hi, does anyone here have or have any experience with this mount? i'm on the lookout for a portable alt-az.. anyother suggestions for an alternative would be welcome.
thanks
eu-wen
Giro-2 alt-az mount
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Airconvent
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Re: Giro-2 alt-az mount
I dun think this mount is really portable. It's heavy u know. The good thing is you can make it goto by adding motors. The mouthead is heavy because it has a counterweight.dew wrote:hi, does anyone here have or have any experience with this mount? i'm on the lookout for a portable alt-az.. anyother suggestions for an alternative would be welcome.
thanks
eu-wen
If you like alt-azi and wanna mount many scopes together, this mount would be great
talk to Oldfield So of hong kong. He has one.
hmm.. the mount itself weighs 5-6lb and appaently for a relatively light scope, a counterweight is not needed.. but then again just looking at some of the pictures it looks as if the whole thing mights just fall on one side..I dun think this mount is really portable. It's heavy u know. The good thing is you can make it goto by adding motors. The mouthead is heavy because it has a counterweight.
If you like alt-azi and wanna mount many scopes together, this mount would be great
talk to Oldfield So of hong kong. He has one.
anyone got a suggestion for a light portable alt-az? its got to be strobger than the manfrotto 410..
thanks
eu-wen
how about a video tripod.....those can take 10-20lbsdew wrote:hmm.. the mount itself weighs 5-6lb and appaently for a relatively light scope, a counterweight is not needed.. but then again just looking at some of the pictures it looks as if the whole thing mights just fall on one side..I dun think this mount is really portable. It's heavy u know. The good thing is you can make it goto by adding motors. The mouthead is heavy because it has a counterweight.
If you like alt-azi and wanna mount many scopes together, this mount would be great
talk to Oldfield So of hong kong. He has one.
anyone got a suggestion for a light portable alt-az? its got to be strobger than the manfrotto 410..
thanks
eu-wen
Hi
Have you read the extensive reviews by Dave N on cloudynights? He uses the mount with all manner of APO's, all sizes too, glowing reviews. It works like a dob mount coz if well balanced, you just push it and it stays where it is, that is a major advantage, no need to lock or unlock any knobs.
Cindy
Have you read the extensive reviews by Dave N on cloudynights? He uses the mount with all manner of APO's, all sizes too, glowing reviews. It works like a dob mount coz if well balanced, you just push it and it stays where it is, that is a major advantage, no need to lock or unlock any knobs.
Cindy
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weixing
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Hi,
It look like a simplify EQ mount set for 0 degree latitude...
By the way, I think when most people choose a Alt-Az mount is mainly because less setup time and lighter weight (no counter-weight). With this mount, it back to square one. The setup time will be the time to set up a EQ mount without polar alignment (a rough polar alignment for visual purpose using compass won't take up much time) and the weight will be slightly less than a EQ mount due to lighter mount head.
Anyway, I don't see any clear advantage of this mount over a Alt-Az mount and a EQ mount.... to me, it just a hybrid of Alt-Az mount and EQ mount without the advantages of both mount.... May be there are some "not so obvious advantages"....
Have a nice day.
It look like a simplify EQ mount set for 0 degree latitude...
By the way, I think when most people choose a Alt-Az mount is mainly because less setup time and lighter weight (no counter-weight). With this mount, it back to square one. The setup time will be the time to set up a EQ mount without polar alignment (a rough polar alignment for visual purpose using compass won't take up much time) and the weight will be slightly less than a EQ mount due to lighter mount head.
Anyway, I don't see any clear advantage of this mount over a Alt-Az mount and a EQ mount.... to me, it just a hybrid of Alt-Az mount and EQ mount without the advantages of both mount.... May be there are some "not so obvious advantages"....
Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." Hi
Yiren has the mount. He does not use a counterweight with a Borg 100ED, it's stable enough, he was just using it to show some newbies recently. He advises that a stable tripod helps.
I have permission to post on his behalf as he doesn't really have time to check the singastro forums but I thought his first hand knowledge might be of interest.
cheers
cindy
Yiren has the mount. He does not use a counterweight with a Borg 100ED, it's stable enough, he was just using it to show some newbies recently. He advises that a stable tripod helps.
I have permission to post on his behalf as he doesn't really have time to check the singastro forums but I thought his first hand knowledge might be of interest.
cheers
cindy
hi, actually i already got a replacement alt-az mount with about the same capacity as the giro2.. and got it at a good deal too.. still untested though.. maybe will post a mini review of it if succesful.Hi
Yiren has the mount. He does not use a counterweight with a Borg 100ED, it's stable enough, he was just using it to show some newbies recently. He advises that a stable tripod helps.
I have permission to post on his behalf as he doesn't really have time to check the singastro forums but I thought his first hand knowledge might be of interest.
anyway, i did read all of dave n. reviews of it but from the pictures, i felt afraid for his scope.. he used a carbon fibre for the tripod so it looks to me that there really isnt much of anything to prevent it from toppling.. oh well, thanks for the info anyway!
eu-wen
Well... the carbon fibre tripods are capable of taking huge loads without the danger of toppling over else Gitzo's will loose their business.. A Gitzo MK2 series 3 can load upto 12kgs and series 5 will easily take up to 15 kgs.. series 5 matches very well with GiroII with a capacity of 30lbs..
Anyway, I would not rate GR-II as light portable alt-az mount.. Its a new design and its setup is really quite easy.. I have seen it recently in action at a friends place in Paris.. and it works surprisingly..
There is another option - you could check the Unistar stuff - std and the light version.. Odefield So has submitted an article on "C8 anywhere". It's really a light setup.. CHeck it out..
btw - which mount did you end up with.. Do share with us the details..
cheers
Addy
Anyway, I would not rate GR-II as light portable alt-az mount.. Its a new design and its setup is really quite easy.. I have seen it recently in action at a friends place in Paris.. and it works surprisingly..
There is another option - you could check the Unistar stuff - std and the light version.. Odefield So has submitted an article on "C8 anywhere". It's really a light setup.. CHeck it out..
btw - which mount did you end up with.. Do share with us the details..
cheers
Addy