Monopods

Thusie · April 11, 2006

Yes I have read everything I can find and I'm still confused. Actually saw a picture of a guy using a Gimbal type thingie on one.

Obviously I need one for stills and I also need one I can swing around for moving targets. How do these work and there aren't any shops close I can even check stuff out. I would like to keep the cost to around 200.00. The heaviest set up would be the 20D w-grip and the 400 f5.6L I need simple.

Thanks.

Bob Bell · April 11, 2006

Thusie wrote:

Yes I have read everything I can find and I'm still confused. Actually saw a picture of a guy using a Gimbal type thingie on one.

Obviously I need one for stills and I also need one I can swing around for moving targets. How do these work and there aren't any shops close I can even check stuff out. I would like to keep the cost to around 200.00. The heaviest set up would be the 20D w-grip and the 400 f5.6L I need simple.

Thanks.

Monopods come in all kinds of varieties. Over the years I have had Carbon Fibre ones and Aluminum ones and what I like the best for both price and being rugged are the Bogen Aluminum ones. I have the 682B because its taller than the others. The 680B or 681B are most likely better for you. The B stands for black. No one likes a shiny monopod, especially other photographers.

The 680B is $52 at B&H.

20D/Grip+400/5.6 is around 6 pounds. The models I mentioned above are great for weight concerns.

The difficult discussion for monopods is if you use a head or not. I don't use heads on mine. I either use a clamp or just screw the lens to the monopod. I pretty much only use a monopod for sports where its mostly horizontal shooting (panning is more or less horizontal for football) or tilting which can be done through tilting the monopod.

It sounds like you need more freedom of movement. I know a lot of people really like the Bogen 3229 tilt monopod head. They are around $30 and you can tilt up or down.

So thats $80 and a pretty nice setup in my opinion.

Art Scott · April 11, 2006

I carry a P-Pod by Giottos and really like it......as far as swinging around...remember it is a mono pod and you do not need a panning head...the whole mono pod will pan......there has been a lot of talk against haveing the 3 screw in legs taht are stored inside the lowest extension...but I have used mine alot......I set mine up on real windy day while shoot a train bridge about a mile from my home....even with the neck strap (of the camera) blowing like a flag on a ships mast at full speed, it was steady.....but the real reason I wanted the legs was to do low level macros.....now I can get down low and at an angle easier than with my okd tri pod.

Heres are some links:

http://www.giottos.com/eng_public/frameset.htm

This link is to PhillyPhotoSupply on ebay....it shows better pics than the giottos and it can be had for only $82 and change plus shipping.......since I use all manfrotto plates on all my cameras I put a small manfrotto QC holder on p-pod and now all cameras and accessories that have plates can be quickly connected and dosconnected.

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Most-Versatile-Monopod-Made-Giottos-P-Pod-5580_W0QQitemZ7608674792QQcategoryZ30092QQcmdZViewItem

It really is one of the most versatile mono pods I have ever seen.

Good luck.

Thusie · April 11, 2006

Thanks Bob and Art, you did clear a few things up for me.

Photometric · February 19, 2010

Sorry to resurrect an old topic, but I searched before I blindly posted. I recently got an email from Adorama for the Bogen 681B monopod for $55.00 and wanted to know of anyone's experience with this pod. Also, for my marching band work, I sometimes go vertical and wondered if there are recommendations on a head unit. Also, are these monopod heads usable on a higher end tripod?
TIA> appreciate the assistance.

DsrtVW · February 19, 2010

I have the 680B Manfrotto/Bogen. Aluminum, well built and strong and light.
I use with Nikon D300 and my biggest lens is 200mm f2 with TC. It handles it wonderfully. It is nice when you dont have room for a tripod. Also makes a nice hiking staff. I have tried it with a ballhead on it but found it harder to use than just leaning it back and forth. I paid 49.99 for mine.

cab.in.boston · February 20, 2010

I just got a Giottos MM 9780 (aluminum, 5-section twist lock) and a Manfrotto 234 swivel head to go on it. From B&H, it was $83 shipped. One of the reasons I went with this pod is because I'm 6'5" and it is tall enough to get the camera to eye-level, even when dropped over in portrait mode. Definitely consider how tall you need it to be. I skipped carbon fiber because I didn't feel like I needed a $200 monopod. If you're planning on really long expeditions with it, YMMV.

I do not yet have L-plates and Arca Swiss quick release clamps, but I plan to set up my monopod (and tripod) with them, the way that Really Right Stuff recommends. An L-plate for my D90 and QR clamp would be another ~$220, and I didn't want to spend that right now. So for now I just screw the body directly to the swivel head on the monopod. I think it works fine.

Photometric, if you set up your system with L-plates as recommended in the link above, you can easily go to portrait mode without having to swing the head 90 degrees to the side, which unbalances the load just a bit. But, if you want, you can use the swivel head to go portrait mode easily.

Wil Davis · February 20, 2010

I have a couple of monopods.

1) Manfrotto 3218 with 234 RC head
2) Manfrotto 676B with 482 ball head

The 676B is always in the car, and I think in the past year I've used that one far more than the 3218. Not only is it very useful as a "light on a pole" (see other threads) with an SB600 or SB800, but being only 5½ feet tall, I can mount my little P & S on it (5 sec delay) and take overhead pictures as if I were 12 feet tall (see here ). I think I paid less than $30 for the 676B (great value!)

HTH -
- Wil

(Jesus! didn't realize this was such an oldie! Oh well, hopefully it still might be useful to someone…

)

topcat374 · February 20, 2010

Wil Davis wrote:

Not only is it very useful as a "light on a pole" (see other threads) with an SB600 or SB800, but being only 5½ feet tall, I can mount my little P & S on it (5 sec delay) and take overhead pictures as if I were 12 feet tall (see here ). I think I paid less than $30 for the 676B (great value!)quote]

Apologies for hijacking the discussion but I'm finding this thread really useful for me too as only just beginning to use my 679b I was bought as a present. Can you direct me to 'light on a pole' discussion please - sounds interesting?

Thanks
Craig

Wil Davis · February 20, 2010

The search utility is quite useful; try it with "light" "pole" and see what it comes up with. I think the thread that I was thinking of might have been started by jeffreaux2, although I think he talked about "light on a stick"; same idea, but mine is more of a "camera on a stick".

Here's one.

Good luck!

- Wil

rpcrowe · February 22, 2010

681 0r 681B
The 681 series monopods are great "bang for the buck" units and are relatively light (1.7 pounds) for their maximum height (63.4") and capacity (26.4 pounds). The quick release tabs make it nice for sports use - see Scott Sewell's U-Tube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMgZ13X_pr4

The only drawback to this monopod could be that it only folds down to about 25.59 inches. This might be too long for some air travel since many TSA locations require the pods to be shipped with the checked-on baggage (saying that they are "weapon-like instruments"). I have problems fitting a folded 681 into my small roller suitcase which I check on the airplane.

I have switched to a Calumet 8103 four section Carbon Fiber Monopod.

( http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/CK8103/ ) This pod extends to about the same height as the 681B; supports a greater weight (30 pounds), but weighs only .95 pounds and collapses to only 20.25". It is significantly handier to travel with because of the shorter size when collapsed and the lighter weight. The over 12 ounce difference in weight also makes a difference during a long day of carrying and shooting. Additionally carbon fiber, besides being significantly lighter in weight will not transmit vibrations like aluminum does.

However, you cannot get a free lunch in photo equipment. The Calumet 8103 costs a bit more than twice the price of the Manfrotto 681B.

travischance · March 18, 2010

Photometric wrote:

Sorry to resurrect an old topic, but I searched before I blindly posted. I recently got an email from Adorama for the Bogen 681B monopod for $55.00 and wanted to know of anyone's experience with this pod. Also, for my marching band work, I sometimes go vertical and wondered if there are recommendations on a head unit. Also, are these monopod heads usable on a higher end tripod?
TIA> appreciate the assistance.

Great monopod. I purchased mine last year for around $55 and it's worked like a charm. If you mount your lens collar to the monopod, you should be able to rotate the camera from vertical to horizontal without issue.

GadgetRick · March 19, 2010

Just ordered (the other day) a Velbon Neopod 6 (CF) monopod. They had them for $50. Couldn't resist. We'll see how good/bad it is.

rpcrowe · March 20, 2010

Let us know...

GadgetRick wrote:

Just ordered (the other day) a Velbon Neopod 6 (CF) monopod. They had them for $50. Couldn't resist. We'll see how good/bad it is.

Post your opinion of the pod after you have used it for a while. That would be useful for others who might be interested in the model. Good luck with it!

GadgetRick · March 22, 2010

rpcrowe wrote:

Post your opinion of the pod after you have used it for a while. That would be useful for others who might be interested in the model. Good luck with it!

Well, used it a bunch over the weekend. Gotta say it's quite a nice tripod. Nice and light (CF makes EVERYTHING better...) and more than sturdy enough for my 50D with 28-70L. Strapped it to my backpack on a hike yesterday and I didn't even know it was there. It even comes with a strap so you can just throw it on your shoulder sans bag attachments.

The twist locks are nice and tight as well so no problems there either. All in all, it was a great buy. I can't complain about it at all.

Monopods

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