Orion TRITECH 5373, TRITECH 5372 User Manual

Orion® Tritech™ Field Tripods

#5372 Medium Tritech
#5373 Large Tritech

Quick release
lock lever

Pan head
handle

Horizontal
pan lock

Tri-brace
lock knob

Leg lock
clamp

Quick release shoe

Vertical pan lock

Elevator shaft

Elevator hand crank

Elevator lock knob

Elevator shaft housing

Tri-brace

good idea to press down on the pan head to make sure the
legs are locked securely and will not give way under the
instrument’s weight.

The tripods have a wide stance for enhanced stability. The
widest stance is achieved when the tri-brace is as far down
as it will go on the elevator shaft housing. The tri-brace lock
knob should be tightened to secure the stance.

Approximate leveling of the tripod should suffice for use with
binoculars or spotting scopes. For photographic use, the
built-in bubble level aids in achieving more precise leveling.

Attaching an Instrument

The removable mounting shoe allows quick attachment and
removal of your instrument. The shoe has a 1/4"-20 threaded
shaft, a spring pin, and a ribbed mat, and is retained by a
quick-release lock lever. When mounting an optical instru­ment, you must first remove the shoe from the head. To do
this, disengage the quick-release lock lever and slide the
mounting shoe in the direction of the handle. Thread the
shoe’s shaft into the 1/4"-20 mounting hole on the instrument
using the knob on the underside of the shoe. If the instrument
has an additional mounting hole for the spring pin, register
the pin with the hole before threading in the shaft. Otherwise,
disregard the pin. Then replace the shoe on the head. Make
certain the shoe is locked securely in place before releas­ing the instrument from your grip. It is recommended that the
instrument be removed from the tripod for transport.

Be very careful when mounting an instrument with an
unwieldy center of gravity on the tripod, especially if it is
somewhat heavy. If the load is greatly unbalanced, the tripod
may tip over.

Congratulations on your purchase of a quality Orion product! Your
new Tritech field tripod can support small binoculars, telescopes,
still cameras, and video cameras. Designed for use either indoors
or outdoors, the Tritechs feature a smooth, two-way pan head
with a quick-release shoe for convenient operation.

To get the most from your new tripod, please take a few min­utes to read these instructions and operating tips. Refer to the
labeled figure for the names of specific parts of the tripod.

Adjusting the Legs

The tripod comes fully assembled. Note that each aluminum
leg has two telescoping sections. To lengthen a leg, release
one of the leg lock clamps, then extend a section. When it
has been extended to the desired length, close the clamp.
Extend one section at a time until all legs are at the desired
length. Before mounting an instrument on the tripod it is a

Providing Exceptional Consumer Optical Products Since 1975

Using the Fluid Pan Head

Tritech tripods feature fluid
heads which can be panned
horizontally or vertically. Both
axes of motion are equipped
with a lock knob. Partially tight­ening a lock knob will increase
the panning friction for that axis.
Pan the tripod head by using
the pan head handle.

It is possible to point an instru­ment at the zenith (straight
up). This is especially useful
when using the tripod for astro­nomical observation. Instead of
pushing the handle down to tilt
the pan head up, tilt the pan head so that the handle points
upward. This way the handle will not contact the tripod itself
and hinder the tilt. You will have to rotate the instrument 180∞
on the pan head from its normal position to point it upward in
this reversed way (see Figure 2).

Figure 2

Customer Support [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Corporate Offices [phone]

89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076

IN 143 Rev. B 02/09

Raising and Lowering the Elevator Shaft

To raise or lower the pan head, first loosen the elevator lock
knob. Then use the hinged hand crank to move the aluminum
rack-and-pinion elevator shaft up or down. Its vertical range
of travel is 12". Retighten the elevator lock knob to secure the
instrument at the new height.

To adjust the tension needed to raise and lower the elevator
shaft, rotate the elevator shaft housing. Rotating the housing
counter-clockwise loosens the tension, while rotating clock­wise increases the tension. You will need to adjust the tension
when using the elevator crank to raise or lower instruments
of different weights.

General Care and Cleaning

When using the tripod in direct sunlight, be aware that its alu­minum surfaces can become hot. If the tripod is used in wet
conditions, dry it completely with a soft cloth after use. Clean
the tripod with mild detergent and a soft cloth.

Specifications

#5372 Medium Tritech Tripod

Height fully extended: 57"

Height folded: 22.5"

Elevator travel: 12"

Rotation axes: two

Weight: 2 lbs. 13 oz.

Suggested Accessories

Orion Tripod Accessory Bin

Put extra eyepieces, camera lenses, eyeglasses, lens caps,
or other accessories in this roomy, three-compartment bin.
Made of rugged nylon, it fastens quickly to the tripod by way of
Velcro loops. Folds up for convenient storage. Approximately
11" per side.

#15093

Orion Precision Slow-Motion Adapter.

Attach this adapter to the tripod pan head to add micro­motion altitude and azimuth control. Very useful for fine
terrestrial panning or for manually tracking celestial objects
with binoculars or spotting scopes. Built-in 1/4"-20 threaded
socket for attachment to tripod; has 1/4"-20 threaded post for
attachment of instrument.

#7033

Soft Case for Large Tritech Tripod

Highly recommended for protection, storage, and convenient
transport of the Large Tritech Tripod. Made of heavy polyes­ter stock and fully padded, this case has strap handles and
an adjustable-length shoulder strap. Full zipper access. Navy
with black trim.

#15167

#5373 Large Tritech Tripod

Height fully extended: 65"

Height folded: 25"

Elevator travel: 12"

Rotation axes: two

Weight: 3 lbs. 8 oz.

One-Year Limited Warranty

This Orion Tritech Tripods are warranted against defects in materials or workmanship for a period of
one year from the date of purchase. This warranty is for the benefit of the original retail purchaser only.
During this warranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any
warranted instrument that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid to: Orion Warranty
Repair, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA 95076. If the product is not registered, proof of purchase (such
as a copy of the original invoice) is required.

This warranty does not apply if, in Orion’s judgment, the instrument has been abused, mishandled, or
modified, nor does it apply to normal wear and tear. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and
you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state. For further warranty service information,
contact: Customer Service Department, Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville, CA
95076; [phone].