ZWO AM5 Strain Wave Astrophotography Mount: What I liked and what I did not like about it

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In this video, I share my experiences and thoughts on the ZWO AM5 astrophotography mount after using it for one year. Instead of a typical product review, I focus on highlighting what I liked and didn't like about this mount. Additionally, I conduct a simple amp draw test to determine the power consumption when slewing a large telescope.
With the market offering numerous strain wave mounts, I hope this video helps you in your decision-making process for your next astrophotography mount. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced astrophotographer, I aim to provide valuable insights that will assist you in choosing the right mount for your needs.
Thanks to my subscribers and thank you for 2100 subs! I am a tiny channel and I appreciate you all for following my journey in astrophotography.
Check out my AM5 first impression video!
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Опубликовано:

16 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 42

@captaincook6666 26 дней назад

Mine packed in after 8 hours use (needed replacement board)! I do like it now it works!!

@guyonamotorcycle1 Месяц назад

I really like my AM5. It's my second mount after a SkyWatcher GTi. I mark the balance point on my kit losmandy and then line that up with the center of the AM5. Seems to work ok for now but it's only about 13 pounds. FRA400 with .7 reducer, EAF, EFW, ASI2600mc, ASI Air+, and some dew heaters. I have no football shaped stars and I'm happy. Clear skies!

@mikehardy8247 Месяц назад

I also went from my GTI to the AM5.

@DrunkferretKG Месяц назад

I had an Ioptron gem28 to start with. Not a bad mount. I got an AM5 and sold the Ioptron gem28. Have not looked back. The balancing for Dec is done off mount. I take my imaging train, set it on a flat surface and use a round ball point pen under the dovetail plate. I balance the OTA on the pen and mark the position. Then I mount the scope with that mark centered in the saddle.

@icyxxxxx Месяц назад

Very cool!

@wdavis6814 Месяц назад

I went from an iOptron SkyGuider Pro to AM5, the upgrade was incredible. But I learned that I still enjoy polar aligning the old fashioned way.

@IonutNedelcu Месяц назад

Just a word of caution: that battery could be dangerous and potentially a fire hazard because the 3 batteries are not self-balancing. It would be best to put a diode on the positive of each battery.

@Neanderthal75 Месяц назад

It's true, once someone gets spoiled by the EQ6R pro, it's very hard to use anything else, especially those cheaper mounts out there! I already bought/sold 2 other mounts I bought after the EQ6R, because they just couldn't measure up to it and I didn't want to use them! 😊

@Vantage79 Месяц назад

Thank you for this video. I like AM5 it's easy to Polar Align. It's my first mount so I'm used to it.

@astronotna Месяц назад

Great to hear! And thanks for watching this one!!

@michaeledmonds3027 Месяц назад

Thanks for your AM5 video. I think that anyone buying this mount is a ZWO gear user. So, they will have an ASIAIR controller and related peripherals for integrated operation. Thank, Michael

@blayzer8871 Месяц назад

Nice Video! I own the mount to for about 3-4 month. Allways used it in Az for visual with the App. Last week I used it the first time in EQ mode with my photo rig. TMB 115/805, Flattener, IMX571 from Touptek, 50mm Guidescope and so on. Weight was about 9kg and the AM5 lought about that :D Now I like to buy a second bigger HD mount. But it is hard so finde one. There are the iOptron HAE43 and 69, but I dont like iOptron that much. And there is the NYX101 from Pegasus Astro. I like the Pegasus products, but I read some not so nice things about the mount. But many users love the mount. And then there are the mounts from small chines companys like the WD20 or (hopefully in the future) a bigger UMi mount. Its hard to decide. I would love to see an announcement for a ZWO AM7 or something like that. Payload without CW like 20kg. Would buy it instantly :D

@astronotna Месяц назад

Man just the thought of an Am7 lol. For sure

@TalGivoly Месяц назад

Can you provide a link to how you set up your battery/power solution? That looks very cool.

@PEWannabee Месяц назад

AM5 changed the hobby for me. I was shooting with AVX mount for 3 years. Anyone has an AVX know, on a good day: it's ok, but on bad days : prepare to pull your hair out. With the AM5, it just works. stupid simple and light weight.

@HeavenlyBackyardAstronomy Месяц назад

Good review. Question; will the AM5/3 work with NINA?

@astronotna Месяц назад

I'm sorry I haven't tried it on Nina!

@sofel8752 Месяц назад

Hello, Thanks for the review. I just have one question : does it guide well in presence of wind. Does it have too much sensitivity with the wind ? Thanks

@astronotna Месяц назад

Not at all it seems to handle it very well with something that has no counterwieghts. I haven't had any issues and I've mounted SCTs on it.

@simonpepper5053 Месяц назад

Eq6r pro for the backyarder AM5 for the traveller

@mikehardy8247 Месяц назад

I liked the AM5, which I bought 4 months ago, so much, when they threw the tripod In free, I bought an AM3. Aso have asiair + and mini. In early May, ZWO forced a fitmware update from 11.01 to 11.06. After the update, my location changed from N 43 X X E 87 X X to N 39 54 25 E 116 23 50 I attempted entering them manually with no luck. They do sometimes show up properly. Even then PA doesn't work properly. It keeps changing. When I get it close. Then slew to target ( eagle nebula), which is at about 30 degrees, it tells me object is below horizon! Since other people must have gone through this, can someone PLEASE, help. I'm going to dark skies end of week, and won't be able to image. As a side note, I also put my rig on my SW SA GTI. same weird results😮

@quint9951 Месяц назад

Where did you get the cable that goes from the mount to the asi mini? Link please thanks

@astronotna Месяц назад

I actually made it soldered up some wire scraps I had laying around.

@MazzifLOL 21 день назад

Ever had the 'pitch angle adjuster' clamps on the side not tight enough and had a telescope flop? Yikes.

@astronotna 21 день назад

No but new fear unlocked! lol

@KJRitch Месяц назад

Would you recommend the AM5 with a Celestron C8 SCT running focal lengths of 1442mm and 2032mm with a Celestron OAG/ASI174MM Mini for guiding? I'm interested in stable guiding around 0.7" total RMS. My C8 with image train is about 19lbs. Most reviews of this mount is with refractors like yours. It would be interesting if you put your C6 on it and removed the Hyperstar and went native shooting a galaxy. I would probably get the PE200 because I could use the adaptor with the pier to use my AVX tripod.

@astronotna Месяц назад

This might perhaps help you. I've only ran my C6 with the reducer on it but shot through my 183mm at bin2 and had no issues guiding with that. In my area I generally get between .5 and .7 so I think the Am5 would serve your purpose. You are well within spec of this mount with a C8. You might check out the Facebook group and check out people's set ups there I've seen bigger SCT's than mine on there with great results

@groundhoppingwlkp3622 22 дня назад

9:12 You don't use pier? I would be terrified about hitting a legs with scope :o

@astronotna 22 дня назад

I use the 160mm featured here ! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Y3FHYZYL09w.html

@AmatureAstronomer Месяц назад

Nice mount. Expensive mount.

@astronotna Месяц назад

Yes it is lol!

@worldofzap Месяц назад

It’s all relative, everything has gone up. I bought my original CGEM II from Highpoint Scientific for 1499, that same mount goes for 2049 now. I am sure it is the same for the EQ6R Pro. I preordered my AM5, which was a good thing as the step motor controller on my CGEM decided to give up the ghost, $328 to fix, so it’s a paper weight. I paid around 2300 for my AM5 with tripod. The CGEM mount head weighs in at around 40lbs. My AM5 kit is a dream to pack. I am never looking back. Right now an EQ6R Pro from Agena goes for 2025, they have a sale on the AM5 1999 with free tripod. So really right now the AM5 is cheaper lol. But yes right now everything is expensive. 🙁

@SydneyDunk Месяц назад

Not at all expensive!

@nikaxstrophotography Месяц назад

$300 of on which planet? Still over priced in Australia

@rexsterling7346 Месяц назад

14:17 It is very good looking. Unlike the strain wave mounts coming from Sky-watcher, that are super hideous.

@stevekaiser4959 Месяц назад

I thought the AM5 was to run at 12vdc. But your meter was showing 15.+ volts.

@astronotna Месяц назад

Yep it sure does! I explained i was running 3 4 cell batts parallel into a Bec that regulates the voltage at 12 volts @ 9 amps. My meter displays 15+ volts because im measuring the current draw at the power source. Hope this helps

@stevekaiser4959 Месяц назад

@@astronotna ok I thought that might be the case. So in reality, you’re drawing more current at 12vdc but the regulator easily handles that. Very nice.

@chris-fcx Месяц назад

@@astronotna - Are you able to share with us the complete list/specifications of the batteries, BEC and meter you're using? I believe there is plenty of room here for another video covering how to power a complete astrophotography rig using custom parts (like yours). It would be a $ saver for most people, extremely useful and well worth looking into.

@astronotna Месяц назад

Hey Chris I was thinking about it but I wasn't sure how much interest there was on this topic. I'll keep it in mind thx!

@chris-fcx Месяц назад

@@astronotna I run a large website (+24 years online presence) and always search competitors to see what's available. There doesn't seem to be much on this topic:) The trick is to cover a wide range of options e.g home made (like yours), commercial products etc. This will help capture a wide range of users.