Berlebach tripod?

[Dave1]

Hello everyone

I need ask you all a question to draw on your expertise.

I am in the process of agreeing to buy a secondhand Berlebach Report Tripod. The advert states its load capacity is 25kg.

I have been doing detailed comparison of the photos of the secondhand Berlebach tripod to the Berlebach report range for astronomy, on Berlebachs own website.

It looks to me the secondhand Berlebach I have found is rated to 15kg going off comparing the photos, not 25kg as stated in the advert.

My questions is, will a Berlebach tripod rated with a load capacity of 15kg, be a good tripod for a Tal 100 RS? Using a Berlebach Castor mount?

[Pan Euro]

I know nothing about Berlebach tripods but searching the web it shows the TAL coming in at 4.3 kilos (11lbs) so from a weight point of view it should be ok.

[Dave1]

Thanks for the help, I had a very helpful conversation with Harrison Telescopes. About mounts, tripods, and quality of optics. We also talked about the Tal 100RS, Bresser AR127L, and the other Synta refractors. Very helpful man, would definitely recommend. 

I've decided not to go for the Berlebach, even though it costs £125 and comes with some accessories, simply because by the time I've bought an adapter mount plate to adapted the Vixen GP mount plate to accept the Castor mount, it pushes the cost right up into new EQ5 territory with steel legs. Having said that I even looked at getting a second hand Vixen GP, but again the price is still high. The Castor only has a load capacity of 5kg, which is too low for both Telescopes really.

I will probably just end up buying the scope I decide on with the manufactured recommended mount and tripod. Which in both cases is EQ5 with steel legs or equivalent.

[spaceboy]

There are several Berlebach models so it depends on which one was for sale. I think the UNI 18 & 28 are rated to 50kg so it must be one of the lightweight models at 15-25kg

[billhinge]

I have a Report 8203 https://www.ephotozine.com/article/berlebach-mulda-report-8023-wooden-tripod-review-16255 its good for cameras but I wouldn't use it for a telescope (rated 10kg)

I also have a UNI 28 http://www.berlebach.de/?bereich=details&id=146&sprache=english rated at 50kg, good enough for a C11 but it cost me over £300 a few years ago

Its easy to tell the difference in the stiffness of the legs

So great tripods but pick the right size for the job ;-), the UNI range were supposed to be astro mounts since they had a pin to orientate a commercial equitorial (they do sell replaceable top plates if you ask)

[Dave1]

Thanks for the help guys, I am fairly certain the Berlebach I have found secondhand is model 4072, which is sold as an astronomy tripod, which is designed for the Vixen GP. Probably not good enough for an Bresser AR127L and depending on mount could be useful with a Tal 100 RS. What do you guys think?

[spaceboy]

The 4072 is rated at 15kg and an EQ5 and similar head is rated to carry 9.1kg so on paper it seems a good enough match. I have used an EVO120 f/8 on an EQ5 with out any problems so either way you look at it the 100RS at 4.3kg should be OK but you may want to consider an extension at some point so you don't have to extend the tripod all the way.

[Dave1]

Thanks for the reply spaceboy. Options options options, I'd prefer to stay away from an EQ mount really. The Tele Optics Mini Giro WR, which weights just under 1kg, but has a load capacity of 10kg to the 4072 tripod, on paper this should be good for a Tal 100 RS. tThen the issue is the whole cost factor comes into it again. For the sort of price where talking now, of the Berlebach and Giro, I could probably get a Tal 100 RS with a Skywatcher EQ5 or the Bresser AR127l with Exos 2.

[Dave1]

Hmm, sorry, my last post has grammer and spelling errors. With the cost of the Tal 100 RS £235, plus Berlebach Tripod £125, Mini Giro WR £162, equals £522. Tal 100 RS with Skywatcher EQ5, £475. With the £47 difference I could get a somewhat decent ep. Bresser AR127L with Exos 2, £498. Still could get an ep that maybe better than the one shipped.

[spaceboy]

Sorry I'd overlooked the fact....is this your first scope ??

[Dave1]

Nothing to be sorry for, I'm trying to be concious of my budget. No it is my second, I had a SW Skywatcher 150 PL, my first one had an EQ3-2 mount. I wasn't too keen on the polar alignment. If I had to have an EQ at the expense of better optics, I might bare it, but then I think I would really prefer alt az, Dilemma..

[spaceboy]

OK I see you have already done what I was going to advise http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/249900-tal-100-rs-vs-bresser-ar127l/

[pmlogg]

I am a fan of Berlebach tripods and have owned three of them.  The stated weight rating is for their tripods at the lowest position.  Capacity is less when the legs are fully extended.  For the tripods where it's an option, double clamps increase the weight capacity as does fitment of a tray.  Concerning a UNI 14, rated at 55kg when fully collapsed, they told me that when full collapsed, with the accessory tray the capacity was increased to 59kg and then by 2kg more if a second set of clamps was fitted. 

It is worth considering what height you would want to operate at. Some of the Report models are pretty short when fully collapsed, handy for transportation but the capacity might not be what you need once extended.

[Stu]

I find it hard to beat a 2" stainless steel tripod such as those used on the EQ6. You can pick them up for around £50 or £60 used from when people upgrade to piers.

I use a Giro-WR on mine, with a home made narrow pier extension to avoid clashed with the legs and to give me extra height.

This copes with a 120ED plus Tak FC-100 quite ok, or an 8" SCT.

Stu