a mill. 

Sounds like a good topic for the ATM/DIY forum!

 

Patrick

[SteveL42]

I am happy with my G11, I upgraded the software to the L6 version a few months back using instructions posted online.  Still supported with free updates decades after release. 

 

That's worth something in my book.