Newbie question...monopod vs. tripod

[adegiulio]

Just a quick question here...What are the practical advantages of a monopod vs. a tripod? and vise-versa..?

Thanks again!
Anthony

[chris.bailey]

Just a quick question here...What are the practical advantages of a monopod vs. a tripod? and vise-versa..?

Thanks again!
Anthony

In a word Portability. The beauty of a monopod is that you can easilly move it with you with camera and lense attached. I know you can with a tripod too but not as easily. Most monos are telesopic and my Manfrotto one goes down to about 2ft long. That makes it quite portable. I hate tripods anywhere other than in the studio but find a mono quite useful. I would still prefer to shoot with neither but maybe thats just me.

[PaulB]

Not only the portability as Chris mentions but there are times when there is no physical room to get a tripod set up but a long lens needs some support. There are also places where it is inadvisable to set up a tripod - think trackside at motorsport events when you need to turn round (or run!) to avoid things.............

[Roger_Cavanagh]

Portability - monopod wins
Stability - tripod wins
Legality- there are places where you are not allowed to use a tripod

Regards,

[iwatkins]

Tripod for long exposures. It is the only way (unless you have a perfect other surface the rest the camera on) to do things like long night exposures or to get great DOF for landscape/sunset shots.

Monopod can be used to give you support for long lens setups where you are using the support to simply steady a shot. Monopods are useful for sports and wildlife because of this.

I have no preference, I simply use which ever is the most suitable for the job.

Cheers

Ian

[Yance]

A monopod has a limited range of usefulness. Primarily it is great for holding big, heavy lenses to save your back. It won't allow for time exposures like a tripod will. You can extend the useable range of the shutter speeds by a little but in those cases it is seldom useful. For general shooting it has a ramge of usefulness from around 1/4 to 1/60. Usually in those cases you may be able to find an alternative method of bracing to give equally good results. Generally I brace myself against a solid object when I don't want to lug along a big tripod.

[SnJPhoto]

I keep one of each in the car. I tend to use the monopod more based upon the kind of shots I take (sports photos). Tripods work well for more static environments. Both have purpose.

Do you want to do self portraits, scenic photos etc or more dynamic action like sports, races etc? That is the kind of question you need to answer to help decide which is better for you.

As a side note, a tripod with only one leg extended can be a monopod in a pinch. Somewhat awkward, but still works.

[jcsorensen]

I also use my monopod for a walking stick on some hikes--kind of a 2-for-1 deal. But I also don't use Bogen or other high-priced monopods--I don't see paying big bucks, or euros, or whatever for a monopod. A tripod maybe, but definitely not a monopod.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Definatley,. you NEED a tripod!

You may also want a monopod :)

Use them for different applications,.. the monopod,. once you get the hang of it,. is the same as shooting freehand,. freedom,. mobility ,. and with a heavy lens,. it takes all the weight. And of course,. unlike free-hand,. it can offer a tremendous advantage in stability.

The tripod is a must for long exposures and crystal clear sharp pics in lower light. You MUST get a cable release (or use the remote of you have a 300D) for use with the tripod,. it makes a world of difference.

[SWPhotoImaging]

Which is better, a wrench or a screwdriver?

Not trying to be a smart-ass, just making a point that different tools are for different jobs. I hike with a monopod on the camera, and a tripod on my back. The monopod allows for steadying the camera when you gotta have a quick setup. The tripod (with remote shutter release) is essential for those crystal-clear nature shots where all camera motion must be eliminated.

If I could only have one, I'd use the tripod as a monopod when needed.

[adegiulio]

Well, thanks all for the advice and insight. You have all answered the question well. I didn't think one was better than the other, just figured there would be times when one would be prefered over another...

To answer the question, which is better, a wrench or a screwdriver, I think most people would say a screwdriver. It's high in Vitamin C.. :lol: :lol: