Reviewer: James Barnett

I've been using an Atlas EQ-G as a travel mount for about three years. Overall it has been an excellent mount in this role. As with any piece of equipment, there are things that it does exceptionally well and also some areas where it could be improved. I'll first talk about what it does well. The mount is extremely quiet when tracking and slewing, with only a brief "grind" on motor ramp-up and ramp-down at the end of slews. Updating the hand controller is relatively simple if you have a PC equipped with an RS-232 port. If not, updating using a USB-to-RS-232 adapter may require more than one attempt to achieve the update. While Orion is very slow to make new firmware updates available, the latest and greatest SynScan firmware and installation tools are available from Sky Watcher USA. I wouldn't use non-Orion firmware while under warranty, but once the warranty has expired, I see no disadvantage to using non-Orion updates. This mount has seen it all - extreme elevation, extreme heat, extreme cold, extreme humidity and moisture and extreme dryness. My EQ head travels in a surplus hard case lined with dense foam. The hand controller, cables and similar items travel in the original cardboard box (which looks like it has seen better days) and the counterweights and tripod travel loose. Given the hard use mine has seen, it looks remarkably good. The black crinkle paint on the EQ head is quite durable. The paint on the counterweights flake easily however and the weights themselves will show rust spots where paint is missing. The chrome counterweight bar scratches easily, but overall for the level of use this mount has seen, it looks fantastic still. Mechanically mine has functioned almost perfectly. The only minor mechanical hiccups I've discovered are: a counterweight shaft that tends to loosen up with use and require tightening of the three recessed allen screws where it inserts into the mount head, and awful sounds slewing when the battery is depleted. The mount does require a more robust power source than a GC5 or LXD-75 for example. GOTOs and tracking are accurate. Polar alignment needs only be "close" sighting through the polar scope to yield near perfect GOTOs for extended sessions, at least for visual use. So what is not so hot? Really there are just two items that could (and should) be substantially improved. First, the Synscan firmware has limited features compared to more mature competitive firmware like NexStar (Celestron) and Autostar (Meade). The immature Synscan firmware has required frequent updates to correct a variety of problems. The most annoying problems for me have been catalog redirections. Specifically, you might select one double star in the onboard catalog but when you press enter to direct the mount to slew to that target, the entry would automatically switch to the next double star entry in the catalog. Similar glitches have plagued other target catalogs as well. I am now using firmware version 3.21 (not the most recent, which I believe is 3.27) and the catalog gremlins seem to be gone. The other weakness of Synscan is its lack of a dedicated slew-to RA and DEC feature. Some of the onboard catalogs are sparse (double star and variable star catalogs, for example). The number of targets in each class accessible to the type of OTA that can ride on an Atlas is much, much larger than the tiny catalogs provided. Accordingly, fans of double stars and variable stars will likely be working from lists of RA and Dec coordinates. Systems like NexStar allow the user to input RA and DEC coordinates directly and then slew to those coordinates. This is great if you have a list a 200 of doubles you would like to observe in a weekend. With Synscan you could use the user defined object category to capture 25 of your targets, but it is a weak substitute. The user defined list assigns numbers to each target and does not allow you to enter a name. This means that you would also need to have some external list mapping each user defined object number to target names. using the user defined catalog also requires many more key strokes than does using a direct slew-to RA and DEC feature. The other area for improvement are the alt and azimuth controls used for achieving polar alignment. The altitude is adjusted using two opposed galvanized screws with a thin metal tab pinned through the end for turning leverage. This setup is barely usable with the mount bare and when loaded with an OTA and counterweights, it is miserable. The tabs cut deep gouges into your hands, the thin screws tend to flex and threaten to bend, and altitude adjustment is a nightmare as a result. The azimuth adjustment knobs are a bit better, but the plastic knobs on the metal screws are fragile and thin. Large, ergonomic stainless steel hardware for each adjustment would have been far superior and eliminated a couple of dark marks for an otherwise superbly engineered mount. Still, I have mine and love it, using it frequently despite owning several other mounts. For the cost, this is an excellent mount on balance.

Reviewer: WillCarney

I give this mount five stars. The only issues I had don't deserve a lesser rating. The mount needs a better holder for the hand controller, the little plastic one has come off several times making the expensive hand controller hit the hard concrete. The one like Celestron has is much better. The round large cap over the polar axis finder needs to be metal. The threads never work right making it jam all the time. The weight shaft could be a little longer for heavy payloads. The bubble level could be on the tripod and not the head. It's nice to level it before the heavy head it put on. If using very heavy scopes the balance must be right on for alignment to stay right. If not balanced right it will not stay aligned. That only happened with a 12 inch 35 pound scope which was just at the limit of the mount. It's a good idea to balance all scopes anyway. These are all minor points, the mount is worth the money. William

Reviewer: Eric King

This is the most awesome, beefiest mount for the money! Hands down the best mount on the market out there for the astro-imager on a budget. I use this mount for astrophotography in conjunction with the Orion 6" Imaging Newt OTA and the 80mm ED piggybacked to guide with. 5 Stars all the way.... wish i could give it more!

Reviewer: John O'Donnell

I have been looking at computerized go- to mounts for some time now and did all the investigating, reading forums, asking questions and as many questions as I asked about mounts I received as many differing answers. I finally narrowed my choice down to two mounts, the Atlas EQ- G and the Celestron CGEM mount which was about the same as the Atlas but $100 less. In the end no matter how many questions you ask the decision is eventually yours to make. Even though the Atlas was a bit more money, reading the information on the forums helped make my decision. I am now the proud owner of an Atlas EQ-G. When received the mount was well packaged. As I unpacked the mount I found that my money was very well spent. The mount is well built, the tripod was more than I expected. Easy to setup and use I would recommend this mount for anyone. It is rock solid steady, even with my 10" OTA. I am not into Astrophotography yet but plan on it at some future date. This mount was purchased to place my 10" Orion SkyQuest OTA on. I learned a lot from using my Orion Dob but I found myself wanting to spend less time trying to find objects along with moving the OTA for Earths movement and more time observing. So I purchased this mount and I am not regretting that decision one bit. I also purchased the GPS add on and that makes setting up a breeze, especially when traveling to other star parties. Along with the 5 stars that I am rating this scope I give it two thumbs up. John

Reviewer: Kelsey Golden

This is a great mount, very steady, and has fantastic periodic error. The only issue I've experienced is that unless you're using an SCT or a very short scope (for which the atlas would be overkill), you absolutely need the mount extension or you'll risk banging your scope into the tripod legs. It almost happened to my Orion 80ED but I happened to be watching and shut off the mount to stop the slew. Orion really should sell the mount extension with the Atlas but since they don't, you have to shell out another $80 for it.

Reviewer: Stephen Lenarz

I want to say after using the Atlas eq-g mount after a few months how pleased I am with the performance of this mount. I just started imaging when I purchased this mount. I had been a visual observer for forty-three years. Astroimaging has really rejuvenated my interest in the hobby. I have been able to take 10 minute subs with this setup and a guidescope. This mount has been able to handle 49 lbs. in counterweights and a 10" schmidt-newtonian along with a 80mm william-optics ed II and the accompanying canon camera and orion astroguider. I really am excited about using this setup during the spring when we can get some clear skies and warmer temperatures. I would highly recommend this mount. It is fantastic!

Reviewer: Butch

In spring of 2008 I bought an 11â¿¿ SCT along with that manufacturerâ¿¿s recommended mount. Unfortunately the mount proved unreliable. I loved the 11â¿¿ SCT OTA, and continue to be pleased with it, but the mount never met my expectations. The hand controllerâ¿¿s cord was damaged from the factory, but even after that was repaired the mount continued to overshoot targets and run the OTA into the tripod at weird angles. I usually had to perform 3-4 fresh alignments each night, and it was always embarrassing to try to show visitors the wonder of my large OTA only to have the GoTo Mount point to the ground instead the sky object. I finally decided to upgrade to a better mount after one last short caused the OTA to run into the tripod while it pointed to some spot 30 degrees below the horizon. I decided to find a mount rated for at least 30% more weight than I planned to place on it, as the manufacturers mount was at its stated limit and never seemed stable. That limited choices to mounts rated for 40 pounds. There were three different brands available locally (Arizona): Losmandy, Celestron and Orion. After a lot of consideration, I decided on the Orion Atlas EQ-G Mount, with construction quality, previous Orion experience, customer reviews, and cost being the deciding factors. I had admired the Atlas and almost bought it earlier, but instead spent too much money on aperture fever. I remembered too late how important the mount is to a pleasurable night of viewing. Physical Considerations The Atlas is virtually all metal, where competitors use plastic extensively. The mount is solid, weighing 45 pounds, and the Tripod (2â¿¿ stainless steel tubular construction) is just as solid, extending (with mount attached) from 40â¿¿ up to a towering 61 inches. There are two eleven pound counterweights included. Fit and finish are excellent. The overall impression is that this mount is a precision device with high quality manufacturing. One surprise for me was that the counterbalance weight arm retracts into the mount for disassembly and transport. This is a bonus feature, and I think all designs should use this great feature. After upgrading from smaller mounts, I found attaching a telescope easier than the competition: there are two large friction knobs in place of the single knob on others, and the large plate area makes this attachment â¿¿feelâ¿¿ more secure. Balance is quick and easy. My C11 weighs about 30 pounds. Add about 2 pounds of accessories, and the three counter balance weights are only halfway down the counterbalance arm. This suggests that the mount could hold up to twice the weight, and I feel confident that the 40 pound rating is only 60% of what this sturdy mount can truly manage. Now that I think about it, I suppose I could use just two weights and not three. Hmm: Iâ¿¿ll try it tonight. Maybe I didnâ¿¿t need to waste that money on that extra toe crusher. Setup Everything comes pretty much ready for use from Orion. There are three boxes, mount, tripod and hand controller. The instruction manual is sparse, but most of the setup is intuitive, and similar to any other mount. It takes a moderate amount of strength to place the 45 pound mount on the tripod, but once itâ¿¿s there, it balances well until the spreader rod is screwed in. I recommend anyone with limited upper body strength consider a helper for this. The tripod spreader screws in at a good height. A complaint here: The hand controller mount is supposed to snap unto the spreader, but the one I have kept slipping off, dropping the controller to the ground. Super Glue fixed this, but Orion needs a better design for holding the hand controller. Orion ships the tripod with the north alignment tab screwed into the open side of the Tripod â¿¿Yâ¿¿. I feel this makes for a less stable mount, and I understand it is done for people who live at lower latitudes. The counterweights or counterweight bar could strike the tripod leg. However, At 33+ degrees, this is not a problem for me, so I removed and re-screwed the tab into the provided hole just above a tripod support leg. I feel this makes for a sturdier mount with less potential for tipping forward. This also helps me do a faster and closer North Star alignment as the single leg points north. I never could estimate the â¿¿openâ¿¿ legs position very well. Orion includes a 12V adapter, or you can use the Celestron 12V AC adapter as well. For back-yard use I run an extension cord, and appreciate the AC adapter. It is a wall-wart design, so a 1â¿¿ extension cord helps avoid wall socket jams. Using the Mount After having to â¿¿alignâ¿¿ the North Star finder scope on a different mount, and laboring through the tedious process, I was pleased to find the Orionâ¿¿s included polar alignment scope came â¿¿alignedâ¿¿ and ready to use. You test it by centering on an object, then rotating the mount 180 degrees. If the object remains centered then the alignment scope is â¿¿alignedâ¿¿. The visibility is good in this scope helping to make exacting polar alignments easy. I am still unsure if I like the visual alignment â¿¿aidsâ¿¿ on the viewfinder (Cassiopeia, big dipper), but the circle denoting the actual true polar north (marked TNP on a ring 4 degrees out from the center â¿¿xâ¿¿) seems to help get a better polar alignment. Performing the polar alignment before loading the telescope and weights is a consideration, as nudging the 135 pound setup (scope, accessories, mount, tripod, and weights) is not fun, and always fouls up my tarpaulin that I set under the scope. The latitude adjustment screws have long paddles and work easily without a scope and weights on board. The longitude adjustment screws are large and easy to use: remember to spread them open before attempting to set the mount on the tripod! One feature I really like is the rear cover for the alignment scope. I always had trouble with other mounts alignment scope covers falling off at inappropriate times. The large round cover is easy to screw/unscrew, but if you drop it, it can roll a long way on a hard surface, bouncing loudly all the way (I learned the hard way. . .). Alignment With a good polar alignment, I consistently find my first (out of a 3 star alignment) star to be close to center, with the second star very close to centered, and it is unusual that the third star is not dead center. Once this is done, GoTo performance is very close to perfect. Iâ¿¿ve considered performing just a 2-star or even a one star, but so far Iâ¿¿m enjoying the precision of this device and taking the extra three minutes for a 3-star alignment. Although the more I use it, the more likely I am to just do a one star alignment, and then use the PAE function to tweak it once I begin viewing (see below). Rapid Slews, Accurate GoTo and Tracking The slewing performance is remarkable. This is the first mount I know of where the sound of the motors always gets positive comments. There is a very brief noise as the motors start and later stop, with a very low (and remarkably pleasant) motor sound during what seems an effortless slew. At 600x, the slews are quite rapid, and after dealing with competitorâ¿¿s noisy mounts, I always have to look twice to be sure the mount is done. However, an audible beep from the handset provides confirmation and alerts you that you can use the direction buttons to center the object (seldom needed). Tracking is excellent. I purposefully left the scope unattended for about an hour while viewing Jupiter. When I returned, Jupiter appeared to be in the exact same spot as where it was when I walked away. Iâ¿¿ll be trying again with a new camera this weekend and may have more on this later. I read reviews suggesting that unguided shots up to 10 minutes are acceptable with this mount. I hope to find out this weekend on NGC4038/4039. I apologize, but I donâ¿¿t care to test for Periodic Error Correction right now, although there are options to adjust for this for those who care. Hand Controller Orion has the least sexy hand controller of all Iâ¿¿ve see or used. Compared to the others, its menu tree is simple and straightforward, and you see more options on other brandsâ¿¿ controllers. Older ads claim a 13,000 plus object database, and depending on the release date for your mount, you might be limited to these at first. However, a firmware upgrade brings you to 42,900 objects as the update adds the Smithsonian Astronomical Object (SAO) database. Unfortunately, Orion continues to use the RS-232 port cord adapter, so you will need to buy a RS-232 to USB port adapter. At least they include the computer cable. The update process is simple. Download the firmware update from the Orion site and run the program. Holding down 8 and -0- at the same time while powering up the hand controller (it can be detached from the mount for this process) alerts the controller there is an imminent update. The connection is quick, but it took almost 15 minutes for the update to run. Once it did, additional features were added. The PAE function (see below) is now a menu item as well as a hot key function, you have the SAO database mentioned above, and the device now tells you the temperature. Living in Arizona, this is not always a good thing to know. Just sweating in 110 degree weather is bad enough without being reminded by the Hand Controller. PAE: A feature worth using The Precision Accuracy Enhancement (PAE) feature is worth noting, and easier to use than on other controllers. Once youâ¿¿ve centered an object, you hold the ESC key down for two seconds, and the hand controller beeps, asking if you want to align on this object. If you select â¿¿yesâ¿¿, then precision for that part of the sky is improved. This is great for those difficult to see deep space objects â¿¿ pick a star in that part of the sky, PAE to it, then chose the obscure deep space object and count on it being centered. The firmware update allows this either as an ESC option, or a menu selection. Summary I know a review is supposed to be objective with positives and negatives, but so far I find it difficult to find many negatives about this sturdy and well designed mount. I believe Orion could get more creative with the hand controller and add a few more features, but it gets the job done as is. Of course, some people would equate simpler with better. . . I am as satisfied with this mount as I am with my fabulous 11 SCT. Adding this mount to my night viewing means I now have a mount as capable (if not more so) than my optical tube assembly! Now: if I can just get my CCD camera working this well!

Reviewer: Butch David

I purchased the Atlas when I struggled with unreliable results from a competitor's mount (unreliable GoTo, overloaded at 32 pounds, multiple (3) shorts in the electronics). The Atlas is very impressive. The Atlas is virtually all metal, where competitors use plastic extensively. The mount is solid, weighing 45 pounds, and on top of the heavy duty tripod, as stable or more stable than any mount I've used (or seen) at double the price. The retractable counterbalance arm is a delight when moving the mount, and the included polar alignment scope came aligned and ready to use, and makes exacting polar alignments very easy to accomplish (I find it easier to do this before loading up the telescope and weights). One likeable feature is the positively attached rear screw cover for the alignment scope. I always had trouble with other mounts alignment scope covers falling off at inappropriate times. Attaching a telescope is easier than the competition: there are two large friction knobs in place of the single knob on others, and the large plate area makes this attachment feel more secure. Balance is quick and easy. I use a C11 (30 pounds) plus about 2 pounds of accessories, and the three counter balance weights are only halfway down the counterbalance arm. This suggests to me that the mount could hold up to twice the weight, and I feel confident that the 40 pound rating is only 60% of what this sturdy mount can truly manage. With a good polar alignment, I consistently find my first (out of a 3 star alignment) star to be close to center, with the second star very close to centered, and it is unusual that the third star is not dead center. (Note that I use a GPS to get exact location, and I am particular about exact time!) Once this is done, GoTo performance is very close to perfect, certainly better than Brand. The skewing performance is remarkable. This is the first mount I know of where the sound of the skewing motors always creates positive comments. There is a very brief 'ratcheting' noise as the motors start or stop, with a very low (and remarkably pleasant) motor sound during the effortless and very rapid skew. Almost everyone comments (positively) on this the first time they hear it. After dealing with competitor's noisy mounts, I always have to look twice to be sure the mount is done. The audible beep from the handset provides confirmation. Tracking is excellent. I have not done a professional study, but have left the scope unattended for about an hour (an unscientific study). When I returned, Jupiter (which I purposely left near the edge of the field of view) appeared where it was when I walked away. I'll be trying again with a new camera this weekend and may have more on this later. The Precision Accuracy Enhancement (PAE) feature is worth noting. Once you've centered an object, you hold the ESC key down for two seconds, and the hand controller beeps, asking if you want to align on this object. If you select yes, then your precision for that part of the sky is improved. This is great for those difficult to see deep space objects pick a star in that part of the sky, PAE to it, then chose the obscure deep space object and count on it being centered. Computer firmware updates were easy, but took over fifteen minutes to complete, which surprised me. Once that is done, additional SAO objects increase your GoTo objects to over 40,000. Computer control (I used Starry Nights 6.0) is seamless using Nexstar compatibility. I've not had the interface drop out or cause me trouble yet (the competitor lost the connection at least once per session. . .). In Summary, this mount exceeds specs and my expectations in virtually every way. I don't plan to upgrade my C11 anytime soon, and I know I won't change this mount.

Reviewer: Joe David

I've owned two other GOTO mounts, but neither come close to matching the workmanship and quality of the Atlas. At 45 pounds (mount alone) it is a stable and sizeable device. While Orion rates it for 40 pounds, I mount a 35 pound setup on it (Celestron C11-SGT plus accessories). Given the silky smooth, effortless way it performs, I feel it could easily handle over 60 pounds. Setup and alignment is the much easier than with my CG-5. A good polar alignment places the first star in the eyepiece, the second closer to the center, and the third close to dead center. Any object afterwards is always near the center of the eyepiece. I like the PAE function where you can 'tweak' alignment on an object centered in the eyepiece -- that only improves GOTO capabilities. The computer link works fine (Starry night Pro 6) and stays linked (I had link failures with competitor models. The Atlas is extremely quiet. You hear the gears as they speed up, then almost nothing while the mount skews to the next position, then a slight sound as it slows to final position. Lastly, the handpad attaches to the mount with a screw connection - far superior to the telephone cable hook-up so many others use. The cable also attaches to a part of the mount that has minimal movement, so you don't get into cable wars with the rotating mount. I rate this mount against others costing twice as much. At least as good as the Celestron CGE.

Reviewer: Steve Potter

I've had this tripod for a year now and could not be happier! It's bullet-proof...it has never let me down.

Reviewer: D. Chris Cole

I've only taken this mount out twice and it has already made life easier. I've only had experience with one other mount (meade LXD75, decent mount for maybe a 15 lb load or less). I've been in the hobby for a year and have taken a few astrophotos. I have had to modify my scope to the point that it's weight goes beyond the capacity of the LXD75 mount and was a real pain to have to continuously balance mount with every little move it made. As a consequence, the goto was off every single time. The Atlas resolved these issues magnificently. First, I tested the goto on Saturn using 200x magnification and it fell into the FOV quite nicely. Next, I slewed and found objects M81, 82, 51, 106, 3, and 86 easily at 60X. As far as photos, I did my first take on part of the Markarian Chain using the Atlas's PAE function and the results look great. All my guiding is by hand, and so drift alignment is sometimes necessary. However. the mount is so rock solid that drift alignment is difficult. This is why I give it four stars. I wonder if anyone out there has considered making an equatorial mount in which altitude and azimuth can be adjusted using a goto controller? Orion probably could be up to the task!

Reviewer: ANJAL SHARMA

I was pleasantly surprised with this mount. It easily carries my TMB 130/780 Apo, my Tak FS-60C apo, imaging paraphernalia (CCD cameras, filter wheels etc.) without breaking a sweat. I measured the mount's "out-of-the-box" Periodic error using K3CCDTools and PEAS reported an average PE of +-8 arc.sec, over four worm cycles. This is astounding for a mass produced scope. The PE curve itself is very smooth and is easily guided out. I routinely take 10 - 20 minutes long narrowband images now, something which was extremely difficult with my old AS-GT. I also highly recommend EQMOD for this mount as it greatly increases what you can do with it. If you're looking for a medium duty mount which can do it all, look no further. For the price, you won't find a better performer. Heck, even at twice the price, you will be hard pressed to find a better performer.

Reviewer: Robert Kiernan

First light: Atlas on a digital scale... Mount (head) = 34.8 lbs Tripod (legs)= 15.2 lbs Total = 50 lbs So, I was able to take the Atlas out for it's first light. It preformed perfectly. Polar alignment: I wasn't sure 100% if I had Polaris, but it was the brighest star in the area...and since the GoTo ended up being VERY close (see below) after telling the Atlas to slew to an object, I'm pretty sure it was Polaris. It was quite windy also, and there was minimal shaking, if any. Actually I don't remember being annoyed with shaking once..and I'm used to shaking after first owning a 5" Newt on a shaky mount which would shake even if I looked at it. To put it quick and short, the Atlas IS sturdy. Tracking was accurate, except for the first alignment star, but every time the Atlas slewed to a target it was in the FOV of my 32mm TV plossl...and many times in the FOV of my TV 12mm Radian. So once I tweak it a little and get the polar alignment right on, the tracking of the Atlas will preform wonderfully. The hand controller is great. Easy to understand and navigate the functions. The slewing sound was AMAZING!! I can't get over the beautiful sound the Atlas makes when slewing. I NEVER thought I'd be able to call ANY slewing sound "beautiful & amazing", but with the Atlas I can. I used an Orion 80mm ED APO Doublet. I got great views of Mars & Saturn. Saw M42, Pleadies (M45), Adromeda (M31, I think), M81, M82, M44, M43, and others that I forget. I just went through the Messier catalog and randomly picked. Then the winds started getting to me, I was out for 2 hours and the temp started dropping so I decided to go home. It took me about 10 minutes to break down. Anyhow, that's my first light report for my new Atlas EQ-G

Reviewer: Andy

This is simply the best mount for the money. No kidding. If you are into astrophotography, please, please, please consider this one! Don't make my mistake in thinking some of the moderately priced mounts are going to be 'good enough'. If you're working with anything larger than 5" aperture, camera, and guidescope accessories, your choices are truly very slim. Two months ago, I purchased a new CG- 5GT mount... Huge disappointment, couldn't track reliably or at all in moderately cold weather (mid- 30s to 40s), subsequently even Go-to capability was useless. I was able to return the mount, and after considerable review chose not to purchase the Atlas EQ-G, but rather the Losmandy G-11. Made in USA over another Chinese mount (like the CG5). Well, Hollywood Machining USA appears to be having production issues, and after repeated manufacturing delays no Losmandy mount. Cancelled that order and went back to review online user group blogs and reviews. Convinced my new choice should be the Atlas EQ-G. I was nervous simply because my experience with the Chinese-made CG-5 was completely demoralizing and Losmandy's problems added to my concern about actually finding any kind of decent mount. What an incredibly surprising and rewarding experience unloading, assembling, and using the Atlas EQ-G. This is a heavy solid mount, and simply a breeze to setup and use! No surprises. Everything 'just works'. Quick polar alignment. Damn if I could not find any perceptible tracking errors in photographs. Arrangement of connectors and Go-to mount holder avoids any cable stretching or tangling (unlike CG5). The SkyScan menu is easy to understand and follow (also unlike the CG5). Someone at Orion was listening to the customers on this one. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to get quality tracking and error-correction. If you're going to spend the money, buy this one! You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer: Robert

I ordered the Atlas EQ-G to get a better edge on astrophotography, I currently own a meade lx-50, its a ok scope and mount ,but the Atlas mount blows the lx- 50`s mount away . As far as controlling the mount, its simple commands from the controller make it a easy task. Its built in tour command makes for a great evening to view objects that could take you all nite to find. To update the controller you will need to get a serial to usb converstion . IF there was any cons it would be that the mount lacks a internal battery to keep your settings. Thanks orion for a great mount for the money.

Reviewer: Steve

I have nothing but great praises to say about this tripod. It is very easy to set up and a breeze to navigate. I have a XT-10 Dob. that I took the mounts off of and plugged the holes to use on this tri- pod. I also have the skyquest 4.5 as a guide scope and 44lbs. of counterwieghts. The powerful motors don't strain one bit while slewing this much weight, even with the 12VDC Power Tank I have it hooked to. With this tri-pod and set-up I have, I've been able to open up the sky to a bunch of friends who thought there was only the moon to look at! This is well worth the small price tag.

Reviewer: Chris Vedeler

I¿ve had my Atlas EQ-G for almost a year now. I'm pushing the envelope with about 40lbs of weight on top with an Astro-Physics 160EDF and an Orion 80mm Guidescope plus all the camera and autoguiding gear. I have done a large battery of tests regarding the tracking performance of this mount. My mount has a periodic error of about +/- 25 arc seconds. Not great, but certainly good for a ...the price... The thing is that the guided tracking error is less than 1 arc second! That means the periodic error is smooth and that the drive gears respond well to guiding corrections. This is ultimately what is important in a mount, not the periodic error alone. The Atlas tracks guided about as good as the seeing will permit in most places and that is with the mount maxed out! When you take into account this level of performance is done with a mount ...of this price... you know it is the best value in the telescope world. You would have to spend at least 2 times and probably 3 times the money to get any significantly better performance.

Reviewer: Brian Maynard

My experience with the Atlas mount has been dissapointing at best. Although the mount looks good on the outside, it's the inside that counts. When I first took the mount out of the box the first thing I noticed was how stiff and hard to turn it was. Then I mounted a very modest 4" refractor weighing a mere 9lbs and the mount sounds more like a meat grinder than anything close to "high precision". And my hopes for imaging were gone when trying to autoguide at 1.5x the FL I was imaging at and still have big time star trailing. Then a call to customer support and the guy gives a heavy sigh as to say, what do you expect for ...the price. Thanks for taking my money.

Reviewer: Robert Fitzgerald

If you think this is a toy think again. I routinely image up to 20 mins per shot with my CCD and usually no more than three or four mins per shot with my DSLR. I got frustrated with my $6500 SCT for imaging and bought this rig thinking it was a toy. Wrong! Here is my setup. EQMOD for scope control interface, Starry Nights Pro Plus 6 for planetarium (pointing and image session planning) and Maxim DL for image acquisition and reduction. Using tandem Orion 80mm scopes (ED for imaging and Shorty for guiding) I have taken some great beginning shots. Of note is first light on the EQ-G mount and the target was Eagle Nebula. I was so stunned on the mount's performance I immediately posted the shot without lots of post processing work. Within hours of assembling the mount I had more success in one night that in my entire previous efforts combined! Now here is the negative. First, to see worm mesh of the primary you literally have to take the entire mount apart. But, you really should never need to do this. The Sirus EQ-G is better designed only from this standpoint. Second, the RS-232 connection is extinct. The port should be a USB or Firewire. THe serial port on the mount requires an adapter, then serial to USB adapter in order to control with your laptop. Meade has the same issue except on their RCX line of EXPENSIVE mounts. Third, I despise the lattitude adjusting screws. Repetitive use eventually strips one of the sockets. But, if you image mostly from the same spot, you should never have to fix this but once! Finally, Orion ships extruded dovetail bars with the mount. It works fine for small tandem arrangements but not for the 8" or 10" Newts. For those scopes the Losmandy Plate eliminates flexture. Remember, you are handing a Canon 20Da brick on the focuser and the moment becomes quite significant! Now here is an amazing point. Orion rates the mount at 40 lbs but I have personally seen imagers with 60 lbs of scopes on the mount. Of course they are SCT's so the moment is kept low and close to the saddle but with careful balance and rigidity in attachments it can be done. So, I would give the mount a full 5 stars if the items above were addressed but even so I would compare its performance to mounts costing twice as much - without a blink in my eye! Great job Orion! Keep up the good work!

Reviewer: Andy Raiford

When it comes to astrophotography, the mount is the most important piece of hardware you'll need. The best scope on earth will produce horrible photos if the mount can't track the stars. You have two choices. The first choice is to buy an Atlas EQ-G for around $1500, or you could go out and spend at least twice as much to get the same results. If you have the money and spending an $3000 on a high-precision equatorial mount seems the like the right thing to do, then by all means, go do that. But if you're not in the habit of blowing your hard-earned cash like Brittany Spears in a designer shoe store, then you will want to buy the mount that does the same job for half the price. Whether in an observatory or as a travel mount, the Atlas is my favorite always. Andy Raiford

Reviewer: John Bunyan

I've owned and used this mount for over 2 years now and it has worked flawlessly. It is pier mounted now in my observatory but I have taken it to lots of star parties and it sets up and aligns quickly and accurately every time. I have taken 6 minute unguided pictures with this mount and had no star trails. It's a great mount. It's very quiet and Meade owners will appreciate that. (I own a Meade LX200). I can't say enough good things about this mount. It's a 5 star. John Bunyan

Reviewer: Anonymous

This will be short and sweet. This mount sounds like a Silicone Valley industrial robot. I have used this mount with a 20 pound load in winds gusting to over 30 mph; the image shake was minimal even at 300X +. For half the money you can go with a Celestron ASGT or Meade LXD75, but you end up with half the capacity. If you want to do photography with a high end 5" triplet APO, a 10" Newt or 11" SCT, this Atlas belongs on your list. There used to be a void between even the finest CG5s and the G-11 Gemini and CGE units that can successfully manage 60 pound+ photo setups. If a CG5 variant is a bit light for your purpose, Orion is still the only company marketing an HEQ5 (Sirius) and EQ6 (Atlas) Go Tos at $1200 and $1500 respectively. The next step dollarwise is a big one, but may actually fall short of these two SYN SCAN Go To machines. People can bash Chinese products all they like; the fact is that Japan does not have an exclusive lock on quality. All things considered, the Atlas and Sirius Syn Scan mounts are a testament to how far things have come, and a very encouraging indicator of what may follow. IS that gorgeous Takahashi mount worth two or three times as much? Hmmm - that is a question worth considering.

Reviewer: Hunter Wilson

With the production of this mount, Orion has provided a mid-level mount that truly allows imaging at an affordable cost. This mount is rock-solid and can guide imaging setups accurately at higher weights than advertised. With the EQMOD system (aftermarket freeware) the mount acts like an observatory mount when conected to a computer. Combine this mount with a short focal length refractor like the Orion ED80 and you can image like the pros! Highly reccomended.