Hide clamp or table tripod? (1 Viewer)

Hi all,

I just bought my first scope the other day and am now considering all the peripherals I want or need. However, since this is a business where very few can afford everything at once, I wanted to take some considered advice on where I should go first for equipment.

Firstly, the scope is a Hawke Endurance ED 65mm. Weighs a couple of Kilos. I have a tripod which my photographer partner uses (although not for birding) so I'm relatively sorted on that front until I work out how I'm going be mostly using the scope on a tripod and what features and characteristics I need from it long term.

However, I envisage that a lot of the time I'll be using the scope from a hide. As far as I can see I have 2 main choices for gear in this respect: A hide clamp or a table top mini-tripod. What are people's opinions and what do you use?

Things I'm considering:

• Price - clamps seem to be much more expensive...
• Portability - How small do they fold up?
• Ease of use - How easy is it to assemble (from folded) and use are they?
• Functionality - Is the mini-tripod going to constantly be falling over?
• Universality - Do people find some hides where the clamps don't fit? Or where the shelf is too narrow for a tripod?

I'd also be very happy to take any suggestions for good makes and models to look for!

As usual, thanks to all in advance!

T

Personally, I have considered a clamp several times and always decided against it as it is yet another piece of equipment to carry and I'm sure that after a few uses it will be left at home unused in order to reduce the total weight of the kit I'm carrying.
Also, a shelf in a hide is prone to movement/vibration from other users leaning on and knocking the shelf. Of course the same is true of a timber floor but many hides have concrete floors and are solid for a tripod base.
If a hide is not busy one can always put up a full size tripod and stand, if you want/have to sit down,a scope can be hand held and rested on the window edge.

I would save some weight and some cash and out that cash towards a decent full size tripod.

Hi

I use an Opticron BC-2 hide clamp that I keep permanently attached to the centre column of my tripod (actually my second one as the first was stolen from a hide when I stupidly forgot it - even though I went back to the hide about 10 minutes later - not a good feeling!). I agree that vibration from the shelf in some hides can be a problem but I can usually solve that by locking the body of the scope (or the lens hood) against the lower part of the window frame - pretty rock solid. It also weighs next to nothing. £29 well spent.

Martin

Thanks both. Decent advice on the shaking desk. And for £29 a hide clamp doesn't seem too much to spend.

Sucks to have stuff taken from a hide. I've seen people leave backpacks full of gear in hides and them stay there for hours. We're usually a pretty trustworthy lot...

I'll probably be shopping long enough to have visited some hides with no stand and see if I could live without one.

T