Parallelogram mount for 15x70s?

[PeteC]

Hi All

I've had a pair of Helios Quantum 4 15x70 bins for a few months now and am really pleased with them, just the thing for a quick look between gaps in the clouds when it's not worth setting the scope up, or on a clear night using them while the scope's on an imaging run. I've been using them on an ordinary camera tripod, but that leaves something to be desired. I've been thinking of getting a parellelogram mount to use with them. A big advantage of parallelogram mounts seems to be that once you've fixed on a target you can move the mount while staying fixed on target so that people of different heights can use the bins without realigning on the target - an advantage at public viewing sessions etc because I'm 6'3" and quite a few people are considerably shorter than me I've had a look around and as well as various DIY designs I've come across the Orion Paragon-Plus BinoMount. SCS Astro seems to be the only UK dealer stocking it. Anyone got any experience of it or any other recommendations?

Thanks

Pete

[BinocularSky]

You can make a much better one than the Paragon for a lot less lucre. Since you have a tripod already, have a look at Michael Wilkinson's one (a search on these forums ought to throw up a few links to it) which, if my decaying memory serves, is made to fit on a photographic tripod. It also has the added advantage that you won't eventually be moved to contribute to this thread out of sheer frustration!

[PeteC]

Thanks Steve. Michael Wilkinson's design looks good and fairly easy to build. I haven't done any woodworking in years but once built an 8" Dob mount so maybe I'll dig out the saw and drill and give it a go!

I wasn't aware of the supplier issues mentioned in that thread. If they had any valid excuses I would have expected them to post a reply in defence. I've never used them, maybe I've been lucky with the online dealers I've used - FLO, Rother Valley, Scopes'n'Skies.

Cheers

Pete

[BinocularSky]

A bit late, perhaps , but I have just found that Amazon are offering the Paragon P-mount for considerably less than SCS do it for. (They also do the mount with the XHD tripod, which is still a worthwhile saving once you take P&P into account)

[Damo636]

Good spot Steve, thats a decent saving on the SCS price.