Monopod and Head

Looking for a Monopod and what style Head do ya'll recomend for Aircraft flybys and general use? Have about $200 to spend. I do have a Oben bb-0 Ball Head...............

What (camera, lens, etc.) do you intend to use ON the monopod and how do you intend to use the monopod (standing, sitting, etc.)? The best answers can only be given when we know what you're thinking about. Monopods can be used in many ways even though the "classic" use is standing behind a vertical monopod.

60D or 6D, both are gripped and the heaviest lens I have is the 70-200 IS or just check out my gear list...............

Speaking personally here, for that weight I wouldn't bother. Aircraft flybys I'm assuming are quite quick, I've always struggled to keep panning smooth on a monopod for that sort of thing.

I'm sure others will disagree!

I have to agree with nellyle here, I have never used one for Aircraft but I did try one for motor racing using a 7D and a 100/400( which weighs about the same as your set up)
It was a waste of time I could not get the panning smooth and was forever picking up the camera with the pod attached so I gave up

I've always used RRS monopod heads. I'm not sure they're better than any other ones for your purpose. The best idea is a gimbal mount and a tripod.

For aircraft flybys with the 70-200 I hand-hold. Since I see by your gear list your 70-200 is the f/4 (no tripod mounting ring, right?), that goes double. Without the tripod mount for the lens, you'll be mounting the monopod to your camera body; offhand, the only monopod head that would let you have pitch (up and down) control of your lens mounted that way would be the RRS MH-02, which lets you rotate your head orientation. But that alone would eat up your budget (without even the mounting plate or monopod). I'm inclined to think that your gear list, put your current ball head on a good monopod.

Save you money and get better shots! Don't get a mono pod/head!
A few months ago I was at the Weston Super Mare Air show using my Canon 300 F2.8 L IS and 1 Series camera (much heavier!) and I almost immediately ditched my mono pod - it was just too restricting.
Mono pods are great for really big lenses but for air display work, with lenses of less than 3 kilos, you will go off them VERY quickly!
Just my 2p!

Make sure your monopod is tall enough. For aircraft, you're going to be pointing your camera up. If it's not tall enough, you'll be forced to stoop down to look through the viewfinder.

I'm 6'2" and bought a Giottos 3290B + Manfrotto 234RC. The monopod is 74", and the head adds another couple of inches.

LV Moose wrote in post #17344977
Make sure your monopod is tall enough. For aircraft, you're going to be pointing your camera up. If it's not tall enough, you'll be forced to stoop down to look through the viewfinder.

The other option is to lower your head by sitting down. My Walkstool is very handy when I'm out shooting with a monopod.

I agree with your statement John. I too was at the Weston Air Display this year on both days. I took my Gitzo monopod on the Saturday, found it restricting and on the Sunday didn't take it at all. However, the Weston beach motocross race and Red Bull event, I could not do without it.

hollis_f wrote in post #17345529
The other option is to lower your head by sitting down. My Walkstool is very handy when I'm out shooting with a monopod.

True. The last airshow I was at, I was on my feet for about eight hours. I could've kicked myself for not bringing a stool/chair... but my legs were to tired.

PCousins wrote in post #17345537
I agree with your statement John. I too was at the Weston Air Display this year on both days. I took my Gitzo monopod on the Saturday, found it restricting and on the Sunday didn't take it at all. However, the Weston beach motocross race and Red Bull event, I could not do without it.

The Canberra and the B17 were the highlights for me!
I wish they didn't use smoke trails so much - ruined a lot of my shots!

So the Monopod is doable sitting down?...............

Less so than standing up. Following aircraft you'll need to pan around and that means either you, or the lens, will be swinging around too. If you're sitting down, you'll have to swing the lens and a monopod would just get in the way. I think they were talking about sitting down between acts.

From my experience, if it's a windy day a monopod would be a good idea. Every (all 4) air show I've been to in the UK (Duxford, Blackpool, Shuttleworth and Sywell - August-September timeframe) has been windy, with gusts of 25 mph or higher. Panning against that, hand-held, is a real challenge. By comparison, the spring and summer airshows in the US feature much calmer weather and hand-holding is limited only by your stamina, although while using my 500 f/4 I'll use a monopod and waltz around it.