Ollin Nexus Review: Is This the Best Mount for All My Optics?
By Chris Bunce | Ignited by Nature
Photo: Ollin. View the Nexus Base.
I switch between binoculars and spotting scopes often enough that the mount can become the slowest part of my glassing setup. The Ollin Nexus aims to simplify that changeover: put a base on your tripod and a plate on each optic, then use the same connection for all of them. After using it with binoculars and spotting scopes, I can see the appeal. The question is whether its speed and convenience justify building another mounting system around your gear.
How the Nexus works
The Nexus Base stays on the tripod or other support. A separate Nexus Plate attaches to each optic. Magnets draw the plate into alignment, then you rotate the optic to engage the mechanical connection and locking trigger. To remove it, release the trigger, rotate, and pull the plate away. The magnet helps you find the connection; the lock is what secures it. Ollin says the base fits Arca-Swiss compatible heads and also has threaded mounting options. Check the clearance around your tripod head so you can reach the release trigger.
Product photo: Ollin Nexus Plate. Add one plate for each piece of gear you want ready to swap.
What I like in use
The strongest case for Nexus is a tripod shared by several optics. If I have binoculars up and want the extra reach of a spotter, the change is more intuitive than lining up and tightening a conventional clamp each time. The magnetic alignment is especially helpful when I'm concentrating on the subject rather than the tripod. Once attached, the same mounting interface works across the optics that have a plate installed.
This is also a flexible concept for someone who uses a camera on the same support. You are paying for the convenience of a common connection, though, and the benefit grows as you swap gear more often. If you usually mount one spotting scope and leave it there all day, there is less to gain.
My 15-minute video review shows the setup and optic changes in practice. Image: Ignited by Nature.
What I would consider before buying
Every optic needs its own plate, so the total cost rises with the number of devices in your kit. Plates also add some weight and bulk to equipment you carry off the tripod. Make sure your binocular tripod adapter or spotting scope has a compatible mounting point, and check your tripod head for room to operate the trigger. Ollin supplies plate screws for standard 1/4-inch mounting points; some equipment needs an additional adapter.
I would also keep the mating surfaces clean in dusty field conditions. My experience here is with switching optics; I am not treating this as a season-long durability test or making a recommendation for other uses I have not tested.
Verdict: who should use the Ollin Nexus?
For someone regularly switching between binoculars, a spotting scope, and perhaps a camera, the Nexus solves a real annoyance. The quick alignment makes the process feel easy, while the twist-and-lock mechanism provides a positive connection. I like it most as a shared optics mount. If you run one optic on one tripod, calculate the full base-and-plate cost against how often you would actually swap gear.
I’m an Ollin affiliate, and code IBN saves 10% on eligible Ollin products, including Nexus and Snapshot. Using it supports Ignited by Nature at no extra cost to you; it does not change my opinion. Check current eligibility at checkout.
Watch the full review: Ollin Nexus Review: Is This the Best Mount for All My Optics?
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