Telescope Reviews: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram?

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Equipment Discussions >> Binoculars

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SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5615537 - 01/10/13 01:26 PM

salientbunny...

How much weight can that effectively hold?

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salientbunny
member

Reged: 06/13/12

Loc: Southeast Georgia, US

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: SMark]
#5615561 - 01/10/13 01:39 PM

The magic arm is rated at 15kg, so about 30lbs. I have not used anything other than these Nikon AE 10x50s on it so far.

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5615684 - 01/10/13 02:54 PM

What kind of bracket are you using to attach the binoculars to the magic arm salientbunny? There's several models that I see but is it just the camera bracket that comes with it? That's intriguing if it fits my pocket book. Thanks, Phil

Edited by wky46 (01/10/13 02:59 PM)

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salientbunny
member

Reged: 06/13/12

Loc: Southeast Georgia, US

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5615727 - 01/10/13 03:23 PM

The Manfrotto Super Clamp, sold separately from the Magic Arm.

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salientbunny
member

Reged: 06/13/12

Loc: Southeast Georgia, US

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5615737 - 01/10/13 03:30 PM

sorry, I guess I miss read. Yes, I am just using the bracket that came with the Magic Arm and a tripod adapter I already had on hand to mount the binoculars.

Edited by salientbunny (01/10/13 03:32 PM)

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5615783 - 01/10/13 03:56 PM

Sorry bunny. I edited my post a couple times, I was even confusing myself! Thank you

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SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5616512 - 01/10/13 11:41 PM

If the Magic Arm can hold up to 30 lbs., then there shouldn't be too many binoculars that it can't handle...

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guangtou
sage

Reged: 03/27/10

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: SMark]
#5618533 - 01/12/13 07:26 AM

Is the magic arm this model?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/325440-REG/Manfrotto_143_143_Magic_Arm_...

It states load capacity is 6.6 lbs

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salientbunny
member

Reged: 06/13/12

Loc: Southeast Georgia, US

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: guangtou]
#5618635 - 01/12/13 09:10 AM

Yes, that is it. Tho I did not purchase the kit. I got the super clamp as one item and the magic arm with the camera platform as another and do not have the backlite base pictured in the kit.

I notice the add mentions 6.6 lbs capacity. The clamp is labeled 15kg and it makes sense the arm itself may be limited to 6.6 lbs tho it is not labeled. Unfortunately, I do not have the documentation for the magic arm itself.

Edited by salientbunny (01/12/13 09:13 AM)

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Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5618775 - 01/12/13 10:42 AM

The Manfrotto site shows the Magic Arm rated for 3kg and the Super Clamp at 15kg. The arm should be good for up to a HD 70mm with a bit to spare... Sounds like it could be a good idea for these mid-sized binos!

http://www.manfrotto.com/magic-arm-with-bracket

http://www.manfrotto.com/quick-action-super-clamp

Rich

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5619190 - 01/12/13 02:35 PM

Yes, I think the Magic Arm looks like a perfect solution to mid-sized binoculars as you pointed out. Be nice if they had a model for larger binoculars like my 20x80's. Of course, then I really couldn't afford it! Anyway, when time permits I probably will build something along the lines of the monopod design. I have an inexpensive camera tripod and may add a boom to it and I also have a microphone stand with boom (but not sure about the load specs on that). Gonna take a little ingenuity with either but ya'll certainly have provided some great links to follow.

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5619230 - 01/12/13 03:02 PM

I see the MagicArm only swivels on the ends so I'm thinking there ought to be a ball-end swivel type camera bracket out there. I could probably forgo that part of the build if that type bracket is available cheaply and could sufficiantly handle a 6lb or so load. Seems all one would have to do is then thread it to a boom and voilà, a completely adjustable platform.... right???

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Rich V.
Post Laureate

Reged: 01/02/05

Loc: Lake Tahoe area, Nevada, USA

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5619382 - 01/12/13 04:23 PM

If you intend to use a monopod or some kind of boom on a tripod, a standard vertically mounted ball head would provide all the motions you need for binoculars. You have to consider that weight cantilevered on the end of an extended arm of any kind will be prone to some shake and flexing, though.

I use a common Manfrotto ball head rated for 8.8# with my tall Giottos monopod and it works well with binos up to 5 lbs. I find a tall monopod with a ball head is ideal for minimalist-style stabilizing of 10x-12x binos; you can use it standing or seated. Heavier, higher mag. 16x70 binos are still fine for terrestrial use on my monopod but are on the edge of being a little shaky for astro use, IMO.

Rich

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: Rich V.]
#5619419 - 01/12/13 04:43 PM

I knew I came to the right place, thanks Rich. Something to think about. It sounds like from your experience I probably shouldn't even consider it with my 20x80's (5+lbs.) even with a sturdy and robust tripod/boom.

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Goodchild
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 12/31/08

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5619438 - 01/12/13 04:52 PM

With a tripod/boom system, don't you still have to adjust your chair position periodically? That's the part that seems the most aggravating to me. That's why the "magic arm" and JKoelman's methods are so appealing.

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SMark
professor emeritus

Reged: 08/29/11

Loc: Atlanta, GA USA

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: Goodchild]
#5619492 - 01/12/13 05:28 PM

I just ordered myself the Magic Arm kit, so I'll try it out with my 5 lb. 16x80 and let you know how it works.

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wky46
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/12/05

Loc: west Ky.

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: Goodchild]
#5619508 - 01/12/13 05:37 PM

Those have been in the back of my mind ever since you posted that link Goodchild. Just thinking about that heartbeat thing he mentioned though, my heartbeats pretty strong. So much to think about. But in the meantime, and since it looks so simple a design, certainly wouldn't hurt to rig up something similar. Thanks again....Phil

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Goodchild
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 12/31/08

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: wky46]
#5620026 - 01/12/13 11:41 PM

Phil, I think you're going to get a heartbeat using any kind of fixed mount that you rest up next to your eyes, except maybe a monopod or tripod. We don't detect a heartbeat when we handhold binos because we shake too much to notice it, but it's there.

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Andresin150
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 08/14/07

Loc: Bogotá - La Calera / Colombia

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: Goodchild]
#5621230 - 01/13/13 05:00 PM

A soft pillow helps minimizing it. I rarely have that problem in the Starchair even at 40x, thanks to the pillow.

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faackanders2
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 03/28/11

Re: Any other mounts besides a parallelogram? new

[Re: salientbunny]
#5623537 - 01/14/13 10:15 PM

Quote:

The Manfrotto magic arm and my zero gravity chair work pretty well for me.

I already have the anti-gravity chair and binos. What Manfrotto magic parts woulc I need to order to make a system like yours? I have up to 15x63 with horizontal mount, and much heavier 25x100 with vertical mount. Would it be able to handle the latter, or just the smaller stuff?

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