Reviewer: Ian Kahler

The actual equatorial head for this device is NOT smooth at all when operating the slow motion controls and adjustments. The latitude adjustment has to be continually tightened. The fine adjustment or control attachments are equally poor in that the screws holding them to the worm gears are completely inadequate and if they come loose... AND they do... they are lost in the dark... cannot be found... and the screws cannot be replaced as the thread is not compatible with any store purchased screws of any kind. Although the legs of the tripod are sturdy, the adjustment screws gouge holes in the legs of the tripod and after several uses the thread fails and the tripod is useless on uneven ground. I had to cut 2x1 strips of wood and place them in the tripod as the only means of securing the tripod in the extended position in a matter of only months and 20 plus [approx] uses of the tripod. The overall quality of this mount is appallingly inadequate in my opinion. The gear mechanism and polar alignment scope are well constructed with the exception of the fine adjustment attachments. The gear housing alone is too heavy for the the ridiculously poorly constructed tripod. I would NEVER buy this mount again... and I ceratinly would not recomend it to anyone.

Reviewer: Joe Casey

A decent mount for my Astroview 120 but its big weakness is the thumbscrew assembly is much too fragile. I haven't been able to find any replacement at Orion...I imagine the only source will be to find a used scope on Ebay and turn it into a replacement source. Too bad Orion doesn't offer a parts service.

Reviewer: Frank

I recently acquired a 5" Mak-Cass optical tube and I needed something much more substantial than a photo tripod to hold it. My old reliable EQ-1 wasn't up to the task so I ordered the Astroview mount. Easy to assemble and set up. The standard-equipment polar scope was intuitive and made it a snap to do a polar alignment. The stamped aluminum tripod legs are a concern with heavy scopes because of vibration but not overly so. All in all, it's the best value in a medium-duty manual GEM on the market today.

Reviewer: Greg Seibold

I got this mount to hold the tube from my 6" Starblast effectively making this a 6" Astroview. The mount operates well, I feel that the 6" 750mm scope is the maximum I would put on this mount. I also added the clock drive system which mounts well and operates well.

Reviewer: Guido Santacana

I got this mount to use it as a secondary one in addition to my Sky View Pro. It has surprised me. The EQ3 can easily handle my Orion 120mm f/8 refractor and Orion 150mm Mak. With the legs fully extended it is just what the 120mm refractor needs and keeps the eyepiece at a very comfortable level even when looking at objects in the zenith. When used with the Mak one can adjust it to a preferred height. The mount is steady and coupled to the single axis drive it tracks as well as the Sky View Pro mount. I don't see any major vibration issues. The dovetail mount makes it very versatile too. With my C6R refractor now mounted on the Sky View Pro, the EQ3 will be the main mount for my other two Orion Telescopes.

Reviewer: Jack Gross

I have a 4.5", f/5 reflector for which I needed a mount and drive. The intended use is astrophotography, so I wanted a solid mount and smooth drive. After researching the astronomy forums I decided upon the AstroView Equatorial Mount and the EQ-3M Dual-Axis Electronic Drive. I have found that this combination satisfactorily meets my needs. I was pleased with ease of assembly and the improvements not mentioned in the catalog. The better polar-axis scope and improved dovetail mount were unexpected additions. (I did substitute the 13" Dovetail Mounting Plate (#07385) for the smaller one which is included.) The un-extended tripod is adequate for digital photography and when carefully aligned, the drive system is amazing. The forums abound with information on how to further improve the performance of this popular mount. For all but the most demanding, I rate this combination as a great value and recommend it.

Reviewer: K. Davis

A sturdy, affordable mount for small and mid sized telescopes. The improved dovetail saddle plate and the new, easy to use polar alignment scope make it a true bargain, and a relatively lightweight alternative to alt-azimuth mounts for grab and go applications. Recommended.

Reviewer: Marc Briggs

Equatorial mount is top quality and function. Works great with the clock drive. However, the thumbscrew-type locks on the tripod legs are poor. One has already pushed out in less than a week's use. A lever lock system would be better.

Reviewer: James MacWilliam

I've used this mount for over 3 years now. At first visually and now for astrophotography. For (the price) its a ridiculously good value. Its solid, no backlash, smooth moving. For Visual its great. For photography, the non permanent polar scope can be tricky. The cover falls off easily and if you bump it (you will) you must re-align the Polar Scope with the Mount's Axis. That said, there's not a mount can touch it for under $500.

Reviewer: Danny Terpstra

I put a MAK130 on it. Its 13 pounds. I am completely impressed with how beefy this mount is. For 99% of my viewing it is a great mount. 99% of my viewing only requires a 60 second, quick and dirty polar alignment which is super simple with this mount. To take it the final step for photography and/or motor drives/high power viewing the correct manual needs to be included to fine tune the polar alignment. If you are considering a motor drive I would seriously consider your options. The motor hangs on the side of this mount and I returned it basically because I just want a simple mount with no hassles with no extra parts, batteries, weight, etc. Also a little plastic marker for the fine adjustments (that I never do) fell off, but some gorilla glue.