I totally agree with Bruce. I recently purchased a Leica Televid APO
77 Scope, with 20-60x power, and knew I needed a base that was solid
and stable. I had no idea which tripod to accompany my scope, but
knew that my upgrade to optics/magnification necessitated a high
quality tripod/head. The very friendly folks at Kenmore camera,
http://www.kcamera.com/main/about.htm, pointed me in the right
direction: a Bogen/Manfrotto 2031N tripod and a 700RC2 (Video) head.
The quality is outstanding and I am amazed at how well the head moves
smoothly at even at high magnification. I'm six feet tall and the
Tripod is the perfect height for long viewing periods; shorter tripods
would cause back and neck strain. Kenmore Camera has a wide selection
of tripods and heads . I'm not associated in anyway with Kenmore
camera, and usually buy most of my products online (e.g., the Leica
Scope). However, the competitive prices and knowledgeable staff won
me over. Certainly try a few tripod and head combinations in ANY
camera store, with your scope, before you buy.

Good luck,
Fred Parent
Seattle
fzp at pobox.com





On Thu, 11 Nov 2004 14:52:55 -0800, Bruce Whittington
<fieldnat at pacificcoast.net> wrote:
> Manfrotto (Bogen in the US) with a video head. There are several models
> which you should look at to determine weight, and whether it is tall
> enough for you, especially if you use a straight-through scope. Legs
> that spread wide are useful if you also do photography, especially
> flowers and such. Quick-release head is good; buy a second shoe at the
> same time, as a backup and for cameras.
>
> All good reasons to buy from a local dealer - and actually talk to a
> real person - maybe even a birder.
>
> Bruce Whittington
> Ladysmith, BC
> mailto: fieldnat at pacificcoast.net
>
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