3 replies to this topic

[Wol]

G’day,

 

I am looking for a mount for the above.

 

Despite me having serious EQ tendencies, this mount will have to be relatively small and compact and goto would be nice, as I will be travelling with it for a bit.  My usage is strictly visual.

 

I am looking at the Mini AZ-GTI.

 

https://skywatcherau...i-az-gti-mount/

 

Any thoughts?

 

regards

 

 

 

 

[dnrmilspec]

You could probably use that one.  Here is the thing though.  

 

The mount is rated at 5KG max.  The OTA weighs 2.92kg (3).   You could probably forego a finder scope in favor of a red dot or just wider eyepieces.  You will want a good 2" Dielectric diagonal as the scope does not come with one.  Add a robust 2" wide field eyepiece and you add at least another kg.  So you are at 4+kg at that point on a mount that is rated at 5kg.  This is what we might call danger close. 

 

You said, "strictly visual" and the desire for goto and portability so that very much limits your choices.

 

I put a C102GT on my AZ-GTI and despite its longer and slightly heavier tube it worked ok.  For what you describe, and going with the requirements you gave, this one seems to fill the bill.  Of course if you want to spent 4X the money you could get a strainwave 100i  that is EQ, very light and vastly more capable than the AZ-GTI.

[Wol]

Thanks for that.

 

The Strainwave is indeed much bigger and heavier and way too expensive locally at about 3k.

 

regards

[PKDfan]

G’day,

I am looking for a mount for the above.

Despite me having serious EQ tendencies, this mount will have to be relatively small and compact and goto would be nice, as I will be travelling with it for a bit. My usage is strictly visual.

I am looking at the Mini AZ-GTI.

https://skywatcherau...i-az-gti-mount/

Any thoughts?

regards

Hi Wol !

I've got its little brother and an AzGTi and use heavy eyepieces and it works acceptably well but i can see its limitations coming on as i'd also like to use my 100mm F/9 on it too (but haven't yet) and i think for low medium power it'll work ok if i upgrade the stock tripod to something much better and realize high power will be compromised to some degree probably still okay but straddling the limit of pleasure and pain ie vibrations.

If you upgrade the tripod and use lighter 1 1/4" kit it'll probably do its job well but when it becomes heavier then looking at a EQ mount like what i use for my 100ED an EQM-35 at significantly more cost but still half that of a strainwave. The counterweight and individual pieces are the hassle of course but as for head size itself they're close and a recommended 11kg load with goto and low power requirements made it an easy decision for me versus a more serious AP outfit like HEQ5 or EQ6R at twice the cost plus.

Small and capable and value priced don't correlate well.


Good luck with your search !



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