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

Lightest tripod / head : Swaro ATS 65 (1 Viewer)

Scarletmacawdad

Well-known member
Everyone - may I please have your thoughts and suggestions on the lightest (yet stable) tripod and head combo for the Swarovski ATS 65?

Idea being a set up which capitalizes upon the weight / size gains of the 65.

Thank you!
 
I have had great success with the heads at Outdoorsmans.com. I have two of their heads and they are all metal, very lightweight and rock steady. You may be able to use one of their heads that weighs only 23oz for your setup.
 
As a tripod head, I use a Gitzo GH1720QR for my 65mm scope. I really like the single-knob locking system (for both pan and tilt) and it is lightweight and fluid enough for me. It has no counterweight system however. I don’t find it a real issue, except for digiscoping.
If you want to digiscope with anything heavier than a smartphone, I don’t think it would be satisfactory. (I’ve tried it with a DCB-II adapter and it was totally out of balance, which isn’t that surprising for a 65mm scope, no counterweight and no offset placement using a longer tripod plate. My latest trials with a small action camera directly connected with a custom adapter ring, weighing even less than my smartphone -see another forum tread-, seem to show it to be fine.) I’m considering a tripod head with counterweight, like the GHF2W, but it is heavier and expensive. However, taking an adapter like a DCB-II with a regular camera etc. would be contradictory to the quest for a lightweight setup and probably also require a heavier tripod :-D
For the tripod itself, I guess you’ll have to go to carbon as one of the ways to save weight. Is it mainly weight you want to save, or also size when folded? That might influence choosing 4 section-legs (more compact folded) or 3 legs (more stable) (considering same materials, max.height etc.).
There are many brands: Gitzo, Manfrotto, Sirui, Velbon... with many models, in different price classes.
I’m really no expert in this, thus I will let others give their advice or recommend searching for similar threads in this forum or rather the tripod forum. I think there are already a few general threads about tripod(heads) for 60-65mm scopes.
 
Hi,
In deed, it mostly depends on how tall you are and what you want to do with:
It you are not too tall and want super light weight: I would recommend a Manfrotto 732 CY carbon with a 700 RC2 head
This head is not with a semi quick release system using teh same 200PL plates (but on the longest side)
If you are tall and do not bear too much on weight : 190 CX PRO3 carbon with 128RC2 head
Theses ones are quite old generation and you can find some easily as second hand.
Regards
Yves
(I do not have any stock options or interests in Manfrotto company, I am just a Manfrotto addict):-O
 
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