AZ-EQ5 mount Unboxing and Setup!! Small and light versatile mount for astronomy and astrophoto!
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- I just got a new mount for mobile astrophotography! The SkyWatcher AZ-EQ5 (AZ-EQ5 Pro and AZ-EQ5GT seem to be the same thing?) is a small and lightweight mount that can be used both in equatorial mode (for astrophotography) and in Alt-Az mode (for visual), which makes it very versatile.
Let's unbox it and do the original setup! How will this mount perform for astronomy and astrophotography??
OPT Affiliate Link to the Skywatcher AZ-EQ5: bit.ly/3ib4Jvq
General affiliate link to OPT: bit.ly/2OIw6jH
Other equipment I own (or similar/related):
Cameras
ZWO ASI1600MM Pro: bit.ly/2CLmHVV
ZWO ASI533MC Pro: bit.ly/3fKPmsv
Mounts
SkyWatcher EQ6-R Mount: bit.ly/2OEXkYl
iOptron AZ Mount Pro: bit.ly/33pogE9
Guiding
Skywatcher EvoGuide 50ED bit.ly/3jtiLtR
ZWO ASI178MM: bit.ly/30qqbFu
QHY MiniGuideScope: bit.ly/2WD6bOA
QHY5L-IIM: bit.ly/3jpcE9y
Focusers, filters, filter wheels
ZWO EAF: bit.ly/2OCp13U
ZWO EAF Advanced Bundle: bit.ly/2ODHjlt
ZWO EFW 8x1.25" Or 31mm: bit.ly/30oN3VD
ZWO EFW 7x36mm: bit.ly/2CrnhrY
ZWO Mini filter wheel: bit.ly/32v1JoZ
Astrodon filters: bit.ly/3fHiPne
Optics
Vixen R200SS + Coma corrector: bit.ly/2OFW8E0
Vixen R200SS: bit.ly/2OGq6YJ
Vixen PH Corrector / Reducer for R200SS: bit.ly/3fHicKo
Coronado SolarMax Solar Telescope: bit.ly/2ZIT9kv
Others
Artseky Flat Panel: bit.ly/3jtj8of
Telegizmos 365 Cover: bit.ly/2CMOrt8
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#astrophotography #skywatcher #AZ-EQ5
Oh man. I can’t wait to see your video about tuning the mount!
Thanks Jeff, coming in a few days :) At least for the backlash adjustment - I might do a full axle tuning and regreasing (since I haven't done the whole deal for DEC), but RA took a looong time to do, and DEC has slightly more complexity because of the CW shaft...
Can't wait to see tuning backlash RA because It has be done on mine. When in Az mode it has backlash (left-right-left). Nice video!
Hi Cuiv, thank you for your great videos. The information you provide is extremely practical and helpful, very interesting, and last not least, correct (as far as i am able to judge this). For example your video regarding mount-leveling, you have no idea how many of my (our) astronomy-friends are getting this wrong, they cannot believe that just polar alignment is important..
I cannot understand why you have just 2k subscribers, i will try and advertise your channel here in austria within the astro-community.
Thanks again, and clear skies!
You will like the Skywatcher AZ-GTi mount. Need to get the Alt Az head and use a Allen bolt to secure the Vixen rail. Also you will need the count weight & shaft. Makes an AWESOME portable mount.
Thanks Christopher! I actually had it in the past (one of the first), but sold it to fund my Crux 140Tv. That was a mistake :( But I'll make sure to document that in a video as well :)
I have one of the original AZEQ5 mounts. It’s a decent performing mount and I had good guiding results with my 4” APO. In the end I never used it in AZ mode. After 5-6 years use it’s away for a rebuild of the bearings, etc. Dave at Darkframe rates the mount quite highly. Looking forward to getting mine back again to play 😁
"Decent performing mount" is exactly my impression of it - it's small, light, cute, versatile, and performs decently :)
Cuiv, The Lazy Geek yep, and when Darkframe have worked their magic it should be sweet. They say 0.3 arc seconds RMS guiding is possible once the stiction and backlash are dealt with 😁 Mine is on their test bench at the moment to bed in
Hi Cuiv. Thank you for your fantastic videos - you do wonders for this great hobby. I have the AZQ5 and it is a great mount overall. Thanks Sam
Thanks Sam! I agree on the AZEQ5, I really like it!
Opening new boxes is a wonder!
Exactly! It feels like Christmas each time :)
2k! Congrats 👍👏👏
Thank you!!! All thinks to all my viewers :)
Sweet little mount! Same as Orion Sirius AzEqpro
Oh right! That black paint job is very fancy too :)
Hi Cuiv. It's very interesting that you have chosen the SW AZ-EQ5 GT. This is the mount that I have (that I use with the IKEA YPPERLIG Candle Holders!) Mine is exactly three year old and was available in those days in the stardard version like yours with the conventional tripod, and the so-called Deluxe version with a short stubby tripod with a pier tube above. I'm don't think that I can attach photos here or I would show you the arrangement I have. I find the compact tripod/pier arrangement very comfortable for carrying out from the house into the garden with telescope already fitted. There are arguments that the standard tripod is a more stable arrangement especially when you don't extend the tripod legs. However, the stubby tripod legs are hinged to fold back on themselves for ease of transport and have a very good handwheel bolt for ensuring rigidity when opened out for use. Interestingly, my mount had a little backlash in both axes which I fixed with the help of a Spanish astro enthusiast blog. I have a zip up red Geoptik bag which holds the mount in the white foam which was in the delivery cardbox box! I'll be following you progress closely! Good luck.
Thanks Ed! The compact design and flexibility for both visual and imaging is what attracted me to it. As far as I can tell right now, it is quite good (after tuning), but it is indeed quite sensitive to wind! When you have the RA axis locked, and you try to manually "shake" the CW bar, do you see the axis wobbling (not really backlash, but an almost elastic wobble - very small though)?
More videos on the AZ-EQ5 to come soon :)
Hi Cuiv, I have tried a test on the shaft today but can’t reproduce what you refer to. I do tend to tighten up the counterweight shaft lock screws quite tight (even with an allen wrench) when I’ve adjusted the length. By the way did you get an extension CW shaft in the package?
@@Avocettech I tightened those shaft lock screws with an allen wrench as well - I think it may be the work shaft floating a tiny bit. Not a bit deal. Thanks for letting me know!
Grats on your new stuff enjoy it :)
Thank you!!
Hi, Good informative video, I have the bigger brother which is the AZ-EQ6 GT and a 254mm x 1200mm x F/R 4.7 Newtonian, this is all new to me and I'm still working on finding the South Celestial Pole and eliminating Dew.
So far I'm enjoying the hobby and looking forward to imaging in the near future with a DSLR, I am finding this hobby can be a steep learning curve however all your video's do give me great information and definately worthy of multiple views...great work, regards.
The AZ-EQ6 GT has a sterling reputation, but that's a monster of a scope! Wow, if you manage to tame it, it's going to be awesome! The SCP is quite difficult to find indeed, but I think you should try with Sharpcap Pro, it should be able to help quite a bit (but you will need to find a way to get your DSLR connected to it, I think there is an ASCOM driver for Canon DSLRs that you could potentially use....). Lots of work, steep learning curve, but you'll get there!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Hi Cuiv, I purchased the package as recommended by the retailer , My Newtonian is an astrograph however I'm not sure if the weight of the scope will have an impact on tracking, I could probably do some mods to lighten the scope if needed. I just recently purchased a Baader Hyperion 5mm eye peice and it has a threaded mount for a camera to fit so that's another option to try, at the moment I'm setting up a permament home for the scope starting with a concrete slab with dome to come later, Bortle class 2 skies and looking forward to filling some albums with awesome images.. Regards.
@@mike-lu8di Wow, that is going to be great! Your scope would be a wing in the wind, but with a dome, you'll be fine! As for connecting the camera to an eyepiece, that's one way, but typically better for planetary - prime focus is the way to go for deep sky!
I suspect “GT” is “GoTo” as the Orion version (Black) has “Goto” all over it.
Oooh that makes sense, thanks!
Yannick, see if there is a setting in the hand control to make it to where you can align on the sun.
So in the end, it seems that in Alt-Az mode, it doesn't automatically slew to target for the first alignment star (as written in the manual), which is completely baffling to me!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek you have to pick your first alignment object and manually slew and center it?
@@elmikol2443 Yep. It tells you the AltAz coordinates though, so you can use the setting circles for that. It's actually not such a terrible idea if you didn't start from Home Position and your setting circles are properly set...
Very informative as always.
After 8 months use and your tuning. How are you still finding it? I'm looking at the 5 but also the 6 which maybe too robust for my needs and scope size.
Would love to see you take this apart, i have it but im scared haha
I have an upcoming video for the backlash adjustment - which means that I take it apart... but just a little tiny bit!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek looking forward to it! You have the most knowledgeable astro channel on youtube by far
So, two years later, do you still like this mount?
I see you are using the sand box anti-vibration idea I suggested you try following my suggestion-in an earlier video-how do you find it? I have used this trick since the 1960’s . 👍😁🇬🇧🇦🇺🔭
Oh actually these are concrete slabs I've had for a while, for when the balcony actually had slabs, making it even more unstable than it is now! I'm a bit worried about the sand in a box idea for when it rains, but it is still on my list, I'll let you know!
@@CuivTheLazyGeek You have some small holes in the box bases and any water just seeps out and being on the base the sand really satys contained. It is not a problem with coarse sane/fine gravel.
I see a iOptron AZ mount pro in the background. How is that mount compared to this Skywatcher ? Have you done a review of the AZ mount pro ?
Hi i lost my tripod bolt/rod for my EQ5 when i was moving. I'm looking into replacing it with a M10 threaded rod 330mm with some M10 washers and M10 star screws. I'm ;ppling into the measurments how far is the thread neede dto go into the EQ5 mount to wel fasten it. i'm thinking into 3d printing some M10 long 50mm threaded nuts to give some space between the tripod base and the star screws
Hi, I'd like to have the exact same AZ-EQ5, with the legs like yours.
I really hate the tripod that comes with AZ-EQ5.
How can I get the same tripod like yours?
Thanks so much for the videos. I am expecting to get my Az eq5 on Thursday. I was planning on getting the HEQ5. But no where to be found. I was worried about my decision to be impatient. But after seeing that you purchased and are using the mount often. I feel I made the right decision. There isn’t that many reviews on this mount. Are you still happy with it? Any one else on this group. I am open of advice and comments. Thank you in advance. Ps you don’t appear lazy to me. Lol
Still happy with it :)
@@CuivTheLazyGeek if I get an overnight in Japan I’ll buy you dinner for a tour of the rooftop.
Thanks Cuiv, another great video, I’m thinking of this purchase for my Zenith Star 61 and Canon T8i, your thoughts?
I ended up going with the EQ35, thanks for not getting back to me….
Hi Cuiv, which mount would be the best choice to use with a skywatcher 130pds, EQ5 Pro or EQM-35 PRO?
I'm tending to buy the EQ5 or EQM-35 because it's cheaper (~$900), but I've been thinking about making an effort to buy either the HEQ5 pro or the AZ-EQ5 GT because they have a higher payload, thinking about bigger telescopes in the future (up to 200 mm reflector).
Just showing you my set up.
Pretty much!
Is there a prism rail coming with the EQ-5 ?
congrats good choice payload in astrophotography ??
I managed to get around 0.9 arcseconds with my fully loaded 10-12kg Newt on top (after tuning of the mount - video upcoming!) - but it is *extremely* sensitive to wind. Same as the CEM25P...
Hey Cuiv. What is the latitude adjustment range on this mount?
So with the tripod, and a weight down the CW shaft, I just checked (and ruined my polar alignment :D) it goes down to 20 degrees before the CW hits the tripod leg. But with the "deluxe" version that has that pier, I think it could potentially go down to 0, but you'd need to double-check with a vendor!
Hi,
I bought this mount 3 mounts ago and I have just problems. Very annoying playing in azimuth axis!
Main saddle has nearly 1 arc degrees cone error! I don’t know it’s eligible to return to seller or manufacturer fixing?
Sorry to hear that Piotr - I have a video coming tomorrow about how to fix the backlash in the mount, which could help you a lot! As for the cone error, this is not something I typically worry about: it has no impact on tracking or guiding, platesolving would take care of any Goto inaccuracies in Eq mode, and in Alt-Az mode doing a three star align takes care of the cone error as well... If you are completely dissatisfied with the mount, you could try getting a repair, but I'm not sure that would accomplish much - tuning it yourself is probably the better path...
Cuiv, The Lazy Geek Thank you for your reply. This is my first GoTo mount, so I have no enough experience. Years I used only manual mounts. I wanted a light GoTo mount with Alt-Az mode for 95% use and Eq mode maybe for future astro photo. I have 2 OTA’s C5 and C8. Is it possible with both OTA’s is similar cone error nearly 1 arc degrees? Or maybe is something wrong with a saddle? Should I correct the saddle or OTA’s dovetails for a cone error correction or just do nothing and be with 3 stars alignment-cone error correction? Thank you for your video about how to fix the backlash!
Can this be setup using eqmod for both az alt and EQ control and tracking?
EQMOD only works in equatorial mode. So for Alt-Az computer control, I've been using Cartes du Ciel or Stellarium and the SW ASCOM driver to the mount, which worked quite well.
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Thanks buddy! Keep up the good work!
Hello. Is this mount enough for the SkyWatcher 120ED?
Hello! Mmmh it's hard to say, it's a big OTA but it's fairly light (relatively speaking), so I think it could work, but it's probably a bit optimistic...
@@CuivTheLazyGeek Thank you very much for your quick response and for your very informative videos!
@@cowakeup My pleasure!
First!
Hahaha, well done! :D
One year later, this mount is more expensive than the EQ6R pro? Come on, SW is making it easy. Of course I have the EQ6R pro
Seriously?? Yeah that makes no sense.
Wow expansive mount. Can ist handle an C 9.25 with Photographie equipment? When yes, thats anfucking highend Setup with the smallest rig. Fir both Photography and visual observation
It handles the C9.25 for planetary - of course if wouldn't handle it for long exposure deep sky astrophotography (even the EQ6R would have issues then)
Notoriously bad mount with multiple issues..good luck with it. Skywatchers QC for the last 6 months is really bad.
Thank you! To be honest, with cheaper SW mounts, I fully expected to need to tune it - still even OOTB, it wasn't that bad...
Needing to tune a brand new mount?! WTF Skywatcher?
To be fair, I do think it would work perfectly well without tuning - it's just that it is actually quite easy to tune to completely get rid of backlash, so I'm just doing it :) . SW mounts often need tuning to get absolute best performance out of them...
shame on you with adds
YT has upped the frequency of in-video adds significantly in the last few months. I wish there was a way I could control their agressiveness without turning them off completely. Anyway, consider me properly shamed!
Hi Cuiv, thank you for your great videos. The information you provide is extremely practical and helpful, very interesting, and last not least, correct (as far as i am able to judge this). For example your video regarding mount-leveling, you have no idea how many of my (our) astronomy-friends are getting this wrong, they cannot believe that just polar alignment is important..
I cannot understand why you have just 2k subscribers, i will try and advertise your channel here in austria within the astro-community.
Thanks again, and clear skies!
Thank you so much Clemens! Yes, the tripod leveling thing is so ingrained in astronomers' psyche - I think it's because it was necessary in order to easily do a drift alignment. But now that we have tools like Polemaster or Sharpcap, it easy to achieve polar alignment, even with a very rough tripod level.
Thanks for the help in advertizing! I am extremely bad at self promotion... Clear skies to you too!