Best Tripod for Binoculars – Astronomy & Photography

In this article, we examine the best tripod for binoculars.

These can hold heavy astronomy binoculars for long sessions. This guide includes the best budget and lightweight options, and the best for heavy binoculars.

See the quick links in the table below, or read on for more detailed reviews and recommendations.

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Best Tripod for Binoculars

Orion Tritech II Field Tripod

Best Budget Tripod for Binoculars

The Orion Tritech II Field Tripod is a great budget and lightweight tripod for astronomy binoculars. It is compatible with all Orion GiantView binoculars and Celestron Skymaster models.

It can hold an impressive load of up to 13.2 lbs and its sturdiness comes from its aluminum legs.

It stands 68 inches tall at full height but collapses to 27 inches for packing up and weighs just 4.8 lbs for great portability.

The fluid pan handle operating system makes it extremely easy to direct your binoculars and the quick-release plate with safety release gives you a secure attachment.

Here’s a short video from Orion that gives a good overview of the features of this tripod:

Pros

• High load capacity at 13.2 lbs
• Lightweight – weighs under 5 lbs
• Compact when folded and so portable
• Good height for most people at up to 68 inches
• Cheap – usually available for under $100, but check the live prices
• Versatile to also be able to be used with a DSLR camera or spotting scope

Cons

• None really unless compared to one of the more advanced parallelogram or fork mount tripods below for greater weight capacity and viewing comfort

Key specifications

• Material: Aluminum
• Mount: Two-Way Fluid Pan Head
• Payload Capacity: 13.2 lbs (6 kg)
• Weight: 4.8 lbs (2.2 kg)
• Height: 68 inches (1.72 m)
• Included accessories: Carry case

Celestron Regal Premium Tripod

Best Celestron Tripod for Binoculars

The Regal Premium is the sturdiest Celestron binocular tripod and is suitable for all models of Celestron SkyMaster binoculars.

It has a load capacity of 8.8 lbs which is enough for any pair in the SkyMaster range, with the heaviest pair (the 25×100) weighing 8.75 lbs.

The aluminum legs and 6 lbs tripod weight ensure good stability for night sky binocular observing – this is where it beats the Celestron Trailseeker and Ultima binocular tripods (see below). There is also a balance hook underneath that allows you to add weight if required.

It has a two-way fluid pan head which is very easy to use, with a single handle to direct the binoculars where you want them to point.

The quick-release plate makes it easy to attach binoculars and has a safety mechanism to prevent them from sliding out unintentionally.

Pros

• Heavy and sturdy
• Tall at 69 inches
• Easy to use pan handle
• Good load capacity at 8.8 lbs
• A high quality quick release mount
• Can be used with your a spotting scope or your camera
• Made by Celestron, many people’s preferred manufacturer of astronomy equipment

Cons

• Even at 69 inches the height many will have to stoop to look through their binoculars when pointing up which is an obstacle to longer viewing sessions
• The heaviness may be a problem if you need your tripod to be portable
• Lower weight capacity and more expensive than the Orion Tritech tripod above

Key specifications

• Material: Aluminum
• Mount: Two-Way Fluid Pan Head
• Payload Capacity: 8.8 lbs (4 kg)
• Weight: 6 lbs (2.7 kg)
• Height: 69 inches (1.75 m)
• Included accessories: Case and shoulder strap

There are a couple of other Celestron binocular tripods that are worth knowing about if thinking about buying the model above – the Trailseeker and the Ultima:

Orion Paragon Plus Binocular Mount with Tripod

Tallest Tripod for Astronomy Binoculars

The Orion Paragon Plus Binocular Mount with Tripod is the first on this list that is specifically designed for astronomy binoculars, rather than just being a regular tripod that can be used with binoculars.

It is a parallelogram mount that allows your binoculars to hang over one side of the tripod whilst being supported by counterweights. The binoculars can then be positioned as low or as high as you want and means you can sit or stand comfortably when viewing – i.e. the tripod legs are not in the way of your astronomy chair.

This design lets you raise and lower the binoculars whilst staying focused on a specific object. This is a pretty cool feature and means that you can share the viewing experience with other people more easily. For example, you can view at your chosen height and find an object and then lower to allow a family member, friend, or person at a star party to look through.

It allows you to have the binoculars extremely high – up to 7ft 7 inches, so perfect for tall people to use when standing without having to stoop.

However, the load capacity of this tripod is 5 lbs, which is relatively low compared to the other options in this list.

This package is a combination of the Orion Paragon Plus Binocular Mount and the Paragon Plus XHD Tripod which can be bought separately.

This Orion video gives a quick introduction to this binocular tripod and mount:

Pros

• Parallelogram design is ideal for astronomy binoculars and allows you to have longer observing sessions whilst sat down or stood up. It also allows you to raise and lower the binoculars whilst staying focused on a specific object and thus allows different people to look through and share the experience.
• Very tall – this tripod/mount gives you the tallest you can have your binoculars
• The cheapest parallelogram-mounted tripod designed specifically for astronomy binoculars

Cons

• Relatively low weight carrying capacity – make sure your binoculars are within the 5lbs capacity

Key specifications

• Material: Steel
• Mount: Parallelogram
• Payload Capacity: 5 lbs (2.3 kg)
• Weight: 19.8 lbs (8.9 kg)
• Height: 92 inches (235 cm) – max. height of binoculars

Orion U-Mount Paragon Plus XHD Binocular Tripod

Best Tripod for Heavy Binoculars

The Orion U-Mount Paragon Plus XHD Package is a binocular tripod and mount for the very biggest astronomy binoculars.

This is a combination of the Orion U-Mount and the Paragon Plus XHD tripod which can be bought separately. It gives a load capacity of up to 25 lbs so it should comfortably hold all but the very biggest astronomy binoculars and a fair bit more capacity than the parallelogram mount above.

The mount is a fork mount and is extremely easy to set up and operate.

This video from Orion gives a good overview of this tripod and mount being used with extremely large Orion BT-100 astronomy binoculars:

Pros

• Extremely large weight-carrying capacity for heavy binoculars
• Stable, sturdy and secure
• Very easy to set up and operate, no counterweights required
• Has the versatility to be used with telescopes up to a certain size

Cons

• Not the tallest – taller people will need to stoop to look through binoculars angled upwards
• In comparison to the parallelogram mount above it doesn’t allow you to position a seat away from the tripod legs
• Pretty heavy (although much lighter than the parallelogram mount above)
• More expensive than a regular tripod with pan head

Key specifications

• Material: Aluminum
• Mount: Fork mount
• Payload Capacity: 25 lbs (11.3 kg)
• Weight: 19 lbs (8.6 kg)
• Height: 68 inches (173 cm)

10 Micron Leonardo BM100 Binocular Mount

Largest load capacity

Lastly, the 10 Micron Leonardo BM100 Binocular Mount are the biggest and best astronomy binocular mount but also the most expensive by far.

It has all the advantages of a parallelogram mount that are outlined above under the Orion mounts – in particular, the capacity to position the binoculars away from the tripod legs so that you can use them whilst sitting or standing comfortably.

It has the highest load capacity of any binocular mount – up to 30 lbs.

It is also one of the tallest, allowing the binoculars to be at a height of nearly 79 inches.

Its high price puts it into a different category from the models above that would appeal to most amateur astronomers but this is for the very biggest and heaviest astronomy binoculars.

Note that this is just the mount and doesn’t include the tripod. It is designed to be used with 10 Micron, Geoptik, and Baader tripods.

Pros

• The biggest weight capacity for specialized astronomy binoculars
• Extremely tall, providing good flexibility for standing and sitting
• Parallelogram design is ideal for astronomy binoculars

Cons

• Very expensive
• Heavy
• Mount only – doesn’t include the tripod

Key specifications

• Material: Aluminum
• Mount: Parallelogram
• Payload Capacity: 30 lbs (13.6 kg)
• Weight: 28.5 lbs (12.9 kg) – mount only
• Height: 78.7 inches (200 cm)
• Included accessories: Universal flange-tripod adapter, counterweights

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What to look for in an Astronomy Binocular Tripod

The main things to consider when choosing a tripod for binoculars is:

1. Weight capacity
2. Mount type
3. Height

Binocular Weight

The first thing you should do when deciding which tripod is right for your binoculars is to check how much your binoculars weigh so that you can get a tripod with sufficient payload capacity.

You can check the weight of all Celestron SkyMaster binoculars here on Celestron’s site and Orion GiantView binoculars here on Orion’s site are the weights of some of the most popular models:

• Celestron SkyMaster 15×70 – 3 lbs
• Celestron SkyMaster 25×70 – 3.3 lbs
• Celestron SkyMaster 20×80 – 4.7 lbs
• Celestron SkyMaster 25×100 – 8.8 lbs
• Orion GiantView 25×100 – 10.1 lbs
• Orion GiantView BT-100 – 16.8 lbs

Binocular Tripod Weight Capacity Comparison Chart

Of the binocular tripods that we recommend in this article, their weight load capacities can be seen in this comparison chart:

As you can see, some of the smaller tripods will not be suitable for bigger binoculars.

Tripod Mount Type

The second thing to consider is the mount type. There are three options:

1. Pan head: These are the simplest to use and are what most people use with a camera on a tripod. With the handle you just point your binoculars where you want to look. The Orion Tritech and Celestron Regal are examples of this.
2. Parallelogram: These are more complex and cumbersome but are specifically designed for astronomy binoculars to allow them to hang away from the tripod legs so you can stand or sit comfortably for long periods. The Orion Paragon Plus and 10 Micron BM100 are examples of this.
3. Fork: These are easier to use but do not give the freedom that a parallelogram mount does. The Orion U-Mount Paragon Plus is an example of this.

If you have a good camera tripod already, you can always buy a mount separately.

Tripod Height

The third thing to consider is the height at which you will need your binoculars to be for comfortable viewing.

Since when stargazing you are likely to want longer sessions, you need your astronomy binoculars to be at a height that is comfortable for your neck and back. You may want to stand or you may want to sit in an astronomy chair.

Parallelogram mounted tripods give you the biggest range of heights here but you may find the pan head or fork mount tripods are tall enough for you.

Other factors when choosing binocular tripods

Other than these three things it is also worth considering:

• Weight and size: Some of these binocular tripods are very heavy, large, and bulky. You need to think about where you will use and store them.
• Material: Most of these tripods are aluminum. This material is heavier than carbon fiber which can make the tripod less portable but actually adds to the natural stability and sturdiness. Carbon fiber tripods are great if you will be looking to travel with them.
• Cost: Some of these tripods are less than $100 and some are in the thousands so think about your budget and how much you want to spend.

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Best Tripod for Binoculars FAQs

Do I need a tripod for my binoculars?

The general rule is that if binoculars have a magnification of more than 7x then they should be used with a tripod rather than handheld. This is because the shake becomes too much at higher magnifications and it is hard to stay focused on far-off objects.

Astronomy binoculars can also be fairly heavy so not having a tripod will be an obstacle to long viewing sessions.

How to attach binoculars to a tripod? Do I need an adapter?

Some astronomy binoculars come with an in-built tripod adapter that will affix to any standard camera tripod. For other models, you will need to buy a separate adapter.

Should I use a tripod or a monopod with my binoculars?

For astronomy, a tripod will nearly always be best since you are often going to want to stay still and focused on a specific night sky object.

The only time a monopod would be good would be if you were moving around a lot (say, on a hike) and wanted to quickly plant your binoculars down to look through before moving again.

Do I need to match the binocular brand with the tripod?

No, you can use Celestron binoculars with an Orion tripod and vice versa (as well as other brands). Just check that you have the right adapter.

Can you use a camera tripod for binoculars?

Yes, you can just attach them to a regular pan-head camera tripod. You can also buy specific binocular mounts separately and use them with other tripods if they can take the weight.

See the Best Camera Tripods for Astrophotography for recommendations.

What’s the best tripod for Celestron Skymaster 15×70, 25×70, 20×80 & 25×100 binoculars?

The Celestron Skymaster 15×70, 25×70, and 20×80 are all sub-5 lbs and so can be used with any of the tripods on this list.

The 25×100 model is heavier and will need a tripod with at least 8.8 lbs capacity.

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Verdict: Best Tripods for Binoculars

Larger binoculars need to be used with a tripod or else it’ll be a frustrating experience due to the handheld shake stopping you from looking at things and the weight cutting your session short.

In summary, our recommendations are:

1. The best budget and lightweight binocular tripod is the Orion Tritech II Field Tripod. This will work for most astronomy binoculars up to a fair weight but has just the standard pan head.
2. If – as many do – you prefer Celestron for your gear and want something similar to the Tritech then go with the Celestron Regal Premium Tripod.
3. If you want something dedicated for your astronomy binoculars with not just a regular tripod head then consider a parallelogram mount tripod like the Orion Paragon Plus. These will suit lighter binoculars up to 5 lbs.
4. If you have big astronomy binoculars weighing up to 25 lbs then you can also consider the Orion U-Mount Paragon Plus HD Tripod.
5. Lastly, if you have huge binoculars of up to 30 lbs and a big budget you could consider the 10 Micron BM100.

If you don’t yet have a pair of binoculars then check out our article on the Best Binoculars for Astronomy.

We hope you found this guide useful. Let us know if you have any questions or recommendations in the comments below.