BERLEBACH TRIPOD UNI 18 max height

[saturnian]

Hello,any BERLEBACH TRIPOD UNI 18 owners out there could verified the max height of this tripod?

First Light Optics stats 122 cm but BERLEBACH website 132 cm not a big deal but will be using with a longish refractor (SW100ED) so I think I need at list 130 cm to view comfortably seated.

Thanks

 

[johninderby]

You can allways get a SW extension pillar for extra height.

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/skywatcher-eq5heq5-extension-tube.html

or

https://www.firstlightoptics.com/sky-watcher-mount-accessories/skywatcher-eq6-extension-tube.html

[John]

45 minutes ago, saturnian said:

Hello,any BERLEBACH TRIPOD UNI 18 owners out there could verified the max height of this tripod?

First Light Optics stats 122 cm but BERLEBACH website 132 cm not a big deal but will be using with a longish refractor (SW100ED) so I think I need at list 130 cm to view comfortably seated.

Thanks

 

If you go for the double leg clamps option, which I think the FLO ones have as standard, you loose 10cm of max height with the Uni range:

https://www.berlebach.de/en/?bereich=details&id=116

The Berlebach website figure is for the single clamp option.

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2020 by John

[saturnian]

thanks for replies,I see why they give a different max heigh now,I think I will go for the Uni 28 then for same price just bigger and a bit heavier .

[Oldfort]

The UNI 28 has a decent height.  Its load capacity is 50 kg, vs 55 kg for the UNI 18, but that won't matter for the SW100ED and any likely mount you use.  It's a great tripod.

[pmlogg]

With Berlebach tripods the quoted maximum weight capacity is at the shortest height.  Leg clamps slightly increase the capacity.  So a pillar, as long as not too heavy is better than extending the legs.

[pmlogg]

This was what the company told me in an email 11 years ago: 

"the carrying capacity of UNI 14 is 55 kg and for UNI 4 60 kg.  The carrying capacity of UNI 14 at minimum height with 37 cm tray fitted is 59 kg and it's better to use the UNI 14 with minimum height as the UNI 4 with maximum height. The capacity could be increased by adding a 2nd set of clamps 2 kg."

So the tray helps a little bit too.

[John]

I have a Uni 28 with single leg clamps. I've never needed to use it anywhere near fully extended even with quite a long refractor on the mount. This is a 130mm F/9.2 triplet:

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by John

[billhinge]

I bought my UNI 18 or 28 (forgot which) direct from Berlebach years ago before FLO sold them, now on its 3rd head.

I've  since upgraded to an EQ6-R plus added a load of extra heavy camera gear to my telescopes. As a result I bought a Planet from FLO to  replace the UNI (just delivered this morning). When you extend the legs like all tripods you lose some rigidity so I decided to get the bigger thicker and heavier Planet to be certain to minimise any vibration (not  saying there is anything wrong with  the UNI, it had a 30lb C11 & CG5 on it ). Personally I think the tray helps a lot to brace the structure together

As well as a  C11 it will hold an APM 115m f8 plus heavy Moravian camera gear

If  you can afford it why not get the Planet to save future faffing about in case you upgrade, you know you want to, but the UNI will be fine I'm sure