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Solar B
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/28/07
Posts: 911
Loc: By Edinburgh , Scotland
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Just wondered if anyone has tried this mount out or have
any thoughts on its suitability or limitations.
http://www.pulsar-optical.co.uk/prod/binocular/mountings/scopeteknix/st90.html
Thanks Brian
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" Gentlemen only ever use Refractors "
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KennyJ
Reged: 04/27/03
Posts: 12889
Loc: Lancashire UK
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Hi Brian ,
I can't say any more about this product apart from to be wary that the £49 binocular used in the illustration ( that requires 5 of the 6 counter weights ) only weighs just over 1 Kilo -- much less than HALF the weight of , for example , a 70mm Fujinon .
Since the advertisement claims it can be used for " almost ANY " binoculars , one wonders how many weights would be required / to what would they attach -- for any of these larger 10 pound PLUS models coming out of China ?
Kenny
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If everyone is thinking the same thing , no-one is thinking - General George S.Patton
Zeiss 7 x 42 BGAT
Captain's Helmsman 7 x 50
Nikon 10 x 42 Superior E
Swift Audubon Kestrel 10 x 50
Helios 15 x 70 Observation
Strathspey 20 x 90
Televue 76 APO
Zeiss 85 Diascope
Helios 102 f5 refractor
Various eyepieces barlows tripods mounts etc.
Panasonic Lumix DMC - TZ5 digital camera
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Solar B
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/28/07
Posts: 911
Loc: By Edinburgh , Scotland
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Hi Kenny
Thanks for that,i guess what i,m looking to use
would be getting on for the Fujinon weight so that would require at least 12 counter-weights so perhaps its not a good idea.
Brian
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" Gentlemen only ever use Refractors "
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Man in a Tub
Not Retired!, But a little cranky!!!
Reged: 10/28/08
Posts: 2029
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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From the link provided:
Quote:
The Zodiac relies heavily on a good quality tripod (not included) to provide the means of rotating and tilting the mount. The tripod should be full height (emphasis added) and we recommend a crank handle controlled rising centre column.
I raise the height of my Orion Paragon XHD Tripod and Orion Paragon Plus Mount as occasionally necessary and minimally. As "robust" as my tripod is, I try not to crank the weight of the p-mount and binocular up into the shaky heavens. Fortunately, I also don't have to add more weight to the counterbalance. (Disclaimer: This setup is not a parallelogram mount such as the Universal Astronomics offerings. Drool! Alas, budget prevailed.)
Take care of your neck...and best regards,
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Todd
Brunton Eterna 15x51 ° Garrett Optical Signature Series 15x70
Nikon Action EX 12x50 ° Oberwerk 15x60 and 20x80 Standard
Orion Paragon Plus Mount and Paragon XHD Tripod
Garrett Optical Series 2000 Grip-Action Monopod
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Erik D
Post Laureate
Reged: 04/28/03
Posts: 3196
Loc: Central New Jersey, USA
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Brian,
I noted what KennyJ said about the need to counter balance a pair of 8X56. I don't use any counter wts for any of my binos up to the 8.5 lb 25X100. A good quality fluid head usually takes care of that.
I know equipment prices are always higher in the UK. But the asking price of 78.5 pound is about 128 USD at today's FX rate. A tripod and head is not included. For $250 we can purchase a fluid head and tripod rated for 17.6 lb
http://www.garrettoptical.com/product-p/series5000.htm
Order the GO SS 28X110 at the same time and you can get the mount and tripod for just $200. ;-))
ERik D
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Solar B
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/28/07
Posts: 911
Loc: By Edinburgh , Scotland
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Thanks Todd & Erik
I think that i will be giving this mount a miss now!!!!!!!
I currently use a 410 on a horizon hd tripod which is ok,but i was looking into alternatives that as Todd puts it to "take care of my neck",i guess if your going down that route the only things that will do are the parallel or mirror mounts.
Brian
PS...any thoughts on the reverse mirror mounts,i doubt that i want to take that route either though.
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" Gentlemen only ever use Refractors "
Edited by Solar B (10/27/09 05:17 AM)
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Luigi
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 4934
Loc: MA
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Looks to be not so much a mount but more of a balance arm used to offset the bins from the head. If the length from the pivot axis (of the not-included head) to the bins is the same as from the axis to CWs, the weights should weight about the same as the attached bin, unless the arm itself is excessively top-heavy.
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17.5" f/5 Dob. IM-715 MCT. 120ED. Lunt 60mm Ha.
Zeiss, Leica, Fujinon, Nikon, Pentax, Bushnell bins
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EdZ
Professor EdZ
Reged: 02/15/02
Posts: 14728
Loc: Cumberland, R I , USA42N71.4W
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>>>>>thoughts on its suitability or limitations.
as mentioned above, this is NOT a parallelogram mount
no axle movment at binocular L adapter attacment means binoculars will always be pointed 90° to the axis of the mount.
than means that, unlike any parallelogram mount, adjustment to put binoculars at eye level will always be by up/down adjustment of elevator column.
Well designed parallellogram mounts have 4 or 5 degrees of motion. The Orion Paragon Pgram mount has three degrees of motion, unless you purchase the adapter plate the mounts just under the L adapter, then it may be able to be used as four. The ultimate Pgrams have 6 degrees of motion. This one has TWO degrees of motion.
They did correctly state it relies heavily in a robust tripod. Because of the need to raise/lower the center column to put eyepieces at eye height, this mount relies almost entirely on the robustness of the center column. I'd put a guess that this would cause the need for a $400-$500 tripod to mount this and a 10# binocular. Kind of useless, since you could mount the binocular right to a tripod and forego this mount. It provides no added benefit.
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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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Solar B
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 02/28/07
Posts: 911
Loc: By Edinburgh , Scotland
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Thanks Luigi & Edz i will definately give that mount a body swerve.
Heres another one.....reverse mirror mount
http://www.scopesnskies.com/prod/binocular/mountings/mirror/scopeteknix/astro-engineering.html
Any thoughts on this one folks.
Brian
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" Gentlemen only ever use Refractors "
Edited by Solar B (10/27/09 01:40 PM)
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StarStuff1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 04/01/07
Posts: 976
Loc: South of the Mason-Dixon Line
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Although very comfortable to use I never felt comfortable with the mirror reversed image.
If you have any dew issues where you observe you will discover a higher level of dewing with that 200x99mm piece of glass aiming at the sky. BTW, the ad doesn't mention the flatness of the mirror or even if it is a 1st surface mirror.
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Tools that make objects very far away appear much closer than they actually are.
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