The centre-balanced equatorial mount has been around for a few years and has proven to be a popular and sturdy option for those looking for high load capabilities without the weight of traditional equatorial mounts.
To this end, Sky-Watcher has now launched its first foray into this type of equatorial mount, with the CQ350 Pro.
Our first impression when the CQ350 Pro arrived was that clearly this is a sizeable mount – three large boxes were delivered.
Unboxing and setting up the CQ350
Opening the first box, we found the mount head held firmly encased in thick foam, with a counterweight bar and accessories.
The tripod, which weighs in at 15kg, was securely packaged in a separate box, and a pair of 10kg counterweights and an optional polar scope were enclosed in the third.
We were disappointed to see that the CQ350 Pro does not ship with a carry case, so if you are looking to transport the mount to dark-sky areas, this needs to be taken into consideration.
Setting up the CQ350 Pro was straightforward enough, with the mount attaching to the tripod via the threaded connection underneath, in addition to two Allen bolts that have a dual function, holding the mount in place while also locking down the left/right declination adjustment.
Adjusting the altitude proved to be very easy, thanks to the oversized green metal knob that controls the movement in both directions.
Power supply
The CQ350 Pro mount is powered from a cigarette lighter-style 12V plug that screws securely to the mount, removing the risk of accidental disconnections.
One thing to note is that the power supply and handset connection, plus the USB and power hubs, are situated on the counterweight side of the mount.
This results in the sockets pointing skywards during use, which was a little concerning given the moisture and dew we have to contend with in the UK, particularly during the autumn and winter.
Using the supplied USB cable, we were easily able to connect our laptop and control the mount.
The polar scope attached firmly to the front of the mount using two small screws.
We did notice that once this is attached, it slightly hinders access to the RA control and USB/power pass-through.
We also noted that the polar scope can only be used with the left eye, due to its close proximity to the mount body.
Polar alignment
Once skies were dark, polar alignment was nice and straightforward and we were pleased to note that when tightening everything down we didn’t push the alignment out.
After completing a three-star alignment, we slewed to a few different targets and were please to confirm that it hit each one with spot-on accuracy.
While slewing we did note that the handset cable kept getting tangled around the counterweight, one issue that is arguably due to its central connection location.
Astrophotography
Switching out our eyepiece, we proceeded to connect our camera and test out the USB hub and power pass-through system.
The supplied USB cable for the hub needs to be powered to enable cameras to work at their best.
The main problem we encountered while using the hub was due to its location, as we found running cables from the front of the mount back to the camera left them dangling and risked them snagging.
Slewing over to Cygnus and switching on our guider, we were pleased to see a smooth guide graph, with only light corrections required.
Once we were happy everything had settled, we set about running a series of 15-minute exposures on the North America Nebula in both Ha and OIII.
During this multi-hour imaging session, the CQ350 Pro didn’t miss a beat and performed flawlessly, as was evidenced by the perfect stars in the resulting images.
This new mount performed well at all its core functions, and was only really let down a little by some poor design choices when it comes to cable management.
Overall, though, the CQ350 Pro is a great addition to Sky-Watcher’s range, offering exactly the kind of solid quality at a decent price we have come to expect from them.
CQ350 Balance and load capacity
The trusty equatorial mount is a staple for anyone looking to do long-exposure astrophotography and the design has stood the test of time.
However, a few years ago a new design came to market that promised higher load capabilities but with the advantage of a less bulky and lighter mount head.
This new design has the appearance of a ‘Z’ on its side, rather than the traditional ‘T’, and shifts the centre of gravity of the mount, placing the bulk of the weight or pivot point above the tripod or pier.
Sky-Watcher’s CQ350 Pro builds on this design, offering a substantial load capacity of 35kg from a mount weighing just 18.5kg (without counterweights).
Compare this to the smaller Sky-Watcher EQ6R, which only has a 20kg load capacity but weighs in at 17.3kg, and you can see the strength in the design.
The reduced mount weight means the CQ350 Pro is semi-portable, as it can be easily lifted on and off a tripod.
However, we wouldn’t recommend trying to move both mount and tripod together.
CQ350 Pro 5 best features
Large knobs
The large, CNC-machined metal knobs on the altaz adjusters, clutches and dovetail plate are a nice inclusion. These large knobs make adjustments easy, even when wearing gloves and with cold fingers. All the adjusters are finished in green, making them easy to locate in the dark.
Tripod
The CQ350 Pro can be supplied with Sky-Watcher’s new 2.7-inch-diameter-legged tripod. With a solid steel head and stainless steel legs, it weighs in at 15kg and stands 77.5cm tall, extending to 1 metre if required. This is a solid and robust tripod, easily able to carry the heaviest of setups.
Losmandy/Vixen mount
The Sky-Watcher CQ350 Pro is equipped with a heavy-duty, multi-use mounting plate suitable for all telescopes and accessories. This solid, full-metal bracket accepts the smaller, Vixen-style dovetail as well as the larger Losmandy plates found on larger and heavier telescopes.
Hand controller
The CQ350 Pro is supplied with Sky-Watcher’s SynScan hand controller, which will be familiar to anyone who has used a Sky-Watcher mount before. The large screen and rubbery buttons make using the hand controller easy and the menu options are very intuitive, with step-by-step instructions when performing alignment routines.
USB 3.0 hub
Located under the mounting plate is a four-port USB 3.0 hub, controlled by connecting a powered USB cable to a port on the side of the mount head. This hub is wired through the middle of the mount into the hub in the mounting plate, removing the risk of dangling cables.
Vital stats
- Price: £3,198 (mount head and tripod)/ £2,599 (mount head only)
- Mount: type Centre-balanced equatorial
- Load capacity: 35kg
- Hand controller: SynScan with 42,900+ object database
- Tracking rates: Sidereal, solar, lunar
- Power input: 11–16V DC 2A, 55W
- Ports: 4x USB, 3x power output, shutter release, power input, hand controller, autoguider
- Counterweights supplied: 2x10kg
- Weight: 18.5kg
- Supplier: Optical Vision
- Email info@opticalvision.co.uk
- www.opticalvision.co.uk
This review appeared in the February 2024 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine
