Monopod additions

[deana]

Can I just buy a monopod or do I need these heads or swivels or anything else? I know nothing about them. Please help.

Thank You,

Deana

[Jesper]

It depends. I've bought a cheap, light and small monopod a few weeks ago. It doesn't have a separate head.

You can also get more expensive monopods, for example by Bogen / Manfrotto. On these, you can use the same heads as on their tripods.

Go to a shop and have a look at the monopods they have, that will give you an idea of what's available and what you want.

I have a Manfrotto tripod but I didn't like the Manfrotto monopods I've seen in a shop, I found them to be quite big and heavy and expensive - a cheap and simple plastic monopod was good enough for me.

[dhbailey]

You can use a monopod with or without a head because you can simply tilt the monopod or twist it to get the shot you want.

I have the manfrotto monopod, which is heavy, and I love it. It really secures the camera and the weight of the monopod gives the whole setup a lower center of gravity for even more steadying of the shot.

I have shot video and still photography with it now and I would heartily recommend it. It doubles as a nice walking stick, too. :D

My advice in looking for one would be to try the heavier Manfrotto one and then try a lighter one, both with your camera on them and see which feels more secure to hold your camera still.

[robekert]

I use a Gitzo Monopod. I just attach the monopod to the lens ring (200mm 2.8L). You can then adjust the position of the camera by using the tension control knob on the lens ring. Landscape or portrait with just a twist. I don't see how you could adjust a ball head or something like that, attached to the monopod, unless you had three or four arms and hands. This is just what I do.
Cheers,
Rob

[stoneylonesome]

I picked up a combo treking and mono pole has a removable cork top that exposes the camera mount it works pretty good picked it up at EMS sports

http://www.ems.com/products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 4629&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302848923&fromTe mplate=products%2Fproduct_comparison.jsp&bmUID=109 8924786640

leki also makes one
http://www.outbackgear.com/product/2091

heres a review

http://photonotes.org/reviews/leki-sierra/

[nosquare2003]

I'd say, it depends.

A cheap lightweighted monopod cannot support my 6-7 pounds gear. I tried one in a shop and it failed to lock its leg.

My style of using the monopod is the Option 2 from http://www.outdooreyes.com/photo5.php3. As such, I need a tilt (only upwards / downloads) head. BTW, I can't imagine how to point the camera at 45 degree upwards without a head if using a monopod.

[Roy NN7DX]

A friend gave me a nice Giottos tilt-head monopod for Christmas... It doesn't have a ball head just a built-in smoothly damped forward and back tilting gizmo... I can't find the model listed online anywhere but the point is:

The monopod is much taller than me and I'm 6'... I can tilt the camera up for a shot and still keep the pod on the ground... I started out using a 50-500mm Sigma and the tilt head pod helped bird flight shots...

I shoot a lot of macro using a 180mm lens... Mostly I like to hand hold but sometimes I need the pod and I can tilt the camera down and keep the supporting pod upright...

No disrespect ment but shooting almost overhead or near straight down by tilting the whole monopod just doesn't work well...

If you only find a good monopod without a tilt head there is this $17 add on...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=5498&is=REG
You can use it full time but it's only rated for 5½ pounds... Or, it may rattle around in your camera bag most of the time. When you need this you will be very happy to find it there...

Edit: Nosquare posted while I was writing this... You are No Square!

[dhbailey]

Roy NN7DX wrote:
No disrespect ment but shooting almost overhead or near straight down by tilting the whole monopod just doesn't work well...

dhbailey replies:
That's true, I hadn't thought about that aspect of monopod usage. I am investigating that swivel/tilt monopod head that you mention, but I think for shots that would require shooting straight down or straight up I would prefer to use a tripod.

Thanks for pointing this out, though, as it might be a very important and frustrating part of someone's use of a monopod.

[J___]

i seemed to hold the camera steadier without the monopod than with it...