Cuiv, your videos are always great! You're one of the rock stars of this hobby.

What a great video! My first was an all in one Celestron Edge HD 8" with the fork alt-az mount, used it mainly for visual. Next mount was a Celestron CGEM 2 with the same Edge HD 8" OTA that I added a losmandy dovetail to adapt to the mount. I then sold the Edge HD and bought a SW Esprit 100 refractor andalso sold the CGEM 2 and am currently using a Saxon AZ-EQ6 GT mount on a Berlebach Planet tripod. So far, so good as this mount has a direct USB connection vs. USB to serial via the hand controller on the CGEM 2. Your guide on removing backlash really helped me dial in the mount so a big thank you for that one!

Hey Cuiv! I currently have an AP mount, which I bought manual but gradually motorised when I started imaging, and I love it to bits. It's my favorite piece of equipment with its companion SD81S OTA. Yes, framing objects precisely on multi-night projects is a bit of a chore but as a mobile astronomer the AP is an absolute joy to use for both visual and imaging. With the "spare" manual modules I've made an APZ which is my manual "even more grab'n'go" mount… In my still limited experience, Vixen stuff really kills it, and I can only say that you've stoked the fire for an SXD2! Thanks for the comparo!!

Great Vid, good insight on previous mounts, my current mount is an AZ-EQ 6 pro swinging a 10" newt with sub arc sec guiding. Thanks for the great Vid's you produce

Hey Cuiv. A great and instructive video just like all others. I will just like to add a final note regarding sky watcher AZ/EQ 5 PRO. It's the same, unless if I'm wrong, as the AZ/EQ 5GT. At a certain point I had that one and the HEQ5 PRO, and the former was performing better. It had slightly better payload capacity and the tracking was as good. It tracked sometimes to sub arc seconds when balancing was perfect with no wind, while supporting 10.5kg of telescope and accessories. It was more multitasking and lighter than the HEQ5, which I finally sold to buy the work horse, the EQ6R PRO. Out of the box, the tracking of this mount with 15kg of load, was sub arc second. It might be two mounts I'll ever use as a nomad astro photographer.

What mounts have you used? How did you like them??

Cuiv, this was great. You have easier access to certain brands in Japan, so it's interesting to hear your thoughts on them. I'm starting out with an AVX, but I know at some point I'll upgrade, so this is very insightful for me.

Thank you Cuiv! Always informative. My first EQ mount is the iOptron CEM26 and so far I love it. I am currently using is with a William optics zenithstar 81 with great results. I'm already looking to upgrade to the iOptron CEM 40 to carry my Celestron EVO 9.25 SCT. Keep up the great work.

I have a losmandy gm811g, and I love it. You do need to adjust the worm tension between cold and warm seasons, but after that it just works. The support is excellent, the first time I called for support I spoke with the owner / inventor and he guided me through an adjustment.

Another great video - I share your love of iOptron - I bought a CEM26 used and it tracks and guides extremely well even with my 130pds Newtonian, camera, electronic filter wheel & electronic focus, guide scope and camera.

great stuff as always cuiv:) would love to see similar videos on scopes, cameras, etc

That is really great to hear! My only mount is the Sphinx SX. While it works just fine, even with a pretty heavy load, I always wondered about how other mounts would be and thought I should upgrade at some point, just for the sake of it. But can't afford to do so. Now I know it isn't even necessary and the Sphinx is in fact pretty good! (although it is not exactly the same model).

Only after watching one of your videos, I purchased AZ-EQ5 about a year ago. I am so happy with it. And you doubled my happiness and confidence by giving it 'B' or as you also said "Almost A' rank. BTW, thanks for all your videos Cuiv 😊👍

Thank you for the video Cuiv! Good one! I have EQ6-R Pro and after about 2 years I had to deal with backlash. I watched your video and adjusted by backlash- thank you for that. I do not have much experience on mounts like you, but I am looking for my next mount now. I saw 75kg capacity Trident JTW mount. It would be a good video to see how it works. Not so many of them in existence yet. It costs only (!!!) 3,500 euros and it is cheap for that capacity and class. Thank you again!

Started with a star adventurer, now started building a portable imaging rig around the Redcat 51 and an EQM35 Pro and the asiair. So far been fantastic, had the guiding down as low 0.4 arc seconds normally cruising aroud 0.5-0.6 arc seconds. Some people seem to have had issues with the EQM35 but overall it’s been great so far for a small refractor imaging rig. I think the AM5 would be my next venture for some larger scopes.

Great video Cuiv, as usual. My first was a manual eq2 Antares, then i switch to nextar se (i still have the c6, great optic), and finally the eq6r pro fine tuned and improved with geoptik counterweight, losmandy morse and bar , it is working really great with my RC8 carbon and with my c6, now i am planning to take in addition the new full armonic ioptron hae29 ... always travelling it is not so... comfortable with eq6 ... i will send you my impressions, according to the spec it is even better than the AM5 ...

Thanks for a fun video. I was suprised to see that your first mount was the Meade LT6. I have just started out with astrophotography, and as I try not to spend too much, I ended up with an old Meade LT8 mount - but without the Meade tube - I managed to 3d print a connector so I am able to put on it anything I want - and I use an old William Optics ZS 70 refractor with SVBONY SV705c camera, and get really nice results. With alt-az tracking I easily get very stable 16 seconds per frame in this setup. I really like this LT8 mount and as it can work also in EQ mode, I am thinking about building a wedge for it...

I bought the Vixen SXD2 for imaging a year or so ago after looking at the options. It was more expensive than the alternatives in Europe, but I wanted the assurance of Japanese manufacturing quality and control. So far it has been great, worked right out of the box with Asi Air Pro, from +40C in Saudi to -10C in Helsinki, go-to and tracking are excellent, and I love the Starbook 10. Currently have a 90mm TS CF Apo and FMA 180 mm guidescope, tracks better than 0.4 arc sec on a good night. Also love the offset head design which means light counterweights and relatively portable!

Nice first-hand description of what you thought were the strong and weak points of the mounts you used, Cuiv. Good info. I'd love to have one of those primo mounts (10K and up) but for right now at my level of experience (or inexperience) my little ZWO AM5 harmonic drive mount suits me just fine and works very well with my 107PHQ. The AM5 is simple to use, lightweight and portable, and really does a great job tracking when used with guiding. I'm very happy with the AM5.

👍👍- Another phenomenal video. Thanks Cuiv!