Mounts
Every experienced imager gives the same advice and most beginners discount it: buy the mount first. A modest telescope on a capable mount produces good images; an excellent telescope on an inadequate mount produces trailed stars and frustration. David Astro carries mounts in Canada — German equatorial, harmonic drive, alt-azimuth and observatory-class — shipping from Canadian inventory.
We size mounts against real imaging payloads rather than headline ratings, and we will recommend a larger mount when your setup genuinely needs one. Tell us your optic, camera and focal length.
Filters
Celestron Advanced VX Mount and Tripod
4.0 / 5.0
1 Review
30 lb (13.6 kg) instrument load capacity Computerized GoTo German Equatorial Mount DC servo motors with 9 slew speeds up to 4°/second Dual CG-5 an...
View full detailsCelestron CGEM II EQ Mount and Tripod
40 lb (18 kg) instrument load capacity Dual CG-5 and CGE dovetail saddle plates 2" diameter steel tripod legs for stability NexStar+ hand control ...
View full detailsCelestron CGX Equatorial Mount and Tripod
Supports imaging payloads up to 55 lbs (25 kg) Low-profile equatorial head for increased stability Dual CG-5 and CGE dovetail saddle for broad tel...
View full detailsCelestron CGX-L Equatorial Mount and Tripod
Supports a 75 lb (34 kg) instrument payload, not including counterweights 144mm worm wheels for smoother operation with heavier loads Tripod with ...
View full detailsCelestron CGX-L Equatorial Mount Without Tripod
Supports imaging payloads up to 75 lbs (34 kg) 270mm dual saddle for CG-5 and CGE dovetails Maximum slew speed of 3° per second Features 4 auxilia...
View full detailsCelestron Omni CG-4 Telescope Mount and Tripod
5.0 / 5.0
1 Review
Manual German equatorial mount for following objects across the sky Includes a 7 lb (3.2 kg) and a 4 lb (1.8 kg) counterweight for balancing Featu...
View full detailsExplore Scientific EXOS2-GT Equatorial Mount with PMC-Eight GoTo System
28 lb Astrophotography Payload Capacity 40 lb Visual Payload Capacity PMC-Eight OpenGOTO System Wireless Control via WiFi & Bluetooth® Include...
View full detailsExplore Scientific FirstLight EXOS Nano Mount
5.0 / 5.0
1 Review
15 lb Payload Capacity 10 lb Mount Weight (without Counterweight) Light-Duty German Equatorial Design Vixen-Style Dovetail Saddle 1.25" Adjustable...
View full detailsExplore Scientific FirstLight Twilight Nano Mount
Light-Duty Alt-Azimuth Mount Head Vixen-Style Dovetail Saddle Adjustable-Height Metal Tripod Single-Arm Control Handle for Smooth Motion Designed ...
View full detailsExplore Scientific iEXOS-100-02 HD PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System
German equatorial GoTo tracking system Approx. 9 lb equipment capacity (15 lb photographic incl. counterweights) PMC-Eight controller with WiFi, B...
View full detailsExplore Scientific iEXOS-100-02 PMC-Eight Equatorial Tracker System
3.0 / 5.0
1 Review
PMC-Eight Precision Motion Control GoTo System Integrated WiFi and Bluetooth for Wireless Operation ExploreStars App for Tablet-Based Sky Navigati...
View full detailsExplore Scientific Sidara Pro GoTo Mount with SkyAssist
Automated GoTo mount with SkyAssist technology 11 lb (5.0 kg) payload capacity Alt-azimuth design for intuitive operation Dual control via smartph...
View full detailsExplore Scientific Twilight I Adjustable Angle Alt-Azimuth Mount
Light-to-medium-duty alt-azimuth mount Supports telescopes up to 18 lb (8.2 kg) Adjustable angle head for zenith clearance Manual slow-motion cont...
View full detailsiOptron AZ Mount Pro
33 lb (15 kg) primary and 10 lb secondary payload capacity 13 lb (5.9 kg) mount head, including CW shaft and battery "Level and Go" alignment with...
View full detailsiOptron CEM120 Mount
Payload Capacity: 52 kg (115 lbs) Mount Head Weight: 26 kg (57 lbs) Payload to Weight Ratio: 2:1 Periodic Error: <0.15 arcsec RMS (EC/EC2 model...
View full detailsiOptron CEM26 Mount
26 lbs (12 kg) payload capacity 10 lbs (4.5 kg) mount head weight Payload-to-weight ratio of 2.60 Center-Balanced Equatorial Mount (CEM) design Go...
View full detailsiOptron CEM40 Mount
40 lb (18 kg) payload on a 17.4 lb (7.9 kg) mount head 2.28 payload-to-weight ratio Integrated iPolar electronic polar scope and built-in 32-chann...
View full detailsiOptron CEM70 Mount
5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Supports a 31.8 kg (70 lbs) payload on a 13.6 kg (30 lbs) mount head Center-balanced equatorial mount (CEM) design for a 2.33 payload-to-weight ra...
View full detailsiOptron GEM28 Mount
28 lbs (12.7 kg) instrument payload capacity 10 lbs (4.5 kg) mount head weight Payload-to-weight ratio of 2.80 Go2Nova® 8409 controller with ~212,...
View full detailsiOptron GEM45 Mount
45 lb (20 kg) payload on a 17.5 lb (7.9 kg) mount head Payload-to-mount weight ratio of 2.53 < ±7.5 arcsec PE with PPEC; < 0.3 arcsec RMS on...
View full detailsiOptron HAE16C AZ/EQ Dual SWG
Hybrid EQ/Alt-Az Mount Design 18 lbs (8.2 kg) Payload without Counterweight 5.7 lbs (2.6 kg) Mount Head Weight StrainWave RA Gear & Worm/Belt ...
View full detailsiOptron HAE18C AZ/EQ Dual Strain Wave GoTo Mount
Payload Capacity: 18.7 lbs (8.5 kg) without counterweight, 26.5 lbs (12 kg) with Mount Head Weight: 6.2 lbs (2.82 kg) Payload-to-Weight Ratio: 3.0...
View full detailsiOptron HAE29 Dual AZ/EQ SWG Mount
Dual Alt-Azimuth/Equatorial strain wave gear mount 29.7 lbs (13.5 kg) payload without counterweights (HAE29C/Original) Ultra-portable 8.15 lbs (3....
View full detailsiOptron HAE43 Dual AZ/EQ SWG Mount
Payload: 44 lbs (20 kg) without counterweight, 55 lbs (25 kg) with optional counterweight Mount Head Weight: 12.6 lbs (5.7 kg) on C versions, 12.8...
View full detailsWhat Separates a Good Mount from an Adequate One
Payload rating is the number on the box. The numbers that actually determine your results are periodic error, its smoothness, and the mount's stiffness under load.
- Periodic error and its smoothness: A large but smooth error guides out easily; a small but jerky one does not. This is why two mounts with the same specification can perform very differently.
- Payload margin for imaging: Load an imaging mount to roughly 50 to 60% of its visual rating. The remainder is the margin that keeps guiding stable in wind and at awkward angles.
- Belt versus gear drive: Belt-driven mounts largely remove gear meshing error and backlash, which is why they have become the standard in mid-range imaging mounts.
- Harmonic drive mounts: Strain-wave gearing carries very high payloads with little counterweight, trading some periodic error smoothness for extraordinary portability.
- Encoders: Absolute or incremental encoders correct mechanical error in real time, reducing or eliminating the need for guiding at long focal lengths.
- Focal length sensitivity: Guiding tolerance scales with image scale. A mount that is excellent at 500 mm may be marginal at 2000 mm with the same payload.
Why Choose David Astro for Mounts
A mount is the purchase people most often regret undersizing, and it is the most expensive one to correct later.
- Sized to focal length, not just weight: We factor your imaging focal length into the recommendation, because guiding demands tighten sharply as image scale increases.
- Cold-weather behaviour: We advise on lubrication, power supply sizing and the settings that keep a mount tracking reliably below minus 20.
- Authorized dealer: Full manufacturer warranty and verified authenticity, with service and diagnostics performed in Canada.
- Domestic shipping on heavy goods: Mounts ship from our Canadian warehouse, avoiding duties, brokerage fees and an extra freight handoff.
- Setup support: Help with polar alignment, guiding configuration and firmware after the mount arrives.
Mounts in Canada — Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I know if my mount is limiting me?
- If your guiding RMS is a large fraction of your pixel scale, if stars trail at particular tube angles, or if you routinely discard subs, the mount is likely the constraint rather than the camera or optics.
- Are encoders worth the cost?
- At long focal lengths and for unattended operation, yes — they correct error faster than guiding can and remove dependence on a guide star. At short focal lengths, good guiding achieves most of the same result for far less.
- Can a harmonic mount replace a heavy equatorial?
- For most portable imaging, yes. They carry more per kilogram than any other design and set up in minutes. A high-end worm-gear mount still has an edge in raw tracking smoothness at long focal length.
- What supply does my mount need in winter?
- More current than the summer specification. Stiff grease raises draw, and voltage sag through a thin or long cable is the usual cause of cold-weather stalls. Size the supply and the cable together.
Buying the mount first?
Send us your optic, camera and focal length and we will size it properly. Ships from Canada with setup support.