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Swaro DH101 or Gitzo GHF2W (1 Viewer)

Thanks for the advice. I haven't had the need to use Swarovski service yet, but from what I hear around me their support is great over here. I usually buy local, the biggest bird watch organization is located less than 10 miles from my home and they also happen to be the largest sellers in binoculars and telescopes in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg (Benelux)
But they dont carry the new tripod head yet, and a tripod head is not the same as glass. I think camera gear shops usually have a wider selection in tripods and tripod heads.
For what it's worth (to display the support from that large local store), I carried the leica head with me while trying for a new tripod bag. They noticed I had replaced a screw for the aiming arm (not sure if that's the right term, but its the stick you use to aim your scope). So they went to their own supply room, mind you this model was no longer for sale when I bought it, since I bought the last one in 2012, and they gotten a replacement screw for mine. Apparently they had one still in store in case spare parts were needed (or temp replacement?). Gotten it free of charge. Very nice.

Anyway none of that tells me what to expect from swarovski, but I've yet to meet someone who has had a bad experience with them. the best customer support is the one you don't need ;)
 
specific questions about GHF2W and Swaro plate (compared to 1720QR)

downsides: compared to the tiny and sleek GH1720QR, this is bigger and maybe a bit heavier.

the counterweight spring system completely solves a problem I experience particularly with my 1720. It's so loose when fully unlocked that the scope tends to suddenly flop forward or backward if the tilt angle exceeds only about 5-10º from horizontal. If your ATX scope is recent enough to have an Arca-Swiss compatible foot you won't need to use the QR plate that comes with the GHF2W, which (as John mentioned) doesn't have any non-rotation provision except friction.

Swarovski sells a Arca-Swiss style plate for the PTH head that looks just like the Gitzo plate that comes with GHF2W except with the addition of an anti-rotation pin. It looks like the same plate comes with the CTH and oddly enough these Swarovski branded plates are less expensive than the identical looking Gitzo plate with no pin.

https://www.optics4birding.com/swarovski-tripod-plate-for-pth.html


This is a very interesting thread! Thank you all!
I'm using the 1720QR with a 65mm spotting scope and I really like it on most aspects (size/weight, single-lock knob, fluid), but it doesn't work well at all for digiscoping, tilting backwards when attaching a camera. That would be my only, though major negative comment on it. When oriented upwards towards with a (not so heavy) camera, it even tilt backwards a bit àfter locking the knob, making it hard to orient well when digiscoping (not a problem at all without camera).
Therefore, I'm very interested in the GHF2W if its counter-weight would solve this issue...

I have 4 small questions for those who have the GHF2W or both, e.g. @henry link and @Saxatilis, and possibly that Swarovski plate:

  1. From the spec sheet, there seems to be little difference in weight (1720QR=460g vs GHF2W=590g) but I've read here this is without the handle and plate for the GHF2W (720g all together), but don't know if the same applies for the GH1270QR? Thus in reality just a difference of approx. 130g between both heads?
    .
  2. From the spec sheet, there seems to be a considerable height advantage for the GHF2W (5.5cm instead of 9.2cm for the GH1270QR), but I've read on the forum (from Saxatilis) that the GHF2W is bigger!? Thus I'm puzzled and I cannot find a picture of both side by side. (I'd prefer lower/smaller height.)
    .
  3. I've read online in a review that you cannot fully lock the GHF2W. |:S| Is this true? (That would be a major issue for me, carrying my spotting scope on the tripod during walks, often on my back using a scopepac.)
    .
  4. Is it confirmed that the Swarovski plate is perfectly compatible with the GHF2W? Does it have both the anti-rotation pin ànd the safety-retention protection(/pin) working with the GHF2W?
    .



If the GHF2W is only 130g heavier, while less tall/high and with a counter-weight, I'd say it is clearly the better option, even though I'm afraid I'll miss the single-knob pan/tilt-lock or the 1270QR... |8(|
Of course, it's more expensive and I'd probably want to buy the Swarovski Arca-Swiss style plate for the PTH head, as I'd prefer to have both the anti-rotation pin and the safety-retention pin.
 
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I acquired a GHF2W a few weeks ago for my ATX95. Currently it’s my favorite head for use with a spotting scope, although the ATX95 is about the max unit (size and weight) that I’d be comfortable on it.
It weighs 653 gm with handle, no plate. The GHF2W is 8.8 cm tall and has a max width of 14.8 cm.

It MAY not quite fully lock, but hard tightening the pan and tilt knobs keeps the ATX95 from moving while carrying it.

The Swaro PTH head plate works well. It has the anti-rotation pin and the safety retention works.
 
Hi Mbb

I have dismissed the Gitzo 1720QR in favour of the newer GHF2W one year ago exactly.

The GHF2W is a better head in my opinion and since then I use it to support both a lighter Vortex Kaibab HD 15X56 and a very heavy Oberwerk BT 70-45 (4,2 kg: of course it's close to the limit of its loading capacity but it works, I use a longer Arca swiss plate to better balance this huge, front heavy binocular, see https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=386644).

The GHF2W plate is a standard Arca Swiss so you can find a lot a third part longer plates and locks firmly. It's bigger than the GH1720QR but not excessively so). If of interest, here's a pic with both heads side by side.

Having both heads, I would suggest the GHF2W undoubtedly
 

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Thank you both for the extra info!
The GHF2W sounds indeed like a great head! (Still wondering a bit if it isn’t «*over kill*» for use with a 65mm scope (ATX65) on a 4section 055 carbon tripod, but at least it spounds like a head I wouldn’t need to upgrade in the future if I’d one day shift to a 85mm scope.)

The Swaro PTH head plate works well. It has the anti-rotation pin and the safety retention works.
It is great to know it has both!


I have dismissed the Gitzo 1720QR in favour of the newer GHF2W one year ago exactly.
Having both heads, I would suggest the GHF2W undoubtedly
Do you never miss the single locking knob of the 1720QR?
Regarding their respective locking knobs: do they both lock at least as firmly/securely as the one of the 1720QR?
 
Thank you both for the extra info!
The GHF2W sounds indeed like a great head! (Still wondering a bit if it isn’t «*over kill*» for use with a 65mm scope (ATX65) on a 4section 055 carbon tripod, but at least it spounds like a head I wouldn’t need to upgrade in the future if I’d one day shift to a 85mm scope.)


It is great to know it has both!



Do you never miss the single locking knob of the 1720QR?
Regarding their respective locking knobs: do they both lock at least as firmly/securely as the one of the 1720QR?


Mbb
I have no particular regrets on the single knob of the GH1720QR head, compared to the various improvements in the newer GHF2W: both separate knobs of it work fine, and, as said, I can mount on it a 4.2 kg, 16x70 binoscope.
In this (extreme) case I have to tighten well the tilt knob. But with the lighter and regular load of a medium-sized 65mm scope like the ATX 65, it should work more than perfectly
 
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Hi,

I recently bought Gitzo GHF2W head. Previously I had Gitzo G2380 head.

GHF2W is as smooth or smoother than G2380 but the biggest difference for me was the counter spring which the G2380 lacks and sometimes scope tilts suddenly if not left positioned near the stability point. And another major advantage was the lighter weight (about half!).

One disadvantage is the lack of anti-rotation pin in the plate. The scope can slowly rotate because one can't probably tighten the screw enough to prevent it. I sorted it out by drilling about 5mm hole in the head plate and put hard plastic pin with round plate in the middle to the hole. I measured the right distance from the screw to the pin hole (or groove to be precise) of the scope foot. The round plate comes upside the head plate and as it squeezes between the head plate and the scope foot, it stays there firmly. The diameter of the pin that goes through the plate hole is about the same so it doesn't drop out if I detach the plate from the scope foot and so I didn't have to use any glue. I cut the pin to a right lenght both sides the plate and so it's not in a way of the screw underneath the plate. It still would be of course even better if that pin would be made of metal. But after this I have had no rotation issues and I have carried my Kowa 883 and tripod on my shoulder for a few kilometers across forests and swamps, jumping over many trenches and had no rotation issues anymore.

Juhani
 

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Does anyone know where to buy the Swarovski plate (with antirotation pin and compatible with the safety system) in Europe?
(Ideally in Belgium, or somewhere where the shipping costs to Belgium wouldn’t be too high? And ideally for not too much money for ‘just a plat’ ;) )

I’ve found a GHF2W second hand in perfect shape, but didn’t have time to put it on my tripod yet. (Busy times...) It feels solid and moves smoothly(!), but it seems to remain more ‘tight’/harder to pan and/or tilt than my GH1720QR. (With both knobs loosened, of course.) I’m not sure if that is normal or just an impression as it is just from testing in my hands, not fixed on the tripod yet. Does anyone know?

Sadly enough, the foot of my ATX65 doesn’t seem to be compatible (shaped differently). Probably from before the switch to the Arca-Swiss feet. Still, if I were to attach the scope directly to the tripod head, without plate, I might be worrying due to the lack of safety-pin/system, and I cannot understand why Swarovski didn’t try to shape the foot differently, reaching a little bit further to the back in order to end up just below the center point of gravity of the scope. I hope for the Swaro/Gitzo plate to be long enough to compensate for that.
 
mbb,

Although I believe it is possible to set the zero point of the counterbalance of the GHF2W to different tilt angles, it would be better to achieve balance with a longer QR plate.
Something like this https://www.kirkphoto.com/lens-moun.../universal-multi-purpose-lens-plate-4-50.html would be suitable. The lip performs the same function as the anti-rotation pin and the spare screws can be inserted front and rear on the underside as safety stoppers.

John
 
mbb,

Although I believe it is possible to set the zero point of the counterbalance of the GHF2W to different tilt angles, it would be better to achieve balance with a longer QR plate.
Something like this https://www.kirkphoto.com/lens-moun.../universal-multi-purpose-lens-plate-4-50.html would be suitable. The lip performs the same function as the anti-rotation pin and the spare screws can be inserted front and rear on the underside as safety stoppers.

John

Thank you for the info!
I’ve never seen this kind of plate. I find it quite expensive though ‘for a plate’, but apparently plates are more expensive than I thought...
I was actually hoping for the Swarovski/Gitzo-plate to be long enough to the necessary shifting towards the 0 balance point. Do you think it will be too short?
Or do you think it would than make the counterweight spring of the ghf2w unnecessary and thus the GH1720 more than enough to reach good balance?

I have to say, for regular birding use, I find my GH1720QR really great with the ATX65 and don’t need more. The tripod attachment is not in the 0 balance point of the scope, but it isn’t a heavy scope and the single locking knob is very handy.
The only issues I have are
1) when trying to digiscope with more than a small smartphone/action-camera
2) when aiming at the stars and planets in the night
In those cases, it tilts back too much and it is even impossible to ‘lock’ on a planet with a smartphone/action-camera attached (it slightly tilts back just after locking the knob, just enough to get the item out of view...). I thought that the switchable counterweight would be necessary for this, but haven’t tested it yet...
 
...I’ve never seen this kind of plate. I find it quite expensive though ‘for a plate’, but apparently plates are more expensive than I thought...
I was actually hoping for the Swarovski/Gitzo-plate to be long enough to the necessary shifting towards the 0 balance point. Do you think it will be too short?
Or do you think it would than make the counterweight spring of the ghf2w unnecessary and thus the GH1720 more than enough to reach good balance?...

Plates from the top brands (Kirk, Really Right Stuff...) are always rather pricey but they are often the only good option for specialized applications. Thankfully, in this case, there are much cheaper options. My favorite is the long lens plate from Desmond. It is very nicely made, has the anti-rotation lip, and comes in four lengths. See them here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1062506-REG/desmond_dpl_150_5_7_8_long_lens.html

Balancing your scope with a sliding plate is better than using a spring counter. The spring is better used for simply slowing the motion if the scope "falls" one way or the other, so it doesn't knock against the tripod leg.

By the way, if you want to balance your scope on your GH1720QR, longer plates are available. The same sliding plate standard is used by Manfrotto, Gitzo, Sirui, and others.

--AP
 
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Plates from the top brands (Kirk, Really Right Stuff...) are always rather pricey but they are often the only good option for specialized applications. Thankfully, in this case, there are much cheaper options. My favorite is the long lens plate from Desmond. It is very nicely made, has the anti-rotation lip, and comes in four lengths. See them here:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1062506-REG/desmond_dpl_150_5_7_8_long_lens.html

Balancing your scope with a sliding plate is better than using a spring counter. The spring is better used for simply slowing the motion if the scope "falls" one way or the other, so it doesn't knock against the tripod leg.

By the way, if you want to balance your scope on your GH1720QR, longer plates are available. The same sliding plate standard is used by Manfrotto, Gitzo, Sirui, and others.

--AP

I suppose that specific plate is not compatible with the security-pin from the Gitzo (and Swarovski) head and I don't see it having an anti-rotation pin, but there are indeed many options out there.

Is there a noticeable difference (strength, stiffness, ...) between all these different plates (comparing within the same type -ArcaSwiss- and the same lenght)?

Does anyone know where to get the Swarovski QR-plate in Europe?
I can only find it on webshops in the USA, but either they don't ship to Europe, or the shipping cost would absurdly high for "just a plate".
 
The lip at the front (or back) of the plate linked by Alexis should serve the same purpose as an anti-rotation pin.

The cutout underneath the plate may also be compatible with the safety pin on the Gitzo head, but there are also stopper screws on the underside, which would prevent the scope falling out if the clamp were loosened.

Young's modulus is pretty much the same for all aluminium alloys, so you should have no worries about stiffness.

John
 
Looking to see if anyone can comment on using the Swaro balance rail with CTH head....I have just taken deliver of a BTX for my 95mm (currently have 101head) and 055 (3 section Carbon fiber) looking for as lightweight setup that I can achieve without compromising safety and overall balance. Looking at PTH as well but seems quite large and maybe to large for current tripod?

Michael
 
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