Travelscope 70 Alternative Tripod

[IckleImp]

Hi All

Does anyone have any suggestions for a suitable lightweight tripod for a Travelscope 70?

I currently use an Alt-Az 3 at home but find it a little big for my ruckack.

Any Suggestions are much appreciated.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Your travel scope should sit fine on a mini-giro mount with dovetail clamp on a suitable photo tripod (I use a lightweight carbon tripod). If your scope has a Vixen dovetail, it will fit directly to the mini-giro with clamp. The image shows the set-up with a SolarMax-II 60mm H-alpha scope. This is a lot heavier than your 70mm

[Alfian]

Just about any tripod will be an improvement on the standard one. Small and handy it may be, but the humble Travelscope deserves better. I use mine on a Cullman 2100 which I bought for £10 in a charity shop and its just the job. Many a bargain to be had this way!

The issue is getting something sturdy enough, but compact enough to go in the rucksack.FLO are selling a new range of tripods- this one looks as if it should be sufficient for the Travelscope. Would 58cm, collapsed be small enough?

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/fotomate-tripods/fotomate-vp-106-2-way-tripod.html

The good thing with dealing with FLO is that if its not up to requirements you can always swap it.

I've also come across the Hama item. 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hama-00004161-Star-61-Tripod/dp/B0000WXD0W/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1441721253&sr=1-2&keywords=tripod

Not the bees knees, I reckon, but with a 3Kg capacity, at £35 knocked down to £10 it should certainly be a step up from the standard tripod.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

One problem I have with standard (even good) photo heads is that they are fine when pointing at the horizon, or thereabouts, but next to useless anywhere near zenith (or even just above 30-45°)

[IckleImp]

I have a tripod similar to the Hama one but find it not much better than the supplied. The main problem is it being too jerky when you move it and not being able to move it small amounts. The Giro mini looks good but outside of my budget.

[Alfian]

I've found using the Travelscope on the Cullmann works pretty smoothly, but with realistic expectations of what the scope is capable of, I tend to use it at lower magnifications so movement tends to be less a critical issue.

[Alien 13]

If you fit a lightweight scope to a camera tripod with a ball head in the horizontal position then most of the viewing at zenith issues disappear.

Alan

[Fozzie]

Expensive those gyro mounts... The ball head is a good option for the photo tripod.. Especially with a light weight scope..

I use this as an option for my grab and go..

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/247988-grab-and-go-mount-ball-head-and-pan-plate-combo/

It might be of some use, defo better than the fluid head I had on the tripod originally.

Thanks

Fozzie

That said I do reaaaaaalllly like that gyro mount!

[IckleImp]

What sort of tripod would take the Giro Mini?. is it a 3/8 thread?

I cannot find many that have interchangeable heads

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My mini-giro has a short 3/8" thread that also attaches to my M10 threaded Vixen GP tripod and the home-brew wooden tripod shown below. I use a 1/4"->3/8" adaptor to attach it to my Velbon tripod. Works fine.