jbh@hpcndaw.HP.COM (Joel Hurmence) (03/31/88)
I am looking for a tripod for my new spotting scope. I would like to find one that is stable and *quick* to set up. Some I have seen have screw-type locks on the legs that take a long time to tighten and loosen. Almost all new tripods have a lot of plastic parts, and although they are light-weight, they do not look very sturdy. Some also have a lever lock to allow quick release of the head assembly which screws into the scope. This looks handy, but also like it might be a source of trouble. Does anybody have a scope tripod they could recommend? Thanks in advance. Joel Hurmence ARPA:j_hurmence%hpfcla@hplabs.HP.COM UUCP:[ihnp4|hplabs]!hpfcla!j_hurmence
gp@picuxa.UUCP (Greg Pasquariello X1190) (04/08/88)
In article <2950001@hpcndaw.HP.COM> jbh@hpcndaw.HP.COM (Joel Hurmence) writes: >I am looking for a tripod for my new spotting scope. I would like >to find one that is stable and *quick* to set up. Some I have seen >Does anybody have a scope tripod they could recommend? > >Thanks in advance. > >Joel Hurmence The best tripod I have seen is owned by Rich Ditch, who can occaisionally be seen right here on the net. It was (I beleive) a Bogen Tripod (sorry, no model no.). It had flip lock legs, and could be fitted with a quick release head, making it ideal for for picture taking, or multiple scope mounts. If your there Rich, maybe you could comment. One suggestion. DO NOT buy a scope with screw legs. They are hell! (I know, I own one). Greg Pasquariello ihnp4!picuxa!gp
gss@edsdrd.UUCP (Gary Schiltz) (04/12/88)
In article <2950001@hpcndaw.HP.COM>, jbh@hpcndaw.HP.COM (Joel Hurmence) writes: > I am looking for a tripod for my new spotting scope. I would like > to find one that is stable and *quick* to set up [...] > > Does anybody have a scope tripod they could recommend? My wife and I have been using a Swift tripod or about a year, now. I can't remember the model number or name, and I have looked all over the tripod and can't find one there either. So, I'll describe it and maye someone on the net will know which one I'm talking about (they seem to be popular). In any case, we really like it. The legs are two-piece tubular aluminum. There is one lever at the top of each leg to lock and unlock the leg for lowering and raising. There is also a tubular aluminum center shaft on which the tripod head sits. This shaft is tightened with a single knob at the top of the assembly which connects the shaft and the legs. The shaft is lowered and raised by hand rather than by a crank as in many photographic tripods. The tripod head is very simple to use; there is only one handle to loosen in order to adjust the scope in both vertical and horizontal directions. A separate knob is used to adjust the tilt of the head (but this is not normally needed for use with a spotting scope, anyway). The one locking lever per leg and single adjustment for the head makes the scope VERY fast and easy to set up. I can go from carrying the scope and tripod completely folded and resting on my shoulder to completely set up and focused on a bird in around 15 seconds (ok, maybe 20), all without taking my eyes off the bird. The tripod is also very light and compact -- I don't have exact figures, but it seems to be only a few pounds with a Spacemaster scope mounted on it. The price is moderately expensive -- I gave around $70 for mine from a dealer who sells nothing but binoculars, scopes and tripods. The normal retail price might be a little higher, certainly lower from camera stores in NYC. There are only a few drawbacks that I've found so far. For one, I'd like the tripod to be a little taller. Fully extended, it is only about 5'4" tall. This is fine for most uses where the bird is at or below eye level, but I've become comfortable enough with my scope with a wide angle lens that I use it for looking at warblers in the spring. I really have to squat down to look through the scope when it is focused on the top of a close tall tree. Also, the tripod is not as stable as I'd like. It shakes a little in strong winds, but not all that badly. However, its lightness overshadows this minor problem. As an aside, I have used a tripod made by a company called Star-D (I believe this is the name) which seems to have had basically the same adjustments. The only difference is that the tripod was taller but heavier and more bulky to carry. I don't know about the price. I hope this helps. Good luck and have a good spring birding. Gary Schiltz -- Gary S. Schiltz - EDS R & D "Have bird will watch ..." USENET: ... {ihnp4!mibte,cbosgd!edstb}!edsdrd!gss
jim@hpfcdc.HP.COM (Jim Tear) (04/13/88)
Last week in Corpus Christi, Texas, I ran into an expert bird watcher who had a scope mounted on a homemade gun stock. Shortly afterwards, I made my own. It is much easier to use than a tripod--no setup required! It would not be suitable for magnifications over 25X or for large groups. The gun stock can be made out of plywood, 1x4, or 2x4. A standard 1/4" bolt will attach the scope to the gun stock. The bolt can be attached to the stock with u-bolts, wire, string, glue, or more wood--be creative. Jim Tear -- Hewlett-Packard -- Ft. Collins, CO