ORION TELESCOPES & BINOCULARS Paragon-Plus 5379 User manual

IN 397 Rev. A 8/10
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Orion®Paragon-Plus™
Binocular Mount
#5379 with tripod, #5376 tripod not included
Altitude
knob
Tension
knobs
Counterweight
shaft lock knobs
Counterweight
shaft
Counterweight
Elevator
shaft crank
Brace lock
knob
Center brace
Dual
rubber/
spike foot
Lever
lock
knobs
Tripod leg
Elevator
shaft lock
lever
Parallelogram
Binocular
mounting
knob
Figure 1. The Paragon-Plus binocular mount
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents
may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY
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2
Congratulations on your purchase of the Orion Paragon-Plus
Binocular Mount. This sturdy support apparatus is designed
to allow comfortable use of binoculars up to 80mm in aper-
ture for astronomical or terrestrial viewing. The mount greatly
reduces arm strain and positions the binocular away from the
tripod, allowing the viewer to stand or sit comfortably under
the binocular while aiming it overhead — even to the zenith.
The mount also enables the binocular to be raised and low-
ered while still staying right on a given target, a wonderful
feature when two or more people of different heights are
observing together.
These instructions cover assembly and use of both the
Paragon-Plus Binocular Mount only (#5376, without tripod)
and the Paragon-Plus Binocular Mount & Tripod (#5379).
Please read them thoroughly.
Attaching the Paragon-Plus
Binocular Mount to a Tripod
The attachment instructions cover the attachment to either
the Paragon-Plus tripod (included with #5379), or any stur-
dy tripod you might already have. You will need a flat-head
screwdriver and a 2mm hex wrench to attach the binocular
mount to a tripod. Refer to Figure 1 during assembly.
1) Remove the pan head of the tripod you plan to use. If you
purchased the Paragon-Plus binocular mount and tripod,
you will not need to do this as the tripod does not come
with a pan head. Note the size of the screw the tripod
uses to attach the pan head.
2) Turn the binocular mount upside down. On the bottom of
the pivot disk (Figure 1) there is a 3/8" threaded hole con-
taining a brass 1/4"-20 threaded insert. This may need
to be removed, depending on the tripod you are using.
Compare the size of the threaded post on the tripod with
the size of the brass insert. If the brass insert is too small,
then it will need to be removed. It should be removed to
use it with the Paragon-Plus tripod in the #5379 package.
Use the flat-head screwdriver to do this.
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
Paragon-Plus tripod has a very 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 brace lock knob should be tightened to secure the
stance. When using the binocular mount, the tripod legs
should always be fully extended, otherwise the weight of
the binocular mount could cause the tripod to tip over.
4) For the Paragon-Plus tripod, attach the parallelogram
mount to the platform on top of the elevator shaft (Figure
2). For other tripods, thread the mount onto the shaft
where the pan head normally goes. Do this by placing
the hole on the bottom of the mount onto the shaft while
holding the mount with one hand. With your other hand,
turn the pivot disk until it is tight.
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 Paragon-Plus binocular mount is now assembled and
should resemble Figure 1.
Attaching the Binocular to the Binocular Mount
The Paragon-Plus binocular mount is capable of holding bin-
oculars of up to 80mm aperture. The binocular must have a
threaded socket for mounting. Adjust the tripod height to the
level you will be viewing from before mounting the binocu-
lars. See below for instructions on how to raise the Paragon-
Plus tripod.
Remove the cover cap from the threaded tripod adapter on
your binocular. Then thread the binocular mounting knob
into the tripod adapter on the binocular until it is secure
(Figure 3). Please note that if you are using a large binocu-
lar 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 bin-
ocular should be properly balanced on the mount by adjust-
ing 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 bal-
ance 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
counterweight shaft out from the mount until it balances
the binocular on the other end. Note that a perfect bal-
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.
2
Figure 3. Attaching
the binocular to the
binocular mount
Binocular
mounting knob
L-bracket
Threaded
tripod adapter

33
ance may not be achievable with a very light or very
heavy binocular.
If the mount will not balance (very likely with a small binocu-
lar), 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 bin-
ocular will move when pushed, but will not move on its own.
Keep in mind that as the angle of the binocular approaches
the zenith, the knob tension will need to be increased so that
the binocular does not flop over. Increase the knob tension
when bringing the binocular 40˚ or more from horizontal.
Adjusting Azimuth
Moving the binocular in azimuth (left/right) is a simple matter
of turning the mount on its pivot disk. There is no azimuth lock
feature.
Adjusting the Height of the Binocular
A nice feature of the Paragon-Plus binocular mount is that
when the binocular is pointed at an object, the height can be
adjusted for different viewers without moving the binocular
off its target. To do this, simply move the binocular so that
only the parallelogram part of the mount is moving. Do not
adjust the tilt angle of the binocular or move the mount on
its pivot disk. Figure 5 shows this feature in action. Using
this feature, people of varying heights will be able to enjoy
binocular views without any crouching over or straining to
reach the binocular.
Adjusting the Paragon-Plus Tripod Height (#5379)
You may find that the binocular position is too low when the
tripod legs are fully retracted. To raise the height you should
extend the legs of the tripod. You should remove the bin-
ocular mount before extending the tripod legs to prevent the
mount and tripod from falling over.
Each leg of the tripod has two telescoping sections. To
extend a leg, loosen the lever lock knob, then extend the leg.
When it has been extended to the desired length, tighten the
lever knob back down. There is a handy scale printed on the
middle segment of each leg, which can be used to judge the
relative height of the legs.
Although the Paragon-Plus tripod also has an elevator shaft,
this should be used with the binocular mount only after rais-
ing the tripod by use of the legs. Extending the elevator shaft
reduces the stability of the binocular mount. To operate the
elevator shaft, loosen the elevator lock knob and turn the ele-
vator hand crank to adjust to the desired height. Then tighten
the elevator lock knob.
Dual Rubber/Spike Feet (#5379)
The tripod is equipped with dual-purpose feet that consist of
a retractable rubber foot and a metal spike. The rubber feet
are intended for use of the tripod indoors or on a smooth,
paved surface. The metal spikes are desirable for achieving a
firm grip on soft surfaces. To use the rubber feet, thread the
foot counterclockwise until it stops. In this position, the metal
spike will be well recessed within the rubber. Be sure all three
rubber feet are flat on the floor, not tipped sideways.
To expose the spike feet, thread the rubber foot clockwise
until the spike protrudes from the rubber. In some instances
you may wish to remove the rubber feet altogether so more
of the metal spike is exposed. This can be done by pulling
the rubber feet off their anchors. They can be pressed on
again at any time.
Figure 6. The binocular mount
can be used to view objects at or
near the zenith. Adjust the tripod
so that you can stand under the
binocular to view objects located
high in the sky.
Figure 5. The binocular will remain on target as you adjust the
height using the parallelogram. The standing person in (a) is
looking at the same thing while seated in (b). Note that only the
parallelogram has moved; the tilt angle of the binocular has not.
The pivot disk and binocular altitude should not be adjusted for
this feature to work.
a. b.
Figure 4. The “tilt angle” of the binoculars
Altitude
knob
tilt angle

4
Parallelogram Safety Stop
The parallelogram has a safety stop to prevent the aluminum
bars from completely collapsing. This ensures that no fingers
will be caught and crushed by an accidental fast closing of
the parallelogram. This feature will also prevent the counter-
weight from hitting the tripod.
Astronomical Use
The Paragon-Plus binocular mount allows viewing of sub-
jects from the horizon all the way up to the zenith. To view
objects at the zenith, adjust the binocular mount and tripod
so that they will be tall enough for you to stand underneath
the binocular. Then adjust the tilt angle of the binocular to
point it at the zenith. Stand underneath the binocular and
look up into them. When done properly, this should resemble
Figure 6.
Transporting
When moving the binocular mount any significant distance,
you should remove the binocular to prevent them from being
damaged. To make moving easier, you may want to separate
the mount from the tripod. An optional carrying case (#15161)
is also available from Orion to make transportation easier.
Care and Maintenance
When using the mount in direct sunlight, be aware that its
black surface can become hot. If the mount is used in wet
conditions, dry it completely with a soft cloth after use. Clean
the tripod and mount with a mild detergent and a soft cloth.
Specifications
Maximum binocular weight: 5.5 lbs.
Counterweight: 8 lbs.
Binocular mounting knob: Accommodates Binocular with
1/4"-20 tripod adapter
Minimum binocular height (with Paragon-Plus tripod): 31"
Maximum binocular height (with Paragon-Plus tripod): 91"
Weight (without Paragon-Plus tripod): 12 lbs. 9 oz.
Weight (With Paragon-Plus tripod): 19 lbs. 10 oz.
Carry case: Optional
4
Corporate Offices: 89 Hangar Way, Watsonville CA 95076 - USA
Toll Free USA & Canada: [phone]
International: [phone]
Customer Support: [email protected]
Copyright © 2020 Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.All Rights Reserved. No part of this product instruction or any of its contents
may be reproduced, copied, modied or adapted, without the prior written consent of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars.
AN EMPLOYEE-OWNED COMPANY
One-Year Limited Warranty
This Orion product is 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 war-
ranty period Orion Telescopes & Binoculars will repair or replace, at Orion’s option, any warranted instru-
ment that proves to be defective, provided it is returned postage paid. Proof of purchase (such as a copy
of the original receipt) is required. This warranty is only valid in the country of purchase.
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. It is not
intended to remove or restrict your other legal rights under applicable local consumer law; your state or
national statutory consumer rights governing the sale of consumer goods remain fully applicable.
For further warranty information, please visit www.OrionTelescopes.com/warranty.