iOptron CEM26
iOptron
iOptron CEM26 is a Center-balanced equatorial mount for guided astrophotography rigs.
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Specifications
Mount
- Mount type
- Center-balanced equatorial mount
- Modes
- Equatorial GoTo
- Material
- All-metal casting + CNC machined construction
- Slew rate
- 6°/sec (1440x)
Capacity
- Payload
- 12 kg / 26 lb, excluding counterweight
- Mount weight
- 4.5 kg / 10 lb mount head
- Payload-to-weight ratio
- 2.6:1
Tracking
- Drive
- 1.8° stepper motor, 128× microdivision
- Transmission
- Synchronous belt
- Periodic error
- <±12 arcsec (CEM26)
- Resolution
- 0.17"
- Max slew speed
- Up to 6°/s
- Slew speeds
- 1×, 2×, 8×, 16×, 64×, 128×, 256×, 512×, max
Setup
- Latitude range
- 0°-60°
- Azimuth range
- ±6°
- Dovetail saddle
- 3.8-inch spring-loaded Vixen-style saddle
- Counterweights
- 4.5 kg / 10 lb counterweight
- Counterweight shaft
- Φ20 mm × 306 mm, M16
- Polar scope
- iPolar electronic polar scope or AccuAlign illuminated optical polar scope
Control
- Power
- 12V DC, 5A
- Power consumption
- 0.5A tracking; 0.8A GoTo
- Controller
- Go2Nova 8409 hand controller
- Communication
- USB and built-in Wi-Fi
- Object database
- 212,000 objects
- Guide port
- ST4-compatible autoguide port
- Operating temperature
- -10 °C to 40 °C
Specifications
- Tripod / pier
- 1.75\" Stainless Steel LiteRoc
Astrophotography Fit
A general-purpose GoTo mount that should be chosen by realistic imaging payload, not headline capacity alone.
iOptron CEM26 is a premium Center-balanced equatorial mount for computerized tracking and guiding. Rated payload: 12 kg / 26 lb, excluding counterweight.
For long-exposure astrophotography, use a conservative imaging payload. The telescope, camera, guide hardware, dew heaters, dovetails, and cables all count, and guiding performance matters more than the catalog payload number.
Best paired with
- Autoguided refractors or corrected reflectors within conservative payload limits
- Stable tripod or pier and balanced counterweights
- Computer or hand-controller workflow with good polar alignment
Not recommended for
- Payloads at the rated maximum for imaging
- Users who need an airline-portable rig above all else
- Long focal length work without guiding and careful balance
Where To Buy
Some links on this page are affiliate links. Prices and availability are pulled automatically from each retailer and updated daily.
| Retailer | Price | Availability | View Offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mile High Astronomy Mile High Astronomy | $1,199.00 | In stock Updated 8/5/2026 | View Offer - $1,199.00 |
| Cloud Break Optics Cloud Break Optics | $1,298.00 | In stock Updated 8/5/2026 | View Offer - $1,298.00 |
| Astronomics Astronomics | $1,548.00 | In stock Updated 8/4/2026 | View Offer - $1,548.00 |
| Telescopes.net Telescopes.net | $1,548.00 | In stock Updated 8/4/2026 | View Offer - $1,548.00 |
| Agena AstroProducts Agena AstroProducts | $1,699.00 | In stock Updated 8/5/2026 | View Offer - $1,699.00 |
| High Point Scientific High Point Scientific | $1,699.00 | In stock Updated 8/4/2026 | View Offer - $1,699.00 |
Price History
Chronological retailer pricing with out-of-stock points shown at reduced opacity.