GEM Mounts

What is your choice for visual and Astrophotography? Do you recommend a mount for each or one for both?

Floyd --

For visual, I like the simplicity of alt/az. But I can't stand the lack of thrust or conical bearings in the mass-market fork mounts, and their associated poor dampening times.

At the professional end, all the forks are equatorially mounted, which I don't find that much more intuitive than a GEM. At that point I'd rather have the stability (ie: short overhangs) of a GEM.

So... one mount. As nice a GEM as you can afford. Mount a toilet paper roll with some cellophane over it if you have to.

-- Jeff.