monopod with big lens

I can imagine the possible benefits in speed of setup and mobility in the field. Anyone with experience? Is it a bad idea?

Phil

I use a monopod fairly often when I'm cruising around for black bears by my property. I don't want the weight & bulk of the tripod because I may be bushwhacking a lot & hiking for up to 10 kms - all in the hope of seeing something photoworthy (not the guarantee of seeing a bear!). Monopod fits the bill because I usually find I need a shutter speed of at least 1/200 for black bears that aren't moving too much - and at 1/200 with IS activated, the monopod seems to do the trick pretty well as far as being stable enough. I do find I achieve just a moderate keeper rate, but I blast a lot of frames to compensate.

The 300mm photo below is a shot that wouldn't have been possible with a tripod - I was balanced on a small tree stump that only could hold my left foot & monopod (my right foot had no room), and this moment lasted very briefly and could only have been captured from this position. The 500mm photo below would have been a shot where I would have left all my camera gear at home instead of trying to lug a bulky & heavy tripod (I was biking for 20 kms or so looking for spring cubs in the late evening, and only took my camera along at the last minute).

1DMIII with 300mm f/2.8 IS lens:
http://www.naturescapes.net/portfolios/ ... pos=-24000

1DMIII with 500mm f/4 IS lens:
http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/view ... 9&t=157165

Ever seen the sidelines of a sports event? Not a bad idea at all if you know the limitations and certainly beats hand holding!

I had great success using my tripod (with legs closed) as a monopod for more mobility at 400mm during last year's elk rut in Yellowstone (of course with the IS on)

Greg Downing wrote:Ever seen the sidelines of a sports event? Not a bad idea at all if you know the limitations and certainly beats hand holding!

Added to that, I almost always use a mono with my 500 when stalking deer. Never had sharpness issues and very mobile.

I really like monopods mostly for their portability. I use a Gitzo 3551 extensively with both my Canon 800 and Nikon 200-400. With the effectiveness of modern IS and VR lenses, monopods can be quite useful. With the 800, in bright light there's no problem since the shutter speeds end up being high enough. As the light starts to get low and shutter speeds drop, I need to take a few more frames in the hopes of getting a couple that are critically sharp.

I have one, but more often than not end up using it as a walking stick or to balance when climbing or stream crossing with gear.

Those of you that do use monopods in the field- do you use a head? RRS monopod head? Gimbal?

Monopod + Wimerley works great, but it is very top heavy. Ive seen some use a sidekick on a monopod, which looks like a smart idea as well.

Joe,
I use my tripod as a monopod at times. I always just leave my normal ballhead on (locked down as tight as possible) and use my best long lens technique (with the hand on the barrel pushing directly down onto the head, rather than at an angle) ...

That way, if I need to switch to using the full tripod, it only take a few seconds...

milmoejoe wrote: Those of you that do use monopods in the field- do you use a head? RRS monopod head? Gimbal?

I use the RRS High Capacity Monopod head and its fantastic.

milmoejoe wrote:Those of you that do use monopods in the field- do you use a head? RRS monopod head? Gimbal?

I use the Wimberley clamp only (with the plates I have attached to the tripod collar on each lens). Works great - very sturdy & fast to setup out of the bag or backpack. Composing the shoot is super quick once you are ready to shoot because you just have to move the monopod around (up/down & right/left) to frame a shot. For horizontal control you just loosen the tripod collar & adjust on the fly.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/2 ... Quick.html

I tried a swivel head like this once, but absolutely hated it. Totally unworkable for the way I shoot.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... nopod.html

Another great use for monopods over a tripod is when you're on busy platforms. Your footprint area can be reduced significantly, and people won't be bumping into you & your equipment as much. Also much easier to move quickly to a less busy part of the platform, or to butt into an area where the photo potential is best. If you've ever been to the platform at Fish Creek near Hyder, AK - this is exactly the type of scenario where a monopod works great.

Pete Zwiers wrote:I tried a swivel head like this once, but absolutely hated it. Totally unworkable for the way I shoot.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... nopod.html

Pete, could you clarify that? I have one on my monopod--with a clamp on top, of course. The only issue I have with it is that I have to keep tightening the connection between the swivel and clamp. (One of these days, I'll actually use a wrench and be done with it!) Other than that, if I have the swivel locked in the vertical position, it's just like using a straight monopod, but the swivel is there for the occasional time I want it.

-Paul

Paul Skoczylas wrote:

Pete Zwiers wrote:I tried a swivel head like this once, but absolutely hated it. Totally unworkable for the way I shoot.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... nopod.html

Pete, could you clarify that? I have one on my monopod--with a clamp on top, of course. The only issue I have with it is that I have to keep tightening the connection between the swivel and clamp. (One of these days, I'll actually use a wrench and be done with it!) Other than that, if I have the swivel locked in the vertical position, it's just like using a straight monopod, but the swivel is there for the occasional time I want it.

-Paul

Hey Paul,

The one night I tried that swivel head I forgot to lock the knob a couple of times, and the camera & lens suddenly (& quite violently) pointed downward when I went to take a shot. One of those times, only the lens strap around my neck saved the system from crashing to the ground (I wasn't holding onto the monopod very tightly at that point). It was a stupid mistake, but those are the things one forgets when something like 'a black bear cub suddenly hopping out of a tree to start nursing right in front of you' happens!

I found that the swivel just didn't help at all in my movements to quickly compose an image - just messed me up. Maybe if I took the time to get used to it my opinion would change. That said, my solution for when I need to swivel for vertical movement (beyond what is easy at whatever height I have the monopod set at) is to shorten/heighten the monopod quickly - and then just lean forward or backward to compose the shot like normal. Very quick ... and safer for me in the end because there are less moving parts to worry about. Besides, just having the clamp means there is less bulk on top of the monopod - which is why I'm using the monopod in these situations in the first place.

Cheers,
- Pete

A monopod to me is essential in your travel bag. I choose the Gitzo 1568, light & strong.

Consider:
- Where there is no space to setup a tripod.
- when I don't have space to travel with a tripod
- where I travel in an open (safari) vehicle, so no real good way to use a beanbag

Make sure you have a good monopod head. I almost destroyed a 400mm/2.8 lens and smashed my camera to 1000 pieces by budgetting on the head once, in the process I severely injured my hand... Never again. I use the RRS MH-01.

Sounds like the RRS MH01 is a great head. I will definitely give it a try...hopefully get some more use out of my monopod!

If I am not moving hiking, I use the monopod. If a lot of moving around, the pod can be cumbersome so I tend to hand hold. I do not consider sideline shooting to be hiking so prefer the pod in this type of use.

by Greg Downing on Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:28 pm
"Ever seen the sidelines of a sports event? Not a bad idea at all if you know the limitations and certainly beats hand holding!"


Hi Phil and Greg, A monopod is a great help on the sidelines, but it is actually all you can use. I was on the sidelines shooting for the Philadelphia Eagles 1990-93 and tripods were not allowed. Sideline photogs occasionally become landing pads for these multimillion dollar players. Much better to flatten a photog shooting with a monopod than to get tangled up with someone using a tripod. I used a Bogen 3018 MP under my 500 F4P and my 200~400 F4 manual lenses.

+1 for the RRS Hi Capcity head. Use it with a GM2541 and it's a light and strong support for something like the 500L.

If I'm out @ mid-day in the sun, I'll attach the Wimberley F-9/extension post to my camera's L-plate which will get my flash up and over the big lens.

milmoejoe wrote:I have one, but more often than not end up using it as a walking stick or to balance when climbing or stream crossing with gear.

Those of you that do use monopods in the field- do you use a head? RRS monopod head? Gimbal?

Monopod + Wimerley works great, but it is very top heavy. Ive seen some use a sidekick on a monopod, which looks like a smart idea as well.

Probably late in replying, but no head works fine for me, just the arca plate to slot my 500 on. Works a treat and keeps weight down.

I use my 500 with a monopod with a Wimberley gimbal head on it. It isn't any trouble at all to use (of course, I am not a small person) and it's very versatile for birds and wildlife.

Do any of you use a monpod with a Canon EF 600 F4L IS USM?

Best regards,

Roman:-)