Monopod with/without head

[MDJAK]

I have had a Gitzo carbon fiber monopod for about two years now and enjoy using it. I've also been reading the stickies and found one regarding tripods and learned a bit.

My question: I never knew that a head was used on a monopod. I though they were just for tripods. Can someone describe the uses for a head on a monopod, what kind is the best, etc.

Thanks
Mark

[Toogy]

A ball-head would probably be the best or a grip style head.
Without a head on a tripod, how to you ensure the shot is level, if the monopod is on unlevel ground? Also how would you do a portrait orientation shot without a head on a monopod?

[nosquare2003]

Attach a lens with monopod. Try pointing the lens towards the ground at 45 degree or at a lower angle. Is it easy to do so?

Imagine the monopod has a head. You just need to adjust the shooting angle in the head. Would it be easier?

Perhaps you may not need a head if you do not point the lens upwards or downwards.

[HJMinard]

I use the Manfrotto 3229 head that is designed expressly for monopods. It has only one rotation axis ... simply to allow for quick and easy portrait orientation (if you aren't using a lens mounted tripod ring). But my main reason for purchase was its quick release capability - the same RC2 as my tripod head.

[CyberDyneSystems]

For a monopod the only axis that needs to be addressed is tilt. Up or Down.

In most cases no head is needed,. but if up and down tilt beyond a few degrees is required.. then a head will help.

I have a rather strong opinion on this particular subject as I happened across a tilt only monopod head on the same day I bought my first 'pod.

It's the same one that HJ is recommending!

I can't live without it :)



Interestingly I find that years later one of the more respected tripod resources in the wolrd mirrors my opinion to such a degree even,.. that they recomend another manufacturers product for the job!

Read on;
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/tutorials/monopods/index.html

They recomend it for a sideways tilt.. aka portrait landscape flip... and yet it is this little manfrotto that we have agreed on.

Also,. the version RRS recomends has no QR plate.. the one H.J. uses has the RC2 plate system built in. Otherwise they are identical.

[CoolToolGuy]

For a monopod the only axis that needs to be addressed is tilt. Up or Down.

In most cases no head is needed,. but if up and down tilt beyond a few degrees is required.. then a head will help.



Sorry, but my experience does not allow me to agree. I have used my monopod for auto racing, football games, marching band, and theater events (as well as other shoots) and the ball head has added a great deal in each case.

For auto racing I pan, and sometimes the angles change ever so slightly as I move. Some have suggested that you can just lean over to allow the orientation to be what you want, but that doesn't always work and the ball head is a great help.
For football, the same thing. If you are in a crowd along the sidelines it may not work to lean over or slide into the person next to you.
Marching band - as above. Many of the events are during evening football games, and the monopod is the best device to stay mobile in dim lighting.
Theater use, for me, is the most non-traditional usage of a monopod. I sit in a seat (usually in the Pit), and run the monopod down my chest and between my legs, bracing the end with my feet. It works very well, and the camera is usually at a significant angle to the 'pod. Switching to portrait virtually requires a ball head with a cutout (like my Manfrotto 486).
My 2 cents.

Have Fun,

[gasrocks]

Head on a monopod is just one more thing to lug around, tighten, etc. Your longer lenses have tripod collars - that's how to go from horiz. to vert. Whole idea of a monopod (to most people) is easy, fast, portable. Don't add more weight to it.

[CoolToolGuy]

Your longer lenses have tripod collars - that's how to go from horiz. to vert.

Could you point me to the tripod collar for the 24-70 f2.8L, 85 f1.8, and 50 f1.4? ;)

Have Fun,

[Todd Jacobsen]

Could you point me to the tripod collar for the 24-70 f2.8L, 85 f1.8, and 50 f1.4? ;)

Have Fun,

Why don't you just lean a little with the monopod? How can a ball head, on a single stick, really have any benefit with movements under 45 degrees? - especially since you can adjust the one legged support easily...

[Scottes]

I used a ballhead for a long time, then got a 3229 and I'll go with the 3229 any time. Not that a ballhead on a monopod is bad, I just find the control of the 3229 to be better, and it's almost always more than sufficient. A ballhead is more flexible, of course, but I found that to be more detrimental than useful.

[tim]

I saw a guy who had his camera directly on his monopod, when he wanted to do portraits he took the camera off and held it on top of the monopod. That's better than nothing, but a proper head would have helped him.

[CoolToolGuy]

Why don't you just lean a little with the monopod? How can a ball head, on a single stick, really have any benefit with movements under 45 degrees? - especially since you can adjust the one legged support easily...

Let's say you are following a race car and it goes up a hill and over a rise. In order to get (or keep) the perspective that you want you may need to change the angle slightly as you pan. Oh, by the way, you're up against a fence standing on a small tip of a rock. I don't want to lean, I want to keep the camera level. When you're done at that location, you want to move on. Disconnect the camera with the QR, and off you go.

And in the theater use, you may be taking shots from one end of the stage to the other, and the camera is already at a 30 degree angle to the monopod. Again, the ballhead is indispensible.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm sold on a ballhead for the monopod. If you can do what you need to without it, more power to you.

Have Fun,