I was looking at the Velbon range- initially the $50-$60 mark but perhaps I should invest a bit more heavily- break out and spend $100 or so!
I would need adapters for the bino's and our Nikon D80, which will add to the overall cost.
I think the CX-480 or CX-586 are the go for me, although the CX-480 is probably in my price range. It is a bit lighter than the 586 and holds less weight.
thanks for your comments, Eric and Chris.
DJDD