Monopod Tripod Usage

I am newbie graduating from G3 to 10d. I had a few usage questions. when do you use monopod? When do you use a tripod? How do you decide between the two? Do any of you carry both?
I have a cheapo tripod(velbon bought for my nikon film slr long back). I am currently looking for a stable stand(monopod or tripod) for my 10D. The 10D with the sigma 15-30 is very heavy and I don't feel comfortable putting it on my current tripod. Can you suggest a tripod in the US$150.00 range?

All suggestions and comments are appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your time.

Tripod for absolute stability. Required for "long" shutter times. ("Long" is relative... 1/30 is not long for 15mm lens, but is quite long for 400mm lens.)

Monopod gives some stability, maybe 2 stops. They're generally used to add some stability and weight-bearing for long and heavy lenses. I've never heard of someone using a monopod for a wide-angle lens, but it certainly does help stability, so why not?

Monopods will still shake somewhat, no matter what you do. When you *must* get a crisp shot, use a tripod. Monopods are much lighter than tripods though - my tripod + head weighs about 10lbs whereas my monopod + head is about 3lbs. Big difference there.

I think you'll get used to the weight of the 10D - I've shot for hours with the 10D and a Canon 100-400, handheld the whole time. It does get tiring but it's bearable. And I wouldn't be too worried about your current tripod with such a short lens. Give it a try for a bit, with your current tripod and hand-held.

According to Ansel Adams, some kind of camera support is necessary even at shutter speeds which we might consider 'safe'. In Adam's book "The Camera" he writes about the necessity for a camera support at relatively fast shutter speeds.

All this might depend on how large you expect to print the image. I have had a 20" x 30" print made from a 10D image (1/250 second, 24mm, with monopod) and it is very sharp. I now use a camera support for most of my photography and believe it helps sharpness.


boB

It will likely depend upon the size and weight of the camera as well as the lens weight and length. With a large format camera, you will likely want a tripod at all times.