Do you have and use a monopod?

Almost 60 years of life, 2 back surgeries and a shoulder replacement. You bet your sweet bippy I use one, and a tripod, and whatever else I can find to rest the camera on!

I use one on my 70-200 when shooting my daughter's volleyball games. It's not a must have for me, but definitely helps lighten the load and keeps the camera still.

I have a Gitzo GM2540 Monopod and find it very useful for those times when a tripod is too much to carry, or in the way (like in a narrow area with other people around, sidewalks, trails), and just to steady a heavy lens to give me some relief from hand-holding.

In my experience a ballhead does not work well with a monopod (too floppy, too many moving parts). Do yourself a big favor and equip it with a dedicated monopod head. The best must be the RRS MH-01 topped with a 40LR lever release clamp so you can get it on and off quickly. Second best would be an old Manfroto 234 swivel with a quick release clamp on top.

I'm a big fan of monopods for cameras large and small. Guess I've had too many bad pics due to hand-holding instead of firm support. I use a tripod when I can, and a monopod at most other times.

Unlike ricsha, I find my normal ballhead a very useful addition on my monopod. It allows me to select the angle of the 'pod I'm most comfortable with and it then gets locked off. Any further movements, such as following cars/bikes/planes/peop​le, are done with the whole thing.

ricsha wrote in post #17166438
In my experience a ballhead does not work well with a monopod (too floppy, too many moving parts).

Couldn't agree more. It's not too bad with light lenses, but once a bit of weight gets on there then you need one hand to hold the lens, one to hold the monopod and a third to tighten the tension knob.

ricsha wrote in post #17166438
The best must be the RRS MH-01 topped with a 40LR lever release clamp so you can get it on and off quickly. Second best would be an old Manfroto 234 swivel with a quick release clamp on top.

Love my MH-01. I also had a 234RC2 but it just couldn't handle the weight of a big lens.

A heavy-duty monopod can also double as a cane, if need be.

I have a couple of monopods, but for the life of me, I just can't make practical use of them. I have better luck using my tripod with the legs closed up...

hollis_f wrote in post #17166856
Couldn't agree more. It's not too bad with light lenses, but once a bit of weight gets on there then you need one hand to hold the lens, one to hold the monopod and a third to tighten the tension knob.

Love my MH-01. I also had a 234RC2 but it just couldn't handle the weight of a big lens.

Also, don't discount the Kirk monopod head, I use one and it handles the weight easily.

nellyle wrote in post #17170574
Also, don't discount the Kirk monopod head, I use one and it handles the weight easily.

Ah, yes. If I were buying today I'd almost certainly get the Kirk, not least because I can buy it in the UK, whereas I had to import the RRS head from the US. However, when I made my purchase there was just the choice of the RRS MH-01 or the Manfrotto jellyhead.

I have a monopod and have never used it. Even with my 120-300 and 2x I still handhold it. Just can't seem to have something that long dongle around attached.

I'm use to carrying mine by the tripod foot.

Maybe it's because I don't have a head for mine. I need that.

My MeFoto has a built in monopod, which I have used a few times. It was worth it to take the weight while waiting for wildlife to pose.

After reading this thread it occurred to me that a monopod may be useful in the kayak waiting for wildlife to pose. Unfortunately the MeFoto monopod is too tall for that. It would work using the two legs but that is extra bulk. I have a Canon monopod, which is short enough, but the head only moves one direction and is not removable. Because of that the head binds when panning. For kayaking I would need a full ball head.

Maybe it is time for a DIY project! Maybe a simple twig with a "Y" would work.

Anyway, thanks for triggering the thought.

S.Horton wrote in post #17153867
Turning off IS is still a mystery to me. I've tried it both ways. IS stays on 100% now. Try a few thousand frames both ways. If there's a benefit to shutting it off I don't know what it is.

The benefit of shutting off IS is speed of focus acquisition. If you have to wait for the IS to spin up you may miss the shot.

Shooting with IS requires a different mindset than shooting without.

I have one with a Sirui ballhead and Wimberley sidekick attached. Great for long sessions with a big lens like shooting football or baseball. And if I need to move, it's easier to collapse the monopod and open it again in a new spot. The downside, as has been mentioned, is that you can't just let go of your stuff to do something else. Although you can let the camera hang from a neck or shoulder strap if you really need your hands free for a bit.

canonphotog wrote in post #17172082
The benefit of shutting off IS is speed of focus acquisition. If you have to wait for the IS to spin up you may miss the shot.

Shooting with IS requires a different mindset than shooting without.

If you're shooting a moving target, you're probably using servo AF, so you've got the IS active anyhow while you acquire the composition. I know I have the shutter button half pressed as I track aircraft or birds in flight. If it's a stationary subject, then speed of focus acquisition is irrelevant.

I don't use a monopod as much as I should. On at least two "once in a lifetime" shoots, the winds were so high that a normally hand-holdable lens (the 100-400) was getting blown all around because I left the monopod back at the room.

Jon wrote in post #17172118
If you're shooting a moving target, you're probably using servo AF, so you've got the IS active anyhow while you acquire the composition. I know I have the shutter button half pressed as I track aircraft or birds in flight. If it's a stationary subject, then speed of focus acquisition is irrelevant.

Inaccurate statement. I leave IS off for football as I have the shutter speed high enough not to need it and often track the game from beside the lens before focusing in on where the action is going to occur.

Really surprised you'd take the "my way" approach to commenting.