mwtphoto Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 i have a canon 40d and use some heavy contax lens on it (100mm macro, mirotar 500mm) i am looking for a monopod and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me. thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullmetalphotograper Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I use the G1564L Gitzo Monopod. It is well made and it is what I use to support my 300mm f/2.8. I have owned it for about 5 years now. It works just like new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwcombs Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I use a Bogen/Manfrotto 681. Basic 3-piece, aluminum, black monopod. There are various types of monopods, for all types of situations. Mag fiber, aluminum, automatic, self-standing, 2-section, 3-section, etc. The choices are many for you to zone in on for your specific needs. Gitzo, Bogen, Giottos, Slik, Benro, are just a few good names available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godfrey Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I use a Manfrotto 3245 fitted with a Markins Q3 ballhead. It's tall and fast operating. Works well with my longest lens for sports work ... the Olympus E-1 fitted with 50-200/2.8-3.5 + 1.4x teleconverter, the field of view equivalent of a 560mm f/4.9 lens in 35mm film camera terms. Godfrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcuknz Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 I have made several for myself and members of my family .. using aluminium square tube [RHS] which you will find slides inside outside adjacent sizes. Then I mount a ballhead on top. This way I can achieve a really tall monopod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_tuthill Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Some people think you don't need a ballhead, just a cheaper swivel/tilt head, because the monopod itself turns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwtphoto Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 I think a tilt.swivel head is sufficient for my purposes - i am not sure I want to spend the money on carbon fibre. thanks to all for the suggestions so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimstrutz Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 My opinion is that an expensive monopod is a great way to spend money without getting significantly better performance. A cheap, flimsy, lightweight monopod is just as steady as a really heavy, high quality one. It does not suffer the same stability issues that a cheap flimsy tripod does, and rigidity is not needed. All you need is enough monopod to be able to reliably hold up your heaviest camera & lens. Buying more may gain you some durability, but monopods don't get abused much, so for most of us this is not an issue. And a lightweight aluminum pod is still lighter than an expensive carbon fiber pod. Odd but true. Every time I say the above I get accused of being cheap and not thinking things through, but whatever. I like the simple tilt heads over ball heads for monopods, but it does depend on how you like to use it. I use the tilt head sideways and I keep it semi loose so I can flip the camera into portrait mode quick without having to touch a knob. I push the pod forwards or backwards to get a higher or lower view. A ball head is slower to use, but more versatile, and still a lot faster than a tripod. To each his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightypir Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Get an opteka monopod from amazon for $12. Its great and comes with a carrying case!!! I have used it with my D200 and 70-300 with no issues at all. The pod goes up high enough for me (am 5'11") and I don't use a ball head, which would extend the height by a bit for you. But its a great buy and tremendous value for money: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002RBQO0/nmphotonet-20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pvp Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 All monopods are exactly the same. A monopod is nothing more than a stick, with a camera mount on one end. In the final analysis, as long as the leg locks are strong enough to support your gear without slipping, you won't ever notice any difference in performance. That said: I have a 3-section Bogen, with a small ballhead on top, which I like very much... The problem with the swivel/tilt heads, is that they tilt in only one plane. When you're shooting uphill or down, being able to keep the monopod more or less vertical is nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_ollinger Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I just bought a Bogen/Manfrotto 679 for my 40D and a heavish zoom. I put the Bogen 234 swivel head and the QR release on it. I'm very happy with it and it was the right mix of weight, size, and fit for me. What worked best for me was going down to the local shops and actually seeing and feeling them, particularly the various Manfrottos, both aluminum and carbon fiber. That made it easier for me to decide what was too heavy, what looked too wimpy, what was balanced, etc. Some things can be bought from spec sheets, but some things (cameras, lenses, tripods, etc) should be personally seen and felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now