
Figure 2. Line up the threaded pan head attachment shaft of the tripod with the threaded hole on the bottom of the pivot disk. Then hold the binocular mount still while turning the pivot disk to thread it onto the shaft.
Threaded tripod adapter
Binocular mounting knob
Figure 3. Attaching
Congratulations on your purchase of the Orion
These instructions cover assembly and use of both the Paragon- Plus Binocular Mount only (#5376, without tripod) and the
Attaching the Paragon-Plus
Binocular Mount to a Tripod
The attachment instructions cover the attachment to either the
1)Remove the pan head of the tripod you plan to use. If you purchased the
2)Turn the binocular mount upside down. On the bottom of the pivot disk (Figure 1) there is a 3/8" threaded hole contain- ing a brass
3)Spread the legs of the tripod as far as they will go and lock them in place with the brace lock knob (Figure 1). Keep the legs at their shortest height, for now. The
4)For the
5)If you are using the Paragon tripod, you secure the pivot disk to the platform on top of the elevator shaft with the setscrews located underneath the platform. With the 2mm hex wrench, thread the setscrews until they are secure. The mount should now be able to pivot without unthreading from the tripod.
Your
Attaching the Binocular to the Binocular Mount
The
Remove the cover cap from the threaded tripod adapter on your binocular. Then thread the binocular mounting knob into the tri- pod adapter on the binocular until it is secure (Figure 3). Please note that if you are using a large binocular that employs a central support shaft (such as the Orion MegaView), then you will need an optional mounting plate (#7589).
Balancing the Paragon-Plus Binocular Mount
To assure smooth movement of the binocular mount, the binocu- lar should be properly balanced on the mount by adjusting the counterweight shaft. Note that a perfect balance is not necessary, as the balance can be compensated by using the tension knobs. However, try to achieve as precise a balance as possible.
1)Loosen all four tension knobs and carefully bring the mount to a horizontal position.
2)Loosen the counterweight shaft knobs and slide the counter- weight shaft out from the mount until it balances the binocular on the other end. Note that a perfect balance may not be achievable with a very light or very heavy binocular.
If the mount will not balance (very likely with a small binocular), you can make adjustments to the tension knobs until the mount remains in place when you stop moving it. If it does not, increase the tension with the tension knobs.
Adjusting the “Tilt Angle” of the Binocular
The binocular “tilt angle” is controlled with the altitude knob (Figure 4). You should set the knob tension such that the binocu-
2