(Star)gazed and confused 🤯

[Pixies]

3 hours ago, LeeHore7 said:

Hi Heather, what mak and manfrotto tripod do you pocess, I looked and manfrotto compared to my az gti tripod but not sure how much difference 

I've got a Manfrotto 055CLB that my Skymax 90 is attached to. It could take a much heavier payload. It has the RC141 head on it - which is OK, but you need to lock the alt-axis to keep it from tipping back when it's looking high. I managed to get it for £30 on eBay, but realise that was a very good price. It's not the PRO version of the tripod, but that's not necessary for mounting a scope (it has an extendable arm).

Earlier versions of the tripod are just as stable, but the leg extension locks are a little more fiddly. Mine has the fold-over levers, but older ones have twisting ones. A minor inconvenience. It's still an older type though, there are more modern models.

I'll look to get either an AZ5 mount or a geared Manfrotto head, as slow motion control will be useful.

It's incredibly stable - surprisingly so. I'd never used a top quality camera tripod before (albeit an older one). 

 

[AstroNebulee]

8 minutes ago, Pixies said:

I've got a Manfrotto 055CLB that my Skymax 90 is attached to. It could take a much heavier payload. It has the RC141 head on it - which is OK, but you need to lock the alt-axis to keep it from tipping back when it's looking high. I managed to get it for £30 on eBay, but realise that was a very good price. It's not the PRO version of the tripod, but that's not necessary for mounting a scope (it has an extendable arm).

Earlier versions of the tripod are just as stable, but the leg extension locks are a little more fiddly. Mine has the fold-over levers, but older ones have twisting ones. A minor inconvenience. It's still an older type though, there are more modern models.

I'll look to get either an AZ5 mount or a geared Manfrotto head, as slow motion control will be useful.

It's incredibly stable - surprisingly so. I'd never used a top quality camera tripod before (albeit an older one). 

 

Thank you pixies, I've seen one on the bay if dreams at £27 so far, just thinking if it would be more stable than my az gti tripod, or maybe wait and get the Sky-Watcher 3/8" Stainless Steel Tripod? 

[Pixies]

Just now, LeeHore7 said:

Thank you pixies, I've seen one on the bay if dreams at £27 so far, just thinking if it would be more stable than my az gti tripod, or maybe wait and get the Sky-Watcher 3/8" Stainless Steel Tripod? 

It'll be a LOT lighter than the SS one. I can't comment whether it's less stable though. I'm sure others here have used both.

[Ricochet]

1 hour ago, LeeHore7 said:

Thank you pixies, I've seen one on the bay if dreams at £27 so far, just thinking if it would be more stable than my az gti tripod, or maybe wait and get the Sky-Watcher 3/8" Stainless Steel Tripod? 

I think the steel tripod would be good if you have space to store it near your observing location, but if you're carrying all your equipment a distance a lightweight, good quality photo tripod would be a better choice. I've got a manfrotto tripod and it is clearly significantly better than the cheap clone tripods that are all over Amazon and eBay. 

[Tiny Clanger]

5 hours ago, LeeHore7 said:

Hi Heather, what mak and manfrotto tripod do you pocess, I looked and manfrotto compared to my az gti tripod but not sure how much difference 

Manfrotto 055 pro, it has served me well as a photo tripod with a pan/tilt head on it for over 30 years.  I thought I might get away with using the tripod and pan/tilt with the 127 mak on top with no further expense, but tried it and was just not happy with hanging such a hefty lump of glass and metal on a single tripod screw. The Manfrotto photographic pan/tilt ( similar vintage, cost me about £130 new) simply unscrews, leaving a small flat platform with a larger standard screw. The alt/az 5 sits well in its place.

The equivalent 55 series Manfrotto , legs only, no head. is around £150 new .I've thought about releasing my best photo tripod so it can get back to its proper use, and can't decide if I'd buy another 55 series or the skywatcher steel 'scope tripod .

The 55 has are the leg clips are very positive in action, and always have been ,I trust them entirely. The tripod closes down neatly so I can have the mak on it ready to go stood in the corner (under 70cm from the ground to the top of the tripod plate - obviously the head & scope are above this) and I can lift the setup in one hand and release each top leg clip to let the next section slide out pulled by gravity . Because I used the exact same model of tripod for a decade when I worked as a professional photographer, and have done this thousands of times, I could do it in my sleep ! I bought ( again,  years ago, they cost around £30 back then ) a set of feet for the tripod which have rubber bases so they don't mark floors indoors and screw out metal spikes for stability on soft ground.

On the other hand, with the Manfrotto you are paying for photo features you will not use with a scope: adjustable leg angle, a removable, invertible and horizontally usable  centre column,  a couple of smaller leg sections you will never use ... the 55 pro extends so high that at its max.  I need to stand on a box to see through the camera ....

The skywatcher steel tripod is about £40 cheaper, has a larger platform for the az5 to sit on , has a tray bracing the legs and is simpler . I'm not sure if it uses screw collars for the leglocks, if it does that would cross it off my list straight away. It's a religious division in photographers, some love locking levers on tripods, others would always want collars.

I think I'd be inclined to buy another Manfrotto , the new 55s look just as good . If  I won the lottery (highly unlikely as I don't do it) I'd get a carbon fibre one and see which worked best for the 'scope, that or aluminium.

Heather

 

[Tiny Clanger]

5 hours ago, LeeHore7 said:

Hi Heather, what mak and manfrotto tripod do you pocess, I looked and manfrotto compared to my az gti tripod but not sure how much difference 

Manfrotto 055 pro, it has served me well as a photo tripod with a pan/tilt head on it for over 30 years.  I thought I might get away with using the tripod and pan/tilt with the 127 mak on top with no further expense, but tried it and was just not happy with hanging such a hefty lump of glass and metal on a single tripod screw. The Manfrotto photographic pan/tilt ( similar vintage, cost me about £130 new) simply unscrews, leaving a small flat platform with a larger standard screw. The alt/az 5 sits well in its place.

The equivalent 55 series Manfrotto , legs only, no head. is around £150 new .I've thought about releasing my best photo tripod so it can get back to its proper use, and can't decide if I'd buy another 55 series or the skywatcher steel 'scope tripod .

The 55 has are the leg clips are very positive in action, and always have been ,I trust them entirely. The tripod closes down neatly so I can have the mak on it ready to go stood in the corner (under 70cm from the ground to the top of the tripod plate - obviously the head & scope are above this) and I can lift the setup in one hand and release each top leg clip to let the next section slide out pulled by gravity . Because I used the exact same model of tripod for a decade when I worked as a professional photographer, and have done this thousands of times, I could do it in my sleep ! I bought ( again,  years ago, they cost around £30 back then ) a set of feet for the tripod which have rubber bases so they don't mark floors indoors and screw out metal spikes for stability on soft ground.

On the other hand, with the Manfrotto you are paying for photo features you will not use with a scope: adjustable leg angle, a removable, invertible and horizontally usable  centre column,  a couple of smaller leg sections you will never use ... the 55 pro extends so high that at its max.  I need to stand on a box to see through the camera ....

The skywatcher steel tripod is about £40 cheaper, has a larger platform for the az5 to sit on , has a tray bracing the legs and is simpler . I'm not sure if it uses screw collars for the leglocks, if it does that would cross it off my list straight away. It's a religious division in photographers, some love locking levers on tripods, others would always want collars.

I think I'd be inclined to buy another Manfrotto , the new 55s look just as good . If  I won the lottery (highly unlikely as I don't do it) I'd get a carbon fibre one and see which worked best for the 'scope, that or aluminium.

Heather

 

[Tiny Clanger]

Oops, double post, sorry.

Mods please feel free to delete one,

Heather

[AstroNebulee]

5 minutes ago, Tiny Clanger said:

Manfrotto 055 pro, it has served me well as a photo tripod with a pan/tilt head on it for over 30 years.  I thought I might get away with using the tripod and pan/tilt with the 127 mak on top with no further expense, but tried it and was just not happy with hanging such a hefty lump of glass and metal on a single tripod screw. The Manfrotto photographic pan/tilt ( similar vintage, cost me about £130 new) simply unscrews, leaving a small flat platform with a larger standard screw. The alt/az 5 sits well in its place.

The equivalent 55 series Manfrotto , legs only, no head. is around £150 new .I've thought about releasing my best photo tripod so it can get back to its proper use, and can't decide if I'd buy another 55 series or the skywatcher steel 'scope tripod .

The 55 has are the leg clips are very positive in action, and always have been ,I trust them entirely. The tripod closes down neatly so I can have the mak on it ready to go stood in the corner (under 70cm from the ground to the top of the tripod plate - obviously the head & scope are above this) and I can lift the setup in one hand and release each top leg clip to let the next section slide out pulled by gravity . Because I used the exact same model of tripod for a decade when I worked as a professional photographer, and have done this thousands of times, I could do it in my sleep ! I bought ( again,  years ago, they cost around £30 back then ) a set of feet for the tripod which have rubber bases so they don't mark floors indoors and screw out metal spikes for stability on soft ground.

On the other hand, with the Manfrotto you are paying for photo features you will not use with a scope: adjustable leg angle, a removable, invertible and horizontally usable  centre column,  a couple of smaller leg sections you will never use ... the 55 pro extends so high that at its max.  I need to stand on a box to see through the camera ....

The skywatcher steel tripod is about £40 cheaper, has a larger platform for the az5 to sit on , has a tray bracing the legs and is simpler . I'm not sure if it uses screw collars for the leglocks, if it does that would cross it off my list straight away. It's a religious division in photographers, some love locking levers on tripods, others would always want collars.

I think I'd be inclined to buy another Manfrotto , the new 55s look just as good . If  I won the lottery (highly unlikely as I don't do it) I'd get a carbon fibre one and see which worked best for the 'scope, that or aluminium.

Heather

 

Thank you Heather, it sounds a very impressive setup you have there, your manfrotto tripod does sound amazing, I will keep my eyes peeled for one and in the meantime continue to use my sw az gti tripod as not to shabby at all. Plus will continue to scour the Internet for one and the sw steel tripod for stability, I'll also consider hanging a weight from the sw az gti tripod but as I said for my mak it's a quite a stable thing even fully extended 

[KP82]

On 22/01/2021 at 12:40, Pixies said:

I've got a Manfrotto 055CLB that my Skymax 90 is attached to. It could take a much heavier payload. It has the RC141 head on it - which is OK, but you need to lock the alt-axis to keep it from tipping back when it's looking high. I managed to get it for £30 on eBay, but realise that was a very good price. It's not the PRO version of the tripod, but that's not necessary for mounting a scope (it has an extendable arm).

 

Earlier versions of the tripod are just as stable, but the leg extension locks are a little more fiddly. Mine has the fold-over levers, but older ones have twisting ones. A minor inconvenience. It's still an older type though, there are more modern models.

I'll look to get either an AZ5 mount or a geared Manfrotto head, as slow motion control will be useful.

It's incredibly stable - surprisingly so. I'd never used a top quality camera tripod before (albeit an older one). 

 

Wow, £30 for the 055CLB + RC141, what a bargain!

I still have my 055CL Pro + RC141 3-way head which I bought new back in 2004 for way more than that. The fold-over levers are fantastic making deployment a lot faster than the traditional screw locks on the legs. When I had my WO Megrez 90, I briefly used my 055CL Pro with a SW AZ Pronto as a grab'n'go mount for the scope. It wasn't the most stable setup, but definitely easy to use. I could get the whole kit out or packed up in less than 5 mins.

Edited January 25, 2021 by KP82