Monopods with legs - sturdiness feedback

<p>Can anyone that owns either the Benro or Bogen monopod with support legs comment on how stable it is in actual use. Can you mount a dslr with a 70-200 f4 on it, with it extended all the way, and use mirror lockup and self-timer and get stable long exposures? What about a 400mm 5.6. Would like to hear from people who own one of these or a similar model. Thanks</p>

<p><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/621330-REG/Benro_455_098_MC_98M8_8X_Carbon_Fiber.html#reviews">Benro</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/332749-REG/Manfrotto_682B_Professional_Monopod_Black.html#reviews">Bogen</a></p>

<p>No. It's simply not stable enough. You've got all of that mass up on top of a pole, with lens only a foot and half across (at most) trying to keep it all rigid. Simply doesn't work. <br /><br />Mind you, I have one with legs, and I even use it once in a while, in that configuration. Mostly, as an impromptu light stand for a slaved speedlight. Once in a while, I've used it as a hands-off camera stand, but only with the monopod collapsed down to its shortest length. And even then ... hope the wind's not blowing!</p>

<p>Thanks Matt, seems to be a pretty definitive no.</p>

<p>Sometimes, I like to use one as a way to keep the camera at eye-level, standing right next to me, so that I can set aside a second body (or let it hang from a strap), and just lean to the stand-mounted camera, grab and shoot. It's not that I don't trust the legged monopod when I have control of the situation, but they do wobble more than I'd want for any sort of long exposure.<br /><br />Here's one of my bodies with a heavy lens, sitting on an Induro carbon monopod with its legs deployed:<br /><img src="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00R/00RMbi-84719584.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="600" /><br />Didn't make me nervous at that moment, because there wasn't any real wind, and nobody else to bank into it.</p>

<p>Those extendable littlle legs were intended to hold the monopod alone in vertical position, while photographer gears up to pick and mount the lens and camera.<br>

You should not leave a camera on this monopod unatended. The weight of various equipment when mounted may not necessarily be distributed evenly, and the monopod will hit the ground, even if there is no wind.</p>

<p>I had a Bogen for many years. With the legs extended, it was a bit more stable than a monopod without legs, but not so different that it did not have all of the limitations of a monopod. Even with legs out, it is not a tripod.</p>

<p>A monopod with legs is a complete waste of money. It adds little stability to the monopod, yet makes it much harder to use (if legs are deployed). It is not stable enough on a hard, level surface to act as unaided support, much less on soft or uneven ground.</p>

<p>A monopod itself is of little use except to support an heavy lens on the sidelines of a sporting event. The OP needs a tripod for his stated use, and nothing else will do.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses. I have a large tripod but need something more portable for upcoming field work in India. I've got my travel tripod chosen now that the monopod option is out. Thanks.</p>