AZ-EQ5 – Fully Computerized GoTo German Equatorial, Alt-AZ Telescope Mount, and dual-OTA telescope – Computerized Hand Controller with 42,900+ Object Database

This thing is a beast; it's built to last and is incredibly stable once installed. You must be in good physical condition to move it, so be prepared to move it short distances or break it up into pieces. The handle on the head is a *great* idea, and it makes moving an awkward, heavy item much easier. br>br>Goto accuracy with the built-in hand control is very good-- Once you've figured out how to set it up, the desired object will almost always be in a widefield eyepiece, and once centered, the tracking is almost perfect for visual use. br>br>I've connected this to a PC via EQMOD and it's an amazing device in that mode; I can control it from a planetarium program (Stellarium), plate solve through APT/All Sky Plate Solver/PlateSolve2 to get perfect alignment, and PhD will guide to sub 1" without issues. For a beginner astrophotographer like me, it's a great choice. br>br>Be aware that Amazon It took a few minutes on the phone before they realized what the problem was and exchanged it. I spoke with another business owner who was having the same problem. br>br>My biggest gripe is that it has been drawing a lot of clouds every night since I got it.

Reece Wright

| Apr 27, 2021

I received my EQ6-certified EQ6-certified EQ6-certified EQ6 R, as well as a brand new 155Wh lithium 12V battery to power it, arrived three days ago. The mount appeared to function normally, but on several occasions while executing a goto command, the mount would'stall' and make a very loud noise, and the goto alignment would become completely off. This happened several times, leading me to believe the mount was defective. br>br>However, the issue was discovered to be the battery. If the voltage falls near or below 11 volts, as it did in this case, the mount will not slew correctly. The problem was solved by replacing the battery with a new sealed lead acid battery, which has a voltage closer to 13 volts. Now that I have a fully functional mount, I'll put it through its paces and update this review. br>br>Creative+ paraphrase: I'm bumping up my initial rating from 4 to 5 stars now that I've had some field experience with the mount. This mount is extremely solid and stable, allowing for extremely precise guiding. The only disadvantage is that it is heavy, so if you plan to use it in a remote location, make sure you can handle the weight. br>br>For less than $2500, you won't find a better astronomy mount. I use mine with a C11, which most "experts" advise against. The EQ6- R is more than capable of taking on this challenge.

Hamza Valdez

| Jan 23, 2021

THREE TIMES, Amazon's delivery service failed to deliver both boxes! This is a great medium-sized mount. Telescopes with a weight, e. g. , an 8- inch SCT. The AZ-Mount is more difficult to set up than a standard fork mount, but it's worth it. Either equatorial or alt-az mode can be used with the EQ5. Smooth and well balanced. It is simple to use a tripod. On iOS devices, the current version of its SynScan WiFi adapter does not work well with SkySafari software. In addition, a SkyFi III WiFi adapter will not work with the mount's USB port. You'll need to connect it to the hand controller's USB port. I consider these problems to be annoyances; in my experience, the AZ- The EQ5 mount itself appears to be sturdy and well-made. br>br>Three times on Amazon, I ordered this product. Despite the fact that the boxes are clearly labeled as 1/2 and 2/2, I received only one of the two boxes each time and had to return it so Amazon could try again. Amazon gave up and refunded my money after the third failure. I contacted the manufacturer's customer service line, and they directed me to a local dealer who was able to deliver right away.

Mikayla Richmond

| Feb 27, 2021

Although I am new to this hobby, I have had this mount for about 5 months. Unfortunately, I've only been able to use it on a couple of clear nights. At the moment, I'm using a small 80mm scope on it with a DSLR attached, and it's tracking perfectly for my needs, which are amateur astrophotography. I'm not an autoguider, so I can't comment on that. Advantages: br>br> It's small and portable. It takes about 20 minutes to set up from leveling to tracking, depending on how quickly I can zero in on Polaris. All of the parts are of good quality. It's convenient to have a polar scope included. There are numerous entry-level positions available. Level mounts, on the other hand, do not. br>br>In the PA scope, I had to disassemble the reticle because the "clock" face was not aligned with the Home position. Because I use a PA app to figure out where Polaris should be, aligning the reticle with the 12 o'clock hour at the top made things a lot easier. In addition, the PA scope must be aligned with the mount. There are numerous video tutorials available on this topic, which I strongly advise you to watch before proceeding. This is required for any EQ mount, but you should only have to do it once and then double-check it every now and then. br>br>Once you've fine-tuned that and have polar and synscan alignment, the system will track flawlessly and hold your target for hours, if not all night. GoTo is excellent in general, but it is heavily reliant on Synscan alignment. When tracking, it is extremely quiet, almost silent. The stepper motors only make a slight whine when slewing, so it won't wake up the neighbors. There is some backlash, which I haven't tried to fine tune yet. br>br>Because the included counterweights are quite heavy and too much for my lighter equipment, I had to go to the hardware store and buy some collar clamps to hold some smaller counterweights (2. Weights of 5 pound barbells). I'm confident that I could run with heavier gear. According to Skywatcher, you can use a 100mm refractor or a 127mm Maks. br>br>Because it doesn't come with an AC adapter, you'll need a 12V power supply. With the car socket plugin, I use an HF jump starter PS. Other options exist, but I prefer this one. br>br>Contrary to popular belief, there are a number of disadvantages to using this product. Small black marks on green aluminum are difficult (impossible) to read in red light because the reticle is not aligned or illuminated. External wiring on the RA and DEC motors can get in the way on occasion. This is a minor annoyance. br>It would be nice if it came with small counterweights as well, especially since it can be used with the L-frame. Only a DSLR can be held in this bracket. br>There is no AC adapterbr>br>I give 5 stars because it is exactly what it claims to be. For a light AP rig, this is a great entry-level EQ mount. You will not be disappointed if you are in the market.

Peyton Huff

| Oct 25, 2021