Quality of Losmandy G11 Mount?

Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted

Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this

My experience is with the Meade 12" SCT (fl=3M) and without the Gemini system.
As I understand it The Gemini system improves performance by about 50%. My
experience is with film cameras where exposures are rather long, i.e. upto 1
hr., with guiding, though most recently with a CCD camera and exposures of
around 30 sec. In addition the performance depends on focal length. At 3M,
less than half of the CCD exposures at 60sc are unsuitable. With a f/6.3 and
f/3.3 reducer almost all exposures are suitable. For planatary work where I
use a 3.5 zoom, exposures of 1 sec. are fine.
The problem is periodic error of the mount. PE in my mount is not exactly
a sine/cosine wave but seems to spike around 30-60 sec every 4 min. In a
series of exposures you will catch these spikes as well as the lul points so
you pick and choose.
There is a Losmandy Discussion group and they disscuss ways of minimizing
PE, I have tried every one of the suggestion.
If you dont like these inconviences then be prepared to spend $5k to $10K.
I don't believe that there is a better mount for the price.
Hope this helps.

Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this

My experience is with the Meade 12" SCT (fl=3M) and without the Gemini system.
As I understand it The Gemini system improves performance by about 50%. My
experience is with film cameras where exposures are rather long, i.e. upto 1
hr., with guiding, though most recently with a CCD camera and exposures of
around 30 sec. In addition the performance depends on focal length. At 3M,
less than half of the CCD exposures at 60sc are unsuitable. With a f/6.3 and
f/3.3 reducer almost all exposures are suitable. For planatary work where I
use a 3.5 zoom, exposures of 1 sec. are fine.
The problem is periodic error of the mount. PE in my mount is not exactly
a sine/cosine wave but seems to spike around 30-60 sec every 4 min. In a
series of exposures you will catch these spikes as well as the lul points so
you pick and choose.
There is a Losmandy Discussion group and they disscuss ways of minimizing
PE, I have tried every one of the suggestion.
If you dont like these inconviences then be prepared to spend $5k to $10K.
I don't believe that there is a better mount for the price.
Hope this helps.

Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this

My experience is with the Meade 12" SCT (fl=3M) and without the Gemini system.
As I understand it The Gemini system improves performance by about 50%. My
experience is with film cameras where exposures are rather long, i.e. upto 1
hr., with guiding, though most recently with a CCD camera and exposures of
around 30 sec. In addition the performance depends on focal length. At 3M,
less than half of the CCD exposures at 60sc are unsuitable. With a f/6.3 and
f/3.3 reducer almost all exposures are suitable. For planatary work where I
use a 3.5 zoom, exposures of 1 sec. are fine.
The problem is periodic error of the mount. PE in my mount is not exactly
a sine/cosine wave but seems to spike around 30-60 sec every 4 min. In a
series of exposures you will catch these spikes as well as the lul points so
you pick and choose.
There is a Losmandy Discussion group and they disscuss ways of minimizing
PE, I have tried every one of the suggestion.
If you dont like these inconviences then be prepared to spend $5k to $10K.
I don't believe that there is a better mount for the price.
Hope this helps.

Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this

My experience is with the Meade 12" SCT (fl=3M) and without the Gemini system.
As I understand it The Gemini system improves performance by about 50%. My
experience is with film cameras where exposures are rather long, i.e. upto 1
hr., with guiding, though most recently with a CCD camera and exposures of
around 30 sec. In addition the performance depends on focal length. At 3M,
less than half of the CCD exposures at 60sc are unsuitable. With a f/6.3 and
f/3.3 reducer almost all exposures are suitable. For planatary work where I
use a 3.5 zoom, exposures of 1 sec. are fine.
The problem is periodic error of the mount. PE in my mount is not exactly
a sine/cosine wave but seems to spike around 30-60 sec every 4 min. In a
series of exposures you will catch these spikes as well as the lul points so
you pick and choose.
There is a Losmandy Discussion group and they disscuss ways of minimizing
PE, I have tried every one of the suggestion.
If you dont like these inconviences then be prepared to spend $5k to $10K.
I don't believe that there is a better mount for the price.
Hope this helps.

"maflu" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted
The G11, is a good mount _for the money_. The latter units, have improved
worm gears, that exhibit reduced/smoother PE. This has been standard for
over a year now, and makes a big improvement to the overall quality. The
Gemini, is a pretty good controller, that suffers a little from the small
number of keys on the keypad. The latter software (L3), massively improves
it's overall ease of use, and how well the whole combination works. I use
mine, on a Meade GFT, and the combination works well, even when using very
'extreme' focal lengths. However as a whole, it is then pretty heavy/awkward
to use mobile. Are you intending to buy a bigger scope latter?. If not,
consider trying the Vixen GP-DX, which is a much more portable mount, that
shows very good periodic error. I have one, that is my mount of 'choice' for
a FS102 refractor, making a much more mobile combination than the G11. I
consider the GP-DX, 'better' than the Losmandy GM8, while the G11, is
better, especially for more weight, but is heavy enough to warrant a second
thought, for casual 'mobile' use.
Both these mounts (G11/gemini, and GP-DX/SkySensor 2000PC), are capable of
repeatably putting a target onto the centre few pixels on a CCD all night,
once properly aligned. The SkySensor 'wins' if you are operating without a
PC, with a friendlier display/keypad layout, and the ability to track
objects using uploaded orbital defintions. The overall tracking accuracy of
the G11 with Gemini, is better, once the internal modelling function is
properly trained, but this can take a significant time to do.

Best Wishes

"maflu" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted
The G11, is a good mount _for the money_. The latter units, have improved
worm gears, that exhibit reduced/smoother PE. This has been standard for
over a year now, and makes a big improvement to the overall quality. The
Gemini, is a pretty good controller, that suffers a little from the small
number of keys on the keypad. The latter software (L3), massively improves
it's overall ease of use, and how well the whole combination works. I use
mine, on a Meade GFT, and the combination works well, even when using very
'extreme' focal lengths. However as a whole, it is then pretty heavy/awkward
to use mobile. Are you intending to buy a bigger scope latter?. If not,
consider trying the Vixen GP-DX, which is a much more portable mount, that
shows very good periodic error. I have one, that is my mount of 'choice' for
a FS102 refractor, making a much more mobile combination than the G11. I
consider the GP-DX, 'better' than the Losmandy GM8, while the G11, is
better, especially for more weight, but is heavy enough to warrant a second
thought, for casual 'mobile' use.
Both these mounts (G11/gemini, and GP-DX/SkySensor 2000PC), are capable of
repeatably putting a target onto the centre few pixels on a CCD all night,
once properly aligned. The SkySensor 'wins' if you are operating without a
PC, with a friendlier display/keypad layout, and the ability to track
objects using uploaded orbital defintions. The overall tracking accuracy of
the G11 with Gemini, is better, once the internal modelling function is
properly trained, but this can take a significant time to do.

Best Wishes

"maflu" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted
The G11, is a good mount _for the money_. The latter units, have improved
worm gears, that exhibit reduced/smoother PE. This has been standard for
over a year now, and makes a big improvement to the overall quality. The
Gemini, is a pretty good controller, that suffers a little from the small
number of keys on the keypad. The latter software (L3), massively improves
it's overall ease of use, and how well the whole combination works. I use
mine, on a Meade GFT, and the combination works well, even when using very
'extreme' focal lengths. However as a whole, it is then pretty heavy/awkward
to use mobile. Are you intending to buy a bigger scope latter?. If not,
consider trying the Vixen GP-DX, which is a much more portable mount, that
shows very good periodic error. I have one, that is my mount of 'choice' for
a FS102 refractor, making a much more mobile combination than the G11. I
consider the GP-DX, 'better' than the Losmandy GM8, while the G11, is
better, especially for more weight, but is heavy enough to warrant a second
thought, for casual 'mobile' use.
Both these mounts (G11/gemini, and GP-DX/SkySensor 2000PC), are capable of
repeatably putting a target onto the centre few pixels on a CCD all night,
once properly aligned. The SkySensor 'wins' if you are operating without a
PC, with a friendlier display/keypad layout, and the ability to track
objects using uploaded orbital defintions. The overall tracking accuracy of
the G11 with Gemini, is better, once the internal modelling function is
properly trained, but this can take a significant time to do.

Best Wishes

"maflu" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted
The G11, is a good mount _for the money_. The latter units, have improved
worm gears, that exhibit reduced/smoother PE. This has been standard for
over a year now, and makes a big improvement to the overall quality. The
Gemini, is a pretty good controller, that suffers a little from the small
number of keys on the keypad. The latter software (L3), massively improves
it's overall ease of use, and how well the whole combination works. I use
mine, on a Meade GFT, and the combination works well, even when using very
'extreme' focal lengths. However as a whole, it is then pretty heavy/awkward
to use mobile. Are you intending to buy a bigger scope latter?. If not,
consider trying the Vixen GP-DX, which is a much more portable mount, that
shows very good periodic error. I have one, that is my mount of 'choice' for
a FS102 refractor, making a much more mobile combination than the G11. I
consider the GP-DX, 'better' than the Losmandy GM8, while the G11, is
better, especially for more weight, but is heavy enough to warrant a second
thought, for casual 'mobile' use.
Both these mounts (G11/gemini, and GP-DX/SkySensor 2000PC), are capable of
repeatably putting a target onto the centre few pixels on a CCD all night,
once properly aligned. The SkySensor 'wins' if you are operating without a
PC, with a friendlier display/keypad layout, and the ability to track
objects using uploaded orbital defintions. The overall tracking accuracy of
the G11 with Gemini, is better, once the internal modelling function is
properly trained, but this can take a significant time to do.

Best Wishes

Hi Roger, what about the Vixen Sphinx? It looks like a smaller Atlux. Is
it a possiblity?

"Roger Hamlett" wrote in message
...

"maflu" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I plan to do digital imaging with a Canon DSLR and a 100 mm refractor.
Do you think the tracking accuracy and other characteristics of this
mount are appropriate (with Gemini system)? Any experience in this
field?
Thank you
Cheers
Ted
The G11, is a good mount _for the money_. The latter units, have improved
worm gears, that exhibit reduced/smoother PE. This has been standard for
over a year now, and makes a big improvement to the overall quality. The
Gemini, is a pretty good controller, that suffers a little from the small
number of keys on the keypad. The latter software (L3), massively improves
it's overall ease of use, and how well the whole combination works. I use
mine, on a Meade GFT, and the combination works well, even when using very
'extreme' focal lengths. However as a whole, it is then pretty
heavy/awkward
to use mobile. Are you intending to buy a bigger scope latter?. If not,
consider trying the Vixen GP-DX, which is a much more portable mount, that
shows very good periodic error. I have one, that is my mount of 'choice'
for
a FS102 refractor, making a much more mobile combination than the G11. I
consider the GP-DX, 'better' than the Losmandy GM8, while the G11, is
better, especially for more weight, but is heavy enough to warrant a
second
thought, for casual 'mobile' use.
Both these mounts (G11/gemini, and GP-DX/SkySensor 2000PC), are capable of
repeatably putting a target onto the centre few pixels on a CCD all night,
once properly aligned. The SkySensor 'wins' if you are operating without a
PC, with a friendlier display/keypad layout, and the ability to track
objects using uploaded orbital defintions. The overall tracking accuracy
of
the G11 with Gemini, is better, once the internal modelling function is
properly trained, but this can take a significant time to do.

Best Wishes