Advice needed on a monopod for aircraft/wildlife

Hi
Can any body help?
I need a monopod for aircraft and wild life photography.
I use EOS 400D with 400mm lens and will need a good head for panning aircraft movement.
What type of head is best?
Thanks
Jeff

He he, a MOMOpod!? Think you meant a moNopod

Either way the best (since you asked for the best) combo IMO is the RRS solution. Read my review here: LINK

ben_r_ wrote in post #10366754
He he, a MOMOpod!? Think you meant a moNopod

Either way the best (since you asked for the best) combo IMO is the RRS solution. Read my review here: LINK

Hi

Who put the M & N together on the keyboard LOL.
Jeff.

Do you have a budget? A good, low cost monopod solution would be the 679,680, or 681 from Manfrotto. I have the 679B with their their 234 tilt head. If I had to do it over I would probably get something with an integral quick release clamp. Ben's RRS recommendation while an excellent choice is a little pricey for me. For my most users I think that something like the Kirk version at less than half the price would suffice.

Don't spend a fortune, a monopod need not be built like a tripod. I happen to use a magfibre Manfrotto 694, with a 486 ballhead and Markins QR-60 clamp. It's nice but far more expensive than it need be, my excuse is that the head and clamp were sitting around doing nothing so I suppose I could claim they cost me nothing?

Forget about using the head to follow bird or aircraft movements. The point of using a monopod is that its easy to move the whole thing in any direction, so all you need do is sway the whole monopod in whatever direction it needs to go.

By the way, what 400mm lens were you planning on using on this setup? f/5.6? f/4? f/2.8?

For airshows, forget it because the monopod has to be way way higher than you assuming you're gonna be using the tripod collar. If you're on the f/5.6 or f/4 - just handhold.

For wildlife, just get a simple 680B with 234RC if f/5.6 and an RRS monopod head if f/4 or f/2.8.

Hi all
Thanks for the advice, the lens in question is the Sigma 120-400 f5.6. As sugested I may forget useing a monopod for aircraft but get one for wildlife shots.
I will be going to a bird fair in August, Manfrotto and others will be in attendence so i can try befor buying.
Thanks again
Jeff.