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<blockquote data-quote="mtar925" data-source="post: 3475407" data-attributes="member: 131245"><p>I decided to try a cheap solution and bought a Benro S2 for $69. This head bears superficial resemblance to the Manfrotto BeFree Live fluid head.</p><p></p><p>I had the Benro out today with my 60mm TS-611 and....not sure what I think of it. The azimuth movement is smooth but very light, and tension in azimuth is non-adjustable. The altitude is smooth enough with the tension set to minimum, but add any tension in altitude and movements start with a jump. The quick release is nice and allows me to slide the scope back and forth for balance, which is a welcome upgrade from my Bogen 3130. The Benro S2 works well enough at 20x-25x, with the scope carefully balanced and the altitude tension set almost free, and would probably be OK at ~40x. At 60x it was getting fussy.</p><p></p><p>On the plus side, the head weighs under a pound and is small enough to let me zip my tripod case around it. The handle has a wide range of adjustment, though the handle-mounting clamp is plastic with uncertain durability. The ability to balance the scope is nice - without balance adjustment on the 3130, I find myself playing constantly with the altitude tension which sort of defeats the advantage of the 3130's smoother motion.</p><p></p><p>Not entirely satisfied, but I have so many other pieces of kit in need of upgrade - the TS-611 for one - that I need to allocate the budget carefully.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="mtar925, post: 3475407, member: 131245"] I decided to try a cheap solution and bought a Benro S2 for $69. This head bears superficial resemblance to the Manfrotto BeFree Live fluid head. I had the Benro out today with my 60mm TS-611 and....not sure what I think of it. The azimuth movement is smooth but very light, and tension in azimuth is non-adjustable. The altitude is smooth enough with the tension set to minimum, but add any tension in altitude and movements start with a jump. The quick release is nice and allows me to slide the scope back and forth for balance, which is a welcome upgrade from my Bogen 3130. The Benro S2 works well enough at 20x-25x, with the scope carefully balanced and the altitude tension set almost free, and would probably be OK at ~40x. At 60x it was getting fussy. On the plus side, the head weighs under a pound and is small enough to let me zip my tripod case around it. The handle has a wide range of adjustment, though the handle-mounting clamp is plastic with uncertain durability. The ability to balance the scope is nice - without balance adjustment on the 3130, I find myself playing constantly with the altitude tension which sort of defeats the advantage of the 3130's smoother motion. Not entirely satisfied, but I have so many other pieces of kit in need of upgrade - the TS-611 for one - that I need to allocate the budget carefully. [/QUOTE]
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Binoculars & Spotting Scopes
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700RC2 or alternatives?
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