Tripod Quick Disconnects...did I make an expensive/heavy mistake?

[Mike Islander]

I don't have any real experience with tripods/heads and am a bit confused with all the quick disconnect options. I recently purchased a Promaster XC-M 525CK. I pulled off the stock head that comes with it and put on a Manfrotto XPRO Fluid Head (MHXPRO-2W). I like both very much. The head came with a 200PL-14 Quick Release Plate. I bought an extra plate for my binos and a full plate and holder for a window mount head. That gave me plates for both my spotter and my binos.

But did I need all that? I bought an Outdoorsmans Binocular Adapter and it looks like the bottom would fit in some sort of quick disconnect plate holder, but I have no idea which. Is there a standard? Should I have bought a "standard" QD adapter for the Manfrotto and replaced the stock one that came on it? My spotter is an Ares 15-45 x 65 ED, and it doesn't look like it uses a quick disconnect plate.

QUESTION: Did I buy the right stuff for attaching my spotter and binoculars to my tripod, or did I miss something obvious?

Many thanks in advance to all those who have earned knowledge through experience (and likely $$$).

 

[ResearchinStuff]

most outdoorsmans and manfrotto's stuff is proprietary. It sounds to me like what you have will work, by putting the binocular adapter on one plate and the spotting scope on the other.

The closest thing to an industry standard is the arca-swiss connection, but outdoorsmans basically shuns that and I think the lower end manfrotto products do as well.

 

[Mike Islander]

Thanks Tim!

 

[bwhntMT]

Most spotters are threaded to accept a small 1/4 inch bolt. The Outdoorsman's Bino Adapter is threaded the same way. In my experience this is pretty much a standard thing. Both are designed to be attached to just about any quick connect plate by the small 1/4 inch bolt that is usually included as a part of the QR plate.

If you want to use the same head with spotter and binos, you are on the right track with just having identical QR plates, one attached to your spotter and another attached to you bino adapter. That is exactly what I do.

I'm probably not tracking you very well on the window mount approach. Most window mounts come with an integrated head and whatever QR plate goes with that head. There are a few exceptions where you just get a basic window mount that you can attach your head directly to. I use one of those and simply remove the head from my tripod and screw it onto that window mount.

 

[Mike Islander]

Most spotters are threaded to accept a small 1/4 inch bolt. The Outdoorsman's Bino Adapter is threaded the same way. In my experience this is pretty much a standard thing. Both are designed to be attached to just about any quick connect plate by the small 1/4 inch bolt that is usually included as a part of the QR plate.

If you want to use the same head with spotter and binos, you are on the right track with just having identical QR plates, one attached to your spotter and another attached to you bino adapter. That is exactly what I do.

I'm probably not tracking you very well on the window mount approach. Most window mounts come with an integrated head and whatever QR plate goes with that head. There are a few exceptions where you just get a basic window mount that you can attach your head directly to. I use one of those and simply remove the head from my tripod and screw it onto that window mount.

I run the Vanguard PH-222 window mount which has its own QD system. I bought a complete extra Manfrotto QD system (plate and holder) and used the 1/4 20 screw on the Vanguard QD plate to attach it. It's a bit of a cludge, but it works. If I was only using the Vanguard I could just use its QD system. Instead I have a Manfrotto QD riding on the Vanguard QD, which lets me move binos and spotter between the tripod and window unit at will using instant QD attachment. If I can find an elegant way to replace the Vanguard QD with the Manfrotto plate holder, I'll do that.