Monopod technique tips?

So I'm going on a deer/sheep/elk wildlife trip in a few weeks and I may skip the 7dII, and just rock my 70-200mm f/4L IS and 400mm f/5.6 on my 5dIII. I have a rarely used lightweight monopod. Since the 400mm isn't stabilized I'm wondering if using the monopod might give me a half a stop or so of effective stabilization.

1. Where do you put your left/support hand while shooting photos say from a kneeling position? On the monopod below the lens? Or around the barrel of the lens? On the camera body?
2. Will it damage the tripod collar or lens to hike around with my camera attached the the monopod and carrying it over my shoulder like a hobo?
3. It seems as though the tripod collar from the 400mm fits my 70-200mm f4 If the shoe fits, wear it? Or should I only use collars designed for the specific lens?

thanks!

Heya,

I get more stabilization from a monopod than from IS. Effective use of a stable platform is going to give you huge advantages in slow shutter speeds. It's not as stable as a tripod + gimbal, but a monopod really helps you to stabilize the vertical plane. You can wedge the foot of the monopod into the inside of one of your feet and press down (down into the vertical plane) to tighten up how stable the system is in that vertical plane. Then you're free to pan side to side or simply take stills at very slow shutter speeds even with very long lenses. You can get way more than half a stop of stabilization using a monopod, if you use it effectively. But you have to use the lens differently, if you use it like a handheld lens, you'll get the opposite results. A monopod can be more restricting than handholding, which should be obvious but if you need stabilization or to take the weight off your arms, that's what it's for.

I get as low as 1/20s with a 600mm on my monopod, consistently, when I need to (more proof of concept than useful, I don't need 1/20s for what I do with that long of a lens, which is typically birds, but I shoot in dark canopies so I often am in very low light).

Long lens technique still applies, so you can rest an arm over the lens hood, or pull the lens hood down with a punched finger, to help stabilize vibration while the monopod stabilizes the vertical plane, leaving the horizontal plane free to move.

You can get a head for your monopod that allows an arca clamp as well as tilt feature so that you can come on/off of the monopod fast, and also, the tilt head is nice to be able to get a stabilized angle that isn't perpendicular to the monopod itself if needed.

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1. I either pinch my lens hood from below and pull it down (kills vibration); or rest my arm/hand over the lens hood (also to kill vibration). On shorter lenses, I might rest on the body and lens hood.
2. Nope, that's what everyone does. Just make sure you mind the connection of the collar to the monopod, if it's a screw on method, versus using a head with a clamp.
3. I use third party collars often, if it fits, it fits.

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I use a Desmond DMH-2 (this is a tilt head with an arca clamp, maybe $50?), which is a very stable and heavy duty tilt head for a monopod, with an oversized knob. It holds my camera and 600mm with plenty of room to spare. I sling it over the shoulder and it holds very firm, I don't worry at all using this thing. Best addition to my monopod. I use a Benro A38F monopod, nothing fancy, inexpensive. Between the monopod and the head and the lens foot, this gets tall enough to go over my head, which is useful for when tilting up if I want. I leave this tilt head permanently attached to my monopod. It has arca clamp on top, so I just attach to it any lens I want, and I use arca style plates on everything, so it's all universal.

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Like Martin, I also place my hand on top of the lens for stability. The one thing I found most comfortable for me in a kneeling position is to kick the bottom of the monopod out in front of me. This allows me to get lower than the monopod allows and it forces the camera back into my face wich offers some stability there too. Basically I become the tripod.

I don't have a photo of myself doing this so I hope the description makes sense.

1/60 and slower??? Sick!!

I could tell there's some technique I need to work on. I'm screwing the monopod directly to the tripod mount on the lens so there's o pivoting. Practice, practice, practice.

My experiences echo Mal and Duck's thoughts.

I use a Sirui L10 monopod tilt head (very similar to Mal's Desmond) and would recommend you get one if you are going to use a monopod much. Regardless of whether you are standing sitting or kneeling angling the monopod away from you does increase stability (you will need a tilt head for this), though if you are doing a LOT of panning (eg Motorsports) then a vertical position may be better but a little less stable.

With my Canon 300 f2.8 L IS and 2 x extender (600mm) 1/125 is easily achievable and somewhat slower with practice. 1/125 is quite feasible with my 800 F5.6 L IS held held or on a monopod it is all down to your technique!

I wouldn't get hung up on the lack of IS on your lens, frankly I think it is better for it! I haven't used IS on my 800mm F5.6 for over 2 1/2 years - I can't see the lack of IS being a problem at 400mm. I have found AF lock and tracking are better without it - still I can always turn IS back on if I want to miss more shots.

Pretty much agree with what's been posted. As far as technique, I like the monopod at an angle like people have said, and if I'm shooting wildlife in low light that doesn't involve panning I'll rest my arm on top of the lens as has been mentioned. If I'm panning I move my hand under the lens, loosen the tilt knob on my monopod head so that I can have some freedom of movement up and down, and I also completely loosen the tripod collar so the lens can rotate freely. This lets me pan in a similar motion to what I would use handholding but most of the weight is supported, and I can keep the camera level throughout the entire arc I am panning through. I definitely recommend a tilt head on a monopod, only exception would be field sports where you can always expect to be shooting in a pretty much horizontal plane.

Yes, definitely loosen the lens collar. For panning shots I usually tilt the monopod leg towards me (rather than away for stationary shots) so the pivot is under me. Makes getting a smooth arc easier.