Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Review: The Grab and Go GoTo
The AZ-GTi is the mount that makes a small telescope worth setting up on a weeknight, because it weighs less than the scope on top and finds targets from a phone. Buy it if you own a small refractor or a Maksutov and want computerised finding without a full size mount. Skip it if your telescope plus accessories approaches its 11 lb rating, or if you want a serious imaging mount, because this is a visual and light imaging platform rather than a deep sky workhorse.
Eight and a half pounds of computerised mount with dual encoders, and an 11 lb ceiling you should take seriously.
Sky-Watcher AZ-GTi Portable Computerized GoTo Alt-Az Mount
~$439
An 8.6 lb WiFi controlled computerised altazimuth mount with an 11 lb payload, Freedom Find dual encoders and all metal brass and aluminium gearing.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Weight | 8.6 lb |
|---|---|
| Payload | 11 lb |
| Control | Generates its own WiFi, controlled from the SynScan Pro app |
| Encoders | Freedom Find dual encoders, allows manual slewing without losing alignment |
| Gearing | Brass and aluminium all metal |
| Photography | Time lapse and panorama modes with a built in SNAP port |
Specifications above come from Sky-Watcher's published specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Freedom Find is the standout feature: you can grab the telescope and move it by hand without the mount losing its alignment, which no other mount at this price does well.
- WiFi control from a phone means no hand controller, and the app is the same one used across Sky-Watcher's computerised range.
- At 8.6 lb the mount head is genuinely portable, so the whole setup fits in a rucksack with a light tripod.
- The SNAP port automates camera shutter release for time lapse and panorama work, which broadens its use beyond astronomy.
Where it falls short
- Eleven pounds is a visual payload figure and it is easy to reach with a 5 inch Maksutov plus a diagonal and a heavy eyepiece.
- It ships without a tripod in the head only configuration, and a flimsy tripod will undo the mount's advantages entirely.
- As supplied it is altazimuth, so long exposure imaging needs the separate equatorial wedge conversion and even then the payload limits what is realistic.
- It runs on AA batteries or an external supply, and cold weather shortens battery life sharply.
What owners report
Published owner reports are enthusiastic about the concept and consistent about the ceiling. People pairing it with a small refractor or a 4 to 5 inch Maksutov describe a setup that comes out on nights when the big telescope stays in, which is the point. People loading it near the rating describe slewing that struggles and tracking that wanders.
Tripod choice comes up constantly. Owners repeatedly report that the mount's performance is limited by whatever it sits on, and that a solid photographic or Sky-Watcher tripod is the difference between a steady view and a wobbly one. Treat the tripod as part of the purchase price.
Who it suits
- Owners of a small refractor or Maksutov who want GoTo without a full size mount.
- Observers who want a setup that goes from car to observing in a couple of minutes.
- Anyone who values being able to push the telescope by hand without breaking alignment.
Who should skip it
- Deep sky imagers, who need an equatorial mount with real payload headroom.
- Owners of anything approaching 11 lb of telescope and accessories.
- Buyers who have not budgeted for a solid tripod.
Alternatives worth considering
Sky-Watcher Star Adventurer GTi Mount Head Kit with counterweight
~$579
A true equatorial GoTo head, so exposures do not suffer field rotation. It costs about a hundred and forty dollars more and is the right choice if imaging rather than visual observing is the goal.
Check price on AmazonCelestron NexStar 127SLT Maksutov-Cassegrain Computerized GoTo Telescope
~$660
A telescope, mount and tripod in one box for around two hundred dollars more than this mount head alone. Less flexible and less capable as a mount, but it is a working telescope the night it arrives.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- GoTo mount vs motor drive
- Alt-azimuth vs equatorial mount
- Mount payload calculator
- Star Adventurer GTi review
- Celestron NexStar 127SLT review
- Mount payload by telescope weight
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
What telescope suits the AZ-GTi?
A small refractor of roughly 70 to 100mm, or a 4 to 5 inch Maksutov. The mount is rated at 11 lb and that includes the diagonal, the finder and whatever eyepiece is fitted. Our mount payload calculator will total the real figure for your setup rather than the tube weight alone.
Can the AZ-GTi be used equatorially?
There is a well known conversion using a wedge and alternative firmware that puts it into equatorial mode for imaging. It works, and many people use it for wide field imaging with a small scope. It does not change the payload limit, so it suits a camera and lens or a very light tube rather than a real telescope.
What does Freedom Find actually do?
Dual encoders on both axes track where the mount is pointing even when you move it by hand. So you can grab the tube, swing it to something you noticed, and the mount still knows where it is and can slew to the next target. It removes the single most annoying limitation of cheap GoTo mounts.
Does the AZ-GTi come with a tripod?
The head only version does not. Sky-Watcher sells a matched tripod and the mount also fits standard photographic tripods with the right adapter. Whatever you choose needs to be genuinely rigid, because the mount cannot compensate for a tripod that flexes.
AZ-GTi or a Dobsonian?
For pure aperture per dollar the Dobsonian wins, and it is not close. The AZ-GTi wins on finding objects, on tracking, and on being small enough that it gets used. Our GoTo versus manual telescope comparison lays out the tradeoff, and the honest answer depends on whether finding objects is fun for you or a chore.
How we choose: we compare published manufacturer specifications, optical figures we can verify, and reviews from owners who have used the equipment under real skies. We do not test gear in person. Never point any telescope, finder or binocular at the Sun without a certified full-aperture solar filter fitted over the front of the instrument.
Recording your own eyepieces, exit pupils and sessions? The Observing & Astrophotography Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.