Anyone here using a WO EZTouch mount?

hommel · Post by **hommel** » Wed May 02, 2007 5:06 pm

Care to share your experience about this mount if you have one. As this mount do not have slo-mo controls, is centering / tracking an object a difficult task?

anat · Post by **anat** » Wed May 02, 2007 9:44 pm

I had it. Very smooth and easy.

Post by **acc** » Wed May 02, 2007 10:17 pm

My experience with such alt-az mounts is that once the scope has been properly balanced, tracking at even fairly high power (~250) is a breeze. Using wide-angle eps will help make life easier too

hommel · Post by **hommel** » Wed May 02, 2007 10:35 pm

Thanks for the feedback. Is the supplied WO wood tripod good enough? It looks like a beefier wood tripod than the earlier version. Saw it at Astro Scientific.

Post by **VinSnr** » Wed May 02, 2007 11:12 pm

hommel wrote:Thanks for the feedback. Is the supplied WO wood tripod good enough? It looks like a beefier wood tripod than the earlier version. Saw it at Astro Scientific.

Forget about those wood tripods. Let me tell you the best tripod for all these alt-azi mounts. It's the the Bogen/Manfrotto 475B.

The reason why this tripod is so good is that it has a load of 13kg to start of with. Then, it also has an elevator center column which is convenient for long refractors. The spread of the legs can be easily adjustable for the best stability. You can spread it super wide if you want, convenient for those who use Newtonians. I use the older version Bogen 3036 with a solid steel half pier, a GPD mount head, a 6" SCT, a WO 66SD, tube rings, diaganals. etc...easily more than 13kg and the mount is rock solid!!

It's not cheap, but once you have this, you wouldn't want any other tripod for these GIRO-Type alt-azi mounts.

mrngbss · Post by **mrngbss** » Thu May 03, 2007 8:31 am

I use a Benro C-457 n6 carbon tripod with AstroSlewIII. Light and stiff. Specs says 12kg. Easy to carry around. Comes with bag, spikes, tools. Gitzo quality - EASILY.

hommel · Post by **hommel** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:08 pm

Those Bogen and Benro are very good tripods and also expensive, but I thought wood will dampen vibrations better than alum/steel? The ones that are supplied with the EZTouch is like 5 inches wide for each leg, sure looks more sturdy than 1" steel legs.

Just my views..i have none of the above

Post by **VinSnr** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:36 pm

hommel wrote:Those Bogen and Benro are very good tripods and also expensive, but I thought wood will dampen vibrations better than alum/steel? The ones that are supplied with the EZTouch is like 5 inches wide for each leg, sure looks more sturdy than 1" steel legs.

Just my views..i have none of the above

But the wood ones don't have so much functionality!

So I guess you need to compromise between function and damping, if damping is important to you. To me, I have no issues with damping on any 1.5" steel tubular legs with good braces. The elevator geared center column is way cool because I can easily raise up the tripod if I have a long refractor. Or lower it easily if I am looking at lower altitude objects. And the center column is rock solid.

neoterryjoe · Post by **neoterryjoe** » Thu May 03, 2007 11:07 pm

Vinsnr,
it will be interesting to look at how you mount a half pier and gpd head on a photo tripod! Mind describing or a picture?

Post by **VinSnr** » Fri May 04, 2007 9:42 am

neoterryjoe wrote:Vinsnr,
it will be interesting to look at how you mount a half pier and gpd head on a photo tripod! Mind describing or a picture?

The pier has 3/8" hole below it. So just thread the pier onto the top of the tripod which has a 3/8" bolt.