Pan and Tilt Systems

Affordable to Expensive!

Here are some systems you can use to mount your camera to to help you get better shots from a tripod.

Bescor MP101 Video Motorized Pan Head
Vertical angle is ±15
Pan 340
Payload: 6lbs
Price range: $120

Pros: Not too expensive, easy to mount to a tripod, you can start tracking UAP doing fast flybys with it, can be battery operated.

Cons: Metalized plastic. It says the max payload is 6 lbs, but mine broke with 2 lbs

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COP-USA AS20WE Outdoor Pan / Tilt DevicePan Head
Tilt 100°
Pan 350
Payload: 14lbs
Price range: $130

Pros: Not too expensive, easy to mount to a tripod, it holds 14 pds. Can be used out doors, Best DIY solution for the price!

Cons: Doesn't come turn key, you'll need to research how to wire this up and buy a controller.

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MPT1100-SS Pan & Tilt System
Tilt 360
Pan 360
Payload: 6lbs
Price range: $600

Pros: Pan & Tilt Head/ Joystick Control, can do very slow precise moves, motors are easy to replace with faster or slower versions POE can be controlled hundreds of feet away.

Cons: Expensive and has the same payload as something 1/6 the price.

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Proaim Professional Motorized Jr.
Tilt 360
Pan 360
Payload: NA
Price range: $570

Pros: Pan & Tilt Head/ Joystick Control, can do very slow precise moves, motors are easy to replace with faster or slower versions lots of options.

Cons: Expensive and and near the price of other systems with much bigger payloads.

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PT-2100 Pan & Tilt System
Tilt 360
Pan 360
Payload: 25lbs
Price range: $800

Pros: Pan & Tilt Head/ Joystick Control, can do very slow precise moves, motors are easy to replace with faster or slower versions POE can be controlled hundreds of feet away. Cons: Expensive, for the skywatcher that plans to use more than 2 camera on the rig. You'll have to figure out how to mount it, not tripod friendly and top heavy.

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MPT2100-DS-XL Pan & Tilt System
Tilt 360
Pan 360
Payload: 40lbs
Price range: $800

Pros: Pan & Tilt Head/ Joystick Control, can do very slow precise moves, motors are easy to replace with faster or slower versions POE can be controlled hundreds of feet away. This is for a person that wants to mount a telescope sized system on this head. Cons: Expensive, for the skywatcher that plans to use a very heavy camera system.. You'll have to figure out how to mount it, not tripod friendly and top heavy.

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There are many, many more systems to be found other than this short list. This summary list shows you what you'll be facing if you want a motorized PTZ head. It goes from cheap $100 dollar solutions to $500 just like that. The same goes for shopping for heavy duty tripods.

One of the cheapest bangs for your buck is find used Pelco PTZ systems off ebay. You can buy medium duty motorized pan/tilt head for around $100. Then you'll need to figure out what type of controller runs the pan head. Those can range from $100 to 1000 for used systems. Then you'll need to buy some 6 strand copper wire and male and female connectors and hook it all up!

That's what I did and I found a weather proof, PTZ and housing for $150 combined on ebay! Infact the shipping of these heavy objects cost as much as there price. So this resulted in a cheap out door system. I had to hunt down the connectors and wire them up. The only con is its 'jumpy' and not precision controlled that I had gotten used with with the PT-2100.