Back to forums

SKYWATCHER EQ8 or CQ350?

Sky-Watcher EQ8 Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Sky-Watcher CQ350 Pro Equatorial Mount Buying Advice
14 replies•362 views
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
Hi astrographers
I have the following dilemma. I need to change my eq6r in the hosting where i have my setup becuase i will mount my esprit+samyang and the weight it will be to 17 kg aprox
Then ive been a look and i found a partner who will sell his 7 years old eq8, with tripod and with little use because he never mounted it in a hosting and check the new cq350 , The price for eq8 with tripod is the same that bought new the cq350. I don´t know what to do….buy a used eq8 but in perfect condition or the new cq350 with low capacity…what do you think about it?
Tobiasz avatar
Tobiasz avatar
I would take the EQ8.
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
Tobiasz:
I would take the EQ8.

Even if it´s a first edition EQ8?
Tobiasz avatar
Tobiasz avatar
Tobiasz:
I would take the EQ8.

Even if it´s a first edition EQ8?

*

What's the price of a new CQ350 and what did he pay for the first edition EQ8? I mean, it has a high (visual) payload of up to 50kg but at the end it is not a premium or high end mount from 10Micron, AP, etc.. 

7 years old, I would expect a loss of value of about 50-70%, depending on region prices and inflation. Even the used Avalon mount I bought recently was sold to me at a loss of over 50%. 

Regards
Georg N. Nyman avatar
Georg N. Nyman avatar
I use the EQ8R-Pro since 2020 and it is permanently outside since then - not a single problem up to now, never ever did it not do what it is supposed to do - a real workhorse. If I would need another large system, I would again go for an EQ8!
Concise
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
Hi
yes its a 50% of new price. The eq8 with tripod in Spain cost 4800 € and the cq350 wihtout tripod cost 2700 €. He sell the eq8 for 2500 with tripod and polar scope.
sebaromano avatar
sebaromano avatar
Do you foresee needing higher payload in the future or you need to change th mount  just for the Esprit+samyang? If the second reason then i suggest you to first test the gear with the EQ6R.  
I have a on the field experience on this: I had an EQ6R with Esprit150 (+ camera, accessories, etc…) in the 17kg weight as well. The EQ6R was handling it very well with averaging  TOT rms of 0.4". Then I dediced to go with CEM70 (to be on the safer side). Well the CEM70 was performing worst than the EQ6R …
I know, the EQ6R will be at its limit and sensitive to wind but sometime we invest more money for little or none return.
My 2 cents.
Helpful Insightful Respectful
ScottF avatar
ScottF avatar
I'm a little wary of the original EQ8. I have the CQ350 and it guides extremely well though. Something that's been sitting around for a few years with little use isn't ideal. I bought a heavy duty mount(celestrons heaviest mount) a few years ago that was used and supposed to work perfectly, and it did for about 3 months, then became a problem and no amount of attempts by my local astronomy store, or conversations would fix it, so I got rid of it.
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
Do you foresee needing higher payload in the future or you need to change th mount  just for the Esprit+samyang? If the second reason then i suggest you to first test the gear with the EQ6R.  
I have a on the field experience on this: I had an EQ6R with Esprit150 (+ camera, accessories, etc...) in the 17kg weight as well. The EQ6R was handling it very well with averaging  TOT rms of 0.4". Then I dediced to go with CEM70 (to be on the safer side). Well the CEM70 was performing worst than the EQ6R ...
I know, the EQ6R will be at its limit and sensitive to wind but sometime we invest more money for little or none return.
My 2 cents.

Hi
For now only will work with samyang 135+esprit 100 so yes, maybe eq6r handle it. It´s great to know that eq6r handled espri 150...i have a askarfra400 too and maybe in a future could mount it with the esprit...But it would be a shame to have to buy the EQ8 and not have it improve at all.
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
I'm a little wary of the original EQ8. I have the CQ350 and it guides extremely well though. Something that's been sitting around for a few years with little use isn't ideal. I bought a heavy duty mount(celestrons heaviest mount) a few years ago that was used and supposed to work perfectly, and it did for about 3 months, then became a problem and no amount of attempts by my local astronomy store, or conversations would fix it, so I got rid of it.

Good to know it. Yes i´m worry about the eq8´s age
patrice_so avatar
patrice_so avatar
When you say "where you have your setup", do you plan remote operation ?

If so, the EQ8 encoder should be regarded as a key feature as you won't loose track of you scope position. Of course, you can have a local IR camera to help you.
Jandro.rm avatar
Jandro.rm avatar
patrice_so:
When you say "where you have your setup", do you plan remote operation ?

If so, the EQ8 encoder should be regarded as a key feature as you won't loose track of you scope position. Of course, you can have a local IR camera to help you.

Yes, its a telescope remote observatory and i had that problem. Power off when mount was tracked and shooting. I had to move with camere to home position
Jordan Morley avatar
Jordan Morley avatar
Shibumi astro engineering, Google it! (:
astropioneer avatar
astropioneer avatar
I had 3 new CQ350 which turned out to be a dud. The tracking degraded overtime (in just 3 days) causing a huge mechanical backlash. Other users have reported this issue as well, but Skywatcher support was not so great since they broke the whole mount. Returned for another 70lb rating mount which hasn't given me any issues for years.
To be honest, I'd stay away from buying any used mounts. You never know how worn out the gears are and the reliability.
Concise
Médéric Hébert avatar
Médéric Hébert avatar
As was said earlier, test the eq6 with your new setup. Mine is overloaded by a few pounds and my main issues are still poor seeing and wind (10" newt is a big wind sail).