Tripods/Heads/Telescopes - generalities? (1 Viewer)

[bugbear]

I have some old tripods and heads (Manfrotto 144/with 166 head, Benbo model 1, Gitzo Reporter with offset ball head, Manfrotto 79 monopod)
These have served me well for photographic use.

But none of these seem a very good match with my Mirador 22-47 x 75mm telescope. The Manfrotto 144 is just stable enough to manage the 47x magnification, but aiming is painful. Even at 22x magnification, aiming is a little painful.
Does anyone have a pointer to a general discussion on tripods/heads/telescopes? I feel I'm missing the point of all this fairly badly. At the moment I have nothing I'd like to take to the field to actually use!
(I did get a good view of Jupiter and it's 3 visible moons last night though).

 

[jmepler]

I'm not familiar with the 166 head. A ball head is okay for stationary birds, but is never going to be easy to aim.

What most people use with a spotting scope is a fluid video head. This gives you smooth tilting and panning, usually with adjustable drag. I couldn't believe the difference when I switched from a 3-way head to a video head. I could easily track birds in flight, something that was nearly impossible with the 3-way had.

 

[tenex]

Jupiter is unusually close now and I could just make out a sense of bands in its clouds, could you? (Seeing isn't great here.) I'm using my photo tripod, an old Gitzo (it says 226, is that a Reporter?) with a 3-way head. It is stable enough for observation or panning at 60x or more, though I don't try to track flying birds. If you need to buy anew, three-section legs would be better than four, and of course a fluid head. There is regular discussion of tripods and heads here.

 

[Hermann]

I have some old tripods and heads (Manfrotto 144/with 166 head, Benbo model 1, Gitzo Reporter with offset ball head, Manfrotto 79 monopod)

The Gitzo Reporter is definitely suitable for a 75mm scope. The big question is whether it is tall enough for you without extending the middle column too much. The offset ball head, however, is definitely NOT suitable for use with a scope. Get a decent video head. The Manfrotto 128 might do, the 500AH is better at high magnifications.

But none of these seem a very good match with my Mirador 22-47 x 75mm telescope. The Manfrotto 144 is just stable enough to manage the 47x magnification, but aiming is painful. Even at 22x magnification, aiming is a little painful.

Use a cable tie sight: Make your own simple sight (aiming) device for telescopes: illustrated instructions.

Hermann