Bogen/Manfrotto 3130 vs. 700RC2 (1 Viewer)

[jerrylp]

Hi, everyone! I'm new to this great site, and am finding it invaIuable in my "optics" and birding interests.

My question: Is the Bogen/Manfrotto 700RC2 Fluid Head just as smooth as the 3130? I would like to use the slightly less expensive 700RC2 for a small, lightweight spotting scope tripod setup, and would rather not add another pound of weight that the 3130 brings with it. Thanks for any help!

Jerry

 

[SteveClifton]

I understand your problem Jerry. This has been discussed at length before on BF, and there is no easy answer.

If you take the 3130 (128RC in the UK) as the standard to which others are measured by, there are a few lighter alternatives, but I'm not sure any are better.

The 700RC2 is like the 'baby brother' of the 701RC2 which I used to own. I personally didn't get on with it and sold it. I much prefer the big chunky knobs of the 128, and the fact that you can easily control the tension from tight to very loose, and lock it up with the same Knob.

I have very little direct experience of the 700RC2, but doubt that it's any better than the 701RC2. I don't like the fiddly little controls of either, but others swear by them. Neither are cheaper in the UK either, nor quite as smooth as the 128.

A couple of others you might try are:

Manfrotto 390RC: weights a little over 600g, just over half the price of a 128RC (£35). I own one, and it's fine for a lighter scope like a Nikon ED50, even with a big scope occasionally, but I wouldn't carry your big scope attached to this head as it has a (strong)plastic QR lever. Reasonably smooth, but not fluid like the 128.

Velbon FHD-51Q: quite new from Velbon. Very smooth (almost as smooth as the 128), in both pan/tilt modes. Pan mode has adjustable tension. weighs 610g. Has a nice long QR plate that slides back and forth to help balance a front/back heavy scope (good with a camera attached too). Downside is price (around £100, though I got mine on special offer for £80). I also have one of these, particularly good with a smaller scope up to around 60-65mm.

Also, I've heard good things about the small Gitzo (not sure of product number), but have no experience of it. Very expensive too!

Hope this is helpful, Steve.

 

[KorHaan]

I understand your problem Jerry. This has been discussed at length before on BF, and there is no easy answer.

If you take the 3130 (128RC in the UK) as the standard to which others are measured by, there are a few lighter alternatives, but I'm not sure any are better.

The 700RC2 is like the 'baby brother' of the 701RC2 which I used to own. I personally didn't get on with it and sold it. I much prefer the big chunky knobs of the 128, and the fact that you can easily control the tension from tight to very loose, and lock it up with the same Knob.

I have very little direct experience of the 700RC2, but doubt that it's any better than the 701RC2. I don't like the fiddly little controls of either, but others swear by them. Neither are cheaper in the UK either, nor quite as smooth as the 128.

A couple of others you might try are:

Manfrotto 390RC: weights a little over 600g, just over half the price of a 128RC (£35). I own one, and it's fine for a lighter scope like a Nikon ED50, even with a big scope occasionally, but I wouldn't carry your big scope attached to this head as it has a (strong)plastic QR lever. Reasonably smooth, but not fluid like the 128.

Velbon FHD-51Q: quite new from Velbon. Very smooth (almost as smooth as the 128), in both pan/tilt modes. Pan mode has adjustable tension. weighs 610g. Has a nice long QR plate that slides back and forth to help balance a front/back heavy scope (good with a camera attached too). Downside is price (around £100, though I got mine on special offer for £80). I also have one of these, particularly good with a smaller scope up to around 60-65mm.

Also, I've heard good things about the small Gitzo (not sure of product number), but have no experience of it. Very expensive too!

Hope this is helpful, Steve.

Hi Steve,

It's the Gitzo G2180 fluid head. 570 grams, very smooth.
Although it didn't do quite well in Jan Meijerink's test, I must say I find it better than both Manfrotto lightweights. The 128RC is much bigger and twice as heavy.

Greetings, Ronald

 

[jerrylp]

Hi Steve,

It's the Gitzo G2180 fluid head. 570 grams, very smooth.
Although it didn't do quite well in Jan Meijerink's test, I must say I find it better than both Manfrotto lightweights. The 128RC is much bigger and twice as heavy.

Greetings, Ronald

=========================

Thanks, Steve and Ronald!

Jerry

 

[mhmyers]

Is the Bogen/Manfrotto 700RC2 Fluid Head just as smooth as the 3130?

I use the 700RC2 with my Fieldscope 82 and it works very well. I like the lightness/portability. I took off the handle since I only wanted something that could move smoothly. I have one hand on the focus and the other on the shutter anyhow.

It will hold my setup, even with a D80 attached, but it needs to be loose to be used so the sturdiness and weight capacity is not an issue.

 

[KorHaan]

I use the 700RC2 with my Fieldscope 82 and it works very well. I like the lightness/portability. I took off the handle since I only wanted something that could move smoothly. I have one hand on the focus and the other on the shutter anyhow.

It will hold my setup, even with a D80 attached, but it needs to be loose to be used so the sturdiness and weight capacity is not an issue.

I took off the handle of my Gitzo 2180 too. I always needed 3 hands so to speak, one on the pan handle to track the bird with the scope, one on the focus wheel and one on the zoom. Now I can do this all simultaneously with both hands on the scope.

Greetings, Ronald

 

[scampo]

I use the 700RC2 for my Zeiss 85. It's light, smooth and solid. The friction of the vertical and horizontal movement seems to vary between models - mine is quite stiff (yet still smooth); one I tried recently was much easier to move (but agin very smooth).

I'd buy it again, for sure, simply because it's so light and effective. The 128RC2 is far heavier - for what gain? I would prefer the head to use a single twist-lock pan/tilt handle rather than the two locking nuts but it's only usually necessary to lock the vertical movement.