Remote area of Belize - monopod worth taking?

<p>I'm going to a remote area of Belize on Saturday, and I'll be with a local guide. He recommended that I <em>not</em> bring a tripod, since we'll be traveling along some difficult to negotiate roads, so the less equipment the better, and there wouldn't be many places to set up a tripod. I've been to Panama, and that to be the case. Would a monopod be helpful for photo shooting (as opposed to using it for a walking stick, etc.)?</p>

<p>Thanks</p><div></div>

<p>A monopod is best used to take the weight of a long lens with minimal floorspace, as for sports photography or on safari from a truck bed. Don't expect it to steady shots for slow shutter speeds - it won't.</p>

<p>There is no substitute for a tripod for general use. Your images will be sharper, regardless of the shutter speed. If space is an issue, use it as a monopod by leaving the legs folded and only one extended.</p>

<p>You didn't say what kind of camera you will be using, or what time of day you will be there.</p>

<p>If you are using a digital camera with image stabilization, you probably don't need the monopod, especially during daylight hours. My experience in remote areas of Belize (around Benque Viejo) is that there is so much light that long exposures are rarely needed.</p>

<p>I'll have a Nikon with VR and a 18-200mm lens; however, I do plan to take evening images and indoor ones as well in villages.</p>

<p>I'd go with a tripod myself. In Costa Rica I've found the low light in dense rainforest justifies the the use of a tripod alone. I have a reasonably inexpensive CF Manfrotto (can't recall the name) with a Markins lens. It's been a great investment for me and I can use the setup with everything up to a 400mm f5.6 lens</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I'd go with a tripod myself. In Costa Rica.... <br>

<br>

And contradict the clear suggestion of the guide? I don't see how that will be a smart move. While I agree that there is no substitute for a tripod (especially if you are, as you say, planning night shots and other low light shooting) - ignoring your guide is probably a dumb move. If all else fails - jack the ISO.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>guides are guides and usually not photographers. Often they have no idea of how you shoot. If you can carry it, bring it. What you have while on the road shouldn't make much difference - its what you are carrying while hiking. Because sometimes, jacking your ISO into noisy crap territory just means you get noisy crap.</p>

<p>"guides are guides and usually not photographers"<br>

<br>

Harvey - Original poster wanted opinions as to whether to take along a tripod even if the guide recommended not to. I just want to add that in my experience, guides in exotic locales are frequently very well versed in photography. I have had guides that have actually recommended what lens to mount on my camera and what fstop and/or shutter speed before turning round the bend. And even if the guide is not a photographer, I expect that he knows what a tripod is and is undoubtedly recommending against one based on experiences he has had with previous tourists/photogs who have struggled with their gear.<br>

<br>

A guide makes his living keeping his charges happy - if a customer has an unpleasant experience because of the difficulty dragging along a tripod or oversized backpack or whatever, it reflects badly on him and his pocketbook when it is time to tip. No-one in the hospitality business would risk alienating a customer by suggesting that he leaves something home without a good reason to do so. <br>

<br>

And regarding the noise from high ISO - I would much rather have a noisy shot than miss the shot because I was too tired to set up the tripod when action arose. That is why God invented Noise Ninja, Define etc. You can fix noise; you can't fix "I missed the shot."<br>

<br>

It will be interesting to hear how AllenG makes out with his trip and whether or not he did bring along the legs.</p>