Monopods

[Ollie]

Hi all.
Does anyone use a monopod, and if so do you think they help very much or do you prefer a tripod.

Anyone with any ideas of which brand is the best in terms of ease of setting up and carrying around etc. I do have a sturdy tripod but find it cumbersome to lug around and slow to set up.

Ollie

[glsammy]

I always take a monopod, it's a dual use item for me. I need a walking stick normally, when I've got my camera, I use the monopod. I do use it a lot, I find it convenient and quick. I keep the quick release plate permanently on my lens/camera. I can't get on with a tripod. I've found I can get good shots way below hand held levels.
The one I've got is a Jessops 330. It's well made, has simple lever locks, it's light, extends well above my eye level, plus has a proper handle adjustment head.
I thoroughly recommend it.

[Boddie]

Funny I was thinking just the same the other day as was looking at the Manfrotto range. Same reason as you. I have a Manfrotto tripod but it is a tad heavy. Be interesting to read the response.

[Fourwings]

I did borrow a mates Manfrotto mono pod last Summer, and to be honest I wasn't that impressed, it still wasn't easy to keep very steady especially when taking macro shots.
Personally when I need extra camera support I use my Benbo trekker tripod, an awesome bit of gear for wildlife photography.

[pxl8]

Originally Posted by Ollie

Hi all.
Does anyone use a monopod, and if so do you think they help very much or do you prefer a tripod.

I much prefer my mono over a the tripod for the flexibility it gives. But there's a bias because the kind of shots I'm taking means I need to move around, often in a hurry. If I were shooting birds/mammals from a distance/hide then I'm sure I'd use a tripod much more and see the advantage in doing so.

I use a Cullmann 2741 mono which has a twist lock system which I prefer over clips. I added a ball head as well which makes using the mono a lot more flexible as a support at odd angles or resting against a wall, etc. It's also light enough that I can go handheld when I need to.

[Alan]

Although I've used monopods, especially in areas where you need to move through cover say chasing insects, or if you don't want to damage rare plants, for the most part I prefare the stability of a 'heavy' tripod (I use a benbo). The latest carbon fibre models are ok but I find they're not heavy enough to push through thick spongy undergrowth/turf and seem to bounch around. As most of my photography is the sit and wait kind, the tripod suits me. It wouldn't hurt to try a monopod though as compared to tripods they're quite cheap. My advice would be to borrow one to try first if you can.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

I did borrow a mates Manfrotto mono pod last Summer, and to be honest I wasn't that impressed, it still wasn't easy to keep very steady especially when taking macro shots.
Personally when I need extra camera support I use my Benbo trekker tripod, an awesome bit of gear for wildlife photography.

A good point. I don't think my monopod would be any good for Macro. For birds, its fine. How heavy is the Benbo trekker?

[Alan]

Originally Posted by glsammy

A good point. I don't think my monopod would be any good for Macro. For birds, its fine. How heavy is the Benbo trekker?

Just weighed mine on fishing scales, it's approx 9 pounds including head. Mines the Benbo Classic.

[nightshade]

The trekker is 3.5 kilos/7.5lbs

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by glsammy

A good point. I don't think my monopod would be any good for Macro. For birds, its fine. How heavy is the Benbo trekker?

Its not a light weight thats for sure, somewhere in the region of 2.4 kgs
But it's possibly the most stable and versatile tripod available, it can hold a large camera and lens at any angle you can think of.