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Which car window mount? (1 Viewer)

Shoulder pod vs window mount-- sorry to have given the wrong impression about using the ATX 95 on a shoulder pod, totally impractical. I mentioned it just to illustrate that I own, and have used a wide variety of scopes trying to find the perfect combinations. When traveling by car, and walking only short distances I use either the ATX 95 or 65 on a carbon fiber tripod. If birding internationally, and /or doing a lot of hiking all day I use either my angled ED 50 or Opticron 52 with a small compact Slik Tripod and Gitzo ball head.

When I am staying in my vehicle, or anyone else's, I use the straight ED50 on a shoulder pod. As I said before it is quick to deploy, comfortable to use in any position, can look out either window, and can be handed to another person to look at whatever he wants. I use a 16x WA EP, because it works well being hand held, and in my experience when trying to use a higher power there is vibration coming from the window clamp (when I used it) and if anybody else is in the vehicle the motion of the vehicle makes a higher power magnification impractical.

When I was trying to use window clamps, the best combination I found was a Manfrotto that let me use a quick release plate so I could quickly switch between window clamp or tripod. Some of the big trucks and SUVs are better suited to using a window clamp, and if I owned that kind of a vehicle and did most of my birding sitting in a vehicle I'd get a window clamp with a QRP. But since I mainly do quick looks from inside my vehicle, I am totally content with my shoulder pod/Nikon ED50.
 
As mentioned, the Alpen showed up and basically I haven't gotten to actually try it because its snowing like the devil here(about 14" so far) but I did mount up the fieldscope and put it on a car window.

So this looks like its gonna be a disappointment. When you tighten the twist handle down to snug up the vertical up and down adjustment, it also tightens the horizontal side to side adjustment. When tight enough to hold the scopes vertical adjustment where you want to pan, the horizontal side to side only moves clockwise left to right and with a firm effort to get that motion started. There is no way to get it to pan back counterclockwise because the setup just locks up hard in that direction. Only way to go back is to loosen the handle tension to go back where you wanted to go but the bad part is that the scope vertical adjustment is then lost because you had to loosen the handle to get it to go back. And the bad part is the fieldscope is not balanced on the mount point so if you inadvertently let go forget to support, the heavy side of the scope is just gonna "fall".

Grrrrr..

I can't imagine this working effectively. The old Bushnell does the same thing but not to the same extent. Which is to say with the handle tightened just enough to hold the vertical alignment, the side to side is still able to pan back and forth smoothly.

I don't know why you would design a mount the way they designed this Alpen. I mean this certainly will lock your optic on a specific spot if that is your wish, and it is lighter than the older Bushnell or Newer Vortex. But to me, loosing the ability to pan would make it almost unusable. I mean, it would be like having a tripod that would not pan. You would then have to fool with your settings every time instead of just turning the scope on the horizontal axis to where you want to look. I mean, there really does not seem to me to be much need to lock side to side for a scope because on level ground gravity holds the scope in my experience right where you put it.

It may be possible to modify the Alpen. I swear, I sometimes wonder who designs these things and WTF they are thinking???? The way they made this to pan you would have to keep the mount loose, support the weight of your optic on the too short handle, try to keep it steady while you do the panning and then make sure you tighten it down enough to hold the vertical wherever you decide to let go or if you decide to take a break cause if not that scope is gonna flip right over and clank on the car.

Frustrating. The big shock is these Alpen mounts were raved about with over 30 very positive feedbacks on Amazon.com. Could that many buyers/users be that daft? Would anyone be happy with a mount that will not pan smoothly in either direction? Or is there a problem with my particular unit? Take it apart? Waste more time?

It would have made more sense to just make the pan free floating with a locking screw so you can lock it if you wish to do so. Trying to do up and sideways with the one tightening handle is the downfall of this unit.

I suppose return it and go Vortex which appears identical to old Bushnell. Newer Bushnells look cheap cheap. fwiw
 
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Shoulder pod vs window mount-- sorry to have given the wrong impression about using the ATX 95 on a shoulder pod, totally impractical. I mentioned it just to illustrate that I own, and have used a wide variety of scopes trying to find the perfect combinations. When traveling by car, and walking only short distances I use either the ATX 95 or 65 on a carbon fiber tripod. If birding internationally, and /or doing a lot of hiking all day I use either my angled ED 50 or Opticron 52 with a small compact Slik Tripod and Gitzo ball head.

When I am staying in my vehicle, or anyone else's, I use the straight ED50 on a shoulder pod. As I said before it is quick to deploy, comfortable to use in any position, can look out either window, and can be handed to another person to look at whatever he wants. I use a 16x WA EP, because it works well being hand held, and in my experience when trying to use a higher power there is vibration coming from the window clamp (when I used it) and if anybody else is in the vehicle the motion of the vehicle makes a higher power magnification impractical.

When I was trying to use window clamps, the best combination I found was a Manfrotto that let me use a quick release plate so I could quickly switch between window clamp or tripod. Some of the big trucks and SUVs are better suited to using a window clamp, and if I owned that kind of a vehicle and did most of my birding sitting in a vehicle I'd get a window clamp with a QRP. But since I mainly do quick looks from inside my vehicle, I am totally content with my shoulder pod/Nikon ED50.

I see your points. We may be talking apples/oranges here. You are in CA and say you tend to be out of the car whereas I am in Buffalo NY which often sports "miserable" cold wet frigid you imagine it weather. In many cases I am in no hurry to exit the car. For example, looking outside right now I can just see the feeder and its a whiteout. I don't even know now many inches so far, blockheater is on the tractor and when it stops/if it stops I willl be hitting it up with 25HP and a 5ft wide snowblower. :-C

I'm sure the ED50 at 16X is nice. And probably pretty handholdable too especially with windowsill etc. to lean against. I'm sure your window posts get in the way and windshield window glass distortion aggravates. It sure does me and I'm talking even with 8X binoculars attempting to do what you are describing.

Your points are well made and I should check into some shoulder pods. Sitting in the car it might be very stable and the view pleasing. +++
 
This is what I would do...and half the trouble, and not as cumbersome....

Do you have a picture of this beanbag setup? Is this something where the scope is contained inside a soft case with tie off rings and the scope gets tied off to the beanbag which also has tie off rings? Is there some arrangement to keep the beanbag solidly in place? Are magnets sewn into the beanbag to fix in place on the car body? Under the beanbag material I presume so as not to scratch paint???

Fruck... this is really aggravating. I can't even see the feeder anymore. A total whiteout. I already shoveled the deck at the sliding doors. At least 12 inches worth. Now there's at least 12 more inches where I shoveled. FruckerRoo. It's way too early in the winter for this nonsense.
 
Do you have a picture of this beanbag setup? Is this something where the scope is contained inside a soft case with tie off rings and the scope gets tied off to the beanbag which also has tie off rings? Is there some arrangement to keep the beanbag solidly in place? Are magnets sewn into the beanbag to fix in place on the car body? Under the beanbag material I presume so as not to scratch paint???

Beanbags are (or at least were) used quite a lot by photographers to rest their big lenses on. Check one of the photography sites for pictures.

Hermann
 
Turns out all the Alpen Car Window Mount needed was a complete disassembly and redesign for it to work as it should have worked in the first place. The problem is the main vertical shaft clamp/horizontal pivot is slotted right to the main shaft so as you clamp down the handle to firm up the vertical, you immediately "also" firm up the horizontal panning "too". This is of course, fine if you are intending to use the window mount to lock an optic into "one" position firmly and securely. Unfortunately, about 90% of my car window mount useage involves panning a wide area such as an overlook, bay area, valley etc... You pull up the car at the right angle. Put the optic on the window. Set the vertical angle at say a treeline or whatever point you want to scan, and you can then look all the way across the field of view easily, enjoyably and to the extent you tire of doing so. That is if the mount is designed right which this Alpen was not.

So. What to do? Well, disassemble the whole stupid thing and fix it of course. One Amazon reviewer complained of his Alpen coming apart when he tried to use it. Well, not much of a surprise on that. The anchor/stopper philips screws are like .2" long so you can surmise it wouldn't take much loosening for your mount to fall apart. "This" needs to be fixed if you do nothing else. ++ Did they use LocTite #242 Blue threadlocker on these screws? Well no, of course they did not. So you should take these screws out and apply threadlocker to the threads. But, if you are interested in panning [you are interested in smooth uninterupted panning aren't you if you bought one of these window mounts persumably?] you must also fix the slotted main horizontal pivot clamp too. This is accomplished by finding a shim of the exact thickness to fill the slotted main horizontal shaft clamp. In my case, it turned out to be a .472" washer of .072" thickness because that's what I found around here to use!!! This is like a .05 cent part from the hardware store. On top of that, machining was required to slot the stupid clamp shaft in the first place. Why slot it at all? The weight of the optic and gravity holds it in place of if you must have a lock on there, put a small threaded knob with the screw acting on the main horizontal shaft. More secure, probably no more machining required. Works perfectly. So anyways I've digressed.

Get yourself a small washer of the stated size, or a piece of metal, you could even fill it with epoxy I'm sure. You just need to fill that gap in so the main handle when clamped down does not "act on" the horizontal shaft. I've got some pictures here and I will try to post them up. While you are in there, apply a light coat of moly grease to both of the shafts before assembly. You will have to pry the vertical/handle clamp apart gently to get it to go back on the sideways/slotted shaft. Really easy. Don't wipe off all your grease in the process fellas. LOL

So its back together now. Horizontal pivot slot filled with insert washer, its locked in there by the vertical clamp so it can't come out without first removing the clamp. The philips screws are both Loctited into place. Where they are is where they "will" be until removed with tools. God bless loctite. Alpen Window mount at $26 shipped now functions flawlessly, will not "ever" inadvertently come apart. And it weighs only about 9 ounces so its pretty portable. The clamp itself will mount on almost a 1/2 inch span be it a car window, or a railing. As an option, another small "C" clamp can be carried for such situations. That would allow for clamping on bigger stuff depending the clamp you choose and then the Alpen could be clamped on that.

Apoligies on the pictures. I didn't use the flash and they were too dark so I overexposed them so anyone interested could see the diss. and the parts. You can see where I greased hinges and whatnot. The quarter is there to show size. Its really very simple to fix this clamp. Two tiny philips screws and it comes right apart. Drop a washer into the slot, lube the pivots, loctite the screws and your in business!
 

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More pics...

These show some of the disassembly and some size comparisons to the old Bushnell I have used "quite happily" for hundreds of hours. The Bushnell is old, well built, and substantial. I would have happily bought another in a heartbeat if I could have found one. fwiw

Third and fourth pictures show the washer in the clamp slot. Putting the optic mount clamp onto this locks the washer inside so it can't fall out.
 

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Window mount conditions.

So.. Here we have some car window mount weather conditions. Out of curiosity, is there anyone that wants to go out into this with your tripod and scope? Its 14 degrees F. Approximately 30 inches of snow. Feeders have been brushed off multiple times fwiw. Birds are there. Coping the best they can. If you are amongst those heading out with your tripod I am quite sure you will be struggling to cope TOO. LOL. In another departure from the norm, should you decide to do so, I recommend hip boots cause they keep the snow out and off your legs in these conditions. Even relatively large snowshoes sink right in cause its powder snow.

Or, you could be sitting in your relatively warm and protected car and not have to freeze your digits off. She certainly is not going to want to get out. LOLAL
 

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CC,

I love the fact that you shoveled a walkway to your feeders. :)

I am too lazy and just trudge through the snow with the seed bag in hand. ;)

I am glad I don't live in upstate New York. Here in my part of Eastern PA we have some leftover snow from yesterday but I can see more grass than snow. It won't be that way by tomorrow afternoon though. ;)
 
Nice to hear from you Frank. Regarding the birdfeeder you don't even know the half of it. LOL I blew it out last night with the tractor and my 5 foot 3pt PTO snowblower!!!! Sort of had to, cause the depth of snow on the sides of the deck was higher than the deck itself from shoveling it off. I was like?? I better clear that outta there or I won't be able to shovel it off the deck anymore! And if I wait and it hardens then I'll have a devil of a time removing it even with the snowblower.

And it just keeps coming down. Lake Erie isn't frozen so its the perfect snow machine and I'm right in the weather pattern!

Funny it is that there's so much snow here that if I go out with my hip waders on, the snow is at mid thigh level and I'm fighting my way through it. If this is an indication of the year and what we might expect then I'm shuddering at the thought.

I counted approximately 50+ birds at a time on the feeders give or take. They're flying in and out constantly. LOL The sock feeder was solid finches both sides and looked like just a mass of shivering feathers top to bottom so I couldn't count it too well. They were already at the feeders before first light. I was watchin em in the darkness with those Vixen Foresta 7X50's. Those are working great and with the snow they're really bright!!!

And speaking of snow, it just keeps coming down day and night. There's another 6" out there right now and I just cleaned it up last night. I've got this Pileated Woodpecker here that keeps coming in to the suet feeder. I can't get a good shot of him with the camera cause he's ultra cautious. He seems to love peanut butter too.

All that said, I'd love to be in your snow "less" situation.
 
So a couple of pictures auto scoping.

Disclaimer here.... None was injured on this outing while using these two scopes. It was colder than a witch and we saw a ton of birds. Some you might be able to make out in a picture or two. The way this works one person stays in the front seat. Depending what you are trying to look at that side of the car the person in the front stays in the front. The other person moves to the back seat to use the passenger window to mount a second scope. fwiw This works a charm especially in foul weather where you would like to enjoy the view but have no desire to endure the elements. And of course, if you like, say you see something you want to look closer at, you can jump out of the car and go with scope, binoculars etc.....

fwiw, in the fourth photo moving the scope back on the window would have reduced the reach large but I think she just wanted to take a quick look to the far right.
 

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One more. Fwiw the scope in the front seat is an 82mm angled scope. So to use effectively, you have to rotate the scope on its rotating clamp. So the eyepiece is then at an angle to the back or the front depending what you are looking at and the angle you put the car at relative your desired viewing area. If you want to look to the rear of the car without first moving the car, then yes, as shown in the picture, you Do have to lean further forward. Through all this, the scope can be rotated to a position of maximum comfort. Its worth keeping in mind you can also loosen the window clamp and move the scope more forward or backwards on the window to optimize your view and maximize your viewing comfort. When moving the scope forward you would typically lower the window more to allow lineup with the scope eyepiece when you lean your body forward. Moving it back you would raise it up because you are then sitting higher in the seat and to line it up without twisting yourself down [scrunching] you have to raise the window more. So you raise or lower the window to suit your scope position, your viewing needs and to minimize discomfort.It helps to put the sun guard out on your scope if its misting or raining/freezing as it keeps it off the lens amap. Easier to remove ice buildup from the sun shade than the lens itself.

The mentioned mods to the Alpen car window mount do fix it allowing for panning back and forth with zero resistance. The tightening handle on it is a bit short so you have to hold it when loosened up to change the vertical setting. Once snugged even half tight it holds and won't drop. I guess if it bothered you the handle could be lengthened. I haven't used it much so far but its working OK as far as I am concerned. For the cost of the mount and a shim how can you argue?
 

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Just a quick thought: I normally use my scopes on a monopod in the car. Works better for me than a window mount. More flexible than a window mount, as I can use it to look through the window on the passenger side as well.

Hermann
 
A shoulder pod is even more flexible :)

Sure, but then it's easier to use high magnifications when the scope is on a monopod. On a decent monopod I can use 40x no problem from the car, try to do that with a shoulder pod ... :)

Hermann
 
Hi curvecrazy, I'm late to the conversation and I guess you've got it figured out at this point, but I wanted you to know that you are not alone in using a window mount. I use them very frequently. In fact, they are so important to me that I won't buy a car with window shape that makes using one awkward, and I won't buy a vehicle with power windows (which drive me crazy while birding for many other reasons besides). I have a window mount like your old Bushnell model, and I have another that I got from Cabela's 20+ years ago that is essentially identical except for the logo. I've tried much fancier designs (from Manfrotto and others) that brace against the door to provide even more stability than just what the glass offers, but they are inconvenient to deploy and unnecessary for scope use (Maybe better choice for long lens photography).

--AP
 
I have to admit I'm "miffed" by the lack of interest and awareness about car window mounts on the forum. Frankly, it baffles me. These really are so incredibly useful and convenient I could not imagine my scoping life without. They're a staple. So how is it that there is so little response on here with regards to these. I tried to look and get a member count on this forum but could not find one. This forum is worldwide and I should think thousands of members. I find it shocking that amongst such a large group of bird seeking enthusiasts that others are unaware of or simply don't like these mounts.
Really its like an Alice in Wonderland for me.
 
Just a quick thought: I normally use my scopes on a monopod in the car. Works better for me than a window mount. More flexible than a window mount, as I can use it to look through the window on the passenger side as well.

Hermann

How do you "pan" with this monopod? Seems to me it would slide between car seat and window. For it to be stable you would then have to brace it with one hand? Or do you lean your leg against it?

Either way there's no way this is as stable as a good window mount. Sorry.

Shoulder mount? Ok. I have been using one at low power with the Nikon 50ED. Yeah, it works ok at 20X. At 40X + I would not seriously consider it unless its my only available option. The effort to hold it steady to view effectively would make birding or viewing "un"enjoyable for me. I'm not a big mag person but with window mount when I find an interesting bird I can zoom in at 60X completely stable and shake free, view whatever it is for as long as I want in total comfort. No straining such as with shoulder pod to try and keep steady.

I can't imagine trying to view for hours on end with a monopod, a shoulder pod, a beanbag, even a tripod. Yes that's right. A tripod. Are you seriously going to stand there for hours on end and look effectively at something through a tripod mounted optic? No, you are not. Now if you put a chair behind the tripod, now you can relax, adjust the tripod accordingly, and watch for quite a while. Now, that said, if there's any wind, the car window mount will again be more steady as the wind easily blows around your optic on your tripod. fwiw.

Cars tend to weigh 2000lbs or more and they tend to be stable even in the wind. Tripods? Not so much. LOL
 
Well I can't imagine viewing for hours on end in the same place. I like to move around, either driving or walking. When driving, the shoulderpod with my ED 50 and 16x WA lens gives me a quick loop at something beyond the reach of my binoculars. If I need a better look I get out of the car with my tripod and big scope. I might also add that the longtime birder who holds the record for the most species seen in our county prefers a window clamp. But he is 80 and has had hip replacements. That's the great thing about birding, lots of different ways to do things depending on the situation.

Also in years past when I did try using a window clamp, if someone else was in the vehicle and I was zoomed to a high power every time that person moved the image moved. I agree that when I am by myself and parked overlooking a lake and trying to sort through hundreds of waterfowl a window clamp is convenient, especially in inclement weather.
 
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