Tiny but MIGHTY, FIRST LIGHT with the ZWO AM5! How is it??

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

What's your experience with the AM5?? AM5 mount links High Point Scientific: bit.ly/3JeVUkn OPT: bit.ly/41MuZ6D All Star Telescope: bit.ly/3SP5s8R Support me on Patreon!: www.patreon.com/cuivlazygeek

[@luboinchina3013]

You left gps coordinates of your home in the video. Maybe you can blur them?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

​@@luboinchina3013 I've actually offset them from my real location 😁 Not enough to bother the mount though!

[@TimK-1971]

Would changing the guide rate help with guiding accuracy? I guess it would take some playing with to get it so that it isn't overshooting and have to correct so much. I've got a little Explore Scientific iexos-100 pmc-eight travel mount. But what you have there is a perfect travel setup.

[@mcdiskett2003]

I get < .5 rms over hours of guiding with my 100mm ED on it (on a heq5 tripod with the pe200 ) but I do get intermittent 2 arc second spikes which is frustrating. Love the small size and weight though. (I use .5 s exposures and 50% on RA and DEC)

[@CDigata]

I love the Mount and no looking back for me, bur i did buy a PE200 and eq5 10mm tripod for the rasa

[@rawhead909]

Figured you'd like the AM5 :) A couple of things from my experience over the last 3 months or so: (1) You want a pier extension for longer scopes. When I mount my SkyWatcher ESPRIT100ED, it will hit a leg near Zenith, unless I'm super careful with initial orientation of the legs. Which I am not, because let's face it, I'm lazy too. (2) Careful when/if you ever switch to Alt-Az mode; it's a little confusing, so that when you bring it back to EQ mode, you may forget to tighten the hex screws enough, which will result in the mount slumping at some angles. (3) I LOVE the quick release mechanism. If I'm more than a couple degrees off from celestial north, I would have to shift the entire tripod with my CEM40. With the AM5, I just unscrew the spreader a little, unlock the quick release, rotate the whole mount, and I'm back in business. (4) I did buy the optional shaft and I would put a 5lb counter weight on when I mount my EdgeHD800, just because the mount gets top heavy and it will be very precarious when the scope is all the way west/east. (5) I love switching to Alt-Az mode, not for visual (I hardly do any), but for planetary imaging. As you know, with planetary, field rotation is not an issue. Alt-Az is really beneficial because you won't have to worry about meridian flip, and the angle of the camera stays the same throughout the night, so I never have to adjust the angles of my ADC. (6) Although you've converted me to NINA, I gotta say the integration of AM5 with ASIAir is impressive. For very simple, portable, travel gear, I can see myself just sticking with ASIAir. That's about it for now. Hope you enjoy the rest of the testing, and I wont judge you if you end up purchasing it :D I'll be taking the AM5 and a FRA300 when I visit Japan in May/June. Cheers.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Wow thanks for all the tips!!

[@sreeshab4093]

Super impressive. Can I connect with you offline on FB if you are on it. Or atleast an email ID? I bought AM4 and C Edge HD 8, and i may need some tips and help. Thank you.

[@bogdanbacila9024]

Not an owner of the AM5 mount, but an owner of the RST-135e mount.. and owned the RST-135 non-encoder before that.. I'm always saying that competition on the market is very good, both for the developer/seller and the buyer. Till now, to be honest, there is no real competitor for the RST-135/e mount, in terms of portability and guide performance. If anybody is interested, there are two threads on CN, one long (for the original RST-135) and a shorter one for the encoder version, and there I've posted some guide graphs showing total guide error of 0.20".. in some nights it went down to 0.08" which is really at the measuring limit... P.S.: Cuiv, your video on the crux harmonic drive mount inspired me to move to harmonic drive mounts, so thank-you for that, and the best of luck with the channel.

[@johndaley9188]

No telescope, I'm just starting to learn. And there's a lot to learn. I've seen this mount and you've helped answer a number of my questions. Thanx

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad to help!

[@burpleson]

I used my AM5 for the first time last night, with a 107PHQ, and ZWO 2600MM, 174MM, OAG-L, EWF, EAF, and ASIAir plus. Even though the load wasn't large, I added two small counterweights to make a more balanced load for that small, light tripod. (I also forgot to add weight to help steady it.) Everything worked flawlessly. Given that it was almost a full moon, I opted for a quick 90 minutes on M42 with SHO. Polar alignment was quick and painless. Guiding was typically around 0.5". It was really a pleasure to use.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Great to see! It's surprisingly good

[@radioparisment628]

I'm not using an AM5 but a 107PHQ too. It seems to become a reference OTA !

[@jonrbryan]

I was seeing that DEC oscillation at first on my AM5. I communicated with ZWO support, and I changed DEC Aggr to 60%, and RA to 40%, with Max Duration on both at 1000ms. It has been happy there. I think ZWO needs better documentation on tuning the mount.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks so much for this!

[@billchiles7734]

I've had the AM5 for a little over 3 months now. I am very happy with it. Polar align is just as quick and easy as you have shown, plus the best guiding I've ever had. I have abused it some...put it out when we have gotten -15F. At that point the mount will error out. When I bring it inside and warm it up, it will return to home with no issues. Thanks for all you do Cuiv, you have been a great help in me getting started in this hobby.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

-15F is pretty extreme!! Glad I helped you getting started in the hobby :)

[@billchiles7734]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Agreed, it works fine to around -5F but after that....

[@zubenel01]

As the mount is so small you You could try wrapping a dew heater around it to stop the error. Cheers

[@billchiles7734]

@@zubenel01 thanks, the thought had occurred to me as well. It is certainly worth investigating.

[@figzastro-photography]

Hey Cuiv. Great video. The AM5 is great. I do no PA and get steady .3 to .5 guiding and .5 sec exposures all the time with my Askar 80PHQ, ASI AIR Plus, ASI533 MC Pro or ASI2600 MC Pro, 50mm guider w/ASI120 MM. Great mount. I even used my C-11, ASI Air Plus, 60mm guider w/ ASÍ 120 MM, ASI533 MC Pro or 2600 MC Pro with the counter weight and AVX Tri Pod legs (mounting instructions provided by astroblender on KZbin) and it still gave me great guiding. Well done ZWO for giving us backyard astrophotographers an affordable harmonic mount. It’s a keeper Cuiv.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, now I'm seriously considering keeping it!

[@riklaunim]

On the balcony I have small markings on where the tripod legs should go so when I have to take in/out the mount I can have a good setup from the start (and as the view is limited I also can't even do normal polar alignment).

[@fabienr4517]

Hi Cuiv, Thank you for your videos, your contagious enthusiasm reminds us why we do astrophoto, just having fun!!!!

[@timtrentadue-jw5pn]

I really like your review videos, they are honest and very well done, your logical investigative technique makes for a clearer and concise evaluation which I appreciate. You point out the good and the bad, looking forward to a follow-up on this mount.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks so much Tim, that means a lot - I am excited by the gear but I do my best to stay objective. I've used it a couple more nights, and it works great without the DEC oscillation

[@physmc1]

Welcome to the AM5 club Cuiv. I agree with you, it's quite an amazing piece of gear for its price. It's on par with my eq6-r for performance, but less finicky and a lot simpler to setup.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Charles!

[@blakebrothers]

I've had mine for just over a month and as you say in your video - it just works!

[@zborkz]

I have an AM5 and out of the box had the results consistent with yours. I also adjusted the aggressiveness of the corrections and found it solved the extremely small issue for me, I was having. I was also a bit concerned about the tripod, but have found it not to be an issue with my setups. The only issue I have found is when using an ASIAIR you will want to move the finderbacket from the location it comes on, it's prone to get cables snags with the mount adjustment knobs. While it still cannot compare overall to NINA, you may want to revisit the updated ASIAIR OS, it's made remarkable advances, paired with the AM5 it's a dream portable rig.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for the tip on the finder bracket!

[@azuractive]

Ha ha, Cuiv! When this mount was first announced I said I’d wait for your review before buying. But of course I didn’t… pre-ordered and received it last August. It has been absolutely fantastic with NINA/PHD2. Guiding is consistently under .5, usually averaging .3 depending on conditions. I did lower the aggression quite a bit, and found 1.5 seconds work best for my conditions. I’ll be interested to see if tweaking PHD2 clears up the oscillations you’re seeing in DEC. Just buy it! You know you want to…

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha don't tempt me Jacqueline!

[@southbronxny5727]

You hit the mount lottery like astroblender 12/4 rms. Mine is 27/11rms but last night, I had excellent seeing, I got between .32 to .5 rms all night. I'm very happy with it.

[@easyastroimages5818]

24.2 here. Zwo def cherry picking

[@gghana]

@@easyastroimages5818 how's your stars? Curious if you have issues.

[@easyastroimages5818]

@@gghana havent had the besst weather to test. one night..had nina and phd2 issues then switch to asi air and it was killer..like .5-.3?? idk if its trustworthy or what they do but all in all it looked good to me!!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I didn't realize glad, but happy to see that!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I don't think that was cherry picking since the Japan dealer sent the mount they had in inventory (and they can't see the graph). Unless ZWO told them a specific serial number? But I think that's unlikely... Not impossible though

[@desmcmorrow2978]

I’ve had my am5 mount for about six months and have been using it quite regularly so have accumulated quite a lot of experience. I found your review to be fair and accurate. In particular, while the mount is indeed very easy to use and reliable - a delight in fact - it can have the odd excursion in guiding. In my case, oscillations after a dither occurred very occasionally and were dealt with by reducing the aggression. I normally now run around 60% aggression and exposure between 1-2s. Normally expect guiding total rms < 0”7 arc second and probably to lose less than 1% of subs with image exposures up to 5 mins. Cheers, Des

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Great longer term report, thank you;

[@Chryoss]

This video came at a perfect timing for me ! I received mine only 3 days ago (just 24h after my order because it was in stock in France 👌) and was able to test it the very same night under clear skies. Like you just said, it just works. No hassle what so ever, 0,6RMS with my Redcat51 when I shot not too low on the horizon, a bit worse when my target was in deeper into the Paris' aeroport light pollution. I'll test it next with my Celestron 8" Hyperstar V4, and shoot some galaxies !

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Woohoo! Genial et bien joue! Elle est vraiment sympa cette monture!

[@cbooth2004]

I recently moved to France from the U.S., and I am gratified to read your comment. :-)

[@NG-VQ37VHR]

I'd be interested to know how the mount is working for you. I have an am5 on the way and you seem to have similar scopes to me. I have an edge HD 8 with a hyperstar 4 as well, also a radian raptor 61, and an Orion ed80 doublet apo. I'm sure the 61mm, 80mm, and hyperstar 4 configuration will be fine, but I'm really curious about shooting galaxies with this mount and the edge hd 8 with a focal reducer or even native resolution at 2023mm.

[@Chryoss]

@@NG-VQ37VHR Hello :) . The mount is still awesome, it worked with my small and big scopes without counterweight and it tracks well 👌 I didn't test it yet with a longer focal lenght, I'll buy the 0.7 Starizona reducer, and my goal is to shoot small galaxies with this setup. I'll also go for a mono camera to capture a cleaner image and more details :)

[@KurtVW]

@CuivTheLazyGeek speaking to that oscillation you discussed around 33:18 -- A couple of months ago I had a similar weird problem like that appear in my logging and after some research I correlated it to an earthquake that had happened about 600miles away from me. After looking up the duration of that event, and determining how long it would take the shaking to transit that distance it all worked out to be very close to the time that the oscillation appeared. Perhaps you had the same thing happen? Great overview of the product, I'm going to be looking into this for sure.

[@mikegore7669]

I have owned my AM5 since last Summer. I love it - very easy to carry which was my main concern getting it. In good seeing I have seen as low as 0.4 arc seconds total. I strongly suggest getting the pier extension to avoid telescope from hitting the tripod and definitely get counter weights for use on larger heavy scopes as the light weight can lead to increased tipping risks. Alternately hang a weight from the tripod spreader.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Got it, thanks for the tips!

[@Your_Imagin8ion]

I've had mine since early December and it's been rock solid

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent!

[@technocore1591]

I'd been using a Celestron AVX. I'm an apt dweller so need to haul my gear to the park or a friend's rooftop. Used to use a big cart to move my stuff. With the ASI AM5 and carbon fiber tripod, I can carry it all now or use the tiniest little push cart. the size and weight savings are incredible. It's glorious!!!! And I put my Jackery power supply in the center pouch for stability. Wonderful.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent to see how it has helped you image!

[@technocore1591]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Oh yes, a couple weeks ago on a day that wasn't supposed to be cloudy, I was getting home and saw the sky was clear. Was able to run in, grab everything and be on my friends rooftop setting up, in 30min. With my old gear would have been way to much of a hassle to get my cart setup and out of the house.

[@gghana]

I pre-ordered end of 2021 when it was announced, so it was a long wait. I haven't been disappointed.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent!

[@massimo541]

Hi Cuiv, nice video as always. Yesterday evening I was able to use the AM5 for the first time due to the bad weather that has been raging in my place for about four months. Mine has a periodic error of 20.5"/6.8".During my first try I could not get very good values, but there was haze and the guide was able to follow only a single star! So the result was between 0.8 and 1" Rms, when I was quitting the air cleared a bit and I got 0.6". I had the same problem you had and during the tests I seem to have solved it by lowering the aggression setting to 75 for RA and 70-75 for Dec (guide exposition 2 sec). Overall it seems to me a very valid mount but I will be able to say for sure only after having obtained something good . For subs I started from 1 min up to 8 min. Stars always round and without trails. Thank you for your work, it is very important to have a comparison.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent results and thanks for the tips!

[@marvinwhisman3333]

Glad to see you are testing the mount. Now to see if you take the plunge and buy it. Thanks for the video.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It truly is an impressive mount. I used it again yesterday with lower DEC agressiveness and this time no oscillations!

[@scotford8164]

Absolutely love the AM5. Bought one in December and have been amazed how it has improved the quality of my images overall. I use it with an asiair plus, which makes use and setup a breeze! I also use it regularly with an Explore Scientific ED102 triplet and the mount does great with its 714mm focal length.

[@Tim_the_Astronurd]

I bought this mount last october and have used it for the 3 clear, above 5F nights Ive had so far. its been quite flawless, even the one night I had trouble getting PA for so long I forgot to start guiding until the 4th 5 minute sub. I didnt have to toss the unguided ones. I love the mount and dont regret buying it for a second!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Great to hear! Seems everyone loves this mount!

[@johntdavies]

Salut, I purchased an AM5 very recently and had a few nights already. I'm using a small 274mm f4.9 refractor on it for now but have an Edge 9.25 which I could, in theory, try on it but as I already have a CXG for that it would really just be for curiosity. In London I get so few clear nights, I really don't want to lose a single minute of imaging time. Anyway, I love it, it's so light, I've set everything up and I can walk in and out with the tripod, mount, scope, camera, guiding ket etc. all ready to go. I'm about to order a second one to set up a new monochrome rig, like so many things recently this is up there as a game-changer. I know you like Nina but I got hooked on the ASIAir, for me ZWO is like the Apple of Astrophotography, high quality and things just work. A+

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Really awesome it's working so well for you!

[@AshA-ww8hc]

I have had it now for nearly a month. It is such a sexy piece of AP equipment. I almost want to buy another just to put it up as a art piece around the house. I just started AP and this is my first EQ mount ever. I have to say it was amazing getting all this stuff to work with the ASIAir out of the box on the first night with no issues.

[@xj650t]

Immediately starts saving for an AM5, another great video thanks Cuiv.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha it seems it will be a worthwhile purchase!

[@user-pi5xu7qs7n]

Fantastic mount. I have gotten .25 to .35 RMS out of the box with no tunning! I did start off with PHD2 and a minipc and was disappointed with the tracking via guiding (would get around 1 RMS). The moment I switched to the asiair plus guiding got a lot better.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Under the hood ASIAIR basically uses PHD2, so I assume they have presets for the AM5 baked in!

[@christianvulpescu1398]

Very interesting. Thank you so much. Wit PHD2 I learned first to rise the Dec tolerance in this case and than to lower the Dec aggreesion, if necessary. Cheers

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks for sharing!

[@maciejzmuda1339]

Thanks for yet another great review, Cuiv. That mount is definitely on my wishlist.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've been using it more, and it's performing great for now!

[@RobertKarlBerta]

Have had this mount for a while.....you need to use it with the ASI AIR Plus to take advantage of all it can do. Couple of hints,....do NOT attach the ASI AIR on the side....instead put it off to the side of the dove tail or on top of the scope itself. It is quite possible to run into the plugs if you mount it on the side of the mount.....ASI now warns against putting it on the side. Dec agressiveness adjustments will cure the bobble in DEC you had. The new polar alignment where you don't use Polaris but aim anywhere in the sky is phenomenal. ============ Here is my update after a few more months of use. The AM5 continues to impress me with the results. Set the aggressiveness lower.....60% DEC 40% RA and use short exposures around 1-2 seconds for guiding. I use it with a couple of 80 and 85mm refractors and .8 flat field/focal reducers. I use with OSC camera and various filters such as my favorite thus far....a TRIAD. Stars are pin points with 5 minute exposures through that filter and right to the edge of the FOV. The ASI AIR now has an update with the ALL sky polar align which is excellent and easy to use and fast. It also has a new mosaic feature where you can set the number of frames and it will auto move and shoot the images with the ASI AIR PLAN routine. The default is 15% overlap but I prefer 20%. Once done I use Photo Shop to automatch the frames with its FILE Automate FileMerge. It gives flawless wide field images with no artifacts or visible errors at overlaps. I don't have to even put the components in any order....PS recognized patterns and puts the "puzzle" together perfectly. I have als used it with my 8" SCT HD with the .7 focal reducer and the mount has no problems guiding that either (about 1400mm focal length). I didn't get the carbon fiber tripod as I already had a heavier duty Ioptron from my MINI Tower Pro mount which also has the Ioptron pier extension. That seems to be a more rigid setup and I have no issues even in moderate wind. A Harmonic Drive mount won't have repeatable Period Error like a more traditional mount but it has 0 backlash and I think that is a big advantage.....when a guide correction is made that 0 backlash allows it to go back to exactly the point it needs to and that results in excellent performance. That is why you need a short exposure guide camera time and lower aggressiveness as I mentioned above. I also decided to mount my ASI AIR on top of the scope. That eliminates the likelihood of a cable snag or contact and I noted that keeping it on top seems to eliminate wifi drop outs.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Robert! I'm not going back to the ASIAIR for this mount, but it's working great with NINA (which also has the all sky polar align feature) and PHD2 now that I've reduced the Dec aggression :-) and great advice on the placement of the ASIAIR (I had been thinking about moving the PC there, won't be doing that!)

[@bartholomule]

Mine arrived a week or so ago. Of course it's been nothing except snow and clouds since then. I also got the ZWO pier extension (the one with the three rods, not the tube) because I'm paranoid about running into the legs with a filter wheel hanging on the back of my refractors. I'm itching to get it out, but the forecast still shows snow/clouds for a while.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you get clear skies soon!

[@perry3928]

Thanks Cuiv. I've had my eye on this mount for some time. Looking forward for further updates.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

More to come!

[@harynjk]

They should let you keep the mount! I like how you get excited about when things are working as they should :D I would also like to have this mount, but i just can not justify the price, so i will stick with my EQ5pro. (and i am actually thankful for my equipment what i wouldn't even have dreamed to have 2 years ago, or even a year ago, but God arranged my finances so i could buy them, not the highest end mount or scope or camera, but still good enough to learn and to take pictures what were just dreams not so long ago.)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Still thinking about whether to buy it or not :p

[@EleanorPeterson]

God arranged your finances? 🤣 Really? First he's telling an (infallible) Pope that the Sun orbits the Earth - despite Galileo's heretical observations - then he's balancing your chequebook and causing childhood leukaemia and unleashing terrible earthquakes in Turkey. My, what a busy guy.

[@crm114.]

Excellent review thanks. There seems to be quite a few of these mounts coming to the market - tempted. I get the occassional Dec excursion with my CEM120 and I wish I new what causes it. Good luck with your detective work on the dec issues.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

DEC seems to be fixed - agressiveness down to 50 did the trick :) It seems really reliable for now!

[@anvikshiki]

Happy you like the AM5 so far. I have only used it a handful of times so far. But, regarding bigger payloads with longer FLs, I have actually loaded up my Celestron CST 9.25", with dew heater, EAF and a hefty imaging train on this mount. Must be close to 15 kilos all tolled. I did put the mount on an AVX tripod and extended the legs just to stabilize it further. I was still tempted to throw on one counterweight just for peace of mind, but tried it without anyway. The AM5 slewed the payload around like it was juggling a tennis ball. I was merely doing planetary, so had only rough polar alignment and no tracking data, but it followed Venus, Mars and Jupiter tightly. I love the mount so far. BTW, I used to live in Tokyo and so am familiar with the light pollution, and therefore admire you to no end for all fantastic imaging. Thanks for all the great videos. Clear skies!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That is might impressive!!

[@publiux]

Did you need any adapters to mount it to the AVX mount?

[@anvikshiki]

@@publiux Yes, there are two ways to do this now I think. One is to take off the AVX mount base post, get a foot-long threaded rod and a washer and knob of size 3/8x16" (and put the AM5 into the AVX tripod that way. When I did this, I followed to the letter the instructions of "Astroblender" here (kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH_ZqmSCnJZgZ9U). But, since then, ZWO has come out with a pier extension for the AM5 which includes adaptors for the AVX, Skywatcher and iOptron mounts (kzbin.info/www/bejne/goO9cnSjqKiXeKc). Anyway, for heavier payloads, a sturdier tripod with extended legs will help make the already-reliable tracking of the AM5 even more reliable. Clear skies!

[@808musicman808]

I used my am5 for the first time and am very happy. I don’t have a scope large enough to use counterweights yet, but just wanted to add the if you own star adventurer GTI, the counterweight bar works perfectly with the AM5. Also super happy that it puts perfectly with my Leofoto LN-404c tripod. It’s great because my Leofoto has two other option to spread the legs wider which I think will come in handy when using a large scope, as I’ve read that some people have had issues with tipping over

[@qisback]

I also use the bar + weight from the SA GTi on the AM5.

[@rvoykin]

I have used this mount for six months now and I do like it. I am using pretty much all ZWO products so they all speak to each other really well from the camera to guide scope to the ASIAIR auto focus and filter wheel. It’s very intuitive when you are using the entire ecosystem I wish they will come up with a version that has encoders and can handle more weight for more of an observatory level situation… Something that can handle at least 75 pounds with a better RMS

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

An encoder AM5 would be amazing indeed

[@TexasEngineerScotty]

Cuiv, I started with my William Optics 71mm and it had no problem. I switched over to my Esprit 120 ED which is almost 13kg. I ran it one week and it averaged about 0.5 RMS with no weight , the next week I added a 5.5kg counterweight and it performed about the same. I love using it with the ASIAIR PLUS but right now I am setting up a Mele Quieter 3q for my Celestron 9.25 (it has been on a Celestron CGEM which hates me). The only thing I wish the ASIAIR Plus had was a programable safety limits as I have crashed once already into the tripod before the pier extensions came in (they were on backorder). Thanks for the review! I am very curious how you would compare this to the Hobym Crux you sent back to the manufacturer.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

The Hobym Crux was beautiful - it honestly would have been perfect if it tracked well... But I like not needing any controller like is possible with the ASIAIR

[@TexasEngineerScotty]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek By the way I realize now that I wasn't clear that my experience above with the two scope was with my AM5!

[@stergiosfykatas624]

Hi Cuiv. On the whole a very informative video about this mount. After your issues ith the other harmonic mount you had I think a verey nice experience. Cause I'm planning to eventually buy a new mount I follow the videos about this type of mount. Finally the guys from ZWO fixed the issue with the ascom driver. In the beginning one of the video creators encountered a problem with connecting this mount to NINA and PHD2 simultaneously. As i have seen you didn't encounter this issue. Have fun with he mount. Gretings from Vienna.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I didn't realize there originally was such an issue with the ASCOM drivers, glad it was fixed before I tested the mount :D I really went in blind on this one and yes very good experience :)

[@stergiosfykatas624]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek On the whole the reviews about this mount are positive. i'll try to find the video and in case I find it, I'll put the link down below. Got it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4DTlqCQd5tne6M begins at 07:23.

[@vampolascott36]

I own this and it's perfect for my use. It's a very nicely made, precision instrument.

[@gregmckay666]

Very nice, honest review. I'll be excited to hear if adjusting the dec agression helps with that bounce you were getting during that one exposure. I'm holding out just abit longer to see reviews of Pegasus Astro's new mount. I know it's a bit heavier and more expensive but also has a payload capacity to handle both of my scopes. The AM5 can only handle one of them.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep the DEC agression helped - no oscillations since

[@RobertKarlBerta]

The big advantage of the AM5 mount is that it works seamlessly with an ASI AIR Plus or earlier models, this is the ultimate travel scope....in fact hard to beat period for any use. The ASI AIR doesn't work most other camera brands other than a few DSLRs thus far so you really need to stick to ASI gear for seamless use. M y main mount is an AP 1100, 6" APO refractor/Zeiss flat field, SBIG full frame mono/motorized filter wheel setup in my observatory. That is a fabuous setup with amazing capabilities but heavy, bulky and not easily transported in a small car or on a plane....but that ZWO setup spoils me for remote observing!

[@au2larsen]

Hi Cuiv. have seen many of your videos, and learned a lot. Thanks Ole

[@DSOImager]

Looks very promising. I've been thinking about picking one of these up for my little 65mm refractor.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

I've used it more since I shot the video, and I keep being impressed by it.

[@martenyar8775]

Thanks. Now can you see if you can get the Sharpstar Mark III mount and compare the two.

[@FrootyRecords]

I was waiting for this one:) More more more.! .. Cuiv try 0.6 sec exposure on the guiding cam,. I think aggressive is necessary with this mount, as its fast reacting and will be beneficial as multi-star guiding will pretty much cancel the instantaneous seeing/atmospheric effects. I have also had good success by using a 2X Barlow on the guide cam, try it!. You alone will determine if I buy one of these!. Looking very impressive so far. . Make that mount work hard!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Got it, thank you so much! So many things to try out :)

[@Youtuber-ku4nk]

It’s a little funny that the one word you struggle with is Astrophotography 😅 But the reason I’m watching this video (again) is because I’ve actually decided to jump into this hobby and made orders for an 8” Newtonian and an AM5. Right now the am5 is on sale so the tripod is free and zwo has free worldwide shipping. Because of your struggles with Skywatcher Quattro I steered well around that telescope, so thank you for showing its shortcomings. I went with a TS-Optics (GSO rebrand I think. Definitely GSO mirrors).

[@3_Gold_Coins]

AM5 might not work with WO gt81 WIFD due to the focus knob makes contact with the mount. I am trying to get more info on this. At this point I’m just passing along learned information from comments on a recent review of the scope by Bray Falls.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Aaaah yes that's an interesting piece! I wish I could get my hands on one of those WIFD scopes!

[@dasimcoes]

I’ve been thinking about getting into astrophotography and have been doing a lot of research on mounts.Take my money, its the AM5 for me. Great video.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Still really liking the AM5!

[@astrofotoperu]

Great review! Thank you very much! Looks like a great upgrade!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

It's definitely an impressive start for the mount!

[@ralphbuoncristiani2941]

Hi Cuiv. I’m concerned about running all the power through the mount. After struggling with guiding issues and ASIair dropping connections, I was informed by ZWO to always run the mount off a separate power supply than the camera/focuser/filter wheel etc. There can be spikes in power draw by the mount perhaps explaining your one guiding anomaly. Once I added a separate power supply for my Skywatcher mount, issues resolved. If your setup was even heavier, that would be even more of a concern. What are your thoughts on that?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yeah I hear that a lot. The CEM60 even forces that. But I like to live dangerously I guess;

[@amp2amp800]

Nice video Cuiv! I DO have a challenging payload on my AM5 (an Orion 130 APO - at just under 13kg in a long thin tube format) to keep steady. This is 728mm fl (with reducer) to guide. I'm using the PE200 pier extension. I've been under the stars 3 times now. The first two times with the carbon tripod (and counterweight to be safe) confirmed that the TC40 is an inappropriate match for this instrument. The issue is undamped vibration. Wind, floor movement on the roof terrace, and manual focus >3 sec settle time made it horrible to use. There was a really nasty vibration from the get go during indoor testing, and this translated to star images making spiral saturn like trails during PA and focus. I replaced the tripod feet and switched to a losmandy dovetail to no avail. A large amount of ballast (12kg) didn't fix it either. You tend to get that with an APO, and maybe the counterweight was acting like a bell clapper as well (I am not convinced by its design, but I don't have a test result to settle that matter). All that said, I STILL managed to get a decent horsehead image over 90mins on the second night, when it was flat calm. For my most recent test I moved everything over to my skywatcher EQ6 tripod (I needed to replace the center rod with 3/8" 16 tpi). This is a complete fix, and it is a pure delight to use. I extended the legs a bit more than usual, and ran it without the counterweight. The rig averaged very similar to your guide figures here (consistently under 1") and even peaked at 0.18" RMS for a short spell. TC40/AM5 combo will make great grab and go with a short refractor like an FRA400. As you show an 8" CAT up to about 8/9kg is probably close to the practical limit. The AM5 though is definitely perfectly capable of driving and guiding a heavier long focus instument with or without counterweights so long as it is mounted on a pier or a sturdy tripod. I love it. My bad back loves me!

[@nicholaspetersen1629]

Your saying a heavier duty tripod significantly helped? Cool. Suggestions on one? I have the AM5 (also with PE200 extension) with a FRA400 btw, working great, but I want to add a longer focal length scope.

[@amp2amp800]

@@nicholaspetersen1629 Yes, but try out the larger instrument on TC40 first (since you have it already). Use a counterweight and plenty ballast to help with the toppling risk. Some people with very similar scopes to mine are happy enough with it this way. I completely hated it, so there is some subjectivity here, meaning they're all idiots 🤣. I'm going to be photographing planets again in a few months so I can't tolerate any vibes at all, as I am hands-on for centering and refocussing all the time. Anyway I don't pay this kind of money for a jelly on springs experience. So the answer is YES, the TC40 is the weakest point in the stock package. An old 2" steel EQ6 tripod is a good alternative. Astroblender also explains what you need to do to adapt AVX tripods here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH_ZqmSCnJZgZ9U (The EQ6 is very similar). I understand iOptron tripods work too, and I've seen the Tri-pier recommended for challenging payloads. Berlebach will help you select the right adaptor if you want to use one of their wooden tripods. The PE200 includes a 3/8" threaded adapter which I'm told is designed to match the skywatcher EQ5 tripod. So that might work out-of-the-box (ask the dealer). Plenty more options than this. Good luck.

[@nicholaspetersen1629]

@@amp2amp800 thanks! Hmmm, hard to find any places selling just those tripods (and I’m trying to keep it economical)

[@davidbeecher9143]

Can’t wait to see more of your reviews of the AM 5 as you put it through its paces.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Several more nights imaging with it already, it's rock solid for now!

[@Grumpydadwithtech]

I've purchased a AM5 this week for my 72ED, I have to do allsky alignment as I cannot see polaris, and currently guiding at

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Awesome! Have fun!

[@N4GW]

Another great video. I was interested in this mount so this was good to see

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Glad you liked it!

[@wisedupearly3998]

Your viewing site is Tokyo and appears to be several floors up, so ground movements could be impacting declination?

[@starwatcher]

I love this exciting development. There is another similar mount I hope you compare them.

[@Zero_Point_Energy1]

I brought the AM5 on a trip out to Joshua Tree and ran it all night for three nights. Almost flawless performance and amazingly portable.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Wow, such a great area to image from, I'm jealous!

[@thornjd1]

Hi Cuiv, How much weight should you put in a tripod bag to make the tripod stable? Is there some kind of formula for this calculation? Maybe there is some kind of “rule of thumb” that says distance from tripod mounting plate x mount & telescope weight must be at least the same or greater in the tripod bag??? Maybe this would help with wind as well? I see professional photographers using about 5-10lbs to offset a very light 35mm camera…

[@larrycable984]

find that the AM-5 has great difficulty in maintaining polar alignment!!! there is a LOT of backlash in the ALT adjustment screw

[@guyyanez6949]

Nice video. I just placed this mount on my wish list. Yes, I think you nailed it by turning the aggressiveness down on dec. This might avoid the PHD2 overshooting due to wind gusts. Maybe the dewshield on front of the telescope is too large for this setup and makes any windy situation an inmediate shift in dec and then PHD2 starts the overshooting loop. Adding weight to the mount might help too. As far as I can see, this mount can handle the claimed payload pretty well under normal circumstances but might not be as reliable as traditional beefier mount such as the EQ6R Pro or the CEM60 when it comes to wind gusts or any vibration near the imaging rig.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yup, I reduced the agressiveness after the video, and I haven't seen those oscillations since!

[@beatsntoons]

Awesome, awesome mount. My only point as a fellow owner: If you're going to push the mount weight limit capacity, invest in a good tripod. The inherent "wobble" with these types of mounts is exacerbated with heavier loads. Stabilise your tripod! It will make all the difference. Otherwise it's an incredible mount and considering it's a first go and it's better than the iOptron equivalents... that says a lot.

[@alomgirmiah]

Nice review! I am waiting for mine. Arriving this Friday.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@larryhibbitts2099]

Cuiv, I love your review videos. When this came out on the market, I was very curious. I use a lot of ZWO equipment, so this was very interesting to me. Will be curious to see if these initial impressions hold up over time, or if they change. I have a RedCat51, which is a nice travel scope, and would go well with this mount, I think. My current mount is an AVX, which is fine, but I love the idea of not having a counterweight.

[@Jonasastrophotos]

Im saving up before buying. My YT is flooding with new AM5 reviews and now the mount is in stock. lol I feel like im being tested 🤣 but solid review Cuiv! Love you included some guiding!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Jonas! I was also wondering why the mount seemed to be so popular, but now I think I understand!

[@MrChuckNorris1984]

Perfect timing. I had my fingers crossed that you would do a review before I pick mine up next week. Thanks for doing what you do. I trust your reviews more than most...despite you video about not trusting you haha.

[@enriqueboeneker]

Hey there! I think that the problem you had with the Dec for just a little while was caused by the wind, and nothing to do with the performance or settings of the mount itself. Cuiv! Thanks for this video!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Enrique! It looks too regular for wind, compared to what I've seen before

[@enriqueboeneker]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek maybe it was Eolus playing tricks on you! 😜 But being serious you’re maybe right, it looked too constant to be something caused by the wind. Well, let us hear about your findings. I’m seriously considering to buy this mount for traveling purposes. Cheers, mate!

[@davidbeecher9143]

Great video! Thinking this will be my mount I upgrade to from my SWSA.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That will be a massive upgrade!

[@dolph7656]

Great review Cuiv. Your videos as not only very informative but enjoyable to watch. Just for completeness, can you tell us how much your rig weighs?

[@danjensen9425]

Nice mount for sure but my eq6-r pro will have to do for now.

[@gregerianne3880]

Great initial review, Cuiv! I, too, was very impressed by the ease of using the mount especially since this was my first Goto mount and I had no idea what to expect. It converts easily and in just a minute or two to Alt-Az configuration, where as long as you have some type of camera for plate solving the Goto function works well. My guiding is typically less than 1" and my images have nice round stars. As I've mentioned before, overall, I'm very happy with it! Curious to see how you resolve the Dec oscillation (if you have enough time during your eval period or if you decide to keep it). Thanks for the review!

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

The DEC oscillation seems to be resolved by lower agression setting!

[@gregerianne3880]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek Terrific!! So glad that worked, Cuiv. What setting did you use that dampened the oscillation? I have mine set to 75% and it seems to go a bit whacky a few times during an imaging session. Never know whether to decrease it or not.

[@olafvonperlenmut7289]

Thank you again for another great video, Cuiv! I love your style in explanation and how excited you was. ;) I am a big fan of ZWO in general and WANT this mount! :) Unfortunately it lies out of my budget for now, but in future, I will buy it for sure. I love the opportunity to use it in ALT AZ or in EQ Mode, its size, its look and that there are no counterweights needed. Best wishes to Tokyo from Germany, Olaf

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Thanks Olaf! Hope you get the budget soon hehe

[@olafvonperlenmut7289]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek ordered today. 🥰 I will report… Best wishes!

[@davidjennings2733]

Hello Cuiv, Thanks for the reviews of the AM5 mount and it's abilities. So what did you decide to do with the mount? Did you return it or did you decide to purchase it? Thanks again for the video and for sharing.

[@jamieamendolagine205]

Great video as always! I was interested in this when it came out, but after researching discovered that plane wave mounts suffer from erratic periodic error, so I lost interest. Seems to be performing well for you though, so maybe things have changed.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep, that was my fear as well, but after a few more nights since filming, it's working great for now, no such issues at all

[@DoktorApe]

I have an AM5 and I've had a very similar experience - mostly very positive, but I've also observed intermittent tracking oscillations after dithering. I'm using an ASIAIR instead of NINA. Turning down the aggressiveness did seem to resolve the oscillations at the time. I'm still trying to get that dialed in as it later appeared to be overdamped and I turned it back up a little. But I'm in Seattle and have had very uncooperative weather for the last few months and haven't had more than a couple nights to get it sorted. I am curious about how well the mount tracks for longer focal lengths, as I've heard ZWO says they recommend up to 900mm, but I think you have only the RASA right now, correct?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Yep currently I only have the Hyperstar, I'll see if there's a scope maker that could lend to me hehe

[@astrobath]

Thank you for the video, Cuiv! I have not seen other unpacking videos of this mount (that is quite interesting), BUT yours is the best for me! ;-)

[@stephenc1111]

Thanks for your review and all the others you have done. It would be interesting to know how this mount does with a longer focal length such as a c6 at it's native 1500mm focal length. I need a new mount but am not sure this would work. It would be so portable though if it did.

[@mrkutube]

Great review! As a beginner in astrophotography I find ZWO AM5 mount not too difficult to learn and use.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Good to see the point of view of a beginner!

[@robertw1871]

I picked one up for a 2nd mount for my wider angle scopes… I would be amazing to actually be able to get it to guide well, I’m still playing around with it, but at this point I’m not seeing any performance to be thrilled about. Also a little frustrated with only being able to make one connection to the ASI Mount ASCOM Server, it’s either PHD2 or NINA but not both… Still playing with it though. The odd thing is that my stars are round but twice the size they should be, so I can see why some think this thing works well…

[@XwarpfactorX]

Awesome video Cuiv! I've been waiting for a video like this as I've been very interested in this mount since it was first announced by ZWO. Just like you I also use a CEM60 which I absolutely adore, but I need a high performing mount that is easier to transport out to dark sky sites. The AM5 might be the one. Thanks for your outstanding videos!

[@leftauparxoun]

Is there a way to set limits on the AM5 as one can do with Ascom HEQ5/6? So that the telescope does not hit the tripod. My AM5 came today, along with clouds of course!

[@dortejp]

Awsome video Cuiv, it answers all my questions : 3 stars polar align using NINA OK less 1’’, astrometry ok, phd2 guiding 0.75” with shot of 10mn exposure ok. Skywatcher 150i not available in France yet. Shall I wait? Your opinion comparing the 2 mounts?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

The AM5 is good, I hear good things of the UMi 17, the WarpAstron WD17 should be excellent based on the performance of the WD20, and there's other alternatives like the currently unknown EMCAN EM31Pro - don't limit yourself to the popular brands haha

[@badmatt4227]

22:07 Polar Align How do I do a polar alignment without a laptop?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

You will need a laptop, or an ASIAir or Stellarmate Pro for instance!

[@badmatt4227]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek You know, instead I think I will just use a compass.

[@badmatt4227]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek 09:45 altitude of mount. So if I live on the 45th parallel, I put that altitude to 45?

[@xpanderxsert2613]

So I have AM5 used this seasson for the first time. I can't count exactly how long it was used but 5 months, 70% nights, 6h/night = 630h. I can say that this is another animal. I can say good bye to the Heq-5 and buy second AM5. It's one of the best machines I've ever had. Very reliable, precise, lightweight, but very powerful. I had issues with Heq-5 Pro in higher temperatures and some other problems but with AM5 nothing.

[@starwatcher]

Ive seen that strain gear or harmonic drives in robotics need to be replaced every couple of years or they develop backlash or lose precision. Would this be true in astro mounts also?

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Very interesting, I had no idea! My guess is that a couple of years for a robot is far, far more movements than our mounts do, day in and out. So I don't think telescope mounts would suffer from that... I hope.

[@mr.f.9672]

How does seeing prediction take Influence of using now 0.5s guiding cam exposure time for AM5 compared to 3s for traditional mount? Has the sky now to be clearer in case of AM5? :-)

[@caxappuc2261]

have you had a chance to compare it with Sharpstar Mark III? that would be interesting to know your opinion!

[@leeratliff7588]

I have an AM5 and I absolutely love it. Paired with the ASIAIR it is so simple and user friendly. Some have asked about using it with longer focal lengths. I have a C8 on it with a focal reducer, so the FL is about 1300mm. It works great and my guiding is usually between 0.5” and 1.0”.

[@nicholaspetersen1629]

Thanks! I wonder if we could push it to 1600mm FL with an 8” Ritchey? I’m really enjoying my AM5 right now with a 400mm FL

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

That is an impressive focal length!

[@ericwilkes1840]

So far loving the AM5 mount, apart from it occasionally loosing it’s correct home position, but that could be user error.

[@cbooth2004]

This was such a delightful review, I have subscribed. I enjoy geek-enthusiasm.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Welcome aboard!

[@damiengalanaud3817]

Salut Cuiv. J’ai pré commandé la mienne en décembre 2021, en grande partie grâce à la série de vidéos que tu avais faites sur les montures harmoniques. Je ne suis pas joueur mais je me suis dit que j’étais prêt à faire ce pari à 2000 $. J’ai reçu un des premiers exemplaires en juillet 2021 et n’ai jamais eu à regretter mon achat. L’erreur RMS moyenne dépend également en partie de la charge protée par la monture, allant de 0.8 arc secondes avec le C8 à un absurde 0.2 arc secondes avec le petit Takahashi 60CB sous un bon seeing. Cerise sur le gâteau, la monture, mon William Optics RedCat 71, la ZWO 2600 et tout le matériel associé tiennent largement dans un bagage cabine. Donc merci encore pour tes vidéos, et n’hésite pas à l’acheter ;-).

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Alors là c'était un pari gagnant bien joué!

[@williammauney1129]

Got my AM5 over the weekend. Set it up once inside but that was it. Couldn't get exact front to back balance because of the focuser wheel but understand that doesn't necessarily matter. The amount of time I saved not balancing made it almost worth it alone. Set it up last night even with the bright moon and took about 2 1/2 hours. Using an ASIAIR Plus realize I need to may make some adjustments to Dec and RA duration but never went over .7 RMS with a 1 second exposure the entire time

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Excellent result!

[@rvoykin]

I have this moment, how do you not use the ST4 cable? I’m running my 290 MM into an ASIAIR, then the ST for cable into the moment, but also a USB 2.0, from the amount into the ASIAIR, so it might not even be using the ST4 based on what you’re saying.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

If you're using ASIAIR and you're controlling the mount via ASIAIR, unless you set the guide pulse settings to "on camera" (which I don't think you are). Try removing the cable, see if it works!

[@BryonStice]

I'm interested in something like the AM5 eventually, but for now my ioptron GEM 28 is doing very well for me and it's plenty light enough in my opinion. Maybe when it wears out I'll look into a harmonic mount.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

[@siegfriednoet]

Very thorough video Quiv, one of the best that I've seen about the AM5. Those strainwave mounts are looking good, but only time will tell. A few things where I have my doubts with, one is the wind, how sensitive are they for wind, but your video shows that it handle wind good. And how would those gears handle after a while, because they always have to pull the complete weight of the telescope where as a normal mount is balanced. Also another thing, I would be scary with all that weight hanging at one side of the tripod, so I guess the tripod should be open enough, so legs as much spread as possible ?And how do they handle in very cold conditions, I heard there were problems with that ?

[@simonpepper5053]

Thanks Cuiv great review as always! This no counterweight malarkey though I just don’t know I can trust that! So ordered the trusty EQ6r instead. That being said for the Astro traveller to a dark site I totally understand that the lightness of this would be ideal for that.

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Hahaha no counterweight is the sale point! Still, enjoy the EQ6R!

[@uschi414]

Another great review! Thanks for the video. With regards to your two Dec guiding hiccups where it was bouncing back and forth, I don't know that lowering the aggressiveness is the right answer. If you look almost all of those back and forth spikes have 3 guide pulses before the Dec bounced to the other side of the graph. That's usually an indication of backlash or stiction, but since this is a strain wave mount I'm guessing it's neither of those things. Do you happen to have a weather station by your scope? Maybe there were some strong continuous winds during that period? Also, you might want to increase the hysteresis in Dec and see if that help...assuming it happens again. Or, you could just do it the lazy way and not worry about two relatively short periods of bad guiding and just throw out those subs. :)

[@CuivTheLazyGeek]

Lowering the agression does seem to have done the trick :)

[@uschi414]

@@CuivTheLazyGeek awesome! I’m more than ok being wrong if it means the problem is solved. 😃