Telescope Reviews: ( yet another ) Tripod Question

Let me throw a recent review I did of the Bogen/Manfrotto 516 fluid pan head into the mix. I will preface this by saying the use of two handles on a pan head is much, much nicer than using just one. You can buy a 2nd handle for the Bogen/Manfrotto 501 as an option. A 2nd handle comes stock with the 516. The 501 is fine for payloads up to about 8 to 10 lbs (capacity 13+ lbs.) however if you want the additional smoothness of movement and security offered by a pan head with a 22 lb. capacity, I believe the 516 is the way to go. It is perfect for 100 mm Miyauchi binoculars.

With the sale of most of my Pentax 6x7 photographic equipment, Fujinon FMT-SX 10x70 binoculars and other sundry astronomy toys that were going unused, I withheld some of my "deposit" to buy the Bogen Manfrotto 516 Fluid Pan Head.

Some may ask "Why get this, you have a LightSpeed Wagon alt-azimuth mount? I do, and it is great, but it does not set up in a snap and if I use it with different payloads - typically either a 6" f/5 refractor or my Miyauchi 20x100's, I have to adjust the cradle height which requires the removal and relocation of 8 socket head cap screws. I wanted something that would work well with heavier
payloads and would set up easily. I already had a Bogen 3063 fluid pan head which works great with my Miyauchi 20x77 binoculars. That head has about a 11 to 12 lb. payload capacity which is a great combination with the 6.6 lb. 20x77 Miyauchi. I have even tried it with the 12 to 13 lb. 20x100 Miyauchi, but it is pushing it with that
pair of binoculars.

Recently I added a handle to the LightSpeed Wagon mount which allows me to move either binoculars or a telescope on the mount without actually touching the binoculars or telescope. It works great, so I wanted dual handles on a quick set up mount.

Research uncovered the Bogen 516 mount. It has a 22 lb. (10 kg) capacity and the ideal balanced payload being 16.5 lb. (7.5 kg) This mount has adjustable tension and a very hydraulic feel. If tension is released somewhat the head
will return to a horizontal neutral position. Loosen it more and it will return faster. Playing with this feature you can actually "track" objects to a certain extent as the head slowly glides to it's neutral position.

This pan head sells for about $450 to $500 and would usually have to be special ordered by a local camera store or ordered mail order. I like to deal with one of the local stores so I brought them price information from several mail order dealers. I asked how close they could come to matching the price, and they did! The next step up from Bogen are heads that top $1000.00, I was not prepared to go
there. Anyway this head has dual telescoping handles that can be rotated and adjusted to virtually any position. The handles have foam grips at their ends. The mounting plate is a dovetail and it comes with an assortment of mounting screws: 2 - 1/4-20 screws and 2 - 3/8-16 screws. Screws not being used can be screwed into receptacles as storage. The mounting plate is constructed so that a red spring loaded safety bar coming in from the side will prevent it from sliding out all the way if the locking lever is accidently
loosened.

The instrux booklet says that the mount will elevate to 90 degrees and will depress to -60 degrees. I found however that the way the head is set up from the factory, it will only elevate to 60 degrees and will depress to -90 degrees. By flipping the handles around (putting the handle mount brackets toward the front, I can get that 90 degree elevation as the back is now the front and vice-versa. The
problem as set up was an extension near the base of the head
containing a bubble level and the azimuth locking lever. I checked the mount carefully and there is no way to flip the upper part of the mount on the revolving base as each side is just a little bit different. Anyway it elevates to 90 degrees as reconfigured.

The pan head is set up on an old Davis & Sanford tripod that I traded a pair of binoculars for. I have an aluminum plate mounted on the top of the D&S tripod. To that I have attached a solid bar of 2.5" diameter aluminum that is 10" long. This bar has 3/8-16 holes tapped into each end. This half pier allows for clearance of the handles and eliminates possible interference from the eyepiece end of either binoculars or a telescope. I have fabricated an eyepiece accessory tray made from a 9" heavy guage aluminum teflon coated cake pan available at K-Mart. (It is part of the "Martha Stewart" collection. People can say what they want about Martha Stewart, but she sure makes good astronomy accessories!) The pan fits over the 2.5" diameter aluminum half pier; the 10" height gives me enough clearance to do this.

The pan head will also work on a Bogen 3036 tripod that I have. That may be the way to go some of the time, though I would lose the eyepiece shelf unless I construct something specific for that tripod.

I tried the mount a few days ago for the first time. First with my University 80 mm f/6.25 on the Sun with a Coronado filter and later on the night sky. I followed that with a quick setup of my Miyauchi 20x77 binoculars. It worked well. I have mounted the heavier 20x100 Miyauchi binoculars. Movement is great, but I have not actually
tried that combination yet on stellar targets.

For those not particularly enthralled by parallelogram mounts and especially for those that have an existing tripod that they may be able to modify to work with this head, I believe it can be just what you are looking for. I also intend to use it with an Orion 120 mm f/5 rich field refractor and possibly even my Jaegers 6" f/5 refractor. Moving the binoculars or a telescope with the dual
handles is really a lot of fun. Tracking a rising American Airlines MD80 taking off from our airport and following it until it disappeared was very easy and a joy. I felt like I was behind an anti-aircraft gun on the deck of the heavy cruiser "New Orleans" CA 32 at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in 1944. Well I guess I am letting my imagination get just a little away from me!

Bogen Manfrotto 516 Fluid Pan Head - highly recommended!

Barry Simon

Edited by BarrySimon615 (03/02/04 11:16 AM)