Effectiveness of Monopod

I understand the need for especially sports to use a monopod with heavy lenses, that part's clear. But I've been wondering if it would be worth it to get one for my general walk around stuff to have with me when I'm shooting the 70-200, often with 1.4x and 2x tele-extenders.

Yes I have a tripod but seem to only use it for table top setups. When outside shooting things like flowers I can't generally push the tripod into the bushes well enough or theres a rock wall in the way etc, and I stopped carrying it with me. I'm usually down on my knees scooting in as close as I can get and wondered if the single leg of the monopod might help. But it's an expensive experiment if I do what appears to be best.

I've shot many a closeup with extension tubes on my 70-200 hand held with wonderful results, generally having more movement problems related to a breeze moving the plant than my own self shaking the camera. I do get very patient when doing this and take my time getting it just right, a little move over an inch or two to the left or right can make a huge difference and moving a tripod in this scenario is frustrating.

So a little while ago I set up my 5D w/70-200/2x tele-extension and put it at full telephoto (400mm just to test the extreme) and then found something at it's closest focus to shoot thinking that would be the easiest test to show movement.

I first put the setup on my tripod with only one leg extended, a Manfrotto 055MF4 carbon tripod, granted it's a 4 section tripod and with one leg it might be a little light but what I noticed most was my own side to side swaying when holding on the subject.

Just like when hand held, the IS helped enormously.

I'd shoot, trying to see how low I could go shutterwise which was around 1/25th of a second with me fresh, not all tired out from hiking around.

Then I took it off the tripod/monopod and noticed just about the same results.

Am I missing something? Somehow I think I must be leaving something out of the equasion. Admittedly when out getting shots of things like Seagulls and Herons I seem to have to use at least a 200th of a second or more for static shots, and yes more helps a lot, moving shots of course take a lot more shutter.

I have been looking over at RRS at their new heavy duty swivel with the idea of putting it on the heavier Gitzo Monopod I think it's the 5540, or even the lighter 2541 they list, with the intention that in a little rougher terrain down at the beach I can use the monopod (carefully of course because it's carbon) as walking support-that parts just a thought but it might make sense where footing might be a little unsteady (legs/knees are not what they used to be). Yes I looked at that combination monopod/walking stick in another thread here on this forumn and it looked a bit light, especially the connection setup to the camera..

I like the heavier monopod idea also just because my experience is to have something solid under the camera and not try to go to light, but carrying a tripod just hasn't worked out, I have too many shots where I've got to swing fast to grab the shot and maybe there is a way I can carry the monopod also slung from my shoulder or waist?

But after these tests, I'm starting to think I might want to scrap the whole idea for the setup I have, it's a lot of money to put into an experiment. Like I said, if I was shooting lots of sporting events then it makes a lot of sense, espeically if you're hopping around one area for a couple of hours trying to get shots.

Any ideas? If I do it, I want it to be solid, I bought a real light Manfrotto monopod years ago and used it once, I could feel the flex and gave up on it right away.

You need to realize that monopods mostly provide support not stability. Monopods reduce the load on your hands, arms and shoulders. By doing so, you may increase your stability.

It sounds that you have good stability when handheld. Monopod comes in handy, as you already noted, when you are not fresh or need to hold the load for a period of time. I would try your experiement with the tripod in monopod setup during an extended shoot. I think you may find the benefits of the monopod in that situation. Also, it takes some experience using a monopod to use it correctly.

You might want to consider a Manfrotto 680 or 681 and a Manfrotto 3232 tilt head. It will cost you less than $100 and should provide you the necessary support. If it doesn't work out, you will easily be able to sell the setup without much loss.

Have you tried using the tripod with only two (side-by-side) legs extended - you becoming the third leg for stability?

Just wondered whether it could work for you.

TJ

Here is a thread on monopods.

IMO a monopod can help with slow shutterspeed. No experience with IS lenses & monopod.

Yes thank you about that other thread, I was already confused with so many choices all across the board and whether to use a head or like the Manfrotto swivel plate which I think is rated at 5.5 pounds and my camera I weighed with the setup I'd use and it was 5.78 pounds; my experience is to always go heavier with support equipment.

Maybe it's just best to go to my local store and see what they have, extend them and see how solid and how the grip feels in hand, I'd like that part to be fairly large, I guess I could use it at first only with the camera when I have the bigger zoom on and forget it the rest of the time, probably wouldn't help anyway.

Actually I'm a little more confused as to my need after spending the morning doing research and re-reading the other thread and this one again.

Think I'll go do something else and let the ideas settle in my head, it's not raining, I could go take some pictures, that's always helpfull to clear the thinking.

http://www.outdooreyes​.com/photo5.php3

Monopods can be very useful but it's a single leg of course and so your own stability makes uop the rest of the 'tripod'. What that means it try out for yourself what stance gives you best stability. Not well suited to slower shutter speeds. I tend to press down to make the stance more rigid but that is just me. Do what is comfortable and gives best results.

When I had a monopod I found that I didn't use it that much. One of the most usefull things that I did with it was to mount a wide angle lens and poke it up above a crowd and shoot from above to get a different perspective. Could only have done that if I had grown 5 feet of legs.

René Damkot wrote in post #5678894
Here is a thread on monopods.

IMO a monopod can help with slow shutterspeed. No experience with IS lenses & monopod.

i use my monopod exclusively with my 100-400L and even with "fast" shutter speeds i get more keepers.

ed rader