Comparing the Atlas AZ/EQ-G, CGX, G11 & CEM60 - Why I chose what I did.

Thanks for the video. You made my choice of selecting a mount much easier.

Not sure how long iOptron has been around but the lack of company info on their website (“iOptron is a global company...”) gives me less confidence than the possibility that Scott Losmandy may one day retire. I have a G11 and absolutely love the mount/tripod and absolutely hate the Gemini II system with its badly designed hand controller/menu system...which is why I’m thinking of switching mounts. Thanks for your well thought out video!

The one thing I would have liked to have seen is what is the tracking like? After all that's what you buy a mount for. Backlash can be a real killer or uneven errors that are very hard to guide out.

Hi! Great videos! I have both the Eq45 pro as the Cem60 but I haven't been able to use them in the field yet.
Your videos helped me decide on the purchase so thank you for making them!
I have the tri-pier and the normal tripod, as the cem and tri-pier will be used for imaging and the others for visual.

I have 2 questions:
- is your polar scope reticle as loose as mine is? It wobbles when turned out to focus, and even shifts polaris, so I am not sure my polar alignment is good.
- I'm still going through your videos but I could really use a video for setting up and levelling the tri-pier in the field.

Excellent explanations! So I’m 90% positive I’ll be buying the cem60.. I will be imaging through an 8RC at 1650mm FL.. with precise polar alignment can you see it guiding well for 20-30 minute subs?

Hi Jeff, I think you did a great job on this comparison. Agreed, the main limiting factor with the AZ/EQ mount is the under-spec'd tripod, which severely hampers that mounts performance for AP. My solution to that has been to use it on top of the incredibly sturdy EQ8 mount, which solves the vibration issues. A friend of mine who has the same mount put his on the Ioptron Tri-Pier for the same reason. My main reason for sticking with Sky-Watcher / Orion AZ/EQ though was the great functionality I got from EQMOD working in tandem with Sequence Generator Pro. Commanded by those softwares, the AZ/EQ (I have the white SW AZEQ6 GT Pro version) gives my superb pointing, very good tracking accuracy, quick set-up, parking options, multi-star alignments, the ability to use a game pad for adjustments, and much more.

with a long term mount, why not invest in something like the Astro-physics Mach 1 GTO or a 2nd hand AP900, both of which will KILL any of the mounts listed in your video. Yes, they'll cost more, but they will last a life time, unlike the 4 mounts you list...

I’ve been thinking of the G11 but with the PMC8 system or the CEM60. As I’ve only owned belt driven mounts, can you explain what you meant by engaging the gears? Thank you. Great video!

A couple of things. I consider the external Gemini box an advantage over having all the electronics tucked away here and there inside the mount. Those boxes are easy to open and work on. In the event of a failure, you just send that little thing back for service. Celestron will probably require you to send in the whole massive mount head. In fact just about every part is available from Losmandy and easily installed by the user. Not sure about iOptron. Astro-Physics also sensibly uses an external control box. The Losmandy polar scope is really good with its variable power self-contained illuminator.

Excellent video. I like the way you went about your selection process.

Scott

Excellent video

Also if money is tight around 1500.00 usd get the new improved eq-6r pro from skywatcher.

Remember that rule of half the capacity is not golden and more or less opinions. Unless you're doing 15-30 min sub which is highly unlikely then it's not necessary to use that rule. Personally I think it's silly.

Very nice Jeff. Thank you.

Have you found replacement tightening/loosening bolts for the Tri-Pier? I hadn't realized how much I hate them as well until you mention it in the video.

Did you ever get new tripier bolts? If so, which ones?

Saw that video quite late after it was published. I use my mounts in remote, and EQMOD does not work well under these conditions. If there is a small power cut, the mount is lost and there is no way to recover it through EQMOD, unless, by luck, the mount has the good idea to be very close to where it believes it is. Which never happens. So one has to go to the mount, turn everything off, put it to the pole, start again and with some luck the mount believes it is on the pole, then you can take an image and resynch the mount. In remote operation that's a killer. Same joke for the EQ8... Other than that, the mount itself is nice, as is the EQ6 (mainly the new version).

If you put more weight farther out than the harder it will be for the gears to move that weight vs having more weight added but closer to the centre.

Its all theory, I image at 46 to 52 lbs on CGX and had no issues for over a year now and I have the 2” oem tripod

Thanks Jeff for this video! Currently i am struggling from a similar task, considering G11, CEM60 and some others - excellent reputation vs not sure. After a year of experience, what is your opinion today? Did you encounter the "whobbling", and what about stability and tracking accuracy?

My main gripe with iOptron is the shoddy finishes they do. I had that same setup a few years ago and after 6 months use I took the pier and counterweights to a pro paint shop to have them stripped and re-powder coated. The shop mentioned it was obvious iOptron did not give the parts nearly enough cure time in the oven, only about 15 minutes it looked. They stripped them down and re-coated everything and cured each part for 90 minutes. The refinish was harder and sturdy and took wear and tear really well.

Losmandy is a great choice and the polar alignment scope is advanced compared with the others. I had a case made for my Losmandy but I chose the G811G because of tucked motors, 50# weight capacity and overall weight. Under 3grand

Awesome review @AstroJeff. Thank you for doing that. Your review forced me to sell my Atlas AZ/EQG and go to CEM-60, and I don't regret it. CEM-60 with ASIAir - that is the best combination. I have brought down my 0-to-image time under 15 mins with this combo!!

Hi Jeff, did you consider SW EQ6 R Pro? I'm considering that and CEM60 and while CEM60 seems much better its also about 800$ more expensive, so trying to see if I could be just fine saving this extra money.

Did you consider the Vixen SXD2 w/ Star Book Ten?

You got the G11 Mount head weight wrong .. it comes in at a whopping 62lbs. Unless , you were looking at G11GLT..
G11GT
44 lb / 20 kg (Right Ascension Module)
18 lb / 8.2 kg (Declination Module)
62 lb / 28.1 kg (Fully Assembled

This is one of the best reviews I have ever watched. Thank you for not using background (or foreground) music! Very articulate.

Thanks. Great review. For myself, I love doing outreach. I have used an equatorial for that, too slow, to complex. I will try the iOptron Alt-Az pro, for my 127 refractor. I am happy to hear that the iOptron motors are OK. I am sorry to hear about the 9 horrible clamps on the iOptron pier. If you solve the ridiculous clamp problem, post your solution. Thanks for your help.

For me when I was considering new mount after HEQ5 it was a no-brainier and I went for SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6, which is similar to Orion Az/EQ-Pro. After 3.5 years of using it all I can say that I'm extremely happy with it and the only mount I could exchange it with is SW EQ8, which is twice more expensive and can handle twice more payload, which I don't need for now.

Celestron CGX I was not even considering as it's clearly outsider for many reasons highlighted by you, and not only.
G11 is twice as expensive from what I paid for AZ-EQ6. It's also very heavy, so no.
CEM60 looks like a nice mount, but I didn't like the design. Also it doesn't have that single sweet thing that everyone is buying SkyWatcher mounts for - yes, EQMOD !

Thanks for your detailed review. This really helps me to think about options with my next mount!

wouldn't your rig be top heavy with cem60 when loaded up past 27lbs compared to the other mounts with the same load and the CGX has lower center of gravity (I don't know if the COG can be used here}

Great review. One question about power/cable management. 5amps in total is usually inadequate if you are using a cooled camera, few strips and so on. Have you made some additional calling? Also, since the USB ports are not powered how do you make use of them?

Have you seen the cem70?

MY SЕХ LOVE.

Yang pilih Allah like yang pilih Dajjal abaikan.

Love you.

Just fyi, 20mm CW shaft in the cgx is plenty for up to 120 pounds. Physics lesson needed before marking the 20mm shaft as Red. Material properties class 101. 20mm steel rod wont even bend whatsoever with 350 pounds on it. Give it a try. Stand on it!

That was awesome!!! Thanks... I am a first time buyer. Did the upgrades to the Atlas ll make a big difference in your opinion? Thanks in advance

The Celestron All Sky Polar Alignment is actually very effective. Three iterations took me about 45 minutes and my CGEM DX mount was under 10 arcseconds away from the pole in RA and Dec. This is one of the best features of Celestron mounts. Great comparison matrix!

If you watch the video from Celestron for the CGX they specifically talk about how the weight capacity of 55 pounds is actually pretty conservative and that it’s built to handle every ounce of that and they built it to actually handle a little bit more in case people push it the 50% rule for most of these systems isn’t really necessary manufacturers don’t typically double the realistic capacity it would only lead to poor performance and poor brand recognition

I know this video is pretty old but something i noticed about ppec was that if you turn off ppec, calibrate phd2, record pec, calibrate phd2 again then they dont seem to fight each other.
Dont know if thats a thing or not but semt to work for me.

Made in China was something I couldn’t stomach any longer. My Losmandy is 100% made in USA 🇺🇸

Finally, someone who can actually manage cables. Great job.

sorry but 15-20 max payload difference from the cgx to the g11???really?pathetic

the first thing to evaluate before all the rest are the dimensions, the number of teeth, and the material (alluminium or bronze) of the two worm gears.

A couple of words for Losmandy mounts. One of the most important parameter is the periodic error, especially the rate of change of periodic error. Losmandy’s periodic error is very good and smooth. And you can press the touch buttons on the controller in gloves.

Four years on, how is your mount doing? Do you think you made the right choice?

Hi Astro Jeff, if money was no object with these mounts, which one would you now choose? Cheers!

i go g11 every time

Brilliant review. Just what I needed right now. I am reluctant to spend 2500€ but if it's good value.