For Those Using the Canon 300 2.8 IS

I know it's a matter of preference but for those of you who own the 300 2.8IS, do you use a monopod or hand hold?

Depends what sport. Cycling and cross country, no. Field sports yes.

The lens looks way bigger then it is, most is hood.

90% of the time I hand hold it (aviation subjects) but if I catch subjects that stay in one plane a lot (motorcylce racing, etc...) I'll grab a monopod because it's nice to have the weight taken off your shoulders and arms.

Like Danny said, depends on what I am shooting.

Dan-o wrote in post #10951778
Depends what sport. Cycling and cross country, no. Field sports yes.

Thanks for the response. I should have mentioned football is the sport. I am use to using the 70-200 and it was much easier to follow the action. Once I use it for awhile I'll get use to it.

Yes I use monopod all the time so far. Primarily used for baseball. It keeps things steady and level and as Jay says above it relieves a ton of stress on the arms and shoulders.

JWilliams2010 wrote in post #10951916
Thanks for the response. I should have mentioned football is the sport. I am use to using the 70-200 and it was much easier to follow the action. Once I use it for awhile I'll get use to it.

Having used a 70-200 for football and moving to a prime can sometimes be a challenge (at least for someone with my level of skill) not having the ability to zoom is taking me a little bit of getting used to, but maybe that is just me.

The lack of zoom combined with being on a monopod, and having tons of people on the sidelines (where you can't just swing around or move up or down the sidelines without knocking someone out) can add to the challenges.

I found myself collapsing my monopod and hand holding for some shots (or locations on the field) but using the monopod in the end zones where there were much less people.

So, I would say some of both . . .

Does that help?

For football I use it with monopod.

I have a monopod on mine all the time. Even when hand holding it, like for panning, I keep the monopod on but collapsed to help stabilize the image. (mine is non-is ... I'm poor!)

I use a monopod whenever I can (e.g., if I don't have a pass, the venue may not permit monopods). Aside from the other benefits mentioned already, I like to shoot with two bodies. Having the 300 on the monopod and my second body on a shoulder strap with a wider lens allows me to lean the monopod over my shoulder and swing up the other body (handheld) when the action gets closer.

I will almost always use a monopod. I, too, use 2 bodies and will a monopod makes it easier to swing the 300 out of the way. I have used it at the zoos and didn't take a monopod.

Mostly field sports for me and I use the monopod. If the spacing between the lens itself and the shoe
were a little greater, I might do more hand held, but it wasn't that comfortable to me.

Joemt

Volleyball - basketball - no

football, soccer, baseball, motorsports - yes.

I use monopod whenever the conditions allow.