Five years of creeping madness and not once did this question occur to me. (1 Viewer)

Well, after five years of diligent saving the change jar is again empty. Why you ask? Because after going a little nuts for those five years I was finally able to splash out for a pair of 8x42 Victory SF's. It was a long and protracted period of insanity and its not quite over yet. Hopefully it'll release its hold on me once I have them in hand.
I don't have them in hand yet as they are winging their way to me as I write this. Well factually, they are winging their way to Vancouver but I'll cross paths with them there next month.

In the mean time I'm trying not to let my expectations for the SF's get the better of me. As an antidote to those expectations I've been reading reviews, stalking the zeiss forum and salivating over unnecessary accessories. Unnecessary items like fancy harness systems, clever quick release strap systems and all kinds of other equally important systems. Willing the shipping tracking status bar to get a move on is also part of the fun.

While indulging in this pleasant and relatively harmless pastime it occurred to me that I haven't read or heard much about ways and means of attaching the SF to a tripod. I know that Zeiss shows their rather expensive Binofix tripod mount system on their website but well, its expensive, looks awkward to set up quickly in the field and doesn't seem to pack small. It also doesn't bode well for legitimate alternatives if Zeiss is showing the Binofix as the only tech for mounting their binoculars to a tripod.

In the entire five years I was dropping precious precious quarters in the change jar this topic never entered my fevered brain till now so my formal question to the illuminati here is;

Can the SF can be fitted up with a traditional tripod adapter? If not how do folks mount the SF without going with the Zeiss Binofix?

I'm not above a handmade solution so fire away if you have a sufficiently kooky idea. Going the homemade Rube Goldberg contraption route usually seems to trigger a nice dopamine rush, so bonus points there.

Cheers,
Bryan

PS. There is a retailer in the states called Outdoorsman that will, for a fee install a stud on the SF that one can then attach a traditional tripod mount to, or so it seems. They claim it won't void the warranty but even so I probably wouldn't send the SF's in for this modification. Apart from other considerations I expect that once I have the SF's in my mits I won't want to part with them away anytime soon.

Bryan there are quite a few binocular tripod adapters that you could buy that would work for this binocular W/O any kind of need for Binofix, Nikon Binoc-U-Mount is one. I am sure someone on here can give you more info on this for Zeiss binocular you are getting. I have mounts that just screw into the binocular front hinge area there is a drilled and tapped 1/4" x 20 mounting thread "hole" for this. Unless Zeiss is different. Someone else on here can give you more info if need be. Good luck! Regards, Steve

Hello Bryan,

My Zeiss FL is different as it does not have a hole tapped for a tripod thread. When I want to put the 10x32Fl on a monopod, I use the NIkon adapter that resembles a sandal.

Use your new glass well,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:

Bryan:
I have tried many tripod mounts over the years, and I prefer a flat mount style over a hinge pin type.

Most of my binocular tripod viewing is somewhat stationary as from my house windows, as I live on a
farm and have wide vistas to cover.

The 2 mounts I like best are the Bogpod and the Berlebach mount, they are more stable than a single pin,
it is a matter of geometry, support both barrels rather than the hinge.

Enjoy the Zeiss Victory SF, I consider this model to be the best binocular available on the market today.

Jerry

Go for the Outdoorsman stud. You won't be sorry.

There is a good chance that cap will unscrew and you can install the stud yourself (or any conventional 1/4x20 binocular adapter).

Thanks for the information everyone, its sinking in I promise.

Mooreorless,
Thanks for the info and photo. I wonder how quickly that Nikon kit can be swapped out. I need to find myself in a shop where I can play with the different mounts.

Arthur
When you say you use your FL on a monopod with the Nikon sandal shaped adapter do you use the monopod only for the binoculars or do you also use it for a camera or scope as well on the same outing? I ask because that would be my use scenario. Switching devices on and off the tripod several times in a single outing. I think for this use case to work they would have to be easy to swap out.

Justabirdwatcher,
I like your thinking. When the SF arrives I'm going to poke around and see what I can cook up in way of threading in my own stud, that would save sending them out to Outdoorsman which in turn would prevent any separation anxiety I might experience.

NDHunter,
Thanks for the advice. I imagine I would be able to thread a Arca Swiss base plate to the bottom of the Bogpod mount which would certainly speed up swapping devices. I am looking forward to using the SF's in the field, can't wait.

Cheers,
Bryan

Bryan, The tripod head I have you switch out the sliding plate real quick and if you have another plate already with camera etc. mounted on it you just slide it in and tighten the clip. None of this stuff is real cheap but if you check around you can find something used or a lot cheaper that is a good product. That is if the Zeiss binocular has this threaded 1/4"-20 hole.

Mooreorless,
Yes, my mounting set up for the scope and camera is the Arca Swiss system. Seems to work well and is universal across a fair few manufacturers. All I would have to do to set up the binoculars the same way is to buy another standard Arca Swiss plate for the adapter.

Justabirdwatcher
I'm increasingly curious about Outdoorsmans binocular adapter kit. It seems an elegant solution. I've sent them an email asking if I can just purchase the kit and install it myself or if they advise against that having a local optics repair shop do the work.
For anyone else interested heres the link to a product description.
https://outdoorsmans.com/products/outdoorsmans-binocular-adapter
Cheers,
Bryan

BryanP, post 8,
The picture shown in your reference shows a tripod adapter that is only suited for binoculars with a central axis between the two binocular tubes, like classic porros.
Gijs van Ginkel

Not sure about Zeiss but here is link showing this on a Swarovski.
https://outdoorsmans.com/collection...oducts/outdoorsmans-swarovski-el-stud-install

Hi Gijs van Ginkel

I think that adapter may be intended to work with the modification to the Zeiss SF shown here in this link.
https://outdoorsmans.com/products/victory-sf-stud-install

This particular retailer may have come up with a viable adapter solution for the SF line. As to how well it works in the real world remains to be seen however.
This video demonstrates how the device works albeit in this case with a Swarovski binocular.
You have to ship the SF to them for the modification which they say takes a week.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aSd0B1XH5GM

In any case I'm curious and if they are willing to let my local optics repair shop do the modification I may give it a go.
Cheers,
Bryan

Bryan,

Just a few points:

1) Agree that the Zeiss Binofix is an awkward expensive contraption.

2) Don't like the idea of modifying the binocular for a pin type mount or putting a bending load on the hinge. The only advantage is that you can adjust IPD while the bin is mounted.

3) Go along with NDhunter that a platform mount is the most practical. The Berlebach is cheap and would accept just about any roof or Porro prism bin.

I have used the Leica bino adapter for many years and have an Arca-Swiss plate attached so that it can be mounted on a monopod or tripod. Any roof bin from 32 mm upwards can be mounted and for a test it even took the very bulky 15x56 Conquest.

If you are going to use a monopod, the Sirui L-10 tilt head is ideal and is also Arca-Swiss compatible.

John

I've had good results with the Manfrotto SuperClamp binoculars version 035BN:

https://www.manfrotto.com.br/binocular-super-clamp.html

That should fit!https://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php?products_id=6517#zubehoer
Captures binoculars up to 80 mm.

Andreas

Edit:I've already mounted all kinds of binoculars on it, including the SF 8x42...

Hi Tringa and Conndomat,

That Berlebach mount looks pretty cool. I like the idea of having to keep it varnished ;-) The Leica has a clean design about it too, is there any possibility of scuffing or marring the binoculars with these kinds of mounts?

I agree about the big lever arm loads on binoculars at the hinge point with these kind of single point adapters, particularly that forward hinge of the SF. It does look perfectly engineered for its purpose with no wasted material built in. I'm just not sure it was engineered to absorb the kind of twisting impact an adapter may impose on it. Although having the stud in place on the hinge while engaging in ordinary handheld use probably wouldn't hurt anything.

In an ideal universe this debate probably wouldn't matter because no one would ever lean on the binoculars while mounted. Nor would the binoculars, adapter and tripod ever get knocked or fall over. It's because we don't live in that shiny universe I would worry.
I wonder what Outdoorsman would have to say on this topic.

Hi Fazalmajid,

That Manfrotto is an interesting approach. I guess I have the same question I asked Tringa about marring and scuffing. Have you noticed anything when you use the device?
The collective wisdom here is convincing me the platform style of mount might be the way to go. It's still a gadget and therefore cool.
At any rate it's fun to go back and fourth on this ;-)



Cheers,
Bryan

BryanP said:

Hi Tringa and Conndomat,

That Berlebach mount looks pretty cool. I like the idea of having to keep it varnished ;-) The Leica has a clean design about it too, is there any possibility of scuffing or marring the binoculars with these kinds of mounts?

Click to expand...

no, only the rubber belt is pulled over and ready.
Depending on the size of the binoculars another hole.
Currently I use the Berlebach with a Swarovski EL 12x50.:t:

Andreas

fazalmajid said:

I've had good results with the Manfrotto SuperClamp binoculars version 035BN:

https://www.manfrotto.com.br/binocular-super-clamp.html

Click to expand...

I have the same SuperClamp 035, works good.

mooreorless said:

I have the same SuperClamp 035, works good.

Click to expand...

The B&H site shows a Kupo version of the Manfrotto clamp. They both seem almost identical.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1465874-REG/kupo_kg704511_binocular_clamp.html

Bryan

BryanP said:

I agree about the big lever arm loads on binoculars at the hinge point with these kind of single point adapters, particularly that forward hinge of the SF. It does look perfectly engineered for its purpose with no wasted material built in. I'm just not sure it was engineered to absorb the kind of twisting impact an adapter may impose on it.

Cheers,
Bryan

Click to expand...

I definitely would not modify an SF in this way. Not only is the objective hinge designed only to link the two optical tubes, SF's weight distribution puts the major proportion of it nearer the eyepieces and SF is quite long, giving this weight a lot of leverage against the objective hinge. From an engineering point of view suspending an SF from the objective hinge gives me nightmares.

Lee

BryanP, post 11,
Thank you for this information I did not know this type of adapter for the SF. Never too old to learn.
Gijs van Ginkel