Problem with ED50 tripod mount? (1 Viewer)

SteveClifton · Apr 15, 2007

IMO 3 repairs is 3 too many from just one dealer! Multiply that by the number of dealers and it could (should!) be quite a problem for Nikon. Personally I leave a Manfrotto QR plate attached to mine all the time and haven't had a problem yet.

If I did it would be sent back not as 'damaged', but as a manufacturing fault to be repaired under warranty.

It never ceases to amaze me at the inadequate attachment methods designed into the tripod feet of scopes, especially the new bigger, heavier ones. Manufacturers must know that many people carry scopes attached to tripods, even though it's not recommended, so surely it wouldn't be too difficult to design both 1/4" and 3/8" screw threads into the foot so that two screws instead of one hold the scope in place. My own Swarovski weighs close to 2kg with an eyepiece and S.O.C, and only has one 1/4" screw holding it. There is a threaded insert, which if removed would take a stronger 3/8" screw, but I've never seen a plate with this size screw fitted. Two screws would also prevent the irritating problem of 'scope-twist'.

I suppose that's what we all pay insurance for, and the manufacturers know it. Now that my new scope is over £1000, it isn't covered as a separate item away from home, so is costing me £26 per year in extra insurance!! Perhaps I should have bought a Nikon or Zeiss!

stuart C smith · Apr 15, 2007

SteveClifton said:
IMO 3 repairs is 3 too many from just one dealer! Multiply that by the number of dealers and it could (should!) be quite a problem for Nikon. Personally I leave a Manfrotto QR plate attached to mine all the time and haven't had a problem yet.

If I did it would be sent back not as 'damaged', but as a manufacturing fault to be repaired under warranty.

It never ceases to amaze me at the inadequate attachment methods designed into the tripod feet of scopes, especially the new bigger, heavier ones. Manufacturers must know that many people carry scopes attached to tripods, even though it's not recommended, so surely it wouldn't be too difficult to design both 1/4" and 3/8" screw threads into the foot so that two screws instead of one hold the scope in place. My own Swarovski weighs close to 2kg with an eyepiece and S.O.C, and only has one 1/4" screw holding it. There is a threaded insert, which if removed would take a stronger 3/8" screw, but I've never seen a plate with this size screw fitted. Two screws would also prevent the irritating problem of 'scope-twist'.

I suppose that's what we all pay insurance for, and the manufacturers know it. Now that my new scope is over £1000, it isn't covered as a separate item away from home, so is costing me £26 per year in extra insurance!! Perhaps I should have bought a Nikon or Zeiss!

on some of my scopes [as an extra fixing], i take the video pin out of the tripod qr plate, place a suitable plastic plug into the video hole on the scope plate , and screw a self tapper up from underneath the qr plate into the plastic plug in the scope plate. as an extra it holds very well .

scampo · Apr 15, 2007

John Traynor said:
Steve,

I'll bet many simply screw on a quick release plate and never remove it, thereby eliminating the problems associated with the helicoil. How do you use yours?

John

I switch between a Cullman shoulder pod and my main tripod and so far, no problem whatever. The guys I spoke to were rather sceptical about this thread, to be frank, wondering just what it was all about. I suspect only Nikon know the truth. The idea that it's weak because it's plastic seems to me to be an odd idea as we don't know what kind of plastic, for a start. I tend to think Nikon know what they are doing.

Sancho · Apr 15, 2007

SteveClifton said:
Manufacturers must know that many people carry scopes attached to tripods, even though it's not recommended

Thanks for that, Steve, I never knew it wasn´t recommended to carry scope on tripod. In fact, I´ve never seen a birder here remove a tripod before moving on. I´ll certainly consider it!

Does anyone know of cases in which an ED50 has actually fallen off a tripod in the field because of the insert coming undone? Or have all the cases happened while the screw is being removed from the insert?

Jimbo8542 · Apr 16, 2007

ED50 tripod mount.

And the rest of us who have had problems don't, a Steve???

Jim

scampo · Apr 16, 2007

Jimbo8542 said:
And the rest of us who have had problems don't, a Steve???
Jim

I didn't intend to suggest that, sorry. It's just that this thread is maybe at risk of exaggerating a problem that is affecting very few Nikon ED50s. Some posts have even suggested it's not worth buying the scope till Nikon sort the problem out. If the product proves faulty then surely Nikon will repair the fault under warranty if the original purchase details can be shown. I don't agree that they should need proof of purchase, myself, as what has happened seems on the surface to be clearly a manufacturing fault and there's no chance yet of any ED50 being outside its warranty period.

dogfish · Apr 16, 2007

scampo said:
The guys I spoke to were rather sceptical about this thread, to be frank, wondering just what it was all about. I suspect only Nikon know the truth. The idea that it's weak because it's plastic seems to me to be an odd idea as we don't know what kind of plastic, for a start. I tend to think Nikon know what they are doing.

This thread is 'about' the direct experience of birders whose ED50s have fallen apart because of the poor build quality of one part of the scope. I'd like to know who 'the guys' are, and why they are sceptical. Do they think those of us who've suffered this problem are making it up? And if the ED50 tripod mount is an example of Nikon 'tending to know what they're doing', I'd be very surprised.

Sean

SteveClifton · Apr 16, 2007

"Thanks for that, Steve, I never knew it wasn´t recommended to carry scope on tripod. In fact, I´ve never seen a birder here remove a tripod before moving on. I´ll certainly consider it!" (Originally posted by Sancho).

I think a lot of birders are unaware of this, which possibly explains why so many do carry their scopes permanently attached to tripods. Either that or they just don't care!

I stopped doing it when, years ago, the tripod head (with old-style Bushnell spacemaster attached) snapped off when legging-it for a bus. My brother was carrying it at the time as we shared a scope, and took it in turns to carry. I could only look on in horror as it swung around from his shoulder, but luckily he caught it as it was attached to a shoulder strap. The tripod was an old Slik D2 which only had a 1/4" bolt holding on the head, just like the ones holding many scopes onto heads. Needless to say we both missed the bus too!!

It also surprises me how many times you see 2-3Kg tripods hanging from scopes (in SOC's), slung around birders' shoulders. I wonder how many bolts or threads fail because of this?

I suppose manufacturers don't recommend it, to avail themselves of responsibility for any warranty claims that might occur because of this carrying method, but would be interested if anyone else has suffered (or witnessed) a similar mishap like this.

ps, Please can someone remind me again how to quote another thread, so you get those neat red boxes around the text? Thanks.

Blincodave · Apr 16, 2007

I don't agree that they should need proof of purchase, myself, as what has happened seems on the surface to be clearly a manufacturing fault and there's no chance yet of any ED50 being outside its warranty period.[/QUOTE]

Steve,

If you look at the warranty leaflet that came with your scope, you will see Nikon warranties are not transferable to new owners. Therefore, the onus is on the claimant to prove they are the original owner. Under these circumstances, the scope is only covered by the warranty if you have the paperwork and so some ED50s will not be covered - such as the one that sold on E Bay today.

BTW, I have used mine a lot in the last 3 weeks and I am very impressed indeed. So far, I have kept a Culmann tripod mount on it all of the time as I alternated between a shoulder pod and monopod.

scampo · Apr 16, 2007

dogfish said:
This thread is 'about' the direct experience of birders whose ED50s have fallen apart because of the poor build quality of one part of the scope. I'd like to know who 'the guys' are, and why they are sceptical. Do they think those of us who've suffered this problem are making it up? And if the ED50 tripod mount is an example of Nikon 'tending to know what they're doing', I'd be very surprised.

Sean

I take your point, Sean. The "guys" were two dealers I spoke to who sell Nikon gear. They gave similar stories: that this was a very successful scope in sales terms and that the number of problems had been tiny in comparison with the numbers sold.

Nikon are a top optics' company with an unusually long history of producing quality gear. Yes, I suspect they do know what they are doing.

I wonder at the suggestions that have been made that it might be worth delaying buying the scope until Nikon "fix" this problem. I wouldn't let this put me off buying such a wonderful little scope.

My point about the warranty is that I think Nikon are wrong not to honour the guarantee even if the scope is not from an original purchaser - and that would put me off buying Nikon gear as this clearly seems to be a manufacturing / design fault (but I suspect they are not alone).

mgsphilip · Apr 20, 2007

I suspect that damage to the ED50 tripod mount could be caused by overtightening the tripod screw attachment, rather than wear and tear, or faulty manufacture. To avoid this happening to my "treasured" scope I have added a Manfrotto Quick Release head onto my tripod so that this quick release head takes the wear and strain.

Sancho · Apr 22, 2007

mgsphilip said:
I suspect that damage to the ED50 tripod mount could be caused by overtightening the tripod screw attachment, rather than wear and tear, or faulty manufacture. To avoid this happening to my "treasured" scope I have added a Manfrotto Quick Release head onto my tripod so that this quick release head takes the wear and strain.

Forgive my ignorance, but what´s a quick-release head? Sounds perfect. Can they be bought separately from a tripod?

mgsphilip · Apr 22, 2007

I am referring to a Manfrotto 323 QUICK CHANGE RECT. PLATE ADAPTER. If you buy one of these you have to check that it will fit onto your tripod, as it has a small protuberance some distance from the centre of its underside. However if it does fit your tripod it is well engineered with a locking device built in so that your scope isn't disconnected from your tripod by accident.

Sancho · Apr 22, 2007

Thanks for that, mgsphilip, I´ll check it out!

Swissboy · Apr 27, 2007

SteveClifton said:
.... Manufacturers must know that many people carry scopes attached to tripods, even though it's not recommended.....

In my opinion, it's absurd to assume we birders might carry our scopes in any other way while being in the field. Any other way would take too much time to set up the scope when trying to still capture a glimpse of a flying bird.Thus, the scope and tripod manufacturers have to come up with a construction that can take this load.

scampo · Apr 27, 2007

Swissboy said:
...Thus, the scope and tripod manufacturers have to come up with a construction that can take this load.

Well, they have haven't they?

KorHaan · Apr 28, 2007

scampo said:
Well, they have haven't they?

No offence, Steve, but I think Swissboy was referring to a better construction than the existing ones. I fully agree with him that scopes and tripod heads can and must be mounted in a 100% safe way; double bolts of 3/8" would do the job IMHO.

Greetings, Ronald

scampo · Apr 28, 2007

KorHaan said:
No offence, Steve, but I think Swissboy was referring to a better construction than the existing ones. I fully agree with him that scopes and tripod heads can and must be mounted in a 100% safe way; double bolts of 3/8" would do the job IMHO.

Greetings, Ronald

Hi - on reflection, my reply was a touch flippant, I think. Luckily, I haven't had a scope fall off yet, though. I have had the scope loosen, though. I must say, whenever I take my ED50 off its tripod plate (if I switch from shoulder pod to tripod), I do it with trepidation thanks to what has been reported in this thread!

NoSpringChicken · Apr 28, 2007

I was watching a recording of an episode of 'Nature's Calendar' last night and in it Chris Packham was shown striding out with a fully extended tripod over his shoulder, Dick Whittington style, with what looked like an ED50 dangling on the end.

As he promotes Nikon rather heavily, perhaps he can be blamed for encouraging the 'bad practice' of carrying the scope round attached to the tripod!|;|

Swissboy · May 1, 2007

KorHaan said:
No offence, Steve, but I think Swissboy was referring to a better construction than the existing ones. I fully agree with him that scopes and tripod heads can and must be mounted in a 100% safe way; double bolts of 3/8" would do the job IMHO.

Greetings, Ronald

Actually, I was simply responding to the post that made it sound as if we were doing something that we should not do when there is no other practical way. Thus, if anything, it's up to the manufacturers to assure that we can safely carry the scopes extended. I have not had a problem so far even with my heavy Leica Apo77, and I try to buy only heads or QR plates with a safety pin. I have had considerable problems, too, of scopes becoming loose. But that has mostly affected observing, not the safety of carrying the scope. A standardized double bolt construction would definitely be a preferred solution to solve all problems.

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