Tripod and head for Kowa 554

[shedfinder7]

Have been looking for a nice lightweight tripod that I can run a 554 Kowa and also binos off of with a pan head that has twist lock. Any ideas that are lightweight and not terribly expensive are greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

 

[NoWiser]

I have an Outdoorsman Micro Pan head. It works great for binos and just ok for my Kowa 664. I think it would handle the 554 without a problem. A Slik 634 tripod would be tough to argue against.

 

[AkMtnRunner]

There was some similar discussion here on pages 5&6.

 

[Camera Land]

Hi
We have a few great options for you. Give us a call

Joel
516-217-1000

 

[Peaks&Creeks]

I run this setup. Very happy with it.

Sirui Backcountry Combo Hunting Tripod and Head

Sirui Backcountry Combo features our favorite VA-5 fluid head and a Carbon Fiber Tripod. S&S Archery | Free Shipping. Expert Advice. VIP Customer Service.

sandsarchery.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tdhanses]

This tripod with the RRS bpc16 head is perfect for the little Kowa.

Amazon.com

 

[TheGDog]

Yup... Micro Pan Head and an amazon-special SLIK Pro II something-er-other over here. Does the job just fine, and you get the bonus of using their Bino Stud Adapter which I HIGHLY recommend! I have ZEISS Conquest 10x42 HD, Vortex Vulture 15x56 HD (which is the heaviest thing), and a Vortex Razor 11-33x50mm. Runs 'em all just fine and nice and easy to swap one for another.

 

[twall13]

I'm still playing around with the little Aoka tripod and RRS BPC-16 mentioned above but so far I really like that setup, especially the head. The tripod wouldn't be my first choice if it was my only tripod but it is a great value for the price. It's very short, so if you look at it just know you'll be sitting to use it. I like my Promaster xc525c for most stuff but the Aoka is solidly built and super light. It also comes with a tiny ballhead but I didn't care for it much after playing with it for a minute so I haven't touched it since.

I don't own one, but I noticed you can buy a clone of the RRS BPC-16 on ebay called the Leofoto MBC-20 for about a third the price as well. I don't know if it would be as smooth but the weight would be similar and that's keeping things really light and it also helps if you are on a budget. If you get one, let us know how it performs.

I know the OP mentioned they want a panhead, and all these options are ball heads, but I personally like a ballhead with a built in panner for most things. Maybe I'd change my mind if I had a bigger, heavier scope or camera, but for how I use it a ballhead works great for binos, the little Kowa, and my small DSLR camera. If you are set on a panhead, the best value options I know of are the Promaster SPCH20 Cine Head or, stepping up in price and quality a bit the Sirui VA-5. Outdoorsmans panheads are probably better but you'll also pay a lot more for them.

I can also vouch for giving Cameraland a call, they'll hook you up.

 

[shedfinder7]

Thanks all for the input! Currently have a promaster guide 525 ck Tripp’s with the promaster fluid pan head and was considering upgrading. Like the micro head as mentioned above. Thanks again!