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Telescope stability (1 Viewer)

Lawrie Hodges

Well-known member
I have trouble pointing my scope for digiscoping. Having aimed it in the right direction using the handle attached to the tripod head, I let go and the telesope with its camera attached sags and the field of view changes. I have to aim the scope at some point below my subject, guessing where the system is going to end up. I had wondered if my tripod and head were too flimsy but it is a Manfrotto 190 NAT with 128RCNAT Head which seem fairly robust and are in common use. Is my problem commonplace, to be expected and everyone else has the same difficulty or is there something wrong with my system? If it is standard, what do you do? Add a counterweight? I have a need for some fine screw control for altitude. Does such a thing this exist?
 
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I use the same tripod/head combo. I like the smooth action for panning and locating birds, but it is a real pain for digiscoping when you come to want to lock it up tight for a shot. I don't have the problem of it moving once locked, but I find that tightening everything up moves the scope slightly out of alignment and it is fiddly to reposition.
 
Hi Lawrie, and welcome to the Forum.

Your setup is exactly the same as I had, before I upgraded to a carbon-fibre tripod (using the same head).

The extra weight on the rear end of the camera/scope combination does cause some movement if the panning and tilting screws are not tightened sufficiently.

For normal use of the scope, I normally keep mine just short of completely tightened to allow the scope to pan and tilt and it will stay in place when you let go. But add the camera and you can't do this.

For digiscoping I now have a bracket between the scope and tripod head which moves the scope forward, changing the centre of gravity. This has made it a lot more stable.
 
Yes, it's a very common problem for Manfrotto 128 users (when digiscoping).... other than a different head, you can try to shift the centre of balance of the scope+camera with a focusing platform that fits to the head (Manfrotto make the 454 Micro positioning plate).
Regards,
Andy Bright
 
I don't actually have that problem of the head moving slightly while tightening the screws.

I had more problem with a Velbon tripod where you used the handle to lock both panning and tilting. I find with the two screws on the Manfrotto head, it is easier to tighten without anything moving.

I tighten the tilting screw first and then the panning screw. This allows for if the bird moves sideways slightly as you're tightening. Then you can make the horizontal adjustment, lock and take the photo. In theory!
 
I found that using a spring washer (is that the right term, any engineers on forum ? It's a washer with a split in it, which is not quite flat, so compressing it tightens it) between two normal washers on the 'pan' screw on my 128 RC gave me added fingertip control - so far (touch wood) the only digiscoping attempt I have made, did not have the problem described - many others, but not that one !

HTH

Tony
 
Like some have said, I use the same combo and tighten them up slowly whilst panning so it's tight enough to stay still yet easy enough to move.
 
I ended up buying the Manfrotto 501 Fluid Head at a cost of £125. You have a gravity setting that takes into account the weight of your camera once it is attached to your scope. You also can move your head up, down and sideways with ease.
 
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