safe shutter speed and monopod use

[genewch]

Is there any guide on the safe shutter speed of lenses mounted on a monopod? How is it different from the 1/FL rule of thumb?

[Double Negative]

It's still about the same, though you could get away with longer shutter speeds with a monopod. You still want to use the fastest possible shutter speed possible for several reasons; it's sharper, typically you'll be using a big/tele lens anyway and finally, you'll likely be shooting moving targets (e.g. sports and birds).

If you're panning, there's no change - the monopod just makes it easier and smoother. If you have an IS lens, kick it into mode 2 as well.

[Lester Wareham]

Is there any guide on the safe shutter speed of lenses mounted on a monopod? How is it different from the 1/FL rule of thumb?

First of all note that the 1/FL rule is a minimum, you probably want to shoot with a shutter twice that fast for saftey. Also you need to figure the camera crop factor in. So for a 28mm on full frame you want to be at 1/28 or faster but on an APS-C above 1/50.

A monopod tends to stabize the shot more in the verticle direction than the horizontal.

Here are a couple of 100% crops demonstrating that at around 1/8 with a 300mm lens;

Handheld
http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/LensTests/IS_Tests/EF_300mm_f4L_IS/Handheld%20IS%20Off%20F.jpg

Monopod
http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/LensTests/IS_Tests/EF_300mm_f4L_IS/Monopod%20IS%20Off%20F.jpg

Test I have done (http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/LensTests/IS_Tests/index.htm)indicate a 1-1.5 stop advantage as an average of both directions.

My feeling however is you should be looking at a monopod as a way of improving the sharpness of the shots rather than as a way of shooting a slower shutter speed.

[gasrocks]

Well put Lester! Monopods are a good thing, they do help. But, it goes back to your own skills (as to how much it will help.) The amount of blur, loss of IQ is not a B&W (oops almost a pun) issue. Some think above a certain speed I get clear pix and below that not. The more steady you hold the camera/lens, the better your pix.

[Double Negative]

My feeling however is you should be looking at a monopod as a way of improving the sharpness of the shots rather than as a way of shooting a slower shutter speed.

Well said.