Which Monopod

thefisherman · Feb 27, 2005

holly cow, looked at b & h website to find a mono pod and 4 pages of them. could use some recommendations. want super light, short when closed to put on backpack, and i am over 6' tall so not a short one when extended. could use some recommendations on brands and models that you like and ones you do not. leaving on a trip in a couple of days. will use for below equipment list.
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TC

Canon 20D, EF-s 17-85 USM, EF70-200L USM 580EX

jcochran · Feb 27, 2005

Fisherman

I just bought a Manfrotto 676 Digipod from B&H that seems pretty well built and not too expensive. It has flip lock levers, is about 19" long fully collapsed, 61" fully extended, and seems fairly sturdy.

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http://users.adelphia.net/~cochranj/ .

pamorell · Feb 27, 2005

Fisherman,

I've been using the Manfrotto Carbon One 449 for about a year and love it. Light and short, fits well on the outside of my Mini-Treker. About 6 months ago I added a quick release plate from Really Right Stuff to make my life a little easier changing between lens on the fly. I'm 6'2" and when it's fully extended it's at the perfect height for standing.

Paul

Andy Blanchard · Feb 27, 2005

If you want super light, don't be suckered by the carbon fibre ones thinking they will save you a lot of weight! I was looking at some of the Manfrotto ones today, and they are nearly double the price of their equivalent "regular" versions for a couple of 100g weight saving at most. Most of Manfrotto's monopods are around 160cm when fully extended, plus any head and the camera itself. Anyway, here's a summary of Manfrotto's range (model / min height / max height / weight / notes) from their catalogue (can't find my Gitzo one):

676 / 48cm / 154cm / 0.40kg (4 section)
694 / 53cm / 165cm / 0.58kg (4 section, carbon fibre)
695 / 46cm / 160cm / 0.59kg (5 section, carbon fibre)
679 / 64cm / 162cm / 0.60kg (3 section)
680 / 51cm / 154cm / 0.83kg (4 section)
681 / 67cm / 161cm / 0.78kg (3 section)
682 / 74cm / 172cm / 1.10kg (3 section, self standing - expensive)
684 / 71cm / 166cm / 0.70kg (3 section, "grip release" - expensive)
334 / 68cm / 166cm / 0.49kg (3 section, "grip release" - expensive)

Andy

Dray · Feb 27, 2005

Got this one a month ago...best $100.00 deal I've ever had.

http://www.feisol.com/english/enconnect-n.htm

Danny

Ken Fox244188 · Feb 27, 2005

I have the Feisol and it is sweet, plus an exceptional deal. I paid about $72 delivered, then added on a cheap manfrotto head (I think the 2332 or something like that for $24 from B&H). Very nice $100 package for the whole thing, perfect for hiking, which is my intended use. I've put it into a smallish daypack (sticking out one side, in a water bottle holder with the head pointed down. Works for me and the price and weight are right.

ken

--
The Sawtooth Wilderness is the most photogenic place on earth!

Vancemac · Feb 27, 2005

Identical set-up. Couldn't be happier.

Mike Schriber · Feb 27, 2005

I'll put another recomendation in for the Feisol. It's light, short and sturdy. The price was right too.

I use mine without a head most of the time (mounted to the lens... Sigma 70-200 2.8 or Bigma) and sometimes with a basic Bogen one axis tilt head.

Mike

--
--
Mike Schriber - San Diego, CA
'More equipment than talent, but working on it'
20D, 28-135IS, 50mm 1.8 MK1, Bigma 50-500,
Sigma 70-200 2.8, Peleng 8mm fish, Metz 54MZ-3

Amateur photographer, astronomer, race car driver,
and I think a few other things too!

Vancemac · Feb 27, 2005

How do you like the Sigma 70-200/2.8? Nice bargain alternative to the canon... or too much of a compromise and you'll eventually get the canon?

Thanks,
Vance

BSell · Feb 27, 2005

I tried a rather stout Velbon monopod with my Bigma and it had tons of flex. So much so it was almost as bad as handheld!

The flex manifested itself in up and down wiggle at the lens opening.

How does the Feisol do in this regard?

What's it like to handle with no head?

Thanks,

Brian

Vancemac · Feb 28, 2005

I used my bigma all weekend on my Feisol monopod (WITH a head, not that it makes much difference). I noticed no flex. I'm far from an expert... but with a monopod, it seems like flex would be least of your worries. That is, your movements are of a far greater magnitude than any ongoing flex from (any) monopod.

Are you sure it was "flex" and not wind, general lack of steadiness, imbalance, etc? Oddly, the only place I noticed any play at all was between lens and camera -- I have slight play in the seating. But even that is irrelevant in the photo process.

BSell · Feb 28, 2005

I tested the pod in the store so there was no wind.

When I zoomed out to 500mm, the 'barbell' effect seemed to take over. That is, the weight of the body on one end and the weight of the lens way out front set up a cyclic motion up and down at the lens opening. You could see the shaft of the pod wiggle with the flex.

The lens was connected directly to the pod and securely at that! I tried wrapping my leg around the pod, up as far as I could to dampen the vibrations but that didn't help.

So, is it inherent in monopods to have the shaft flex?

Brian

tdhg566 · Feb 28, 2005

I personally DO like the Bogen style level clamps, and do NOT like the spin clamps on other brands. Reason is that with spin clamps, you have to retract the legs in the correct order or the legs just spin, which frustrates the ^& ( out of me. For my shooting, I need to extend and retract the legs quickly, and separately. Reason is that I often keep the monopod on the camera/lens, but fully retracted. It helps steady the lens in additional situations.

ALSO, even more important, consider the quick release mechansim and whether your plates on your lenses and camera(s) need to interchange with a ballhead or something. Making the right choice there early can save you money in the long run. I just switched from the Bogen QR and plate system to Markins, and had to replace everything, including ballhead on tripod, two QR plates for two monopods, and new plates for everything. All that cost way, way more than tripod and monopods combined..

--

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Equipment list in profile

seank · Feb 28, 2005

I am no expert, but I just received the Feisol and it appears to live up to all they hype I read about. Pretty light, very sturdy and just really really nice.

-Sean

Ken Fox244188 · Feb 28, 2005

As to the locking clamps, I think you get used to whatever you use and this is a non-issue if you are not "used" to using something else than what you are buying (even then, you can "re-learn").

As to the plates, I have the Markins ballhead and assorted plates for camera bodies and lenses. The Markins QR plates have screwholes to accomodate using a monopod. Of course this obviates the use as a QR system, but one is not likely to use a monopod with a large variety of lenses and bodies in one sitting, the way you might with a tripod. This is because the monopod excels in situations where you would not want to lug all of your equipment, such as on a hike or in a sports venue. Many advocate using monopods without any head at all, simply screwing the lens mount or camera body into the monopod directly.

One could, of course, transplant the QR head you might already have from your tripod onto the monopod, but I think this is overkill. A full ballhead QR system on a monopod, is in my opinion, akin to "tits on a bull;" not particularly useful.

ken

--
The Sawtooth Wilderness is the most photogenic place on earth!

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Which Monopod

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