Tripod head for scope (1 Viewer)

Hi - I have an Opticron 665 GA Scope and currently use this on my Giottos MTL 9351B Tripod with a Manfrotto 804RC2 Head.

I am not particularly happy with the head for the scope (it was bought for photography) and am considering buying a fluid video head. What would be the best option in the lower end of the price range (<£100)?

Thanks,

I have been looking at this myself and the Manfrotto 701HDV head seems to be a contender and popular with scope users. In fact, I think Opticron also supply it as an option with their own tripods.

Seems to be available at just under, or around, the £100 mark.

Either the 701HDV, as mentioned above, or the 128RC. Both are smooth & work well with todays scopes.

Another vote for the 701HDV. I have one and rate it highly. The only criticism I have seen levelled at it is that the panning resistance is fairly strong and is not adjustable. With a light scope and tripod and a slippery floor that could be a problem but mine has been fine. I think it would work well with your Opticron scope.

Ron

I use the 701HDV for my Kowa TSN4 mounted on a Gitzo 2 series (or sometimes 3 series) tripods and I agree the panning is a little stiff. Aside from this I find it to be an excellent head for birding use.
A friend has the Manfrotto 128 RC, which is also very good, but IMHO not quite as good, but quite a bit cheaper.
Only you can decide - I would say get the 701 HDV!

I use the 701 hdv with a swaro scope. I also use it for digiscoping and the balance rail on the head is excellent. I also took the handle off as I found that I didnt use it and it just got in the way. Its an excellent head. Ger.

Is anyone using the Giottos GTVH6011-658D 2 Way Video/Bird head .I was thinking of pairing this with the Giottos 8351b carbon tripod and Nikon ED82A. Is anyone using this combination ?


Cheers,
Graham

I am also in the 128rc vs 701HDV issue.

One problem I saw about the 701 head is that its quick-release plate is big. Considering that I use the tripod for many items, including compact small cameras and small binoculars... I happen to think that to leave such a big plate attached to them will compromise their compact nature and portability. That is the main reason why I more toward the 128rc... its quick release plater seems smaller and more likely that I will leave the plate in the objects.

The advantage of the 701 seems to be the possibility to re-balance the scope in the case of a digiscoping assembly. But I, for example, have one of those astro bino with adjustable tripod screw by a a center moving screw. And often, instead of looking for the perfect balance in the center of gravity I instead push it forward, out of its balance, to reduce the movement my head must do to follow moving targets in case I am sited in a chair. So it is unlikely that the re balancing thing would help me.

Something that always piss me off is how and why the camera manufacturers always make the screw in such a way that the quick release plate obstruct the battery-SD access. More specifically, "Canon" is the one that repeat this mistake more often... by placing the screw tripod adapter exactly in a spot to make it impossible for you to change the battery without taking off the quick release plate.(What is the problem of these guys???)

IvanCavallazzi said:

I am also in the 128rc vs 701HDV issue.
.
Something that always piss me off is how and why the camera manufacturers always make the screw in such a way that the quick release plate obstruct the battery-SD access. More specifically, "Canon" is the one that repeat this mistake more often... by placing the screw tripod adapter exactly in a spot to make it impossible for you to change the battery without taking off the quick release plate.(What is the problem of these guys???)

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I have a number of Canons and the only one that suffers from this is my G9, it's also my smallest Canon. The only ways (that I can think of) of avoiding this problem are to:
1.use a DSLR
2.move the mounting thread to the side, giving other problems, eg alignment.
3. make the camera bigger, so you might as well get a DSLR in the first place.
Just my thoughts - I may well be wrong!