What would you use to join a Canon 400mm f2.8 IS to a monopod?

I am looking to sit a I am looking to sit a Canon 400mm f2.8 IS II on a monopod for sports photography, mainly wakeboarding, american football and football.
What would you suggest to join the monopod to the lens, if anything? Would you suggest a plate of some sort or a monopod head? If so what sort/make
Thanks in advance for your recommendations

If you want a ball head look at markins q20

Nothing...

Screw the pod into the lens foot and go shoot.

A head is just one more thing that can fail at the worst possible moment.

This is what I use from Really Right Stuff. A bit pricey, but it's smooth, sturdy, and stable, and I don't have the feeling it'll fail anytime soon. I use it with an EF500 f/4 and 1D Mk IV.

Have a look at the Manfrotto 393 head.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #15276823
Nothing...

Screw the pod into the lens foot and go shoot.

This is what I did when I shot sports with my 300 2.8. Screw it in and go.

You should either screw it directly onto the monopod, or use an arca swiss plate and release made for that lens. It is very, very heavy and needs a solid mount. I would never use any kind of ball head on a monopod with a lens that heavy... asking for a disaster to happen. I used the arcs swiss approach and it was solid as a rock. Had no problem throwing it over my shoulder by the monopod.

I use the RRS MH-01 too (for the 500 f4II).

You can do any of the above...

1. Just screw the monopod directly into the tripod mount. This is solid, but a bit inflexible.

2. Put an Arca-Swiss style platform onto the top of the monopod and use a matched AS type plate on the bottom of the lens. This is fast to install and remove (hence the "quick release" name), and if you use a long enough AD plate on the lens' tripod mount you can slide the lens back and forth a bit to better balance the lens on various cameras. It still doesn't allow as much flexibility as a ballhead, though. There are other quick release types... The reasons I'd recommend the AS type is that it's the most common and it allows for some sliding adjustments.

3. Put a moderate size ballhead on the top of the monopod. It can either have a quick release or not. I use a modified Manfrotto head ballhead with an Arca-Swiss type platform on it (originally it had a Manfrotto type QR platform, but I converted it along with everything else to the more universal AS type). Here's a top of the line head designed for a tripod at Kirk Enterprises. There are many others possible... just watch that they have an adequate weight support rating. Here is a matching lens plate, designed for the 400/5.6L... but I'd probably get a little longer plate that allows for more sliding adjustments.

A ballhhead allows you to use the lens and monopod at all sorts of odd angles. That's often come in handy for me.

Gitzo 1558. Monopod with a front to back tilt feature.

convergent wrote in post #15276938
You should either screw it directly onto the monopod, or use an arca swiss plate and release made for that lens. It is very, very heavy and needs a solid mount. I would never use any kind of ball head on a monopod with a lens that heavy... asking for a disaster to happen. I used the arcs swiss approach and it was solid as a rock. Had no problem throwing it over my shoulder by the monopod.

^^^This.

I prefer Arca swiss plate over direct connection to the monopod. Much easier to take out the lens. No need to tilt when shooting sports IMHO. If you do tilt the whole monopod.

When I had the 400mm f/2.8 IS I hooked it directly on the monopod.

Wallace River wrote in post #15276824
This is what I use from Really Right Stuff. A bit pricey, but it's smooth, sturdy, and stable, and I don't have the feeling it'll fail anytime soon. I use it with an EF500 f/4 and 1D Mk IV.

I use a variation of this, but not for sports. It is good if you are going to tilt down (next to the monopod) or almost directly up frequently for extended times. Otherwise straight to the monopod would probably be better. For what you described you will not be tilting like that, so IMO it would be an unnecessary large expense.

So either straight to the monopod or by a Arca-Swiss clamp for the pod and a plate for the lens. If you already use A-S go clamp, otherwise your choice. I like A-S.

I personally would not want to put that 8+ pound monster on a monopod with any ballhead. Big lenses and B-Hs on tripods yes, monopods no!

Really right stuff plate and quick release is what I now use.

Tapeman wrote in post #15277563
Gitzo 1558. Monopod with a front to back tilt feature.

Looks like this is discontinued as I cant find it anywhere. Is there a recognised successor to this old model that has the front to back tilt feature?