Tripod/head for digiscoping?

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
69,136
27,084
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I have a spotting scope on the way and am looking around for a suitable tripod for digiscoping birds and other wildlife. The total weight of the scope/camera/adapter/case that the tripod would need to support is 2.9 Kg / 6.4lb. I expect windy conditions so stability is very important. I've read various reports with fluid video heads being the more widely used with other users swearing by geared heads. The scope has a 45° eyepiece mount. Packability would be a plus but stability and ease of use for tracking birds/wildlife are more important than weight and collapsed size. Any recommendations?
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
69,136
27,084
136
The scope arrived yesterday (Kowa 883 with 25-60 zoom eyepiece). I bought a Manfrotto 501 video head and 742 tripod off of craigslist. By the time I got home from meeting the craigslist seller, it was too dark for birding so I looked at the moon instead since it was a crystal clear desert night. I had a cheap telescope as a kid and looked through a couple low end Meade scopes in the humid east before but, OMG, I had never seen the moon like this, razor sharp, mind blowing. No pics yet as I'm still figuring out the digiscoping thing.
 
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IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
69,136
27,084
136
humscope01.jpg

Not bad for a first session. Distance was about 40 ft (12m) and the scope was at ~50x. Size reduced by about half.