Good qualiy Monopod & head

[Dan drough]

Hi
I use a Zeiss 65 diascope and a Canon 10D. I cycle and travel around a bit so would like to get a very good quality monopod. I'd like a quick release facilty.

I have seen a Giotto Monopod ("Professional Monopods") which has 2 mini legs allowing you to rest the head off the ground (See advert on back page Out Photography Aug 2004 issue). Does anyone know if this product is OK? They advertise it also in www.patersonphotographic.com

What about other makes of monopod (Manfrotto, Gitzo, Benbo etc) - which head and which type of head. I use a Manfrotto 128RC on a Velbon Tripod at the moment.

I'd like a monopod for hiking, cycling and travelling (airports / short trips).

Thanks

[pluvanut]

Hi
I use a Zeiss 65 diascope and a Canon 10D. I cycle and travel around a bit so would like to get a very good quality monopod. I'd like a quick release facilty.

I have seen a Giotto Monopod ("Professional Monopods") which has 2 mini legs allowing you to rest the head off the ground (See advert on back page Out Photography Aug 2004 issue). Does anyone know if this product is OK? They advertise it also in www.patersonphotographic.com

What about other makes of monopod (Manfrotto, Gitzo, Benbo etc) - which head and which type of head. I use a Manfrotto 128RC on a Velbon Tripod at the moment.

I'd like a monopod for hiking, cycling and travelling (airports / short trips).

Thanks

Hi Dan Drough,

Gitzo Monotrek is a very practical telescopic trekking pole with a small B&S head screwed on. Generally excellent, up to the usual Gitzo standard, but a simple tilt head might be better. More stability and predictable alignment? though lacks 90 degree tilt for a camera.

Nothing to stop you fitting one, except that the rounded 'comfort' cap that fits on top will not then fit. Cap is not tethered so it quite likely will get lost one day anyway............

All in all it was the best combination IMO when I looked around 2 years ago.

[Hermann]

What about other makes of monopod (Manfrotto, Gitzo, Benbo etc) - which head and which type of head. I use a Manfrotto 128RC on a Velbon Tripod at the moment.

The best monopod I've ever used is a Monostat. They're made in Switzerland and have a funny-looking rubber foot that seems to stabilize the Monostat very well. I can use my Nikon EDIII quite easily at magnifications up to 40x. Not as good as a heavy tripod, but pretty close. Very high build quality - mine has lasted over 6 years now with a lot of use and is still going strong.

Monostats are used by a lot of sports photographers over here as they're more stable than other monopods. Apparently the foot is patented, that's why other manufacturers can't copy it. Have a look:

www.monostat.de

Head - Monfrotto 234RC is a simple, very stable head for monopods. Cheap, well-made and with a decent quick release system.

Hermann

[tarves57]

Head - Monfrotto 234RC is a simple, very stable head for monopods. Cheap, well-made and with a decent quick release system.

Hermann

I thought a ball head would be best for more manouevre-ability (!) and got myself a Manfrotto MN484RC2 Mini Ball Head With RC2 Rapid Connect System for my monopod and although it works fine, I find it a bit cumbersome and it quite often needs to be tightened up.

I am hoping to get myself the Manfrotto 234RC as Hermann suggests which is probably much more stable, although I think they may be difficult to find. Just haven't got round to it yet.

Actually I just came across it.
http://www.t4cameras.co.uk/index.asp?pname=/moreinfo.asp?id=43

Susan

[Pinewood]

The best monopod I've ever used is a Monostat.
Apparently the foot is patented, that's why other manufacturers can't copy it. Have a look:

www.monostat.de

Hermann

Hermann,

The 234RC head has 90 degree tilt in forward and back, which I bought at Hermann's recommendation, but I do not think that the Monostat is available in the USA.

Happy birding,
Arthur Pinewood

[digi-birder]

I was considering the Giottos P-Pod Multi-purpose monopod or the Professional monopod with the foot pedal. I thought that the P-Pod was quite a good idea, but did wonder whether I would really need the facility to add the extra feet. Also it weighs almost as much as my carbon fibre tripod, defeating the object of having a monopod to save weight!

In the end I ordered a Manfrotto 681B with a 486RC2 ball head. It only arrived yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to try it out in the field, but it appears to be OK on a quick test in the house. When I placed the order (at Ffordes (www.ffordes.co.uk) in Scotland) they didn't have the head in stock, but the man said he had a second hand 234RC in stock. I considered it, but I preferred to have something a bit more robust, as the 234's maximum weight is just about the weight of my camera and lens.

I'll let you know how I get on when I've had a chance to try it out on my trip to Wales.

[digi-birder]

Tested the monopod and ball head mentioned above on my trip to Wales and it worked very well. The ball head with camera and lens (Canon 10D and Sigma 135-400) attached was very easy to control and it supported the weight of my equipment well, feeling very secure. It was also easy to carry around with the camera and lens attached.

I took the photo of the Red Kite in my gallery with this setup, and with the monopod braced against the hide shelf, I could follow the birds with ease using the ball head.

[Pinewood]

Hermann,

The 234RC head has 90 degree tilt in forward and back, which I bought at Hermann's recommendation, but I do not think that the Monostat is available in the USA.

Happy birding,
Arthur Pinewood

The Monostat is available in the USA from their Montreal, Canada distributor.
Check http://www.monostat.com for their address and 'phone number. I paid US$125, including freight, plus $10 for an international money order, for the 'professional model,' which is almost as tall as I am, and therefore taller than my Manfrotto monopod. Since I am 165 cm. tall, or five feet five inches in medieval meaure, some may want the tall model.
With the tripod head, my binocular is above my eye level, which is useful for astronomical observations. I have not used this combination for bird watching, but it was rock steady with a twelve power glass looking at stars well above the horizon. In fact, using it on a star allowed me to 'tweak' the adjustment for my right eye to a bit sharper than it had been. N.B. its thread is European size.
The Monostat eliminates rotation but not yaw, but it is still an improvement over other monopods. I will next try it with a 15x60.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood