Best stable tripod for swarovski ATX 85 (1 Viewer)

[ReinierB]

Good day!

I recently bought the ATX 85. I have the Benro TMA27C with the swarovski CTH compact tripod head. Both bought for the ATC 17-40x56.

I think the CTH tripod head is a nice fit for the ATX 85 (no extra plate needed and study). I have my doubts about the tripod Benro TMA27C. I have the feeling it could me a bit more stable for a heavier scope. The "problem" is more or less than I am quite tall (1.93m) and I have to extend the centre column for about 12-15cm to achieve the most comfortable height.

Which tripod do you recommend? A Gitzo? Ore maybe the PCT professional carbon tripod from Swarovski? (Although the letter has 4 leg parts, which makes me doubt) I heard the tripods form Swarovski are actually Gitzo's? Budget isn't really a problem, as far it is between € 500-1000 or maybe less.
Or is the Benro TMA27 sufficient, so no reason to complain?

 

[Dutchbirder64]

I have the ATX 85 with Gitzo 3542L and Gitzo GH2720QR birdwatching head. Happy with it. I am 190cm. I never use the center column. Extend two thickest legs at max and smallest diameter legs half way and you are good to go. Perfect height. Fully extended the tripod is 148 cm high without extended column. Add up 25 cm for head and scope and you are at 173 cm high measured at the lowest point of the ocular. That height is too high for me. It would be right for a STX. If you do not extend the smallest diameter legs you are at 138 cm which is doable for a short time. You have even more stability then.

 

[ReinierB]

That Gitzo tripod is really expensive! Should be very stable though.

The perfect tripod for me, would be the tripod on which I only have to extend the legs fully and it's immediately on the right height. Otherwise you first have to adjust all three tripod legs on the right/same length before you are good to go.
I had an heavy aluminium tripod with very long legs as well and found this a disadvantage. So extending all the legs fully and extending the center column for about 0-3 cm would be perfect... A price < 1000 would also be very nice.

 

[Dutchbirder64]

When I bought it it was around 800 Euro. And that was 5 years ago. Prices are crazy now. Carbon saves you a lot of weight. If I extend the legs I have to stand on my toes. It is 5 cm too high for me at the highest position without center column. Never use that because it is less stable.

For you being taller it could be perfect. Just test it at a shop with your tripod head and scope. You have to subtract about 20 cm from your body length to get eye height for scoping with a 45 scope. 193-20=173 cm.

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Although you mentioned that money isn't necessarily an issue, it may be worth considering a used Gitzo - there are significant savings to be had, and the build quality is such that you are unlikely to experience issues - mine is in excess of twenty years old and still performs perfectly (G1325 with a Kowa 883).
The money saved could then be used on birding trips 😉

 

[ReinierB]

So Gitzo is the way to go I suppose...

 

[William Lewis]

So Gitzo is the way to go I suppose...

Depends how far your walking, a berlebach report may perform better if you dont have to carry the weight far. The standard recommendation is for a manfrotto mv500 ah head, which is very good but surprisingly bulky and heavy.

I have to walk a decent way to pull out a good list from my local patch - and also carry a scope. I have a gitzo 1545 and a Sirius va-5 head under my monarch 82, which I carry with an optech tripod strap. They serve me very well, stable enough but with an all in weight around 3.5kg for the lot. With the gitzo and manfrotto head mentioned above you would be well over 4.5kg. With a berlebach 402 (the right hight for you) and the manfrotto 500 ah you would be knocking on 6kg so it depends on your use case.

 

[wllmspd]

A lighter weight option to the manfrotto 500ah would be welcome as it makes up a good fraction of the scope/tripod setup and they don’t make tripod heads out of carbon fibre….

Peter

 

[William Lewis]

A lighter weight option to the manfrotto 500ah would be welcome as it makes up a good fraction of the scope/tripod setup and they don’t make tripod heads out of carbon fibre….

Peter

The Sirius va-5 is good - see yarrellii's excellent (as usual!) analysis here Sirui VA-5 vs Manfrotto MVH500AH (visual comparison).

If I were to add anything it's that the vertical pan adjustment needs to be slightly tighter than in the manfrotto as the counterbalance spring isn't as strong, and the pan handle has slight play in it in my copy, within the shaft assembly not the attachment cam.

 

[wllmspd]

Thanks, I usually always use the lock on my manfrotto head as the optics in pop on it are not the lightest, so I’m used to locking things up.

 

[Dutchbirder64]

The gitzo 3542L weighs 1.95 kg. Scope 1.9 kg too. So indeed about 4.5 kg with tripod head. And you can’t compare the 1545 with the 3542L. The 1545 is a traveller tripod and indeed 900 grams lighter because of the flimsy thin legs 14.7, 18.3, 21.7, 25.3 mm. For a 2 kg scope it is too lightly built.

The 3542L is extended 20 cm higher and has sturdy legs 21.7, 25.3, 29, 32.9 mm. When you are tall you need a bigger tripod.

 

[William Lewis]

The gitzo 3542L weighs 1.95 kg. Scope 1.9 kg too. So indeed about 4.5 kg with tripod head. And you can’t compare the 1545 with the 3542L. The 1545 is a traveller tripod and indeed 900 grams lighter because of the flimsy thin legs 14.7, 18.3, 21.7, 25.3 mm. For a 2 kg scope it is too lightly built.

The 3542L is extended 20 cm higher and has sturdy legs 21.7, 25.3, 29, 32.9 mm. When you are tall you need a bigger tripod.

The 1545 works surprisingly well actually, I've been very happy with it, it's not perfect but is good enough and light enough. My scope weights in at almost 2kg but obviously the head weighs less than most at 500g. I'm 6ft so you would be relying on the centre column a lot more if you were much taller- not a good thing!

My point being it's dependent on the use, I'm happy to walk 10 miles with my scope, it's what I do when I get chance for a good mornings birding. If I didn't walk so far I'd probably have a slightly heavier tripod and head.

I'm not sure how Reinier does his birding, hence the range of options.

 

[ReinierB]

For stability, wouldn't it be better having 3 section legs instead of 4 sections? Also quicker to unfold.
Are the mountaineer tripods from Gitzo the most sturdy tripods? I think I still want a center column (also easier te share the scope with others, because adjusting the height is easier). I do not need/want a travel tripod (I can use the Benro for it). I want a very stable tripod for watching birds at the wadden sea for example (I live in the north of the Netherlands) and almost every year I go to Falsterbo watching the bird migration.

Berlach wooden tripods look interesting too. Wood is supposed the be the most stable?

Is this PCT tripod form Swarovski a traveler tripod from Gitzo? It is cheaper (street prices) than the mountenair series.
But still 4 section legs. I can't find the exact specifications of this tripod, for example the diameters of the leg sections and the height of the tripod when the center column isn't extended.
Would this be an option as well?

 

[ReinierB]

I'm not sure how Reinier does his birding, hence the range of options.

I have the ATC 17-40x56 too, with lightweight tripod. I will use this one when hiking. The ATX 85 will be used on occasions when there is't a lot of hiking involved. I use a tripod carrier for on the back btw.

 

[William Lewis]

May be worth considering the berlebach if that's the type of use it will see then, very heavy but if mobility isn't needed one of the very best for stability. You'd have pretty much the interior model then -

 

[ReinierB]

berlebach 402 (the right hight for you)

How do you know that?
It has no center column I reckon?
Didn't know it's the same tripod the interior model has. I actually like the brown colour of the scope as well.

 

[ReinierB]

I now see Berlbach has options as well. I's the 422 I should have then.

 

[Ignatius]

Wow, the Gitzo GH2720QR is a birdwatching head? I was under the impression it is a 2-way fluid head. Learn something every day.
The Berlebach recommendation is good, but those are definitely not for hiking. Berlebach also make some good heads. I personally stay away from Swaro tripods and heads because they are rebadged Gitzos with a Swaro premium on top.
I also avoid Manfrotto like the plague because they insist on doing their own thing with QR-plates and clamps. Arca-swiss compatibility of other products is often not very strict, but then again the so-called Arca-Swiss standard isn't much of a standard anyway.

 

[Hermann]

Wow, the Gitzo GH2720QR is a birdwatching head? I was under the impression it is a 2-way fluid head. Learn something every day.

It is actually designed for birding.

The Berlebach recommendation is good, but those are definitely not for hiking. Berlebach also make some good heads.

Absolutely true.

I personally stay away from Swaro tripods and heads because they are rebadged Gitzos with a Swaro premium on top.

Absolutely true.

I also avoid Manfrotto like the plague because they insist on doing their own thing with QR-plates and clamps.

The Manfrotto 501 plates the 500AH uses are pretty much a standard size for video gear.

Arca-swiss compatibility of other products is often not very strict, but then again the so-called Arca-Swiss standard isn't much of a standard anyway.

That's precisely why I avoid Arca Swiss like the plague.

Hermann

 

[Hermann]

The 1545 works surprisingly well actually, I've been very happy with it, it's not perfect but is good enough and light enough. My scope weights in at almost 2kg but obviously the head weighs less than most at 500g. I'm 6ft so you would be relying on the centre column a lot more if you were much taller- not a good thing!

Well. I've got the 1545 as well, and I wouldn't use it with a heavy scope. The biggest scope I use on the 1545 are the 60mm Fieldscopes. Not stable enough for the 82mm Fieldscope IMO.

My point being it's dependent on the use, I'm happy to walk 10 miles with my scope, it's what I do when I get chance for a good mornings birding. If I didn't walk so far I'd probably have a slightly heavier tripod and head.

For long walks (or walks in difficult terrain) I use a light scope with a light tripod.

I'm not sure how Reinier does his birding, hence the range of options.

I think he's so busy buying additional gear that it will be quite a while before he actually gets out birding ...

Hermann