BRESSER 4964111 Tripod with Polar Wedge for Photo Mount Instruction Manual

: June 6, 2024
: BRESSER

Telscope Accessory
Photo Mount PM-100
Instruction manual

Visit our website via the following QR Code or web link to find further information on this product or the available translations of these instructions.

http://www.bresser.de/P4964110
www.bresser.de/P4964110

WARRANTY

http://www.bresser.de/warranty_terms
www.bresser.de/warranty_terms

Imprint

Bresser GmbH
Gutenbergstr. 2
46414 Rhede
Germany www.bresser.de
For any warranty claims or service inquiries, please refer to the information on “Warranty” and “Service” in this documentation. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the fact that we cannot process inquiries or submissions sent directly to the manufacturer’s address.
Errors and technical changes excepted.
© 2021 Bresser GmbH
All rights reserved.
The reproduction of this documentation – even in extracts – in any form (e.g. photocopy, print, etc.) as well as the use and distribution by means of electronic systems (e.g. image file, website, etc.) without the prior written permission of the manufacturer is prohibited. The designations and brand names of the respective companies used in this documentation are generally protected by trade, trademark, and/or patent law in Germany, the European Union, and/or other countries.

Validity note

This documentation is valid for the products with the following article numbers:
4964110 4964111 4964112
Manual version: 0821
Manual designation:
Manual_4964110-4964111-4964112_Photo-Mount_en-de_BRESSER_v082021a
Always provide information when requesting service.

General Product Information

The Photo Mount is available in different versions with a correspondingly varying scope of delivery.
Some sections in this manual may therefore refer to components that are not included in all product variants but are optionally available.

About this Instruction Manual

NOTICE
These operating instructions are to be considered a component of the device.
Read the safety instructions and the operating manual carefully before using this device.
Keep this instruction manual in a safe place for future reference. When the device is sold or given to someone else, the instruction manual must be provided to the new owner/user of the product.

Intended use

This device is not intended for use by persons (including children) with impaired physical, sensory or mental abilities, or for lack of experience and/or knowledge unless they are supervised by or have received instructions from a person responsible for their safety on how to use this device.
This device is for personal use only.
The device was developed as an electronic accessory and may only be used to connect and operate the devices for private use described in this manual.

General safety instructions

DANGER
Danger of suffocation!
Improper use of this product may result in suffocation, especially for children. It is therefore imperative that you observe the following safety information.

Keep packaging materials (plastic bags, rubber bands, etc.) away from children! There is a danger of choking!
This product contains small parts that can be swallowed by children! Choking hazard!

CAUTION
Fire hazard!
Improper use of this product may result in fire. It is essential that you observe the following safety information in order to avoid fires.

Do not place the device, particularly the lenses, in direct sunlight. The concentration of light could cause a fire.

DANGER
Risk of an electric shock!
This device contains electronic parts that are powered by a power source (AC adapter and/or batteries). Improper use of this product may result in electric shock. Electric shock can cause serious or fatal
injuries. It is therefore imperative that you observe the following safety information.

Never leave children unattended when handling the device! Follow the instructions carefully and do not attempt to power this device with anything other than power sources recommended in this instruction manual, otherwise, there is a danger of an electric shock!
Check this device, cables, and connections for damage before use.
Never attempt to operate a damaged device or a device with damaged electrical parts! Damaged parts must be replaced immediately by an authorized service agent.
Before cleaning the device, disconnect it from the power supply (remove the plug or remove batteries)!
NOTICE
Danger of material damage!
Improper handling may result in damage to the unit and/or accessories. Therefore, use the device only in accordance with the following safety information.
Do not disassemble the device! In the event of a defect, please contact the after-sales support number listed below.
Do not subject the device to excessive vibrations.
Do not expose the components to direct sunlight for a longer time.
Do not expose the device to high temperatures and protect it from water and high humidity.

NOTICE
Privacy Protection
Respect the privacy of your fellow human beings – do not look into flats with this device, for example!

Parts overview and scope of delivery

Illustration 1: Photo mount on a polar wedge with tripod (Art. No. 4964110)

Photo mount
Ball head
Quick-release plate
Fixing screw (quick release plate)
Fixing screw (ball joint)
Clamping lever (RA axis)
Rotary knob (RA axis)
RA axis motor
8-pin socket
Manual motion control
Speed buttons
North/South switch
DC connection socket for coaxial/barrel connector
Pole finderscope
Pole finder illumination
Pole finder holder
Battery compartment (6V DC)
DC coaxial/barrel connector
Inner tripod leg
Clamping screw (tripod leg)
Outer tripod leg
Accessory tray
Central screw
Circular level
Fixing screw (pole wedge)
Long toggle screw
Short toggle screw (polar height)
Polar wedge element
Pointfinder
Coupling (trcking motor)

Depending on the product variant, different accessories are included with the purchase. The image shows the complete delivery content.
Scope of delivery (4964110)
Photo mount; ball-head; tracking motor; controller with connecting cables; pole finder scope with illumination unit; battery pack with connecting cable and storage bag; a tripod for photo mount; accessory tray; polar wedge (possibly pre-assembled on the tripod); 2 pcs. toggle screws (polar height); 2 pcs. thumbscrews (azimuth); 1 pc. central screw M10 (polar wedge); 2 pcs. 1/4″ photo adapter thread screw; assembling tools
Scope of delivery (4964111)
Photo mount; ball-head; tracking motor; controller with connecting cables; Pole finder scope with illumination unit; battery pack with connecting cable and storage bag; assembling tools
Scope of delivery (4964112)
Tripod for photo mount; accessory tray; polar wedge (possibly pre-assembled on the tripod); 2 pcs. toggle screws (polar height); 2 pcs. thumbscrews (azimuth); 1 pc. central screw M10 (polar wedge); assembling tools
Additionally needed (4964110 + 4964111, not included):
8 pcs. 1.5V D type batteries
NOTICE! The power supply for the mount is 6V. The use of 8 pcs. 1.5V D type batteries only serves for a longer operation time!

Setting up the tripod

NOTICE! This section covers the photo mount assembly on the specially designed tripod with the polar wedge. If the photo mount is to be mounted on an existing tripod, also read the corresponding instructions.
CAUTION! Carefully take the tripod out of the packaging with its legs pointing parallel to the ground. The inner tripod legs are not screwed in and can slip out!

NOTICE! The tripod legs are pre-assembled and already connected to the tripod head and the cross struts.

After unpacking quickly set up the tripod with the tripod feet facing down.
Grasp two of the three tripod legs and slowly pull them out until the cross struts are fully extended.
The entire weight of the tripod weighs on the third leg.
Pull out the tripod legs to the desired height. Make sure that the bubble of the circular level is in the middle of the circle to ensure a horizontal plane stand. If necessary, re-adjust the tripod legs.
Hand-tighten the clamping screws for the tripod legs.
CAUTION! Do not overtighten the clamping screws to avoid damage!
Place the accessory tray on the center of the cross struts and with its flat side facing down. Tighten it by turning it clockwise at about 60 °. The three “noses” of the accessory tray must grip into the retaining clips and lock.
Check the stand of the tripod. It has to be straight and level.

Attaching the polar wedge

NOTICE! This section covers the photo mount assembly on the specially designed tripod with a polar wedge. If the photo mount is to be mounted on an existing tripod, also read the corresponding instructions.

Screw-in the azimuth adjusting screws approx. halfway.
Insert the polar wedge in the tripod head.
NOTICE! Make sure that the ‘nose’ for the azimuth adjusting screws reach the polar wedge.
With the central screw fasten the polar wedge on the tripod head.
Tighten the azimuth adjusting screws evenly.
Insert the two toggle screws for the pole height adjustment into the polar wedge.
NOTICE! The short toggle screw will be mounted near the azimuth adjusting screws and the long toggle screw will be mounted opposite.

Attaching the pole finder scope to the photo mount

Remove the three small fixing screws from the pole finder holder.
Turn the pole finder illumination unit anti-clockwise and remove it completely from the pole finder.
Use the pole finder holder and the three fixing screws to attach the pole finder scope to the mount’s base plate.
Evenly tighten the three fastening screws so that the pole finder scope can still be turned inside the holder with some resistance.
Insert the pole finder illumination unit in the polar finder scope.

NOTICE! This section covers the photo mount assembly on the specially designed tripod with the polar wedge. If the photo mount is to be mounted on an existing tripod, also read the corresponding instructions.

Attach the mount head onto the polar wedge using the supplied two ¼ “screws supplied and the hexagon socket wrench.
NOTICE! Pay attention to the correct orientation of the mount head when attaching it!
Thighten the supplied ball head with the 3/8″ photo thread onto the upright threaded screw.

Set up a power supply for the tracking motor.

Insert the batteries into the battery compartment. Ensure that the battery polarity (+/-) is correct.
NOTICE! Instead of using the battery box, the controller can also be operated with a standard power adapter or battery pack. Pay attention to the correct polarity of the connector (indicated on the hand box) and a constant DC voltage of 6V!
Put the DC coaxial/barrel connector into the DC socket of the controller.
Put the motor connecting cable into the 9-pin socket of the motor.

Set the latitude (pole height)

NOTICE! This section covers the photo mount assembly on the specially designed tripod with a polar wedge. If the photo mount is to be mounted on an existing tripod, also read the corresponding instructions.
Before attaching the camera and setting the exact orientation on Polaris, it is recommended to set the latitude roughly through the scale of the polar wedge:

Adjust the polar height by turning the toggle screws until the triangular pointer is above the desired value of the mount’s latitude scale.
NOTICE! Determine the latitude of your observation point using the information in the section “Width table”, or search the Internet for the appropriate information for your location. Turn the adjusting screws until the pointer indicates the desired latitude. The adjusting screws operate through an adjustment and counter mechanism (that means: before you fix one, loosen the other one).
As soon as the pointer indicates the desired latitude, tighten the two screws so that they reach the mount.

Levelling the tripod

Position the tripod so that the tripod leg, which is near the azimuth adjustment screws, points north.
Slightly loosen the clamping screws of a tripod leg and adjust the leg until the bubble of the circular level in the tripod head is within the circle mark.

Attach the mount head onto a photo tripod

NOTICE! This section covers the photo mount assembly on a normal photo tripod with 1/4″ or 3/8″ thread screw. If attaching the photo mount on an existing photo tripod, also read the corresponding instructions.

Fix the mount head with the appropriate fine thread at the bottom of the mounting plate onto the fine thread screw of the tripod.
Thighten the supplied ball head with the 3/8″ photo thread onto the upright threaded screw.

Attach the camera on the ball head

Loosen the fixing screw at the ball-head.
Press the locking pin on the tripod head and at the same time push the quick release plate sideways out of the guide.
CAUTION! Always ensure that the quick release plate and the camera are securely mounted in the following steps. Otherwise, the camera could break loose and fall down. The manufacturer is not liable for material damage caused by improper handling.
Use the recessed ¼” thread screw to attach the quick release plate to the camera body or to the tube clamp of the lens.
Slide the quick release plate with the mounted camera into the guide of the ball-head and tighten the fixing screw again.
CAUTION! Make that the quick-release plate will not jam when inserting it and therefore will jump out of the guide. This could cause damage to the camera as a result.
NOTICE! The manufacturer is not liable for any damage caused by improper handling!

Using the pointfinder

A small pointfinder is placed opposite the illuminated pole finder scope. It serves for a faster, coarse pole alignment. This orientation method is best for shootings with a short exposure time.
For long-time exposures, a more complex alignment or respectively zeroing to the north of the mount by means of the polar finder is mandatory. More information can be found in the chapter “Use of the polar finder scope”. In addition, we recommend our reading about the so-called “Kochab method”. It describes a method of zeroing to the north which also considers different graticule types. The reading can be found on the website for this product.

Putting the pole finder illumination into operation

Illustration 2: Parts of the pole finder illumination

On/Off rotary switch
Threaded cap
Plastic plate
Battery holder
Batteries
LED
Threaded socket
Illuminated engraving plate (pole finder)

NOTICE! The pole finder illumination is operated with two types LR41 batteries. Depending on the model, batteries may already be included.
CAUTION! Do not unscrew the on / off rotary switch from the battery compartment cover! Both parts are firmly connected by a cable, which could be damaged when unscrewing it.

First use

Remove the battery compartment cover, together with the on / off rotary switch.
Remove the plastic plate (insulation) used to protect against discharging between the battery compartment cover and the batteries.
OR
Battery replacement:
Remove the battery compartment cover, together with the on / off rotary switch.
Insert batteries into the battery holder according to the correct polarity.
Insert the battery holder into the battery compartment.
Screw-in the pole finder illumination into the pole finder scope.
Switch on or off the illumination via the on/off rotary switch.

Focussing the Pole finderscope

NOTICE! The Focusing of the pole finder scope can already be done before installation.
Aim at an observing object at a distance of a minimum of 100m. If the image is not sharp, turn the eyepiece until the image is sharp.
NOTICE! For long-time exposures, a more complex alignment or respectively zeroing to the north of the mount by means of the polar finder is mandatory. More information on this can be found in the chapter “Using the point finder”.

Using the hand control

Slide the side switch of the hand controller to the “N” position for use in the Northern Hemisphere or switch it to the “S” position for the Southern Hemisphere. The RA motor is switched on, the tracking starts automatically.
If necessary, make corrections to the tracking speed/direction using the direction keys as indicated on the keyboard.
NOTICE! The stepper motor heats up during prolonged operation; this is normal and not a malfunction.

Finding the celestial pole

To get a rough idea of where the points of the compass are at an observing place, you should be aware of the directions where the sun rises each day (east) and goes down (west). After it has become dark at your observation point, turn to the north – this can be achieved by pointing with your left shoulder to the direction where the sun has just set. To find exactly the pole, you should now locate
Polaris – use the Big Dipper as a signpost (see picture). For an exact tracking of astronomical objects, you should aim your telescope at the celestial pole.
Search maps to find Polaris

Use of the polar finder scope

Orient yourself to the sky. To align the mount using the polar finder scope, an unobstructed view to the north and therewith to Polaris is needed (or to the south if you are using the device in an area south of the equator, e.g. Australia).
The following procedure applies to aligning the mount for use in the northern hemisphere, such as Europe or North America. Look for the constellation “Big Dipper”. The “Big Dipper” represents a part of the constellation „Big Bear“ (Ursa Major). Depending on the season, you can see the constellation at different locations at dusk: in winter it can be seen right above the northern horizon, in spring halfway up in the northeast, in summer almost directly above in the north, and in autumn in the northwest. The following figure shows the northern part of the sky at dusk at the beginning of January:

llustration 3: Detailed view of the sky: “Big Dipper” in the constellation “Big Bear” (Ursa Major)
Big Dipper/Big Bear is located right above the northern horizon. We see the three drawbar stars of the chariot on the left and the chariot body with the brightest star Dubhe on the upper right. We need the two stars in the “back” of the wagon body to get to the North Star (Polaris). We have marked them yellow and large. If you extend the connecting line of the two back stars in the Big Dipper’s body, you will come to the main star in the constellation Little Dipper/Little Bear (Ursa Minor). This is the North Star (Polaris).
The North Star may be located in the immediate vicinity of the north celestial pole, but it is not located directly at the pole. For this reason, it does circle the pole during the day/year like any other star that circles the celestial pole. We now have to find out in which position on this circle the star is located at this very moment. For this, let us refer to the following figure:

Illustration 4: Polar finder scope engraving plate with Big Dipper (left).
The figure shows the engraving plate of the polar finder scope. You may notice three figures with little circles that are connected with lines. These symbols represent constellations. To align the photo mount onto the north celestial pole we need the constellation in the upper left and the constellation below the middle at the right. You may have recognized the left constellation already – it is the Big Dipper, that we already located successfully.
The other constellation is Cassiopeia which we have to locate now. To do this, let us have a look onto the next figure, which is simply showing a bigger part of the sky than the figure above:

Illustration 5: Enhanced part of the sky view.
We recognize the Big Dipper at the lower part in the middle of the field of view, the North Star almost in the middle of the pictures, and a constellation at the upper end of the picture just slightly to the right of the middle. This constellation looks like a W turned upside down – Cassiopeia. Three stars have been marked in the three constellations which form a line:

Alkaid – the first star in the Big Dippers handle
Polaris
Epsilon Cassiopeia – the star at the lower right in the constellation Cassiopeia
Rotate the polar finder scope in its holder so that the line on the engraving plate matches the slope of the line in the sky.

Illustration 6: Engraving plate of the polar finder scope with Big Dipper (bottom) with RA axis properly rotated
Notice the difference to the previous image of the engraving plate:
The position of the constellation symbols in the article now aligns with the orientation of the real constellations in the sky. Lock the RA-axis.
Now move the mount with the adjustment knobs for Azimut and altitude until Polaris is positioned at the right place in the line in the article – we have already marked this position for you with a white dot star. Your mount is now aligned to the Northern Celestial Pole. Aligning the mount to the Southern Celestial Pole is analogous to the alignment described above. The constellations that help us orient the article are the Southern Cross (or, more precisely its brightest star, Acrux) and the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus (Achenar). The star that has to be positioned in the right place in the recticle is Polaris Australis (Sigma Octans).

First long time exposures

The photo mount is designed to use a camera with a lens of max. 2.5 kg total weight to carry and track. All cameras with a 1/4″ (6.3mm) tripod connection thread and the settings option Bulb “B” for long time exposure are basically suitable for astrophotography with this mount. Ideal for the beginning is highspeed wide-angle lenses because with increasing focal length and exposure time the tracking accuracy also increases. With a wide-angle lens, the exposure time can be exposed up to several minutes without any problems and the stars remain punctiform. For example: with a 200mm telephoto lens, a precise polar alignment of the photo mount is needed.
NOTICE! For almost all photos with wide-angle lenses and exposure times of up to 120 seconds, approximate settings of latitude and pole axis are sufficient. Do not spend too much time aligning the photo mount on the celestial pole as perfectly as possible! With increasing focal length and exposure time, however, a precise polar alignment is essential. Otherwise, the stars blur to trace tracks.
Typical achievable exposure times with good tracking accuracy:

160mm to 35mm wide-angle lens: 10 minutes (600 sec.)
200mm telephoto lens: 5 minutes (300 sec.)

EC declaration of conformity

A “Declaration of conformity” in accordance with the applicable directives and corresponding standards has been prepared by Bresser GmbH. The full text of the EC declaration of conformity is available at the following Internet address: www.bresser.de/download/4964110 49641114964112/CE/4964110 49641114964112_CE.pdf

Warranty

The regular guarantee period is 2 years and begins on the day of purchase. To benefit from an extended voluntary guarantee period as stated on the gift box, registration on our website is required. You can consult the full guarantee terms as well as information on extending the guarantee period and details of our services at www.bresser.de/warranty_terms.

Technical data

Feature| 4964110 Photo mount with tripod and polar
wedge| 4964111 Photo mount without tripod and
polar wedge| 4964112 Tripod and polar
wedge without photo mount
---|---|---|---
Parallactic photo mount| included| included| optional
Height-adjustable tripod made of stainless steel with polar wedge and circular level| included| optional| included
Automatic compensation of the earth’s rotation| yes| yes| -/-
Hand control with tracking motor (2x/32x)| included| included| -/-
Switchable for northern or southern hemisphere| yes| yes| -/-
Optical polar finder scope with polar finder illumination| included| included| -/-
Ball-head with quick release plate for camera mounting| yes, plate with 1/4”
photo thread| yes, plate with 1/4”
photo thread| -/-
Fixture for ball-head mounting| yes, with 3/8” threaded
bolt| yes, with 3/8” threaded
bolt| -/-
Fixture for tripod mounting| yes, with 1/4” or 3/8”
inner thread| yes, with 1/4” or 3/8”
inner thread| -/-
Stepper motor tracking with worm-gear| yes| yes| -/-
Large Tommy screws and thumbscrews for an easy use| yes| -/-| yes
Battery operation/ Mains operation| Yes, battery compartment¹
included / optional²| Yes, battery compartment¹
included /optional²| -/-
Operating time in battery mode| up to 50 hours| up to 50 hours| -/-
Power supply| 6V DC, 5.5 / 2.5 mm
socket (positive pole
inside)| 6V DC, 5.5 / 2.5 mm
socket (positive pole
inside)| -/-
Total weight| 4.5 kg| 1.0 kg| 3.5 kg
Carrying capacity of the
photo mount| 2.5 kg| 2.5 kg| -/-
Camera working height| 140 cm max.| -/-| 140 cm max.

Table 1: Model variants of the photo mount

Batteries not included or depending on model
suitable DC power adapter additionally needed (not included)

Service

Please contact the service center first for any questions regarding the product or claims, preferably by e-mail.

e-mail:service@bresseruk.com
Telephone*: +44 1342 837 098
BRESSER UK Ltd
Customer Support
Suite 3G, Eden House
Enterprise Way
Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HF
United Kingdom

Number charged at local rates in the UK (the amount you will be charged per phone call will depend on the tariff of your phone provider); calls from abroad will involve higher costs.

Bresser GmbH
Gutenbergstr. 2
46414 Rhede
Germany
www.bresser.de

For any warranty claims or service inquiries, please refer to the information on “Warranty” and “Service” in this documentation. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the fact that we cannot process inquiries or submissions sent directly to the manufacturer’s address.
Errors and technical changes excepted.
© 2021 Bresser GmbH
All rights
reserved.
The reproduction of this documentation – even in extracts – in any form (e.g. photocopy, print, etc.) as well as the use and distribution by means of electronic systems (e.g. image file, website, etc.) without the prior written permission of the manufacturer is prohibited.
The designations and brand names of the respective companies used in this documentation are generally protected by trade, trademark, and/or patent law in Germany, the European Union, and/or other countries.