Lightweight & budget tripod for Opticron MM4 60mm scope (1 Viewer)

[Choc59]

Hi there !

An other thread about lightweight tripod. If its too much repetitions with some other thread, feel free to move , merge or delete !

I'll soon be the happy owner of an Opticron MM4 60mm with the SDL zoom eyepiece. Total weight of this set-up is 1kg.

Until the scope arrives, I have few weeks to choose a lightweight tripod to pair with this scope !

At that stage I think it is important to precise that I already own 2 "standards" tripods for my 80mm scope :

• Manfrotto 290XTRA + MVH500AH video head
• Manfrotto 055XBPRO + 128RC video head.

So my goal is not to go for another heavy video head + standard tripod here, but really going for a light option. As this is the set up I will take when there is a lot of walking around involved, I would like the combination scope + tripod to gravitate around 2kg, so the tripod + head should be about 1kg.

My budget is quite tight: 100€ to 150€.

From what I saw elsewhere on this forum, and at my locals shops, here is a selection of tripods I found :

Tripod with head & handles :

• Benro slim video with S2C head & short handle (1,5kg - 115€)
• Slik Sprint Pro 3 (1,18kg - 99€)
• Velbon Ultra 355 (1,12kg - about 140€) discontinued ?

Tripod with head (no handles) :

• Rollei C5i Carbon (1,35kg - 129€)
• Peak Design Travel Tripod (1,54kg - 400€)

Tripod legs (without head):

• Vanguard VEO 204CBP (1,14kg -169€)
• Velbon Ultra 655 (1,4kg - 200€)
• Gitzo GT1545T (1,45kg - 550€)

I like the heads that come with a little handle so preferably I would like to find something with one, hence the different categories I made above. Not sure if I would like the ball heads that you move with the little knobs. Therefore, the tripods I am considering the most are the Benro Slim S2C, and the Slik Sprint Pro 3 (I've seen some good reviews and while it is not perfect, people were quite pleased so guessing it might do the job for me). If people here have and use the Slik Sprint wit a similar set up, I'd like to get your feedback
Should maybe dig a bit more on the Velbon Ultra side.

I have read a lot of you recommending the Gitzo GT1545T but it is way out of my budget, same with the Peak Design & the Velbon Ultra 655.

Also considering maybe a monopod with a stable feet (kind of the ones with "claws" at the bottom that allows the monopod to stand by itself). Kind of interesting for walking and for observatories , but I am still unsure as I am more observing outside than inside the observatories. So not sure to make the most out of a monopod but I have not crossed that option yet.

Open to any of your recommendations , the offer is large on this market and there might be plenty other models I have not seen yet ?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts,

 

[Rotherbirder]

The 128RC weighs a whopping 1kg so is a bit too heavy for you going on your stated requirements! I would consider a Manfrotto 700RC2 (0.5kg) with such a light scope. I use one with a Leica APO62 and its more than up to the job; a basic 'micro fluid' head but offers decent stability and control for its size. Apparently its discontinued now but you may still find one - or its replacement/equivalent - out there.

RB

 

[Bill Atwood]

The 128RC weighs a whopping 1kg so is a bit too heavy for you going on your stated requirements! I would consider a Manfrotto 700RC2 (0.5kg) with such a light scope. I use one with a Leica APO62 and its more than up to the job; a basic 'micro fluid' head but offers decent stability and control for its size. Apparently its discontinued now but you may still find one - or its replacement/equivalent - out there.

RB

1 kg for legs and head is VERY light.

For the record, the 128RC is actually 0.77kg. It's what I use for my MM3 ED 60mm. I would prefer something a bit lighter, but it's not a priority at the moment.

I tried the 700RC2 but the view shifted considerably when panning or tilt knobs were tightened.

 

[forent]

(...) Total weight of this set-up is 1kg. (...)
the tripod + head should be about 1kg. My budget is quite tight: 100€ to 150€. (...)

There are three desirable properties of a tripod: light, cheap, rigid. Unfortunately, you can have only two at once. That's the way it is, really.

The low weight of your set-up is of some importance but much more important is the highest magnification, 45x in your case. That's roughly equivalent to a 2000 mm super tele lens on a full frame camera. Actually, any cheap and light tripod combo will be much too flimsy for that, especially in windy conditions.

You don't want to waste 100 or 150 € on a wobbly and therefore useless tripod. So you should decide whether you would accept a higher price or a higher weight. I in person would choose the latter because I have yet to see a 1 kg light and at least 1.20m high tripod/head combo of any price class that performs sufficiently well with a fieldscope. As always: YMMV.

 

[GreenRooky]

I use a monopod with this scope, main downside is you can't share the view with others but my birding style is fairly mobile rather than static

 

[Choc59]

There are three desirable properties of a tripod: light, cheap, rigid. Unfortunately, you can have only two at once. That's the way it is, really.

The low weight of your set-up is of some importance but much more important is the highest magnification, 45x in your case. That's roughly equivalent to a 2000 mm super tele lens on a full frame camera. Actually, any cheap and light tripod combo will be much too flimsy for that, especially in windy conditions.

You don't want to waste 100 or 150 € on a wobbly and therefore useless tripod. So you should decide whether you would accept a higher price or a higher weight. I in person would choose the latter because I have yet to see a 1 kg light and at least 1.20m high tripod/head combo of any price class that performs sufficiently well with a fieldscope. As always: YMMV.

Hi Forent,

thanks for the head up. Well If I have to choose I'd go over the budget to keep it light. You think it would be too light ? And what about a tripod+head at 1,5kg ?

Do you think a stiff monopod would be more relevant?

 

[Sc0tty]

For the record, the 128RC is actually 0.77kg.

1kg according to the Manfrotto website

 

[wllmspd]

I use a manfrotto befree live tripod and head. Lightweight and smooth motion, though no spring resistance, I always use the locks when panning. I’ve attached some tape to one lock screws to avoid me releasing the scope plate instead of the altitude (the plate has a capture pin so it won’t actually fall out). It uses the long manfrotto plate so I don’t need to change plates between tripods.

I leave the tripod extended and sling the scope and tripod over my shoulder, ready to use rapidly, I even sometimes use it for quick looks without spreading the legs. It’s not the most robust/rigid and won’t be much use in a strong gale, but works just fine otherwise. If I want to carry a heavy tripod then I might as well bring a bigger scope.

Peter

 

[Choc59]

1kg according to the Manfrotto website

I have weighted on scale the 128RC & MVH500AH few months ago and if I remember well, , the MVH500AH was about 1kg and the 128RC was a bit lighter. I should do it again cause I have not written the scale results anywhere. It's highly probable the informations provided by Manfrotto and displayed on every seller's website is not accurate.

 

[4John]

Choc59,

Forent has already summed up the situation very well : ”There are three desirable properties of a tripod: light, cheap, rigid. Unfortunately, you can have only two at once. That's the way it is, really.”

I set the same 1kg target weight as you when I bought a Slik Sprint Pro 3 to go with my Nikon ED50 over 10 years ago. I didn’t like the supplied 3-way head. I prefer a fluid/video head but struggled to find anything < 500g. I bought the lightest one I could find at the time which was a Velbon FHD 52Q weighing 480g.

I had to use the Slik Sprint Pro 3 tripod with the legs and centre column almost fully extended because I am 5ft 11 inch (1.80m) tall and use a straight scope. I found the tripod too flexible/bendy, and in breezy conditions it vibrated too much, and I sometimes had to hang my rucksack on the centre column to stop it being blown over. This will be less of a problem for you if you are significantly shorter, and/or prefer an angled scope.

I then started looking for more rigid legs about 1kg but I found the total weight of around 1.5kg didn’t feel much different to the 2.2kg of the Manfrotto carbon fibre 443 legs and B200 head I already owned, even though it was 700g lighter on paper. I calculate that your Manfrotto 290XTRA / MVH500AH combo is 2.7kg, and your other combo is 3.4kg, so 1.5kg will be significantly lighter on paper than what you have. Increasing your target weight to 1.5kg could therefore be an option.

However, I ended up with a monopod for my ED50 because it was so much lighter and less bulky than a tripod, and suited my preferred more mobile birding. I have been using it for 10 years or so and haven’t used the Slik Sprint Pro at all. I have tried two examples of the Opticron MM4 60 with SDLV3 zoom on my monopod over the last year and they were easily useable (although both of them had to be returned for a refund because of chromatic aberration). However, the one caveat I have with monopods is that you must have something like a fold-down foot to stop rotation to get the best out of them. I think the ones with the multiple “claw” feet you mention are over-priced, over-weight and very over-engineered. A simple, single, fold-down foot is all you need to stop rotation.

However, in my experience a monopod only really works with a straight scope, so if you prefer an angled scope I wouldn’t recommend it, but there maybe someone else on the forum who does.

 

[Elkhornsun]

Best bet is one of the lightweight tripods with center bracing between the 3 legs. As you have tripods you know what working height you need.

I like the BH Photo website with its filters so one can select the weight ranges and the working height and the load capacity and the ratings to get a shorter list to consider. Even if buying elsewhere it is a good starting point.

 

[Bill Atwood]

1kg according to the Manfrotto website

0.77kg, with plate, according to my scale.

0.73kg without plate.

 

[forent]

(...) If I have to choose I'd go over the budget to keep it light. You think it would be too light ? And what about a tripod+head at 1,5kg ? Do you think a stiff monopod would be more relevant?

Even top brands like Gitzo and Really Right Stuff aren't able to overcome the laws of physics, so I have to answer: yes, it would be too light as long as you plan to stand upright behind your tripod. (Meanwhile, low-weight tabletop tripods can be very sturdy, but that's a different story.)

An 1.5 kg tripod combo might work, depending on the conditions. But I'm afraid you would have to pay at least (!) two or three times of your intended budget. As an example (!), the slim carbon tripod Feisol CT-3342 comes to my mind: 1.17 kg, 140 cm, no center column, only two extensions, 28 mm max. diameter of the legs. The last three properties are important; the fewer extensions and the thicker the legs the more rigid any tripod will be. And a fully extended center column converts your reasonably sturdy tripod into a monopod with three feet.

By the way, monopod: it might work with a straight scope, especially if you have a chance to lean it against a tree/fence/etc and the monopod provides a fold-out anti-rotation foot. But with an angled scope it would be much too awkward for me in person. As always: people are different, YMMV.

Concerning the head I can't add anything that hasn't been written before.

 

[wllmspd]

I did try a monopod for my angled mm60, but it swung around a bit and made higher powers harder to use.

Peter

 

[4John]

Peter,

Not sure what you mean by "it swung around a bit", but if you mean you found it hard to stop the monopod twisting or rotating in your hand at higher magnification, this the problem with monopods. The simplest and most cost-effective solution I have seen (and used for 10 years) is a fold-down foot. You put your foot on the foot to stop the rotation. This one is available on Amazon for around £20 :

However, this particular example is poorly engineered because the hole in the bottom of the monopod is too large for the foot, allowing limited but still irritating rotation of the monopod. It's not rocket science to make a DIY fix using plastic sleeves/bearings to take out the slack, but I took the foot off and made my own attachment to put it on the bottom of a Velbon monopod.

 

[Choc59]

Hi everyone,

I will reconsider then, I keep in mind the Manfrotto Be Free Live that Peter suggested and maybe some other options other 1,5kg / 1,8kg.
I have checked 2nd hand advertisements, and some things are findable and could fit my budget.

I have to make some "simulation" by carrying on my shoulder my current tripod combo alone without scope (290XTRA+MVH500AH = 2,8kg) , as it weights what would a light tripod + the opticron scope weights.

 

[Choc59]

By the way, does anyone knows about the brand TRIOPO and their carbon tripods ? I found some, usually paired with a Manfrotto head. Is Triopo and Manfrotto kind of affiliated ?

 

[David Swain]

Take a look at the Surui Travel X tripod/head kit. 1kg and $150 US. The head is not perfect and the leg adjustment system will not be to everyone’s liking, but it is well made, refined (ARCA plate with anti-rotation, good quality carbon). It is what I will be traveling with, leaving my large Benro and Monarch 82 at home. Balances nicely with my Hummingbird + Baader 13mm.

 

[Choc59]

Hi everyone,

a little head up :
Thanks to a prolific 2nd-hand market here, I was able to get my hand on a Benro carbon travel tripod (model TSL08CN00). Very light set up (about 1,2kg), stability was ok for my need, but sometimes the tripod would lift up a bit if I was tilting the scope.

But to my own disappointment, I must admit I did not really fell in love with it. The overall feeling is that it felt kind of fragile somehow (probably just a very subjective feeling) but mostly I have soon realized how much using the twist locks were a pain in the ass for me :
I much, much prefer the flip locks / lever locks, that I find way quicker to use once on the field (I don't always walk with the legs deployed, as we walk in groups I often need to push them back so I don't poke in their necks the other birders )

Also, I soon found out that sand/dirt/salt were more likely to mess with the screwing system of thetwist-lock, and while dismantling it to give everything a good clean I realized the nylon bushings that prevents the legs from falling off were either damaged or missing (downside of buying 2nd hand). This issue kind of wrapped everything up for me, and I decided I'd be better selling back this one and finding a lightweight tripod with flip-lock.

I wanted to go back to Manfrotto , as is all the rest of my gears here,because it's easy to find and easy to sell; and I remembered someone here talking about how satisfied he's been from a Be Free tripod.

So I found a flip-lock / aluminium version of the Be Free Advanced (+ballhead that I will swap again for a small video head). It weights about 1,6kg so it is a +300gr-400gr difference from the Benro, but putting them side by side you can tell the build and sturdiness does not compare.
The Manfrotto immediatly gives a sense of quality building, and when I gently "shake" them both to test the sturdiness once set-up, the Benro one moves around easily while the Manfrotto does not move one bit. Definitely worth the extra weight, which stays very very reasonnable anyway.

Now I have to find a good video head to pair it with. I was thinking MVH400AH (I already own it's big sister MVH500AH which I am delighted about) but the reviews of it are fairly unconsistent... it looks like you must be lucky to find one from a good batch.

 

[Gzoladz74]

My "travel scope" set up is an Opticron MM3 60 and a Velbon Ultra 355 that I got a few years back heavily discounted. Considering its weight, its cost and that the alternative is not to take a scope, I am very happy with it.