TLR & Monopod

[fc.moreira]

Hi Everyone,

I have a Mamya C330 and a Rolleiflex Planar 75mm. I am avoiding to

move around with a tripod all the time. So I'd like to know if a

monopod and a cable shutter will do fine with TLRs. What's the

minimum shutter speed do you recommend with a monopod and a cable

shutter?

Tks for your help

[mag_miksch]

IMO a monopod and a cable release dont work well together use the upper knob, the lower may be not so comfortable to use because of the bellows extension.( on the C330)<p><p>

 

With the 80mm lens on the C330 maybe you can go down to 1/60, maybe 1/30, depends on your hands and your head, I allways press the head to the WL finder to get some stabilization. With shorter lens, 55mm, maybe you can go to 1/15, with 180mm maybe 1/125. <p><p>Best you try it yourself, and (for me) an important point is to use a monopod not as a substitute for a tripod but as improvment for handheld.<p><p>

Enjoy your nice babies.

[jorge_jimenez1]

The Rollei TLR can be hand held without any help at 1/60th, If you have good nerves 1/30th if you pull down on the strap around your neck, 1/30 for everyone and 1/15th for non type A personalities. With a unipod and a cable release everyone should be able to go at least to 1/15 and if you are a calm person to 1/8th. I read about the Mamiya. Never used on, but if you can only go to 1/60th with a unipod, I'd sell it.

Regards

Jorge

[francois_gauthier]

A monopod could be worth it only if the regular waist level finders are replace by a prism.

 

Otherwise, just hanging the camera with a strap around your neck should improve stability (shot at the end of breath expiration).

Hand-held, you can put a knee on the ground an place the camera on the other.

 

A soft release is no use with a monopod. I prefer a light and fairly low tripod. It is easy to move with the camera on it (good for the Rollei but the mamiya is heavier)

[jimmy_english]

What I do (whenever possible) is to rest the monopod against an immovable object such as a post/tree/rock/wall/car/house etc. This is much steadier & allows me to go to 1/4 sec with my Yashica TLR. Just be very light on the shutter release. The combo of a monopod & cable release seems like it would take 3 hands or an assistant. Good luck ... Jim

[john_stockdale2]

There are some comments (not all in agreement) at the Medium Format Megasite at:

 

http://medfmt.8k.com/mf/monopod.html

 

Some people like to hold the monopod vertically, but it works better for me if I place it on the ground forward of me and tilt it backwards towards me, a bit like a tripod leg. I use a Manfrotto/Bogen one-way tilt head (quite light), and it's fine for 6x6 since you don't have to turn the camera 90degrees for a vertical shot.

[michael_bach2]

I have a monopod but hardley never use it, it is a big tripod or a smal tabel

tripod for me , or Fuji 800 npz.

 

www.micbach.dk "Photography workshops in Spain"

[bacsa]

a tlr in my neck i have found to be extremely hand-holdable. I have shot at 1/15 s and record subject motion blur with the background and static objects in the frame as sharp as it can get. A little tabletop tripod (i have the manfrotto one), with selftimer or cable release allows for 3-4 s exposures that show no blur resulting from camera vibration. I am not sure if a monopod would really help you further; you have to keep the pod in balance, and the vertical stability is already quite good with the neckstrap.

 

What i did when buying the manfrotto tabletop was, i asked the guys if i can switch it to a monopod if, after a few days of using, it turns out i don't like it. They said yes (but i kept it after all). Is that a possibility for you, but the other way around, maybe?

[bacsa]

The one before the last image posted <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DwWk">here</a> was done with the tabletop in a very awkward position (a bit difficult to point a tlr upwards and keep it steady) and a shutter time of 3 seconds. You can see the movement of the giant pendulum but the focused woodwork and the stones are perfectly sharp - even on a flatbed scan of the prints - . For my taste, anyway. Some people might have higher standards for the sharpness they need:)

[pavelp]

I use the neck-strap stabilization. I focus the camera using the WLF magnifier, lock the focus (that's where the focus lock lever becomes an invaluable accessory), close the magnifier, frame my composition using the unmagnified screen while camera hangs from my neck and shoot. 1/30s with 180mm lens razor sharp with just little of practice. I use the slide release (the black fang) on C330s.

[nemeng]

Other than helping with camera shake during exposure, a monopod can also make it a little easier carrying the camera around.

 

Let's face it, MF gear can get heavy after a while. I've found a monopod to be really useful between shots to take the weight and give your hands & back & neck a rest :?)

[graham_patterson1]

People vary, as do opinions and experiences. I find that I get sharper pictures with a monopod at slow to mid-range speeds with a monopod than I do handheld. The tripod beats both, naturally. My carbon fibre tripod is bigger and somewhat heavier than the alloy monopod, which can be significant.

 

With the C330, I suggest a monopod with a tilt or ball head. Place the foot of the monopod forward of the camera, grip the top of the monopod and lean into it with your feet apart. Focus and use the cable release with your other hand. This assumes a waist-level or chimney finder.

 

See <a href="http://www.btinternet.com/~g.a.patterson/photos/monopod.html">monopods</a> for more thoughts.

[blueform]

Take a look at the Y-pod.

 

James.

[richard_keistler]

I use a monopod with my Mamiya TLR's and also Rollei bodies when I get tired of the weight. I always use waist level, don't even have a prism. For me, the issue wouldn't be the TLR but whether you like using a monopod at all. It isn't a tripod substitute, I look at it like an 'extra leg'. Takes some practice using, and fortunately, you can get one at a reasonable price. Then, if you don't like it, you're not out much.