Manfrotto 393 Gimbal Head

[dark star]

I am thinking of buying this for use with my binoculars on a tripod, it is basically a U mount, which I have been looking for for ages!

I have Pentax 20x60, Helios 15x70 and Revelation 20x100 binoculars. I wonder if anyone is using this with 100mm binoculars, will they fit inside the U of the head or are they too big?

If anyone has the Gimbal head I would be gratefull if you could let me have the measurements.

I may buy the 393 Gimbal head in any case, as I am sure my two smaller binoculars would fit and it would make moving the binoculars to aim at different parts of the sky much easier.

[Photosbykev]

I have one and use it to support a Canon 600mm lens and it is very good. However, it is far more stable is you have both U brackets UNDER the lens or binos.

I've never understood why Manfrotto seem to think it is more stable the way they show it in images

I'll put a ruler across the inner bracket in a couple of minutes for you.

[Photosbykev]

The width inside the inner U bracket is exactly 180mm

[scogyrd]

What are they like for pointing at zenith? It looks like it could be a bit awkward to me.

I think I'd be more tempted to buy something like the heavy duty alt az mount on this page myself.

Mounts

[Photosbykev]

looking directly upwards is difficult as it doesn't balance correctly and you are reliant on the two friction locks. 45-50 degrees upwards is ok but I wouldn't want to use it any higher.

Looking at the other link you would still struggle with the zenith as the design would foul the tripod?.

[brianb]

The 393 is a great piece of kit for a long tele lens (for "normal" photography) ... seriously underrated, it's as good & as versatile as the Wimberley gimbal mount which is about 5 times the price. You should use whichever set of holes in the "top" bracket are closest to the centre of gravity; U mounted upwards or downwards makes no difference.

For binoculars - well, with porro prism bins the bracket won't be wide enough, if you mount with the bins on top of & outside the bracket the balance will be impossible.

No being able to get to the zenith is not an issue in practice, viewing with "straight through" bins is painful at altitudes over about 60 degrees anyway. Just wait for the object to get lower in the sky.

[dark star]

Thanks for all the replies. I measured my Pentax 20x60 binoculars and the objectives are 190mm apart, my two other binoculars are bigger, so none of them will fit.

Back to the drawing board! If I ever have lots of cash to spare I will consider the Universal Astronomics Unistar or Microstar mounts which look good for giant binoculars.

I will think about the Skies The Limit mount, which looks quite good. Is anybody using this for binoculars? The only problem is I like to see things 'in the flesh' so to speak before I buy and not just in photgraphs!

I do try to wait for objects to get below 60 degrees so as not to get a pain in the neck! Another alternative is binoculars with 45 degree eyepeices but these are not cheap!

I have seen a U mount made out of wood somewhere on the internet, so I may start practising my non-existent woodworking skills!

My Horizon tripod is very good as it as a centre column which can be raised, I just wanted to add something which would make it even better.