lowmal
O Baterista
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 1148
Loc: Toms River, NJ
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Hi all!!
First time posting here!!
I have just completed selling off most of my astro equipment with the goal of "simplifying" this hobby, at least for the near term..
Last night, I purchased a pair of Garrett Optical Gemini 30x100 WP-IF Binoculars, and am now in need of some tripod/mount advice..
I require nothing spectacular, and have no intention of purchasing anything bigger, fancier, or more involved than these..
Something (if anything) on the relatively inexpensive end of the spectrum that will provide decent stability and fair comfort..
A nudge in the right direction would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks all!!
Shawn
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12591
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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There are a few other brands a few guys know of, Amvona is one,
but I'd recommend,
Bogen 3246 tripod with Bogen 501 head. That's gonna cost about $400-$450.
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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Joe Ogiba
Post Laureate
Reged: 02/14/02
Posts: 3362
Loc: NJ USA
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475/501 tripod/head combo or a 3040/3046 tripod with fork or 501 fluid head.
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Pentax PF-80ED
Meade 102ED APO
Orion EON 72
120ST
Apex 127
C6 XLT
CR150
C9.25
XT10
Zeiss 7x42 FL
Canon 10x42L IS WP
15x50 IS
12x36 IS II
Garrett Optical 28x110 HD-WP Signature Series
Oberwerk BT-80 45
Apogee RA-88-SA
Denk II Power x Switch binoviewer w/13mm Ethos, 20mm Pentax XW's, 20mm Widescan III's.
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edwincjones
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/10/04
Posts: 4428
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bogen 3058 tripod with UA microstar/unistar mount-more expensive but also very solid
edj
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n w arkansas
Binocular, Solar, General Amateur Astronomy
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Chopin
Canis Insanus
Reged: 02/03/05
Posts: 3382
Loc: In the doghouse.
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Bogen 3246 w/ 501 head ($380 for the set). Super sturdy even at full height with my 10 lb. bino. Plus, I'm 6 feet tall and I can easily view at zenith with straight through eyepieces, plenty of height to spare. In fact, I think Chewbacca could view at zenith with this setup...
Oh, and get the extra handle ($30). Two hands increase guiding precision ten fold, IMO.
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JasonŽ
Phlog
Edited by Chopin (04/04/07 07:30 PM)
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 12591
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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Here's a variety of the mounts we been talking about
Garrett's page on mounts and tripods
edz
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Teach a kid something today. The feeling you'll get is one of life's greatest rewards.
member#21
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hallelujah
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/14/06
Posts: 1667
Loc: Colorado Rocky Mt. High
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If you want to be able to use your new binocular to its maximum potential go with the Manfrotto 3246 tripod/501 head combination. Garrett Optical price is $379.95 plus shipping. 
Good stuff is not cheap, and cheap stuff is not good! 
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Pentax 12x50mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 16x60mm PCF WP FMC/WP/FP
Pentax 20x60mm PCF WP II FMC/WP/FP
Orion 12x63mm Mini Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 15x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 16x80mm Giant FMC/JAPAN
Orion 20x70mm Little Giant II FMC/JAPAN
Orion 30x80mm MEGAView FMC/JAPAN
Barska 30x80mm X-Trail LW FC
Burgess Optical Series II 20x90mm FMC/WP/FP
Handel's Messiah**Hallelujah! For the LORD God Omnipotent Reigneth
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LunaC
super member
Reged: 10/06/06
Posts: 198
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I'm almost afraid to recommend the 501. With the larger bins coming out at decent prices, the 501 is not going to be as useful past your current 30x100. The second I got one I wish I got a larger head for the big boys.
However for its weight limit, wow! It is nice.
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CESDewar
GorillAstronomer
Reged: 01/16/05
Posts: 1812
Loc: Morganton, GA, USA
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Quote:
A nudge in the right direction would be greatly appreciated..
Well there's certainly no one "right" direction here, but for my two cents, I really like p-mounts with straight through binoculars. If you do much viewing anywhere near the Zenith, a regular tripod/mount is going to be a PITN, quite literally. For straight-through viewing, I found nothing beat having a lean-back swivel chair, like the SunTracker chair, and a p-mount on a sturdy tripod (like a surveyor tripod). I had my 25x100IF's mounted on a Universal Astronomics Unimount deluxe on a surveyor tripod and found it very comfortable viewing right up to the Zenith. The Deluxe version is rated up to 10lbs, so this would be pushing it, and yes, it would take several seconds to steay, but I never found that a major problem (My 25x100's were also 10lbs). There is a Heavy-duty version rated up to 15lbs for $100 more which would be more stable, heftier to move around.
This is certainly a pricey solution - we're talking about $430 for the mount, $100 for a nice viewing chair (although if you have a nice lean-back deck-type chair, that might work well too), plus a tripod. But don't skimp on this - your enjoyment of those binoculars is going to be greatly affected by having a mount that you are comfortable with. If you've never tried a p-mount, it might at the very least be worth trying to visit with someone who has one so you can see how well they work for you...
Anyway... good luck... those binoculars are going to provide some priceless views under dark skies - I find that 100mm Binoculars in the 25-35x range provide some just spectacular views!
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johnno
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 807
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Quote:
Good stuff is not cheap, and cheap stuff is not good!
THAT,is what I call a very sensible,accurate Statement.
Regards.John
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lowmal
O Baterista
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 1148
Loc: Toms River, NJ
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Firstly, let me thank you all for the wealth of advice you've given me..
I went ahead and ordered the Bogen 3246 tripod with Bogen 501 head from B&H Photo..
I flirted with the idea of a p-mount, but figured since this is my first foray into big binos, I'd stick with something I could find useful for regular photography as well..
The 30x100s should be here tomorrow, and the mount should be here Friday, so maybe I'll post a quick pic of the new set-up..
Thanks again for all the help!!
Shawn
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milt
sage
Reged: 09/13/04
Posts: 430
Loc: Arizona
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I went ahead and ordered the Bogen 3246 tripod with Bogen 501 head from B&H Photo..
Shawn,
Great choices on both tripod/head and vendor. A couple of comments:
1) I often find secondary uses for my Bogen mounts when they are not under binoculars. Yours will serve you well for uses you may not even anticipate now. In the future you may want to purchase an extra dovetail to avoid having to take the one off the binocular all the time.
2) Regarding straight-through binoculars near zenith, there is another reason you don't want to go there - the dreaded "Dob hole" (having to move a large amount in azimuth to move just a short actual distance in the sky). Even with angled EP binoculars I try to avoid anywhere near zenith. With your 30x100 there will be so much to see elsewhere in the sky that you won't be giving up much.
Good luck,
Milt
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jaydee
journeyman
Reged: 03/19/07
Posts: 8
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Excellent advice. I could not find the Sun Tracker Chair via Google, but would suggest looking in the fishing equipment brochures. I have a chair called the "chub snooper" which lays back to the horizontal and is very comfortable, but it may only be marketed in the UK.
Best regards
John
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