monopod advice

[jmamer]

I'm thinking of adding a monopod to my D60 kit. I just don't seem to be able to drink coffee and keep my 200 mm lens still enough.

I've got a rather bulky Canon tripod and ball head which together weigh >1.5kg. I love the tripod, it's stable and really strong, but it's bulky. The monopod would seem to offer a more portable solution.

Would love any advice you'd care to give on which ones are good and/or whether a monopod is a good idea at all.

thanks
j.

[torun2]

I shoot mostly sports with my D60 and I always use a monopod when using my 300/2.8 & 400/2.8. This allows me to move arournd the field as quickly and easily as possible. I can hand hold my 70-200 most of the time but when I add a 1.4 extender this really affects the hand holding balance to the point where I find the monopod real nice to have. My monopod is a Gitzo G1568. It was recommended by a pro sports shooter. It's carbon and collapses down to 18-20 inches or so and is about the lightest weight you can get & it's very well constructed too.
www.sportsshooter.com/mitchell/

[pigasus]

I have a very basic monopod that I find very useful. I've got a ball head on it but I find that a real fiddle. I'm thinking about trying a trigger head on it (there are ones made by SLIK and Bogan/Manfrotto). Has anyone used a trigger head? Any recommendations?

[Roger_Cavanagh]

I've got the Gitzo 1588 - another carbon fibre monopod. It's beautifully made, light and compact. I use an inexpensive Manfrotto tilt head that just allows adjustment in one dimension.

Regards,

[boBquincy]

I tried a Slik Jr. monopod and liked it but it was more weight than I wanted to carry around. I made a monopod out of aluminum tent poles, connected with shock cord.
A 'foot' made of nylon, a 1/4-20 nylon bolt for the top, some shock cord to tie it all together and I have a sturdy monopod weighing less than 3 ounces!

It collapses into five sections, each about 13" long and sets itself up in about two seconds by holding one end and shaking it.

The downside is each monopod has to be made to order, to the users height. The upside is the parts cost about $25.

I use the monopod for most photos, even at what we would consider 'safe' shutter speeds a support still adds some sharpness

Here are a couple photos of my monopod,
http://www.mindspring.com/~bobquincy3/monopod.html

boB

[mrchips]

Go a monopod one step better.
http://www.bushhawk.com They sell the greatest shoulder stock mount that has a remote shutter release in the pistol grip. I never leave home without it. :-) I have done some great nature shouts with it with my D30 and D60 with 100-400 L mounted on it.