The leaves and prices are falling this autumn!
You can find our colorful selection of special offers here in the shop. Get them now!
The offer is valid from September 23rd to November 28th, 2024 and only while supplies last!
Posts Tagged 'ioptron'
iOptron’s CEM and GEM mounts now available at a big discount!
September 1 2024, Jan Ströher
iOptron CEM40 + GEM45: Now at great bargain prices
June 1 2024, Jan Ströher
Take a look at the impressive technology of the iOptron CEM40 and GEM45 mounts, now available at reduced prices for a limited time. Convince yourself of their versatile features and excellent weight-to-payload ratio.
The iOptron GEM45 mount has a sleek design and an excellent weight-to-payload ratio, plus an integrated electronic polar finder, user-friendly locking levers, internal cable management, a versatile self-centering saddle, an energy-saving stepper motor drive system and an advanced GoTo system with over 212,000 objects plus optional Wi-Fi.
The CEM40 weighs just 8.2kg, but can support optical instruments and accessories up to 18kg. This impressive ratio of 2.5 between payload capacity and weight makes the CEM40 so versatile. You can transport it to the best observation sites under dark skies or set it up on a small pier in your backyard observatory.
We are having the iOptron CEM40 and GEM45 mounts on sale until 31 July!
Make your choice now. As long as supplies last!
Mounts with strain wave gear from ZWO, iOptron and PegasusAstro
April 19 2024, Stefan Taube
Innovative manufacturers have been offering astronomical mounts with a special drive design for a few years now. You can find these in the shop under the Harmonic / Strainwave link.
These mounts are equipped with a so-called strain wave gear. It is also known under the protected brand name Harmonic Drive.
The advantages are:
- High load capacity with low dead weight
- High torsional rigidity: no counterweights required
- Relatively inexpensive, as industry standard
- No swivelling error (“backlash”)
- Very high reduction ratio
- Compact dimensions
- Maintenance-free and backlash-free in the long term
The strain wave gear is used for the axes of industrial robots, among other things. It is therefore a standard and does not need to be specially developed and built for astronomical mounts.
Although the periodic gearbox error is also high for strain wave gears, the error typical of worm shafts, which occurs when the direction of rotation changes (“backlash”), is eliminated. This means that the strain wave gear reacts immediately to the control impulses, so that the periodic error can be compensated very well by autoguiding.
For large mounts, such as the Skywatcher EQ-8, the mounts from 10Micron or the CGX-L from Celestron, a worm shaft is still the first choice, because optics with a long focal length require a very low periodic gear error and a counterweight cannot be dispensed with for heavy optics, even with a strain wave gear. In addition, the advantages of strain wave gears in terms of compactness, weight and price are lost as soon as a mount with a high load capacity is required.
There is therefore an ideal range of load capacity in which mounts with a strain wave gear can play to their strengths. The requirements for mobile astrophotography with small to medium-sized optics fall within this range. The harmonic mounts from brands like iOptron, PegasusAstro, RainbowAstro and ZWO are designed precisely for these requirements.
You can find all mounts with strain wave gear under the Harmonic / Strainwave link in the shop.
Typical strain wave gear to industry standard
GEM45 – save now in our clearance sale!
November 9 2023, Jan Ströher
From 1st to 30th November (inclusive) we are offering iOptron’s GEM45 mount in our clearance sale for amazing prices. This mount is available in four different versions: GEM45G GoTo LiteRoc, GEM45 GoTo LiteRoc with carry case, GEM45-EC GoTo LiteRoc and, the basic version, the GEM45 GoTo LiteRoc.
The iOptron GEM45 is the next generation equatorial mount ! Due to its functionality and technology, it is a first-class, medium-sized mount.
iOptron GEM45 with LiteRoc tripod
The GEM45 is not just a pretty face…
The mount has a compact design and an extremely good weight-to-load ratio – the 7 kilogram mount can precisely and securely carry a load of up to 20 kilograms! With its built-in electronic polarscope (iPolar) correctly aligning the mount (polar alignment) is child’s play – even if the Pole Star is not visible. Thanks to their large clamping levers, the gears can also be easily loosened or tightened even when wearing gloves. Internal cable management prevents tangled cables or cables being torn out. The universal self-centring mounting saddle takes both Losmandy-style and Vixen-style dovetail rails. The mount uses a reliable stepper motor drive system with low energy consumption and a database of over 212,000 objects. The integrated GPS, as well as the large hand controls with optional WiFi, provide additional comfort.
You can only secure this excellent mount, providing you with decades of fun and reliability, at this amazing price during our clearance sale!
This offer is only valid on qualifying items from 01/11/2023 to 30/11/2023 and as long as stocks last!
Special autumn promotion on the iOptron CEM26!
October 1 2023, Jan Ströher
iOptron’s sophisticated and mechanically excellent centre-balanced equatorial mounts (CEM) provide a very precise foundation for (mobile) astrophotography and observation. We are now offering you a special promotion with attractive prices on models in the CEM26 series from iOptron from 01 to 31 October. The CEM26 is the lightest and most compact model in the range. They are very transportable but can still carry up to 12kg payload. As with the larger CEM mounts, the CEM26 features the perfect relationship between weight and payload. The key to this optimised ratio is the centre-balanced equatorial mount (CEM) design developed by iOptron, which directs the combined mount and payload weight to the centre of the tripod to create a natural centre of gravity. Building on the product expertise gained from previous CEM models, the CEM26 has additional features to ensure maximum convenience during use. It also includes an integrated Wi-Fi system, as well as permanent periodic error correction (PEC).
CEM26 from iOptron
In terms of functionality, the CEM26 delivers precise pointing and highly accurate tracking of selected objects, setting new standards for compact, medium-sized equatorial GoTo mounts. Equipped with the latest Go2Nova® technology, it is one of the most powerful and accurate GoTo mounts on the market today!
Secure your preferred version of the CEM26 as part of our autumn promotion – choose from three models: all are available for immediate delivery from stock!
CEM26 in a carrying case
This promotion is valid on the selected models from 01 to 31 October or as long as stocks last!
The iOptron GEM28 on special offer in September
September 1 2023, Jan Ströher
The summer is coming to an end and in most places the holiday season is also almost over… but there are still reasons for us to look forward to the coming autumn, astronomically speaking. Firstly because it gets dark earlier, which means we have longer nights for our hobby, and secondly because the GEM28 mounts from iOptron are available at affordable prices in our special September promotion – and the full range is available from stock! The GEM28 is perfect for mobile astrophotography. It can carry up to 13kg, but its compact design and low weight means that it can be taken almost anywhere. Compared to iOptron’s centre-balanced CEM mounts, the GEM series is a classic equatorial mount featuring the latest technology and a slim design. The GEM28 has been on the market for around two years, and enjoys great popularity among both astrophotographers and visual observers who are looking for a very good EQ5-class mount.
GEM28 GoTo iPolar LiteRoc
You can save a lot of money in September on these GEM28 models:
- GEM28 GoTo iPolar LiteRoc (product 69717)
- GEM28 GoTo LiteRoc (product 69705)
- GEM28 iPolar 1.5″ Tripod (product 73450)
- GEM28 AccuAlign 1.5″ Tripod (product 70618)
As always, the following applies to this offer which ends on 30 September: the items included in the offer are available from stock only while stocks last!
(Promotion period 01 to 30 September 2023)
HEM27 – the new iOptron mounts featuring top-class technology!
June 3 2022, Jan Ströher
The recent trend towards hybrid Harmonic Drive mounts is not without reason: they are compact, light, can be used on camera tripods and yet have a high load-carrying capacity, which is far superior to the more basic camera mount. In addition, they are equipped with all the technical features of a large equatorial mount. Due to their design and mechanical construction, they also do not require any counterweight(s) – a further advantage for transportation. This is why the term “hybrid” is used: you have all the advantages of a camera mount, such as quick assembly, easy transportation, compactness and precise tracking of the night sky. All these features are then combined with the advantages of larger equatorial mounts, such as GoTo functions, a hand controller with object catalogue, permanent drive gear error correction (PEC), various tracking modes and a high payload capacity in relation to its own weight – all without a counterweight bar with corresponding counterweight. These mounts’ mechanics provide the perfect balance for your telescope.
HEM27 on camera tripod
iOptron is continuing this trend and introduces yet more innovation with the new HEM27 series. The series consists of three variants: a classic HEM27, one with iPolar and an EC version.
iOptron thereby offers a selection of hybrid mounts to suit all requirements. All HEM27 mounts have a low dead weight of just under 4kg, but a load-carrying capacity of up to 13.5kg! This means that they can also be used for telescopes that would normally only be found on mounts in the mid-range weight class. So you can use a telescope weighing 5–6kg and still have sufficient capacity for astrophotography equipment. This means that you have the choice of a much broader range of telescopes with the HEM27 compared to regular camera mounts, which usually have a load limit of 3–5kg.
A carrying case is included with the HEM series
iOptron has equipped this series with the well-established Go2Nova® software and a database of 212,000 objects – just like the larger CEM and GEM series of iOptron mounts. The internal cable management provides security and order, and a dual saddle plate allows the use of Vixen/GP and Losmandy prism rails. An ST-4 autoguiding port is available as well as built-in WLAN, a bubble level and an emergency brake system which stops the mount if the power supply is interrupted abruptly. When you continue, the location memory means that the mount does not have to be re-aligned and re-programmed for your location. As you would expect from iOptron: all HEM27 models feature extremely quiet and smooth stepper motors.
The HEM series will be available in summer. You can find first details here at Astroshop!
CEM70 with iGuider – the latest innovation from iOptron
September 23 2020, Jan Ströher
The American company iOptron, which has already built a good reputation for itself in recent years with innovative, efficient and quiet mounts, launched a worthy successor to the popular CEM60 in April this year: the CEM70.
The new CEM70 comes with the characteristic appearance of the proven CEM mounts. CEM stands for centre-balanced equatorial mount. This design allows a particularly–favourable ratio of load capacity to actual mount weight. In the case of the CEM70, the ratio is 2.3. This means that the mount carries more than twice its own weight! So, the CEM70 is still suitable for mobile applications, but is also a very good mount for observatories.
The stepper motors and the toothed belt drive allow high pointing accuracy in GoTo operation, but most importantly, a very precise tracking accuracy with a periodic error of less than +/- 3.5 arc seconds. All this with the usual welcome quiet operation of all iOptron mounts.
Just like the CEM25P or the CEM60, the new model is perfectly suited for astrophotography. The highlight is a version which comes with iGuider, an integrated autoguider! In addition, both versions of the CEM70 have an ST4 interface, built-in GPS, a sturdy transport case, quiet stepper motors, the proven Go2Nova hand controller, as well as a dual mount saddle for Vixen and Losmandy dovetail plates.
With a maximum load capacity of 31kg, the CEM70 offers great flexibility for different telescopes and the appropriate photographic equipment. All in all, the new CEM70 is an even more portable mount with a wellthought-out design, useful functions and additional features, which also carries a higher instrument load even more safely, tracks quietly and precisely, and thus will never let you down during astrophotography! Both model versions can be found from us here at Astroshop.
The SkyGuider Pro camera mount from iOptron is now available with an electronic polar finder
January 8 2020, Stefan Taube
The SkyGuider Pro is a very light mount on which you can set up a camera with interchangeable lenses or a small telescope. This approach allows longer exposure times and so you can create fascinating wide-angle shots of the night sky.
iOptron Mount SkyGuider Pro iPolar Set
The SkyGuider Pro is now also available as a set together with the iPolar electronic polar finder, which has been built into the mount. With this accessory, you can easily and very precisely polar-align your mount.
The electronic finder has a built-in camera. This shows the position of the northern celestial pole and the location that the polar axis of the mount is pointing at, on your laptop. Simply bring the two points together by turning the adjustment screws for the azimuth and altitude axes of the mount – and you’re done!
SkyGuider Pro with iPolar
The location of the celestial north pole differs somewhat from the location of the Pole Star. The electronics calculate the exact position using the date and time. Thanks to the sensitivity of the camera and the large field of view, this so-called polar alignment is successful even when the mount has been only roughly positioned. This also works in the southern hemisphere and even takes into account atmospheric refraction at low latitudes!
If want to do without iPolar, you can of course still purchase the SkyGuider Pro mount without the electronic polar finder here.
iOptron mounts: A new addition to the CEM family
April 4 2019, Stefan Taube
CEM series mounts from iOptron are already widely used in the US and are becoming increasingly well known in Europe too. The CEM25P mount for portable astrophotography with Newtonian telescopes of up to 6 inches aperture and the CEM60 mount for use in observatories have proved particularly popular.
With their new CEM40 and CEM40-EC with encoders, iOptron now provides a middle range mount capable of carrying loads of up to 18 kilograms. The CEM40 is hence ideally suited for astrophotography with telescopes of up to 8 inches (200 millimetres) in aperture.
The CEM40 is the latest addition to iOptron’s CEM series
The abbreviation CEM stands for centre-balance equatorial mount, i.e. for equatorial mounts which are supported at their centre of gravity. This design ensures an excellent relation between weight and carrying capacity. The CEM40 weighs only 7 kilograms and yet can carry OTAs up to 2.5 times heavier. The amazing carrying capacity of CEM mounts has been constantly reaffirmed by our customers – especially regarding the CEM25P.
The CEM40 comes equipped with an electronic pole finder, known as ‘iPolar’. A laptop is required to operate this however, so the CEM40 is particularly suitable for astrophotographers who already use a laptop for their camera. iPolar and built-in GPS provide easy and accurate alignment and GoTo computer control initialization.
The encoders installed in the CEM40-EC version ensure very high GoTo accuracy and allow worm gear permanent periodic error correction – a problem that all mounts suffer from. The CEM40-EC does away with the need for guiding with your astrophotography.
The CEM family now covers a wide range of load carrying capacities, offering a suitable model for every budget!