the versatile Monopod

[graham catley]

Much is written in this forum and others about the absolute necessity of having a £600 set of tripod legs and £600 Wimberley type head in order to get sharp photos with a 500 or 600mm lens; I must admit to owning such a pricey set up but I also have a Gitzo monopod which cost too much at about £150 but is incredibly light and shuts down to a very small size and thus packs away in almost any bag. On my recent trip to Finland and Varanger I decided that the huge tripod and head were just not practicable for reasons of air travel restrictions and the hassle of carting them around up mountains and over the boggy tundra. Thus I took the gamble and took with me just the Monopod and the 500 f4 + converters; all of the shots on my blog http://pewit.blogspot.com/
from the trip are taken either hand held or with this very versatile monopod; some were in very poor light, down to 1/60th second when obviously a percentage were just not sharp due to bird and camera movement but most were as good as I could have hoped for with a big heavy and clumsy tripod and head. So worth trying before you buy the expensive tripod unless of course you just stand in one place all the time and don't need to move the support.

[Hermann]

A quick comment: The best monopod I know is the Monostat. Many professional sports photographers over here have been using them for years with their long lenses. Have a look: http://monostat.de/

Hermann

[Claymore]

Much is written in this forum and others about the absolute necessity of having a £600 set of tripod legs and £600 Wimberley type head in order to get sharp photos with a 500 or 600mm lens; I must admit to owning such a pricey set up but I also have a Gitzo monopod which cost too much at about £150 but is incredibly light and shuts down to a very small size and thus packs away in almost any bag. On my recent trip to Finland and Varanger I decided that the huge tripod and head were just not practicable for reasons of air travel restrictions and the hassle of carting them around up mountains and over the boggy tundra. Thus I took the gamble and took with me just the Monopod and the 500 f4 + converters; all of the shots on my blog http://pewit.blogspot.com/
from the trip are taken either hand held or with this very versatile monopod; some were in very poor light, down to 1/60th second when obviously a percentage were just not sharp due to bird and camera movement but most were as good as I could have hoped for with a big heavy and clumsy tripod and head. So worth trying before you buy the expensive tripod unless of course you just stand in one place all the time and don't need to move the support.

What type of head do you have on the Monopod? I use a Slik trigger grip head on my Giottos Monopod and its great for 500mm sized lenses

[Pinewood]

A quick comment: The best monopod I know is the Monostat. Many professional sports photographers over here have been using them for years with their long lenses. Have a look: http://monostat.de/

Hermann

Hello Hermann,

I believe that you may have made the same recommendation to me, years, ago, when I wanted one for a 12x50 binocular. Then I had to purchase one from Montreal because they were not imported in the States. I certainly have not regretted the purchase but I did buy a swivel head.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

[Hermann]

I believe that you may have made the same recommendation to me, years, ago, when I wanted one for a 12x50 binocular. Then I had to purchase one from Montreal because they were not imported in the States. I certainly have not regretted the purchase but I did buy a swivel head.

A swivel head makes a lot of sense with a Monostat. I have been using a rather small Bogen swivel head for years, and it works beautifully.

Hermann

[cab1024]

Anyone used a Giotto monopod? This one is relatively inexpensive at $70US, yet claims to support 33 lbs.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/221100-REG/Giottos_MM9160_MM_9160_5_Section_Monopod.html

I don't want to risk dropping my camera, but I also don't want to spend much on a device I don't think I'll use that much.

[Claymore]

Anyone used a Giotto monopod? This one is relatively inexpensive at $70US, yet claims to support 33 lbs.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/221100-REG/Giottos_MM9160_MM_9160_5_Section_Monopod.html

I don't want to risk dropping my camera, but I also don't want to spend much on a device I don't think I'll use that much.

Hi,
Its the same one I use! great monopods, they are very well made and no problems holding heavy lens/camera combo's
Cheers
Brian:t:

[macshark]

I am quite happy with the Feisol CM1471 (http://www.feisol.com/english/cm1471.htm).

[Pinewood]

Hello,

Try to get a monopod, with its head, which is taller than you are, for those times you are looking almost straight up. That is easy for me to write as I am less than 1.65 meters tall.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

[Roy C]

I am quite happy with the Feisol CM1471 (http://www.feisol.com/english/cm1471.htm).
That looks pretty good Mac, I have a Feisol CF Tripod (3372) and it is a superb piece of kit so if I was looking for a monopod Feisol would be first on my list.