Whats on top of your monopod?

I am wondering what most of you use for a head on your monopods.

RRS MH-01 with the RRS lever clamp. But then I have L clamps and long lenses. I used to use the Manfrotto 486RC2 back before I shifted to Arca-Swiss and L plates (spend a day flipping between portrait and landscape with your ball head and the virtues of an L plate come to the fore).

My Berlebach monopod comes with a built in tilt head. The lens I use on it 99% of the time has a built in orientation flip. Works for me.

Manfrotto monopod and RRS quick release bracket and L plate.

Jannie wrote in post #12634462
Manfrotto monopod and RRS quick release bracket and L plate.

I don't use a monopod much, but if I did, I would do this.

I have a Manfrotto 488 atop my 055 tripod, which I find meets my (relatively) undemanding needs. Yes, It does droop marginally with a 100 macro when mounted on a camera battery grip, but I can live with that. Otherwise, a sensible middle-of-the-road compromise which works well.

As for monopods - well, it's a different world. I went down-market with a Manfrotto 496. Smaller and not so featured. Cutting corners? Maybe. But not necessarily. A monopod is used in a different way - the photographer is holding the camera dynamically; the monopod/ballhead need only provide a rigid and secure path to ground. So there's no imperative for a really heavy duty outfit at the top of the pole. It works for me.

More important, a monopod head doesn't need to incorporate pan capabilities. The Manfrotto 486 and 488 heads were about equally capable; it's the pan of the 488 that made it the preferred choice for tripods while the 486 without pan went on the monopods.

So if I go with the L plate I could just mount an arca quick release plate right on top of the monopod without a head?
Wouldnt that be too restrictive on vertical range?

Kirk MPA-1 which I use with my RRS L Bracket for lenses without a tripod ring and a standard Arca Compatible plate for my lenses which are equipped with a tripod ring.

IMO, using a camera on a standard ball head in the portrait position on a monopod is very awkward because the camera is hanginging cantilevered over the side.

If I did not want to go to the expense of switching to an Arca Compatible system (which is the best thing since sliced bread) I would use a Manfrotto monopod swivel and Manfrottos generic L bracket. Not as slick as the RRS L bracket on an Arca Compatible head but, it keeps the center of gravity ov the camera directly over the pod in both landscape and portrait positions.

Of course if you are using a lens with a tripod ring, the question is moot since the lens remains over the monopod when the camera is in both portrait and landscape positions.

However when shooting field sports when most of my shots are directly ahead I attach the tripod ring directly to the monopod. I always use the monopod with longer lenses that have tripod rings when shooting field sports.

I do have an arca plate on my lens and a regular arca plate for my camera but I can exchange the camera one for the L bracket.

Silverstonev8 wrote in post #12634937
So if I go with the L plate I could just mount an arca quick release plate right on top of the monopod without a head?
Wouldnt that be too restrictive on vertical range?

Depends on what you shoot. Unless you need a great deal of up and down adjustment, you can tilt the monopod. They don't have to be absolutely vertical, just solidly placed.

Whats on top of your monopod?

a 400mm 2.8 enough said

So Im thinking at this point im going to just get the L bracket and the kirk mpa-1.
That should take care of my needs.
Thanks everyone

Mine is RRS's MH-01 with lever clamp on my main monopod. Watch out on Kirk's MPA-1 for when you want to change orientation of the head. It ain't easy and usually means disassembly. The space into which to place a normal hex wrench to loosen it is too small a space to put the wrench in there. I own the Kirk and have it on my small monopod. Definitely, I prefer RRS's MH-01, but it costs bucks.

Manfrotto 234-RC. Seems to work for what I need.