iOptron HEM44EC with iPolar
iOptron
iOptron HEM44EC Hybrid Strain Wave Drive Mount Head is a strain-wave GoTo mount for guided astrophotography rigs.
Best Current Offer
Specifications
Mount
- Mount type
- Hybrid strain-wave equatorial GoTo mount
- Drive system
- Strain-wave RA drive with belt-driven DEC
- Payload capacity
- 44 lb (20 kg) without counterweight; 55 lb (25 kg) with counterweight
- Mount weight
- 13.65 lb (6.2 kg)
- Counterweight
- SS Φ20X200mm, M16 thread (Optional)
- Latitude range
- 15º ~ 65º
Capacity
- Payload-to-weight ratio
- 4:1
Motion
- Slew rate
- 4.5º/sec
- Encoder
- High-precision RA encoder variant
Specifications
- Power
- DC12V-5A (5.5/2.5mm DC plug)
Electronics
- Controller
- Go2Nova® 8409 with ~212,000 objects database
Mechanical
- Tripod / pier
- Optional
Astrophotography Fit
A portable strain-wave mount that should be chosen by realistic imaging payload, not headline capacity alone.
iOptron HEM44EC Hybrid Strain Wave Drive Mount Head is a premium strain-wave GoTo mount for computerized tracking and guiding.
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.
Strain-wave mounts are wonderfully compact, but they still need stiffness, cable discipline, and sometimes counterweighting to keep long tubes calm.
Best paired with
- Compact refractors, cooled cameras, and tidy cable-managed power
- Guiding from a guide scope or OAG for long exposures
- Tripod or pier with enough stiffness for the full imaging load
Not recommended for
- Ignoring counterweights on long or heavy optical tubes
- Tall, flexible tripods with high wind exposure
- Payloads near the marketing limit for long-exposure imaging
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomics Astronomics | $4,148.00 | In stock Updated 5/11/2026 | View Offer - $4,148.00 |
| Cloud Break Optics Cloud Break Optics | $4,148.00 | In stock Updated 5/14/2026 | View Offer - $4,148.00 |
| Mile High Astronomy Mile High Astronomy | $4,148.00 | In stock Updated 5/12/2026 | View Offer - $4,148.00 |
| High Point Scientific High Point Scientific | $4,559.00 | In stock Updated 5/13/2026 | View Offer - $4,559.00 |