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AM3 mounted to a photo tripod?

ZWO AM3 Equatorial Mount Buying Advice
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Dan Shallenberger avatar
Dan Shallenberger avatar
Hello All, I searched around and found some cryptic answers, so I thought I would ask.

I'm considering the AM3 mount because it's smaller, lighter and more portable, and I'm all about traveling and often hiking with my gear. I feel the AM3 is all I would need as the gear I would use right now is just a DSLR with a long lens. Soon, I hope to have something like a redcat 51 with an astro camera, but never anything like a C8 or reflector.

That being said, the pricing of the AM3 with its tripod is $1800, and the AM5 with tripod is only $200 more. Seems like a no brainer, but I like the idea of the smaller and lighter mount, since it will be more than enough for my gear.

I have a solid tripod I have use for video in the past, and feel I could mount it to the AM3 with the center 3/8-16 hole, but would you guys recommend against this? I can get the mount only for $1500, saving a decent amount over the AM5, and if I can use my own tripod for a dslr with 70-200 lens, I'd like to save the money.

Any thoughts?

Also, how would I polar align without a ZWO camera and ASI Air on board? Just sight down it?
Engaging
astro_kieran avatar
astro_kieran avatar
Your milage may vary, but some considerations:
  • If you're all about travelling, every gram of weight saved is going to be an advantage.
  • Don't forget as well the AM5 is physically larger, leaving less room in your backpack.
  • The AM3 can carry a pretty decent payload, and if your use case is DSLR and then maybe a Redcat, the AM5 is overkill.
  • Then again, if you ever want to do back yard astro and get a huge telescope, you will need to buy another mount.
  • The carbon fibre legs the mount is bundled with are very stable, and also weigh next to nothing, I was surprised at how good they are.
  • Conversely the legs are designed for the AM3/5 and nothing else (it's basically a giant hole, no mounting screw holes), so you couldn't use it for static DSLR photography.
  • The AM3 has bluetooth so you can connect to the mount easily in the field (though the newly released AM5n now has bluetooth too).

Hope that helps!
Helpful
lsintampa avatar
lsintampa avatar
You could still PA, the tripod for the AM3 doesn't come into play.

But the tripod it comes with is very light weight, most likely lighter than your photo tripod.

I'd be somewhat concerned about how well you could secure it to your photo tripod with only that one center bolt though.
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Tommi R avatar
Tommi R avatar
I am also interested in AM3. I have Leofoto Ranger LS-364C which has over 30 kg payload, is rock solid and it'd be sad not to be able to use it. I don't think that ZWO's tripod would be much more solid that mine is (could be wrong, though) so I would like to use it with astro and normal photography. So if anyone knows a way to pair AM3 into normal photo tripod (via some adapter naturally) I am all ears.
Michael Jarvis avatar
Michael Jarvis avatar
I have both AM5 and AM3 mounts.  I use the AM3 for my RedCat 51/ASI2600 MC Pro w/ guide scope and ASIAIR+, all mounted together.  AM3 has great performance with this setup.  I also have the TC40 tripod.  Great travel setup.  Polar alignment is no issue also.  If you use a different tripod, think about getting the silver base plate from ZWO which has the standard mounting screw threads used for many photo tripods.  The plate itself is inexpensive.  I think I paid more to have it shipped from ZWO than the cost of the plate.
Helpful Concise
Dean Ostergaard avatar
Dean Ostergaard avatar
The AM3 can easily handle anything you proposed to throw at it. The TC40 tripod is sturdier than any camera tripod I’ve seen.

That said, the AM3 and TC40 are probably bigger than you think. You can’t really tell from pictures or videos. From a weight and volume perspective it’s going to take up more room than your shelter and sleep system combined and will weigh significantly more. My base weight for a multi night backpacking trip is under 10lbs. I don’t even bring my Canon R50 and kit lens. But I think you said hiking not backpacking so maybe that’s not an apples to apples comparison.

If you really want to go hiking with a Redcat 51 I suggest you look at something more like a Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer or similar mount.

Polar alignment can be accomplished with an app like PS Align Pro’s daytime polar alignment mode. As you noted there is no polar scope.
Well Written Helpful
Michael Jarvis avatar
Michael Jarvis avatar
I also use the PS Align Pro to get a rough estimate of PA.  Then the ASIAIR+ routine is fairly quick (generally < 5 min with Polaris blocked by my building).
Dan Shallenberger avatar
Dan Shallenberger avatar
Dean Ostergaard:
But I think you said hiking not backpacking so maybe that’s not an apples to apples comparison.


Yep, almost all of my "hiking" I meant is nearby my car. Hiking was a bad word I guess. It would be more of a car-camping situation, with my car nearby.

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful replies. I think I'm going to go with the new AM5N, splurge and be ready for the future in case I want something bigger. I don't anticipate that, but its really not that much more.