Home > Mounts / Motors > Mounts by Brand > Sky-Watcher
:
Model: eq5-pro-synscan-20981Part Number: 20981
Compatible with EQMOD using a Lynx Astro EQDIR adapter :-)
“The first impressions of the assembly were of reassuring stability…The 3-star alignment is a great feature of the Go-To facility. Every time we set up, it accurately place the item we wanted in the field of view of our 25mm eyepiece. The more it was used, the easier is was to go straight to an object or star…The alignment process could not be simpler…In all, the alignment process works so well that you can be on a selected object and tracking it accurately within minutes…Overall the EQ5 SynScan gave a new lease of life to our smaller scope. It is easy to carry and it allowed us to give friends and neighbours a quick tour of the delights of the night skies.” BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Using EQMod article by Steve Richards
Hardware Features:
Software Features:
I bought this as a light, portable and quick setup for popping in the car, or using in the garden when there were breaks in the cloud (ha, ha).Anyway, I was not expecting stellar performance from a grab and go mount, but have been pleasantly surprised. People complain about the mount being a bit stiff, but that is no handicap to its use. I find that the mount is steady, doesn’t wobble, and tracks excellently with my ED81S on. A perfect match. A sturdy recommended mount. I’m well pleased.
Firstly, FLO have done an incredible job to support me in this purchase. Skywatcher's quality control is appalling and without FLO's patience I would likely not be able to enjoy astronomy as a hobby. The EQ5 PRO was on my watch list for a long time. It's at the upper end of my budget and easily the most expensive bit of astronomy kit I have. For some people this is beginner kit but for me this was a big investment.First impression: I was surprised at how poor overall the build quality was. Loose pieces, thick enamel finish, just not beautiful. Then the moment of truth - put it together - does it work - no. Straight on to FLO, who proceed to send out new parts piece by piece until we find the cause and it's working. Just incredible service and the cost to them in postage must have been high. The replacement parts look quite different in some aspects so there must be different iterations of the EQ5. The latitude bolts were missing, the official replacements are M10 but the actual holes were M8, so I just bought some elsewhere. So, I wait for a month to try it out on the first cloudless night. First issue - the noise. Wow, I was worried about my Az GTI being too loud. Maybe it's a product of being outside in the quiet but the EQ5 slewing around is seriously loud. Then, 10 minutes in, the Dec motor packs in. It whirrs, but it doesn't move. I just want it for some views of Saturn, so I just release the clutch and manually align it. Which works fine, but, not really what I want it for. But - at least the tripod is great. Thick, steel legs which can hold up any small or medium scope, which I can use with an Az tripod for those evenings when I just want to set up and get going. But Skywatcher have metric and imperial versions of this tripod, and the metric one which comes with the EQ5 has very limited compatibility with other mounts. FLO valiantly sell an adapter, but the EQ5 tripod has a metal lump (mounting dowel) which stops the adapter from fitting. So I can buy a metal file, and file down the adapter, but again, just not the 'pro' experience I had in mind.
EQ5 pro mount, check and delivered,EQMod cable, check and delivered,clear skies....apparently not in stock with it :o)a happy and satisfied customer, good service and fast delivery.
The mount is solidly built and after sorting the usual rough threads, I set it up using the handy built-in bubble level. Couldn't find a thing, so I checked the usual suspects and found that the level was four degrees out and the latitude scale three degrees high. This was much soon fixed, though if you can't see the pole star from your observing site there are no instructions for alignment. Finally, I got the mount aligned and was surprised how accurate this needs to be. Picking up the hand controller, it was easy to select Messier and NGC objects, but the list of variable and double stars was scanty and a jumble of Arabic names, Bayer designations and Flamsteed numbers. There is no way of scrolling quickly through these lists, you just have to go through one star at a time. When it comes to other stars you are confronted with a random list identified only by Arabic names, so if you don't know your Alwaid from your Eltamin, you're lost. A list of say the five brightest stars in each constellation listed by their familiar Bayer designations would be much more useful. I'm told that some go-to mounts have an alignment procedure which doesn't involve peering up a polar scope and correcting for the position error... Yes, please!
It holds my widefield refractor (TSAPO72F6) securely as well as a Guidescope, Guide Cam, asi 2600mc, asi air etc. All securely and without issues. Tracking is fantastic, although sometimes there will be trial and error. Run the mount with a 14V power supply if you can. Will make it much quieter and better tracking. I'd also recommend buying an EQMod Cable directly with it to save the shipping costs. In General, I'd definitely recommend this mount and FLO even more. The shipping time back then was three months because of supply issues. They always kept me up to date and when problems arose they offered free help (sending it back for free and checking it out). 10/10 service and mount.If wanted I can send some pictures
I ordered a skywatcher EQ5 pro goto mount from them and the customer service is excellent and very helpful at answering your questions I would highly recommend using them.
I am relatively new to Astronomy and so I became a member of a local Astronomy Club who recomended that I contact F.L.O. which I did and place an oder for my EQ5 Mount, during the Covid pandemic it took a few months to arrive during this period the communication from F.L.O was very good all in all it was well worth the wait.Regards Roger
Have only managed to get out with this mount for one small test run but it has exceeded my expectations. I already own a star adventurer which I love but have found it frustrating wasting half the night looking for DSO targets so took the plunge and got a goto mount. I watched you tube videos to set up the mount, polar align and set it to the home position ready for star alignment. Both the two stars I chose to align with appeared on the live view screen of my DSLR not far off centre and it slew easily to my target for the night. Thankfully I managed to take one sub to confirm it had found the target before the clouds rolled in and I had to pack up for the night. The mount is lightweight for a goto, but easily sturdy enough to take my small refractor, camera and reducer. Can't wait to get out and put it through its paces properly. Thanks as always to the staff at FLO for answering my questions so promptly and for shipping this quicker than I expected.
Excellent customer service - thanks to Steve. Delivery promises were kept, and the mount arrived on time a week ago.The mount itself is more solid than I expected and the polar scope was already aligned.
More than happy with both the mount and the service I received from FLO who through a most difficult and frustrating time managed to remain on top of the game professionally.When we get some clear skies and I get the chance to try out the mount I will write another review on how that goes, in the meantime thank you again to all at FLO .
Read all 12 customer reviews...