Herb:
>IMHO the Bogen 3010 with the smallest fluid head is *more* than adequate
>for a scope of any magnification.

Probably is, and for many camera applications as well. It weighs
a bit less than the 3021 and is a bit more compact, as well.

>(Incidently, when you use a
>center post on a tripod you've turned it into a monopod.)

Well, that's a bit of an overstatement - it's a monopod clamped
at the base, so it doesn't move around all that much (try a monopod
sometime...)

>Unless there's a local sale I suggest mail-ordering to either B & H or
>Adorama in New York (ads in Popular Photography).

Word on the net seems to be that Adorama is slipping a bit. I use
B&H all the time, as I've mentioned previously. Tripods are heavy,
though, and shipping costs for something heavy which costs only
~$100 or so pretty much eats the savings, which is why I bought
mine in town. Of course, you sufferin' Washingtonians also get
to avoid sales tax by mail-ordering (though you be a lawbreaker
by doing so, I believe).

I bought a 3010 as a gift last year and it was about $90 w/o head.

>I recommend duct-taping some water pipe insulation to the legs if you're
>going to carry the scope on your shoulders for any length of time.

I meant to mention that - glad you did. The pipe insulation will
set you back a whole $1.50 or so.

>(Don, Bogen will sell you nice, new flip locks unless you *like* using a
>wrench!:-T)

Oh, I wanted a second tripod anyway. You need a wrench anyway to
adjust the thing occasionally, though the new ones have neat
little nut-locks that may keep you from having to do so. I'm
hoping...

And using the wrench gives me this mysterious aura when I've
got my honkin' big tele on it. I keep thinking if I continue
to do so, soon I'll have a tribe of folks emulating me in the
field :)

Actually, I replaced two broken ones but then, soon after,
had the thing drop several feet onto rock and broke four
more (nothing mounted, fortunately!) and just shrugged
my shoulders and said "hell with it!".

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>