Monopods?

dougan

dougan

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Dougie
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As I am going to buy a Sigma 150-500, the impending price increase made my mind up!
As I need to spend over £800 at Jesopps to get their 12 months interest free credit, I thought I would add a monopod. Are they all very similar seeing it is only one support leg? I realise with tripods there is, not so sure about monopods though.

Is it worth spending £50 on the Manfrotto Professional? Or would their 679 or 680 be ok? What about the Giottos 3270B at £35?

Can I screw the lens straight to the monopod or is it best to get the Manfrotto 234C QR head?

Sorry about all the questions, but I want to make sure I have the right monopod before I order the lens later today.

Thanks
 
My very inexpert opinion is that a monopod is much less critical than a tripod. With a tripod you stand away from the camera, and the tripod does all the work of holding the camera still. But with a monopod you still clutch the camera in your hands, and then gain extra stability from the monopod.

No doubt you still get what you pay for, but there's less reason to spend eye-watering amounts on a monopod.
 
I screw the monopod directly onto the lens mount ring, never used a head.
 
I use a manfrotto 322 grip type with a sigma 150-500mm, and I think it makes my monopod far more useable.
 
I bought a monopod from 7dayshop for a £11.99 and only really use it with my Sigma 170-500mm and it's always done the job fine.

As Roseway says, a monopod's construction isn't as critical as a tripod ;)
 
dougan said:
As I am going to buy a Sigma 150-500, the impending price increase made my mind up!
As I need to spend over £800 at Jesopps to get their 12 months interest free credit, I thought I would add a monopod. Are they all very similar seeing it is only one support leg? I realise with tripods there is, not so sure about monopods though.

Is it worth spending £50 on the Manfrotto Professional? Or would their 679 or 680 be ok? What about the Giottos 3270B at £35?

Can I screw the lens straight to the monopod or is it best to get the Manfrotto 234C QR head?

Sorry about all the questions, but I want to make sure I have the right monopod before I order the lens later today.

Thanks
Click to expand...

i can highly recommend the manfrotto 680 monopod and the 234 RC2 head.the monopod will more than cope with the above setup,plus the 234 RC2 quick release head will allow for quick removal of your camera should you need to,plus allow for the camera to be used in portrait orientation,which you may wish to do at some point,and it doesn't cost a lot of lolly ;)

hope this helps :thumbs:
 
The Sigma 150-500 has a tripod collar that allows you to rotate the lens in the collar, so a head that allows you to switch from portrait to landscape orientation isn't a must BUT the QR facility does make life easier, especially if you have other supports and heads that use the same system.

I used to have a Jessops monopod and it was sturdy enough to stay extended with aq D200 and 170-500 on it - upgraded to a Manfrotto 729 and 234 RC2 to keep all the QR plates the same throughout my kit.
 
I use a cheap and cheerful velbon UP-4000. Very light but sturdy. I've never wanted to shoot anything in portrait though with a big lens, so the lack of a moveable head doesn't bother me.
 
with my limited experience of a monopod, i find that if the leg is slightly forward, and you stand with your legs slightly apart, then you are making up the two missing legs of a tripod. Seems a bit more stable than just keeping the monopod vertical. Surely the lack of head also severely limits your shots to dead ahead only ?

Al
 
Hi Dougie, I have the Siggy 150-500 and if you have arms like a Russian shotputter then dont bother with a monopod, but if you aint then you will most certainly need one.

I have 2 lenses the Siggy 150-500 and a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 and both are used for shooting rugby and if it wasn't for my monopod there would be no way I could hold it still and shoot 4-500 shots over 80mins. These lenses are heavy, I think the Siggy weighs around 4.5lbs which is like holding 2 bags of sugar at arms length.

I use a Manfrotto 680B, you can buy cheap and cheerful mono's but you also have to take into account what weight the mono can take. I also use a quick release ball head 486 RC2.

Always buy the best you can afford, because its worth it in the long run.
 
stan the man said:
.... 234 RC2 head.the monopod will more than cope with the above setup
Click to expand...

The 234 RC2 has a max weight of 2.5kg which is around 5.3 pounds and the Canon 550D and a Siggy 150-500 weighs in at around approx 6 pounds so you will need a slightly more substantial head.
 
seventythree said:
with my limited experience of a monopod, i find that if the leg is slightly forward, and you stand with your legs slightly apart, then you are making up the two missing legs of a tripod. Seems a bit more stable than just keeping the monopod vertical. Surely the lack of head also severely limits your shots to dead ahead only ?

Al
Click to expand...

dead ahead ?
 
Checkout Redsnapper he is offering 10% to TPers. I think the discount code is Red10
 
Sausages said:
Checkout Redsnapper he is offering 10% to TPers. I think the discount code is Red10
Click to expand...

I have one with the miniball head... I really like it...

Make sure you check the extended height is comfortable for you....
 
Try a monopod without the head first and if you think you need one, you can purchase later. I use a monopod all the time...I shoot Rugby and Footy with a 300mm 2.8 in the past and now a 400mm 2.8...I sit on a small stool and only extent the Monopod 1.5-2 sections and turn the lens through portrait via the tripod collar on the lens if necesarry. Turning the lens through to portrait when the action gets closer allows me to get the tighter shot where as in Landscape I would loose too much of the head or feet. I have a manfrotto and a giotto monopod ,, They both work really well but the Manfrotto is a Carbon Fibre version and it is a little lighter...Saying that though, it doesnt make that much difference with the weight of the lens lol
 
I use a Giottos MML3270B with my 40D and 120-400mm, which is probably roughly the same weight combination. I have never hadan issue with the monopod and never found any need for a head. As others have said if you want a portrait shot turn the lens in the tripod collar.

I do agree that a quick release plate is a very good idea though.
 
Due to the Christmas discounts, Redsnappers monopod/head combo was on special offer and was cheaper that buying a monopod on its own.

£25 roughly iirc.

I bought two and gave one to my father in law!

not sure how it is at the moment, but i bet it works out at just a few quid extra to include the mini ball head . No brainer.
 
seventythree said:
Due to the Christmas discounts, Redsnappers monopod/head combo was on special offer and was cheaper that buying a monopod on its own.

£25 roughly iirc.

I bought two and gave one to my father in law!

not sure how it is at the moment, but i bet it works out at just a few quid extra to include the mini ball head . No brainer.
Click to expand...

They're still on offer, I ordered one yesterday.
 
Yep! I also ordered a Redsnapper Monopod yesterday, good price! £25 :)
 
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