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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Tripod and head needed (1 Viewer)

Two screw options are very welcome when available! I have bought spare plates so I don’t need to change them over, leave them locked in place. Otherwise some thin rubber sheet and the largest contact area you can manage. I have. I have a 4kg set of binoculars on my mvh500 and it works fine, adjust the balance occasionally and tighten the friction sometimes. A solid tripod and a solid surface (bird hide floors can bounce around if people walk about) and you should have a good view.

Peter
 
I feel some responsibilty now. Hope it is as good as the advert suggests. If not, it can go back (I purchased a used Gitzo from Wex and it was better than they described. Here's hoping......)

Had to cancel my order it wasn't the fitting style I wanted
 
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That's a pretty nice looking rig, especially for a larger scope.

An ATS 65 is a compact scope that's pretty light, maybe a bit too much of a head?

I've got a 128RC w/190 Manfrotto nowadays, I like it pretty well for the big scopes, but if I am using binoculars or a 60mm scope I'm finding myself wishing for something smaller and lighter than even that.
 
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That's a pretty nice looking rig, especially for a larger scope.

An ATS 65 is a compact scope that's pretty light, maybe a bit too much of a head?

I've got a 128RC w/190 Manfrotto nowadays, I like it pretty well for the big scopes, but if I am using binoculars or a 60mm scope I'm finding myself wishing for something smaller and lighter than even that.

Hi,

well, the 500AH is actually a little bit lighter than the 128RC - looks can be misleading.

And it is clearly a superior head with the long plate for good balance and the counterbalance system which allows to keep the elevation friction low even when the scope is pointing up or down.

Joachim
 
I'd agree with others that for the budget it's worth having a look at the Manfrotto 055 legs (there have been many variants over the years) with either a 128 or 501 head. My Swaro scope sits on a 501 very happily, before that it was on a 128 until this was lent to a friend (I might need to buy another as it is a classic and I do miss using it).

With regards to rotation on a QR plate, I tend to put an elastic band around the foot before attaching the plate. This has been enough to increase the grip and stop it rotating.
 
So you wrap a standard band around the screw? in

No. I wrap a standard flat elastic band around the foot of the scope/lens ensuring that it does not cover the threaded hole (sometimes I'll put bands behind and in front of the hole). I then attach the plate so the band is between the flat of the plate and the flat of the foot. The band squashes down so much that you do not notice it being there if you cut the rest of it off but the part between the foot and plate seem to keep it in place.

When I got a lens I had issues with it constantly working loose on the plate, I was having to tighten it every few days. I tried two elastic bands and since then I've not had to tighten the plate.

That said if there are two holes definitely put a screw in each.
 
No. I wrap a standard flat elastic band around the foot of the scope/lens ensuring that it does not cover the threaded hole (sometimes I'll put bands behind and in front of the hole). I then attach the plate so the band is between the flat of the plate and the flat of the foot. The band squashes down so much that you do not notice it being there if you cut the rest of it off but the part between the foot and plate seem to keep it in place.

When I got a lens I had issues with it constantly working loose on the plate, I was having to tighten it every few days. I tried two elastic bands and since then I've not had to tighten the plate.

That said if there are two holes definitely put a screw in each.


What a brilliant idea and so 'cheap'!!!!!!! .... that issue is one that just hasn't been figured out by the scope folks....my scope always does that too simply because you barely have any 'give' with the screw so you can never tighten it up. The rubber bank has enough 'give' to provide more of a 'tightening' of the screw. Love it! I have had this issue 'forever!!!" it seems and now it is fixed. You made my day. Thanks for sharing. jim
 

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What a brilliant idea and so 'cheap'!!!!!!! .... that issue is one that just hasn't been figured out by the scope folks....my scope always does that too simply because you barely have any 'give' with the screw so you can never tighten it up. The rubber bank has enough 'give' to provide more of a 'tightening' of the screw. Love it! I have had this issue 'forever!!!" it seems and now it is fixed. You made my day. Thanks for sharing. jim

Congrats if you feel that adding even more rubber works for you. From my perspective, "give" as you call it is precisely the problem. Screws and bolts don't need "give" to hold tight, rather, just the opposite. Plates from RRS and Kirk do not use rubber at all and they are so solid that they don't have to be tightened, sometimes even after years of use. Plates with rubber are guaranteed to loosen in time and to never be rock solid. The Manfrotto plates with the rubber strips that squirt out the sides, buckle up etc (as shown in your photo) are horrible. I have one that I use regularly after modifying it by removing the rubber, then using a Dremel to grind the center section of metal (between the rubber strips) down to the level of the rest of the plate for exactly the length of my scope's foot, but leaving the remainder of the center section and the lip around the edge of the plate to serve as an antirotation feature. Have been using it with my ED78 (which I carry in the field mounted on a tripod which has a shoulder strap) for the last couple years without any loosening despite often being carried with the scope held sideways (such that, without anti-rotation, it would twist off the plate immediately).

--AP
 
alexis...it sounds like it is the rubber strips that squirt up...agreed. And the addition of the rubber band essentially evens out the playing field, but making up for that 'squirting upwards of the rubber strips.' I can most likely do what you have done and have no problem with 'messing' with my equipment as I constantly add on, or saw off etc! ... At the moment I will just see how the rubber band quick fix works. Will keep your idea for Plan B ... but a nice idea... jim
 
I'd agree with others that for the budget it's worth having a look at the Manfrotto 055 legs (there have been many variants over the years) with either a 128 or 501 head. My Swaro scope sits on a 501 very happily, before that it was on a 128 until this was lent to a friend (I might need to buy another as it is a classic and I do miss using it).

With regards to rotation on a QR plate, I tend to put an elastic band around the foot before attaching the plate. This has been enough to increase the grip and stop it rotating.

I have the Manfroto 501 head and it has worked great for a Nikon 82ED spotter, Nikon 50ED spotter and also used it off the back porch with a 100ED refractor. Tripod is the Bogan 3236 ! I have quite few long distance places I can look at including Stone Mt. [in Pa.]
 

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