Monopods- Useful?

[bmattock]

Actually, I use mine with a Stroboframe Flip-Flash instead of a ball-head. This does several things.
One, it lets me keep my flash ABOVE the camera when I turn it over on its side.

Second, it gives me something to hang onto other than the monopod staff.

Third, it keeps the mass of the camera center ABOVE the monopod shaft, not cocked off to one side when I am shooting vertical.

I also used gaffer's tape to stick a remote shutter release to the handle. I can grab the flip-flash handle with my right hand and the monopod with my left. Works pretty well.

I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with this rig now with my DSLR, which hasn't got a standard cable shutter release. But with a Bessa, it works like gangbusters.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

 

[Nick R.]

Some monopods come with a ball head built in. Mine does and it locks down with a lever. It also has a little tripod that extends out of the bottom if you unscrew it --never used that feature. I'd tell you the brand but it's in the trunk of my car where I keep it for when I drive somewhere to go hiking and shooting --very useful with the 90mm.

 

[Kin Lau]

I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with this rig now with my DSLR, which hasn't got a standard cable shutter release. But with a Bessa, it works like gangbusters.

The remote release for the *ist D/DS works just the same as the Canon one (according to someone else who's tried it). If you can find a cheap handsfree earpiece for a cell-phone with a mini-connector, you can rig one up yourself.

Back to mono vs tri. I have a heavy duty Manfrotto mono that I use with a swivet only head on my long lenses on my SLR's. I have a few heavy duty tripods to use with the MF & LF RF's & SLR's, but I only usually use a pocket pod for my RF's. Usually, the RF's are used handheld.

 

[Jason_K]

I use them occasionally at work with 300, 400 or 600mm lenses but have never considered using one with my rangefinders.

 

[TEZillman]

I probably have the same Manfrotto as Kin does with the swivel head. It's not as stable as a tripod, but much easier to set up and carry.

Another trick for adding stability is to stand with you feet a bit wider apart than your shoulders and brace the monopod against your instep. The monopod is on an angle, so you need a swivel or ball head on it. This approach works well and I think it's a bit more stable than the "third leg" approach, of course I couldn't prove it one way or another. I've taken some 3-4 second exposures this way that didn't turn out half bad.

Monopods are great for use with a video camera too.

 

[Tarzak]

I found that having one in your luggage almost guarantees your bag being searched at airports. "What's that scary mass of pipes in that bag!?"

 

[Bobbo]

With a long, heavy, fast lens on my DSLR I find them kinda useful, but with anything lighter than a 70-200/2.8 L, I don't see the need. I like to take different postions like prone, sitting, and standing quickly, and I haven't seen a monopod that will keep up with me.

With rangefinders, I find I can shoot at about 1/8th with a 50mm lens, or about 1/4 with my 35mm. My rangefinder hasn't even seen a tripod since I got it.

 

[GeneW]

I don't use a monopod or tripod with my RF cameras, but I use a monopod frequently with SLR's. They're relatively easy to carry around and, in addition to providing more steadiness than hand holding, they also assist with framing more precisely. I move my Manfrotto ball head from tripod to monopod as needed.

Gene

 

[Byuphoto]

I started out using a mono way back in high school shooting sports with long glass. I now do some sports coverage for the local paper and sell some at baseball and football games. I still use one a lot. My current is a spring loaded Slik that has a buit-in swivel and QR plate. I like the button released spring as I can have it folded and press the button and up periscope. If I need to go up or down just press the button and push against the spring to the desired height. I also use it when walking with an RF

 

[Honu-Hugger]

I've been trying to travel lighter lately with just a RF or two and have also tried just packing a monopod and no tripod -- so far I haven't missed not having a tripod along. For a while I used a leveling head instead of a ball head because it was compact, but I later switched to a ball head because it's easier to get the camera vertical if necessary. Often I'll adjust the drag on the ball head so that I can move the camera around if necessary but the movement is dampened.

 

[DougK]

That's another good use for it - with a TLR. I have trouble keeping a TLR vertical: with the ball head removed and the monopod shortened and screwed directly to the base of the camera, the whole outfit is easier to keep vertically aligned, as the monopod acts a plumb-bob to hold the camera vertical.

I'm weird, huh? 🙂

Nope, not weird at all. My primary motivator for a monopod was steadier shooting with my TLR, but I actually extend mine all the way to the ground most of the time. Combined with a cable release I'm good to about 1/2 second, easily.

 

[dostacos]

Most of the time I use it as a hiking staff.
Before using it as a weapon don't forget to remove the camera

ah, unless it is a kiev 60 and you want to KILL 😀

 

[Bertram2]

I have never used a monopod and was wondering what others thought of them. They seem like they are designed with the word "compromise" in mind. A little lighter and smaller than tripods, but with stability in only one dimension (not sure if that last statement makes sense). Are they worth having? I suppose they're a step better than feet wide, braced elbows, exhale, and shoot. Or maybe in combination with this?

Thanks

I got a light and stable manfrotto. And different from others I do use it . A lot !
In theater, for SLR lenses longer than 150mm and for RF too at night when I have to expect circumstances which force me to use times longer than 1/15 sec.
it has improved my results enormusly. Leaning toward a lamp post wall or car dor makes it better than a cheap tripod.

Leaning it towards the balcony reel, 1sec !

Regards,
bertram

 

[John Robertson]

Monopods are useful, and especially if the other two legs, (ie your own) need occasional help. I have the Gizo moutaineer, walking cane/monopod. Its particularly good in the countryside. It also did a good job of scaring the shit out of a "low life" in London, when he took a fancy to my camera.!! I bet his chest hurt for days after 😀

 

[akptc]

This may be a dumb question but are there any *stable* monopod-tripods? I've only seen the "Bogen-Manfrotto Self-Standing Pro Silver Monopod" and the "Trekpod" but they seem pretty weak and unstable. I've been hoping to find one where the entire length (or most of it) of the "walking" stick opens up into a 3-legged tripod structure, yet remains light. Does anything like this exist? I hope this makes sense...

 

[Bertram2]

This may be a dumb question but are there any *stable* monopod-tripods? I've only seen the "Bogen-Manfrotto Self-Standing Pro Silver Monopod" and the "Trekpod" but they seem pretty weak and unstable. I've been hoping to find one where the entire length (or most of it) of the "walking" stick opens up into a 3-legged tripod structure, yet remains light. Does anything like this exist? I hope this makes sense...

Technically seen the stability of an alu tube depends mainly of it's diameter, not of the wall thickness. So avoid everything made from too slim tubes !! :bang:
My Manfrotto monopod IS light and so stable that I'd bet one could break somebody's arm with it and it still would work . It does not bend a bit even if extracted to the full lenght of more than 6ft !
The upper tube has got a nice covering of a hard foam like a bike handle and so it is very comfortable to carry at extreme temperatures.

bertram

 

[Honu-Hugger]

I've never compared my Gitzo monopod to any of the newer models, but it replaced a cheap Vivitar that proved to be unsatisfactory. My first thought when trying a monopod was why waste money on a fancy pole; but the locking mechanism on the Vivitar was cheesy and quickly failed. The Gitzo I use now is not CF and it is an older model, but very stout and the locking mechanism is also good. Living where I do I do not get the chance to see a lot of different gear but many people seem very pleased with their Manfrotto's from what I read on various lists -- there are probably quite a few good monopods available but I would caution anyone from rushing into a low cost model; you probably get what you pay for.

 

[akptc]

My Manfrotto monopod IS light and so stable that I'd bet one could break somebody's arm with it and it still would work . It does not bend a bit even if extracted to the full lenght of more than 6ft !

Sorry, I didn't explain my point too well. By "weak" and "unstable" I mean the tripod function of a monopod that converts to a tripod, like the two I mentioned. I like the idea of carrying only a monopod but obviosly need a tripod from time to time.

So what I am hoping to find (or build, if one doesn't exist) is a monopod - or rather a walking stick - that opens up into a tripod. The catch is that the "tripod mode" would utilize most of the length of the stick, not just a few inches at the bottom, thus achieving better stability (e.g. against wind).

Kind of like this:

Would love to hear some feedback on this (crazy?) idea.

 

[ruben]

What remains for me to contribute to this thread are three things:

a) Since the monopod stands more or less straight on a single leg, you do not need for a "sturdy" monopod - on the contrary, the lighter one is able to support up to 6 kg without problem.

b) The monopod is not the only compromise, after the tripod, to stabilize a camera or a long lens. Less effective than a monopod, but still better than your bear hands is a hand bracket, still adding more stabilization. Next in the list comes the camera case, reducing the camera inner vibration. And lastly, holding the camera in a proper position vis a vis your body, according to the camera.

Cheers,

Ruben

 

[Kin Lau]

So what I am hoping to find (or build, if one doesn't exist) is a monopod - or rather a walking stick - that opens up into a tripod. The catch is that the "tripod mode" would utilize most of the length of the stick, not just a few inches at the bottom, thus achieving better stability (e.g. against wind).

Kind of like this:

Would love to hear some feedback on this (crazy?) idea.

The problem would be like tripods with skinny legs.... still rather unstable.