Just ordered a Vanguard ELITE-CP324 Monopod...hope it is not awful...

I just realized I lost a week somewhere in time and I NEED a monopod by Wednesday as I have a project that can only be worked on this week. So, off to Amazon I go to use my Amazon Prime and make sure to get it here right away. I figured I would get a Bogen and a head which I could use on whatever tripod I get in a month or whatever. Well, non-of the Bogen Manfrotto in my price range (<$125) can be had overnight, let alone at all from Amazon.

So, I found the Vanguard ELITE-CP324. It is carbon fiber which should be a positive, it's relatively compact and not too pricey. I did not order a head for it because I simply could not find out if the 486RC2 or the 488RC2 can be mounted on the thing. If anyone knows, I still have time to order one of those and still get it on Wednesday.

I searched everywhere I could for info about this thing and found no reviews and scant few details really. The Vanguard site had less info then Amazon and Newegg. I simply have no clue if I just "Gillooly'd" myself or not...I basically took a $100 flyer on this thing. Hope it does not leave a mark when it bytes me in the patootie.

Will pass along details when it arrives and I use it a bit.

Made a note to visit WallyWorld tomorrow for a cheap folding stool too...gotta save the knees and feet for something important some day.

well, it is here...it's super sturdy and easily holds the 40d w/whatever lens (not that I have huge heavy lenses but it's strong enough to hold 'em.

I did not order a head to go with as I was not sure if the Manfrotto's would work...for now it will have to do w/o a head. Should be fine though...we'll see in the pics I take later on. But if nothing else, and this is really important to me, it will relieve my hands, arms and shoulders from the strain of holding the camera for more than a few minutes at a time. Big help there...

Anyway, the build quality seems super, it comes with a tool kit for the various screws and whatnot. And the sections are twist-tighten style which while not my fav the syle makes sense for a monopod and they do seem to tighten down securely.

We'll see how it goes...
more after I try it out some...

Well, I used the monopod for the first time tonight...it rocks!! It's very solid, very light and easy to adjust. I am going to get a tilt and maybe swivel head for it. Soon as I get done processing them I will post some pics with the monopod and w/o the mpod using my 55-250mm IS Canon lens zoomed to 250mm. At 250mm I simply cannot hold it steady by hand and get a well focused shot but with the mpod it's hugely improved.

One thing I like about this mpod is the foot. It's a wide rubber flat foot with a hole in the center. In the center there is a spike which when you screw the foot down a bit, can extend into a spike allowing you to get a firm grip on the ground while shooting and w/o restricting movement in any important way.

Overall I am super pleased with this mpod. I'll get a few pics later, so much to do these days...