ZWO AM5 astrophotography mount, tripod and pier extension. PE200 pier and TC40 tripod
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
- Get ready to join me as we unbox the impressive astrophotography ZWO AM5 Mount, complete with the ZWO carbon fibre tripod and pier extension. In this video, I'll guide you through the unboxing process, shed light on the advantages, and offer some key insights to consider if you're thinking of incorporating this powerhouse into your astrophotography toolkit.
Non sponsored affiliate Links for stuff in this video - costs you no extra but supports this channel if you make a purchase. I appreciate you :)
Agena Astro
• AM5 Mount and Tripod bit.ly/49Pmfj0
• AM5/AM3 Pier Extension bit.ly/3xKtLyu
• EQ6-R Pro Mount and Tripod bit.ly/3xBHibp
• William Optics Fluorostar 91 bit.ly/3xRD4fS
• ZWO 2600MM-Pro bit.ly/4aKe1tS
• ZWO 7x 36mm EFW bit.ly/3Up30bw
• Antlia 36mm Filters bit.ly/3W9Sw14
• ZWO EAF bit.ly/3UpkRPJ
• ZWO ASIAirPlus bit.ly/4d7oIYS
• ZWO 30 f/4 Mini Guide Scope bit.ly/4aGu8bH
Highpoint Scientific
• ZWO PE200 Pier Extension bit.ly/45zk7e4
• ZWO AM5 Mount with TC40 Tripod bit.ly/45wnX7R
• William Optics Fluorostar 91 bit.ly/3Pmhhn3
• ZWO 2600MM-Pro bit.ly/3taSSZ9
• ZWO 7x 36mm EFW bit.ly/3Pkfhf2
• Antlia Filters bit.ly/3HAFQYw
• ZWO EAF bit.ly/3ShwmGu
• ZWO ASIAirPlus bit.ly/3HAsjjI
• ZWO 30 f/4 Mini Guide Scope bit.ly/42dO9TE
Amazon
• Ecoflow Battery Store amzn.to/3Shtc5R
🌟 What's Inside the Box?
Let's dive into the heart of this unboxing experience. From the game-changing AM5 mount to the meticulously designed carbon fibre tripod and the versatile pier extension, I'll walk you through each element, showcasing their functionalities and how might elevate your astrophotography game.
You can find me at various locales around the the web including:
www.glennmartin.photography
/ glennmartinphotographer
/ glenn_photographer
0:00 Intro
0:20 The ZWO AM5 mount
1:40 What the AM5 mount DOESN’T come with
4:00 Polar alignment adjustments
5:36 AM5 connections
6:18 ZWO AM5 power management
7:15 AM5 hand controller
8:14 The AM5 mount headplate
9:56 The side mount bracket
10:55 Counterweight mounting point
11:58 Tell me that you like me
12:21 ZWO TC40 Tripod Carbon Fibre
15:52 How loud is the AM5 mount?
17:59 ZWO Tripod height
18:59 ZWO Pier Extension
21:10 Why do you need the pier extension?
23:47 Overall stability of the AM5
25:58 Outro
Follow ups.
CORRECTION: At 5:24 I say I can get PA of 2 arc *seconds* - I wish! No, it is PA of 2 arc *MINUTES* which when using the ASIAIRPro/Plus is generally good enough for polar alignment.
I say the mount doesn't come with a power cable (it doesn't at this time), but what I missed was it DOES come with a USB cable to connect it to a ASIAirPro or a laptop etc.
I mention the Sky Watcher EQ6-R Pro a *LOT* in the video, this is for two reasons. The first is I feel that a lot of people may be weighing up between these two particular mounts due to the same max payload capacity and overal "next step up" in mounts. The other is, I had the EQ6-R Pro mount before I bought the ZWO AM5, so it's the freshest reference point I have personally to compare a mount to.
Also please note this is not a product sent to me by ZWO for review. It was a personal purchase with my very own munnies.
Thank You Sir - You are a Fantastic Instructor...especially for us Astrophoto Newbie...such as FirmWare updates with included Hand Control..Don't Lose..I did and had to order another...Thank you so much for pointing this important Point.
You are very welcome, I'm glad that it helped you out.
Thank you Glenn, very useful review.
Glad it helped :-)
I was searching up and down the internet whether my EcoFlow would fit in the basket. You nailed this very specific question. Most appreciated!
It fits so snug it’s like it was made for the Ecoflow!
I really appreciate the videos. Very clear yet not overly wordy
Thanks, Dale, I really appreciate the feedback 🙂
Side order of clouds are usually free of charge and extremely reliable
I'd happily PAY to keep them out of the box!
Great tour with clear explanations and demos. Thank you!
Really glad you found it useful, Alan :)
This video was amazing and thank you for making it. I also excited to get my AM5 and this video was just what I needed. Once again thank you and I really appreciate it.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for letting me know 🔭
Nicely done sir!!
Thank you kindly!
Another useful video! Thank you. I had been running main power to ASIAIR, then to AM5. When I got to that part of your video, I immediately paused it, re-cabled the mount/ ASIAIR and have since been impressed by how much cleaner the setup is.
Regarding the scope-sliding-off-the-mount problem, I purchased a saddle bracket (ZWO Vixen Style Dovetail Saddle) which I then mounted on the front end of the dovetail bar which came with the telescope (Redcat61). It grips from below the bar. This effectively prohibits the dovetail bar sliding down (due to gravity) the AM5 mounting bracket when I loosen the bolts to remove the scope. Works awesome. No more worries.
It is a much tidier setup like that isn’t it 😊. Thanks for the advice on that bar. Even though I feel this head is better than my last, I definitely don’t need another coal to diamond creating moment of having the scope slip. I’ll be looking into that!
Just lucked onto your video seeking info about the pier extension. Well-presented video with great visuals. This has helped me make my decision to go ahead and buy the PE200. Thanks
Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it. And yeah, feel the extension is totally worth it
Excellent tip on loosening the side locking levers prior to Polar Alignment.....thank you
Glad it helped 🙂
What a brilliant overview, subscribed and following. The only gripe i have with this mount is that the WiFi module is in the hand controller, instead of the mount head itself. I do not understand why manufacturers do that. Other things which would fall under the "nice to have" category is a tripod mounting bracket for the hand controller, and some form of tripod brackets that would allow one to use tent pegs/stakes to secure your tripod to the ground. Other than that, the ZWO AM5 is a brilliant little mount, and i love mine!
Thanks so much for the feedback! Agree with you about a little controller holder on the tripod. Additional holding power to the ground could be good too. I think I’ve seen aftermarket feet that provide a wider pad, but some to drive through might benefit too
On the pier I see a hole is that to put cabling thru
No it's not for cabling, it's an access port for potentially bolting the pier permenant to a tripod instead of using the cam lock. I wouldn't run cables through there for risk of a snag.
Fab tutorial thanks Glenn. Have been looking at the carbon fibre tripod to mount a WarpAstron WD20 but always thought it would not be stable enough. My old mount is a HEQ5 Pro so it was good to hear that the PE200 is compatible with the HEQ5, I was not aware of this and have not heard it said before. I take it, the smaller plate is used with the HEQ5 and that the fixed post on the head of the HEQ5 just slips inside (as it is not removable as with the 6)? Then this should be a very stable tripod for the strain wave head whether ZWO or other make? Thanks again
Glad you liked the video 🙂 Yep you remove the normal mounting plate and install the smaller one in it's place. The PE200 has a cutout in the base that will allow for that locating pin on the HEQ5 tripod 👍
Would the am 5 serve as a good visual mount as well
You can use the AM5 in Alt-az mode as well for visual. Haven't used it for that myself so can't comment if it is
Good day to you. You mention not powering the mount from the Air, however the AM3 mount only has one power input. In this scenario, could the main power line go right to the Air and then run power cord from Air to the mount to power the mount? Thank you.
Depends if you have an ASIAIRPro or Plus. The AM3 needs 12v 5amp input. The ASIAIR Pro only has 12v 3amp outputs, where the Plus has 12v 5amp outputs. There's still a bit of concerning info regarding how much amps goes into an ASIAIR and how many componants it is managing in total for amp output. So if you just have an OSC camera and no dew heaters then maybe? But if you have heaters, and filter wheels and bigger cameras etc, maybe not. So personally I wouldn't regardless and prefer direct power to the mount from a power supply.
@@GlennMartinPhotography I have the Air Plus, but I'll heed on the side of caution and power the mount directly from the power supply. I have to say you were right. The ZWO quality of the mount, tripod and pier is first rate. The AM3 is bigger and beefier than I expected, but very manageable. Thanks again for your time.
Does the AM5 still fit in the case with the head plate screwed on, or will it need to be put on and then taken off at every setup?
Hi, Miquel yes absolutly you can leave the head mounting plate permenantly attached to the bottom of the mount and it will go in the case no problems.
Are there any mounts that motorise the alt/dec bolts?
I don't know of any but surely they would exist? Can't imagine they would be particularly affordable tho...
@@GlennMartinPhotography yeah if they exist, they wont be cheap
Excellent video and clear explaination! I am considering of getting a unit as a replacement for my 14 years old NEQ6-Pro which already showing signs of old age! The biggest scope I'm using is the C9.25" edgehd (mostly for planetary imaging), and the longest focal length is a Sky-Watcher 120ED Equinox (900mm). The tripod balancing tips for heavy payloads certainly helps! During the pre-covid years I used to travel down from Kuala Lumpur to Coonabarabran for a quiet week long imaging trip with my CEM25. I guess the light weight nature of AM5 will be a bonus for travelling abroard!
I’m really glad you found it useful. And with the weight of the AM5 you could take it as carryon!
Thanks for this! I have an AM3 on order and was expecting to connect my ASI Air Mini to that bracket on the side of the mount. I wonder... since the mini is much smaller than the pro, if I can get by mounting it there? I guess there's only one way to know for sure!! BTW, what are the 2 "openings" at the bottom of the pier extension? Do they serve any purpose?
They've actually removed the side dovetail bracket on the AM3 so you will need to find another solution regardless. Also note they have removed the power pass through as well, so make sure you have two DC cables. The slots in the pier line up with holes that potentially allow you to permenantly bolt the pier to the ZWO legs (or potentially an other tripod with a similar hole location), so it's for allan key access I would assume.
? @GlennMartinPhotography Do you find the height of the rig comfortable without using the pier?
@@davidletz9123 for me I need the pier so my scope doesn’t run into the legs. If you’re using something like an ASIAIR to control everything the height wouldn’t matter too much unless you needed to clear a roofline - which is the other reason I have the pier 🤣
@GlennMartinPhotography One more question: does the leg spreader mechanism still attach to the bottom of the pier, when the pier is in use? Thanks!
@@davidletz9123 pier or no pier you use the leg spreader to add a touch more rigidity to the legs, but to also pull the pier or mount firmly into the legs. Pier or no pier there’s still the same mounting bracket which the spreader threads into.
should have purchased the pegasus astro mount. stop feeding the chinesium machine!
But then my other chinesiums would get lonely 😢