best monopod/ head set up for 300 2.8?

I would like to know what you use. I currently have a bogen monopod (dont know the model) with a quick release plate attached to it but the biggest lens I have had on it was a 300 F4. I now have a 300 2.8 on the way.

What do you recommend?

Thanks

P

--
everything together falls apart
everything rising up collapses
every meeting ends in parting
every life ends in death
-Udanavarga

We are here to realize the illusion of our separateness
-Thich Nhat Hanh

Well, I have the f4 so I can't say too much for your lens, but the one product i really do like from Really Right Stuff is their monopod head. It is SOLID and has a great tension knob when you wear gloves, and the quick release is reasonably good (I prefer the screw clamps) but the lever is just the wrong length for a 1Series with a 300 f4. Anyways, I don't think you will find better for a head, and your monopod sounds fine.

I use a Manfrotto 234RC head on my monopod with a 5D w/grip and the 300 2.8 IS

I also have a ball head but it is way too difficult to stop the heavy lens flopping over - the 234RC only has lens point up/down direction which is easy to control. The monopod allows panning from side to side just by turning it ...and loosening the lens foot ring a little allows you to rotate the camera and lens from landscape to portrait quickly and easily around the centre-balance-point of the monopod.

I've done pro tennis, pro cycling and jazz concerts with this combo and it works great.

Don't get a ball head...
--
'high IQ'

I had for years Manfrottos 234 Tilt Head, which at the time was the only choice in Tilt Heads. That was when I used it with a 400 5.6L. Even with it it tended to become less and less safe and begin to slide as I have a habit of throwing the whole assembly over my shoulder when on the move in the wild. After some use the lock doesnt lock safely anymore. I used up two 234´s. When I got the 300 2.8L I went directly for the RRS MH-01 Pro Head. It locks absolutely safely for transport over your shoulder when walking and is also considerably smoother in its function. For my kind of use its the only real choice in the long run.

Even though I love my Arca-Swiss B1 Ballhead neither I would never fasten a ballhead on a monopod. That just aint very practical or even safe. On the other hand I love the B1 together with my Wimberley Sidekick on the tripod. That is just a dream combination for the 300 2.8L. As a considerable plus its just as easy to remove the Sidekick in order to take landscape shots with smaller non-collared lenses as it is to quickly fasten the Sidekick+300 back on it.

killingbuddha said:

I would like to know what you use. I currently have a bogen monopod
(dont know the model) with a quick release plate attached to it but
the biggest lens I have had on it was a 300 F4. I now have a 300 2.8
on the way.

Click to expand...

When using lenses which have a rotating tripod collar you do not need a head and one is not recommended, especially for heavier lenses like the 300/2.8 and absolutely not for anything heavier.

I do recommend a QR plate. I have RRS Arca-Swiss QR plates on all my big super-telephotos, a RRS plate on my bodies and a RRS QR clamp on my monopod. I also have a B1 ballhead with QR clamp on my tripod. This allows me to easily move any lens/body combo effortlessly between monopod and tripod. It also really saves wear and tear on the collar screw especially if your shooting several times a week. Those screw threads can really take a beating.

I also find that the QR plate allows me to slide my 400/2.8 back and forth slightly to better fine-tune the balanace when on the monopod.

I agree with John-G that you do not need a Tilt Head or any other head on a monopod if you shoot only action that happen on a horizontal plane (hockey, soccer, field sports and such). On the other hand if you do shoot flying birds or sports like mountain climbing, motocross or any other fast action that happens on all vertical planes and at times even "over your head" you need to able to pan all the time without lifting the monopod of the ground. A specialty Tilt Head built for use with heavy lenses like RRS´s MH-01 will clearly benefit you in those situations.

In all honesty a head is not necessary on a monopod. You get plenty of swivel and tilt without one for sports.

If the action is in a vertical plane then unless you are willing to drop onto the ground as you pan up, and leap off the ground as you pan down, then you are better off handholding anyway..............

Where a tilt head can be useful is when the subject is fairly static but slightly above or below your eye level - bird in tree etc.

Has anyone ever tried to calculate the monopod extension you would need to have the tilt at say 45 degrees elevation and still be able to stand upright with your eye at normal height from the ground?
--
Paul

For a 6" person the monopod length would have to be approx. 8.5" long for the camera to be angled at 45deg with the operator stood upright looking through the viewfinder!!!

The camera would then hit the electric pylons when the operator wanted to take a horizontal photo

James

I use two models of heads
http://whitemouse.ru/photo/hardware/234rc.wmb
http://whitemouse.ru/photo/hardware/393.wmb

In your shoes I would choose the second one

--
White Mouse
http://WhiteMouse.RU/photo/
http://WhiteMouse.PhotoSight.RU/

Check the RRS website even, it is different from what you are talking about with using a ballhead.

Paul Boothroyd said:

In all honesty a head is not necessary on a monopod. You get plenty
of swivel and tilt without one for sports.

Click to expand...

Paul Boothroyd said:

If the action is in a vertical plane then unless you are willing to
drop onto the ground as you pan up, and leap off the ground as you
pan down, then you are better off handholding anyway..............

Click to expand...

Paul Boothroyd said:

Paul

Click to expand...

This is by far the best advise. I would NOT recommend any head or quick release on a monopod. Just use the screw. It’s the easiest way to carry the lens, and you don’t have to worry about 4 grand dropping from a failed quick release or head.

On lenses larger than the 300 2.8, use the 3/8” screw. If your large lens does NOT have a 3/8” threaded foot, then either buy the insert from Canon or have a machinist install a 3/8” helicoil. On smaller lenses and even the 300 2.8 try handholding for sports. You’ll get a lot more keepers and you can leave the stick behind.

--
everything together falls apart
everything rising up collapses
every meeting ends in parting
every life ends in death
-Udanavarga

We are here to realize the illusion of our separateness
-Thich Nhat Hanh

I use this head with my 300.

Bogen / Manfrotto 393 Heavy Duty Gimbal Type Telephoto Lens Support

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554099-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_393_393_Heavy_Duty_Gimbal.html

BH has it pictured with the mount on top. It seems to work better for me with it on the bottom.